Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day - Daily Torah Study

1Every one of the members of the Supreme Sanhedrin, a minor Sanhedrin, or a court of three must have received semichah (ordination from a teacher who himself had been given semichah. אאֶחָד בֵּית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל אוֹ סַנְהֶדְּרֵי קְטַנָּה אוֹ בֵּית דִּין שֶׁל שְׁלוֹשָׁה - צְרִיכִין שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶן, סָמוּךְ מִפִּי סָמוּךְ.

Our teacher, Moses ordained Joshua by placing his hands upon him, as Numbers 27:23 states: “And he placed his hands upon him and commanded him.” Similarly, Moses ordained the 70 judges and the Divine presence rested upon them. Those elders ordained others, and the others still others in later generations.וּמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ סָמַךְ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּיָּד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיִּסְמֹךְ אֶת יָדָיו עָלָיו וַיְצַוֵּהוּ" (במדבר כז, כג). וְכֵן הַשִּׁבְעִים זְקֵנִים - מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ סְמָכָם, וְשָׁרְתָה עֲלֵיהֶן שְׁכִינָה. וְאוֹתָן הַזְּקֵנִים סָמְכוּ לַאֲחֵרִים, וַאֲחֵרִים לַאֲחֵרִים.

This tradition continued until the Talmudic era, when the Sages had received ordination one from the other in a change extending back to the court of Joshua, and to the court of Moses.וְנִמְצְאוּ הַסְּמוּכִין אִישׁ מִפִּי אִישׁ, עַד בֵּית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל יהוֹשׁוּעַ, עַד בֵּית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ.

A person who is ordained by the nasi1 and one ordained by another ordained judge have the same status, even if that ordained judge never served in a Sanhedrin.וְאֶחָד הַנִּסְמָךְ מִפִּי הַנָּשִׂיא אוֹ מִפִּי אֶחָד מִן הַסְּמוּכִין, אַפִלּוּ לֹא הָיָה אוֹתוֹ הַסָּמוּךְ בְּסַנְהֶדְּרִין מֵעוֹלָם.

2How is the practice of semichah practiced for all time? The person conveying ordination does not rest his hands on the elder’s2 head. Instead, he is addressed by the title of Rabbi and is told: “You are ordained and you have the authority to render judgment, even in cases involving financial penalties.”בוְכֵיצַד הִיא הַסְּמִיכָה לַדּוֹרוֹת? לֹא שֶׁיִּסְמְכוּ יְדֵיהֶן עַל רֹאשׁ הַזָּקֵן, אֶלָא שֶׁקּוֹרִין לוֹ 'רַבִּי', וְאוֹמְרִין לוֹ 'הֲרֵי אַתָּה סָמוּךְ, וְיֵשׁ לְךָ רְשׁוּת לָדוּן אַפִלּוּ דִּינֵי קְנָסוֹת'.

3The semichah which ordains elders as judges may be conveyed only by three individuals. One of the three must have received semichah from others as explained.גוְאֵין סוֹמְכִין סְמִיכָה שֶׁהִיא מִנּוּי הַזְּקֵנִים לְדַיָּנוּת אֶלָא בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה. וְהוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הָאֶחָד מֵהֶן סָמוּךְ מְפִּי אֲחֵרִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ.

4The term Elohim3 can be applied only to a court which received semichah in Eretz Yisrael alone. They are wise men who are fit to render judgment who were scrutinized by a court within Eretz Yisrael which appointed them and conveyed semichah upon them.דאֵין קָרוּי 'אֱלֹהִים' אֶלָא בֵּית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל, שֶׁנִּסְמַך בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְבַד. וְהֵם הָאֲנָשִׁים הַחֲכָמִים הָרְאוּיִין לָדוּן שֶׁבָּדְקוּ אוֹתָן בֵּית דִּין שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהִמְחוּ אוֹתָן וְסָמְכוּ אוֹתָן.

