English: “The elders of the congregation” — might one think ordinary old men of the marketplace? Scripture says “elders of the congregation” — a court. If “elders of the congregation,” might one think all the elders in the congregation (even a court of twenty-three)? Scripture says “the congregation” — the distinctive ones of the congregation (the Great Sanhedrin). “And they shall lean” — two; “elders” — two; a court cannot be even-numbered — thus five; these are the words of R’ Yehudah. R’ Shimon says: “And the elders shall lean” — two; a court cannot be even — thus three.
In Sifra: Community chatas semichah is not done by random elders. It is the Great Sanhedrin, and the minimal number of leaners is fixed by a tannaitic dispute (five vs three) that also enforces the odd-number rule for courts.
Type of Learning
Custom (definition of “elders of the congregation”) / count from plural language.
What Is Learned
The community bull’s semichah is performed by members of the Great Sanhedrin; R’ Yehudah requires five leaners, R’ Shimon three, both preserving an odd court.