Two people want
to disqualify a Kohen by testifying about the marital status of his
parents. They come to court and state the following: “We testify about a
certain man (who until now was presumed to be a qualified Kohen), that
he is a son of a divorced woman. Later they are found to be plotting
witnesses: two other witnesses came and ask them, “How can you say that
you saw this woman being divorced, when on that day you were with us in a
different place?”
It is impossible to apply to them what they wanted to inflict on the
defendant, even if they are Kohanim. If we disqualify the children of
the witnesses, we will violate the commandment of “do to them (but not
to their children) what they wanted to do to him.” And if we do not
disqualify their children, this is not right either, because they did
want to disqualify the defendant's children. Therefore, they instead get
the punishment of forty lashes.
Art: Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez - Three Men at a Table