5At first, whoever had received semichah would convey semichah on his students. Afterwards, as an expression of honor to the House of Hillel, the elder, the Sages ordained that semichah would not be conveyed upon anyone unless license had been granted by the nasi. They also ordained that the nasi should not convey semichah unless he is accompanied by the av beit din, and that the av beit din should not convey semichah unless he was accompanied by the nasi. The other elders could convey semichah themselves after receiving license from the nasi, provided they were accompanied by two others. For semichah cannot be conveyed by fewer than three judges.הבָּרִאשׁוֹנָה, הָיָה כָּל מִי שֶׁנִּסְמַךְ סוֹמֵךְ תַּלְמִידָיו. וַחֲכָמִים חָלְקוּ כָּבוֹד לְבֵית הִלֵּל הַזָּקֵן, וְהִתְקִינוּ שֶׁלֹּא יִהֵא אָדָם נִסְמָךְ אֶלָא בִּרְשׁוּת הַנָּשִׂיא, וְשֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה הַנָּשִׂיא סוֹמֵךְ אֶלָא אִם כֵּן הָיָה אַב בֵּית דִּין עִמּוֹ, וְשֶׁלֹא יִהְיֶה אַב בֵּית דִּין סוֹמֵךְ אֶלָא אִם כֵּן הָיָה הַנָּשִׂיא עִמּוֹ. אֲבָל שְׁאָר הַחֲבוּרָה, יֵשׁ לְכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶם לִסְמֹךְ בִּרְשׁוּת הַנָּשִׂיא. וְהוּא שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שְׁנַיִם עִמּוֹ, שֶׁהַסְּמִיכָה אֵינָהּ בְּפָחוֹת מִשְּׁלוֹשָׁה.

6Semichah may not be conveyed upon elders in the diaspora even if the judges conveying semichah received semichah in Eretz Yisrael. Even if the judges conveying semichah were in Eretz Yisrael and the elders to receive semichah were in the diaspora, they should not convey semichah. Needless to say, this applies if the judges conveying semichah were in the diaspora and the elders to receive semichah were in Eretz Yisrael.ואֵין סוֹמְכִין זְקֵנִים בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵלּוּ הַסּוֹמְכִין נִסְמְכוּ בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. אַפִלּוּ הָיוּ הַסּוֹמְכִין בָּאָרֶץ, וְהַנִּסְמָךְ חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ - אֵין סוֹמְכִין. וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר, אִם הָיוּ הַסּוֹמְכִין בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ וְהַנִּסְמָכִין בָּאָרֶץ.

If both of them were in Eretz Yisrael, semichah may be conveyed even though the recipients are not in the same place as those conveying semichah. Instead, the judges conveying semichah send to the elder or write to him that he has been given semichah and that he has permission to adjudicate cases involving financial penalties. This is acceptable, because both of them are located in Eretz Yisrael.הָיוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם בָּאָרֶץ - סוֹמְכִין אוֹתוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עִם הַסּוֹמְכִין בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד; אֶלָא שׁוֹלְחִין לוֹ אוֹ כּוֹתְבִין לוֹ שֶׁהוּא סָמוּךְ, וְנוֹתְנִין לוֹ רְשׁוּת לָדוּן דִּינֵי קְנָסוֹת, הוֹאִיל וּשְׁנֵיהֶם בָּאָרֶץ.

The entire area of Eretz Yisrael which the Jews who left Egypt took possession of4 is fit to have semichah conveyed within it.וְכָל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֶחֱזִיקוּ בָּהּ עוֹלֵי מִצְרַיִם רְאוּיָה לִסְמִיכָה.

7Judges who themselves were granted semichah may convey semichah on many individuals - even 100 - at one time. King David once conveyed semichah on 30,000 individuals on one day.זיֵשׁ לַסּוֹמְכִין לִסְמֹךְ אַפִלּוּ מֵאָה בְּפַעַם אַחַת, וְדָוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ סָמַךְ שְׁלוֹשִׁים אֶלֶף בְּיוֹם אֶחָד.

8Such judges may appoint anyone they desire for particular matters, provided he is fit to adjudicate all matters.חוְיֵשׁ לָהֶן לְמַנּוֹת כָּל מִי שֶׁיִּרְצוּ לִדְבָרִים יְחִידִים - וְהוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה רָאוּי לְכָל הַדְּבָרִים.

