For the source text click/tap here: Bava Batra 162
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The Gemara on our daf presents a baraita that teaches that if the witnesses did not sign immediately after the text of the document, i.e. if two lines or more were left blank, the document is no longer trustworthy.
On the other hand, if there are four or five signatures on the document, even if one of them turns out to be disqualified as a witness – e.g. he was found to be related – the document may, nevertheless, be accepted if it can be affirmed based on the other, reliable signatures.
In the case of a legal document, we cannot assume that everyone who signed had the intention to testify. It could be that additional names were added simply to fill in the empty space, to honor the guests or because one of the parties insisted that everyone in the room sign their names.
We explore the literary concept of poetics in legal narratives as well as the shaping of Judaism in the hellenistic period.