Designated Hitters

 

Raising a hand against a Yid The גמרא סנהדרין נ"ח ע"ב says as soon as one  raises a hand to hit a fellow *Yid, even before he hit him, he is considered a רשע. The מרדכי writes that since he is a רשע he is פסול לעדות. A Rav who is מסדר גיטין וקידושין must verify that the עדים  are עדים כשרים. The Rav usually asks the עדים if they are related to חתן וכלה etc. Perhaps, in such places where there are many designated hitters of the Rebbe's team, it would be advisable for the Rav, the מסדר, to also ask the עדים if they ever raised a hand against a fellow Yid. According to ר' אלעזר even if he did do תשובה, he remains an עד פסול. The only תקון he can have is קבורה ר"ל. (after his burial) R.Chaim Brisker (סטנסיל פ' החובל) holds this applies even when trying to hit a Yid who is a רשע if the intention was to kill him.