What is implied? A court has the authority to give semichah to a remarkable judge who is fit to issue rulings with regard to the entire Torah and limit his authority to the adjudication of financial matters, but not to what is forbidden and permitted. Conversely, they may grant him authority with regard to what is forbidden and permitted, but not to adjudicate cases involving financial matters. Or they may give him license with regard to adjudicate both such matters, but not laws involving financial penalties, or to rule with regard to financial penalties, but not to rule that a blemish disqualifies a firstborn animal.5 Or they may give him license merely to absolve vows, to judge stains,6 or to rule only within other similarly limited parameters.כֵּיצַד? חָכָם מֻפְלָא שֶׁרָאוּי לְהוֹרוֹת בְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ - יֵשׁ לְבֵית דִּין לִסְמֹךְ אוֹתוֹ וְלִתֵּן לוֹ רְשׁוּת לָדוּן, וְלֹא לְהוֹרוֹת בְּאִסּוּר וְהֶתֵּר. אוֹ יִתְּנוּ לוֹ רְשׁוּת לְהוֹרוֹת בְּאִסּוּר וְהֶתֵּר, לֹא לָדוּן דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת. אוֹ יִתְּנוּ לוֹ רְשׁוּת לְזֶה וּלְזֶה, אֲבָל לֹא לָדוּן דִּינֵי קְנָסוֹת. אוֹ לָדוּן דִּינֵי קְנָסוֹת, אֲבָל לֹא לְהַתִּיר בְּכוֹרוֹת בְּמוּמִין. אוֹ יִתְּנוּ לוֹ רְשׁוּת לְהַתִּיר נְדָרִים בִּלְבַד, אוֹ לִרְאוֹת כְּתָמִים. וְכֵן כֹּל כַיּוֹצֵא בְּזֶה.

9Similarly, the judges conveying semichah have permission to give the person receiving semichah license to judge only for a specific time, telling him: “You have permission to judge or issue rulings until the nasi arrives here,” or “...as long as you are together with us in this city,” or to issue other similar restrictions.טוְכֵן יֵשׁ לַסּוֹמְכִין לִתֵּן רְשׁוּת עַד זְמַן וְלוֹמַר לַנִּסְמָךְ 'יֵשׁ לְךָ רְשׁוּת לָדוּן אוֹ לְהוֹרוֹת עַד שֶׁיָּבוֹא הַנָּשִׂיא לְכָאן', אוֹ 'כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ בַּמְּדִינָה'. וְכֵן כֹּל כַיּוֹצֵא בְּזֶה.

10When a sage of remarkable knowledge is blind in one eye, he is not giver semichah with regard to matters of financial law although he may adjudicate such cases. The rationale is that he is not fit to judge all matters.7 Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.יחָכָם מֻפְלָא שֶׁהָיָה סוּמָא בְּעֵינוֹ אַחַת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא רָאוּי לְדִינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת - אֵין סוֹמְכִין אוֹתוֹ לְדִינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְכָל הַדְּבָרִים. וְכֵן כֹּל כַיּוֹצֵא בְּזֶה.

11If there was only one judge in Eretz Yisrael who possessed semichah, he should call two other judges to sit with him and they should convey semichah on 70 judges at one time or one after the other.8 Afterwards, he and these 70 should join together to make up the Supreme Sanhedrin and grant semichah to others to make up other courts.יאהֲרֵי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָא סָמוּךְ אֶחָד - מוֹשִׁיב שְׁנַיִם בְּצִדּוֹ, וְסוֹמֵךְ שִׁבְעִים כְּאֶחָד אוֹ זֶה אַחַר זֶה; וְאַחַר כָּךְ יֵעָשֶׂה הוּא וְהַשִּׁבְעִים בֵּית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל, וְיִסְמְכוּ בָּתֵּי דִּינִין אֲחֵרִים.

It appears to me that if all the wise men in Eretz Yisrael agree to appoint judges and convey semichah upon them, the semichah is binding and these judges may adjudicate cases involving financial penalties and convey semichah upon others.נִרְאִין לִי הַדְּבָרִים: שֶׁאִם הִסְכִּימוּ כָּל הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁבְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַנּוֹת דַּיָּנִין וְלִסְמֹךְ אוֹתָן - הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ סְמוּכִין, וְיֵשׁ לָהֶן לָדוּן דִּינֵי קְנָסוֹת, וְיֵשׁ לָהֶן לִסְמֹךְ לַאֲחֵרִים.

If so, why did the Sages suffer anguish over the institution of semichah, so that the judgment of cases involving financial penalties would not be nullified among the Jewish people? Because the Jewish people were dispersed, and it is impossible that all could agree. If, by contrast, there was a person who had received semichah from a person who had received semichah, he does not require the consent of all others. Instead, he may adjudicate cases involving financial penalties for everyone, for he received semichah from a court. The question whether semichah can be renewed requires resolution.9אִם כֵּן, לָמָּה הָיוּ הַחֲכָמִים מִצְטַעֲרִין עַל הַסְּמִיכָה כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִבָּטְלוּ דִּינֵי קְנָסוֹת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל? לְפִי שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מְפֻזָּרִין, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיַּסְכִּימוּ כֻּלָּן. וְאִם הָיָה שָׁם סָמוּךְ מִפִּי סָמוּךְ, אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ דַּעַת כֻּלָּן, אֶלָא דָּן דִּינֵי קְנָסוֹת לַכֹּל, שֶׁהֲרֵי נִסְמַךְ מִפִּי בֵּית דִּין. וְהַדָּבָר צָרִיךְ הֶכְרֵעַ.

