Commentary for Makkot 5:1

היו עומדין ומעידין עליו שהרג את הנפש בלוד באו אחרים ואמרו להן היאך אתם מעידין שהרי אתם הייתם עמנו בחמשה בחדש בקיסרי ובאו אחרים ואמרו להן היאך אתם מעידים שהרי אתם הייתם עמנו בעשרה בחדש בציפורי ההורג אינו נהרג שמא עדים זוממין הן והעדים אינן נהרגין שמא אמת אמרו:

R. Hanina says: The sun must have gone down and the moon have commenced to rise. In effect R. Samuel says: The moon cannot shine as long as the sun still lightens, neither can the moon shine after the sun has darted his (morning) beams. R. Samuel bar-Hiya, in the name of R. Hanina, says: If a man, when the sun has begun to set, descends from the summit of Mount Carmel to bathe in the sea, and re-ascends to partake of the oblations, he has certainly bathed during the daytime. It is, however, only a certainty in the case of one taking cross-roads to shorten the route; but not in the case of one who follows the high road (Strata). What is meant by "the intermediate period "? R. Tanhooma says: It resembles the delay of a drop of blood placed on the edge of a sword, i.e. the time required for the drop of blood to divide and run down on either side of the blade, is equivalent to the period of transition. According to R. Nehemiah, it means the time it would require for a man to run half a mile, after sunset. R. Yosse says: This twilight lasts no longer than the twinkling of an eye, and not even the men of science could measure it.

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