12When a court received semichah in Eretz Yisrael and then departed to the diaspora, they may judge cases involving financial penalties in the diaspora in the same manner as they judge such cases in Eretz Yisrael. For the Sanhedrin exercises judicial authority in Eretz Yisrael and in the diaspora, provided the judges have received semichah in Eretz Yisrael.יבבֵּית דִּין שֶׁנִּסְמְכוּ בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיָצְאוּ לְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ - הֲרֵי הֵם דָּנִין דִּינֵי קְנָסוֹת בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁדָּנִין בָּאָרֶץ; שֶׁהַסַּנְהֶדְּרִין נוֹהֶגֶת בָּאָרֶץ וּבְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ - וְהוּא שֶׁיִּהְיוּ סְמוּכִין בָּאָרֶץ.

13The exiliarchs in Babylon function instead of the kings. They have the authority to impose their rule over the Jewish people in all places and to judge them whether they consent or not. This is derived from Genesis 49:10: “The staff10 will not depart from Judah” - this refers to the exiliarchs of Babylon.11יגרָאשֵׁי גָלִיּוֹת שֶׁבְּבָבֶל - בִּמְקוֹם מֶלֶךְ הֵן עוֹמְדִים, וְיֵשׁ לָהֶן לִרְדּוֹת אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל מָקוֹם, וְלָדוּן עֲלֵיהֶן, בֵּין רָצוּ בֵּין לֹא רָצוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "לֹא יָסוּר שֵׁבֶט מִיהוּדָה" (בראשית מט, י) - אֵלּוּ רָאשֵׁי גָלִיּוֹת שֶׁבְּבָבֶל.

14Any judge who is fit to adjudicate cases and was given license to serve as a judge by the exiliarch has the authority to act as a judge throughout the entire world, whether in Eretz Yisrael or in the diaspora. Even though either or both of the litigants do not desire to argue the case before him, they are required to do so despite the fact that he does not have the authority to adjudicate cases involving financial penalties.ידוְכָל דַּיָּן הָרָאוּי לָדוּן, שֶׁנָּתַן לוֹ רֹאשׁ גָּלוּת רְשׁוּת לָדוּן - יֵשׁ לוֹ רְשׁוּת לָדוּן בְּכָל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא רָצוּ בַּעֲלֵי דִּינִין, בֵּין בָּאָרֶץ בֵּין בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ דָּן דִּינֵי קְנָסוֹת.

Any judge who is fit to adjudicate cases and was given license to serve as a judge by the court in Eretz Yisrael has the authority to act as a judge throughout Eretz Yisrael and in the cities which are located on its boundaries even though the litigants do not desire to argue the case before him.כָּל דַּיָּן הָרָאוּי לָדוּן, שֶׁנָּתְנוּ לוֹ בֵּית דִּין שֶׁבְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל רְשׁוּת לָדוּן - יֵשׁ לוֹ לָדוּן בְּכָל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבָעֲיָרוֹת הָעוֹמְדוֹת עַל הַגְּבוּלִין, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא רָצוּ בַּעֲלֵי דִּינִין.

In the diaspora, by contrast, the license granted him does not afford him the authority to compel the litigants to appear before him.אֲבָל בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, אֵין רְשׁוּתָן מוֹעֶלֶת לוֹ לָכוֹף אֶת בַּעֲלֵי דִּינִין.

Although he has the sanction to adjudicate cases involving financial penalties in the diaspora, he may adjudicate such cases only when the litigants consent for him to judge. He does not have the authority to compel the litigants to accept his rulings unless he is granted such authority by the exiliarch.12אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לָדוּן דִּינֵי קְנָסוֹת בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, אֵינוֹ דָּן אֶלָא לְמִי שֶׁרָצָה לָדוּן אֶצְלוֹ; אֲבָל לָכוֹף אֶת בַּעֲלֵי דִּינִין וְלָדוּן לָהֶם, אֵין לוֹ רְשׁוּת, עַד שֶׁיִּטֹּל רְשׁוּת מֵרֹאשׁ גָּלוּת.

15When a person is not fit to act as a judge because he is not knowledgeable or because he lacks proper character and an exiliarch transgressed and granted him authority or the court erred and granted him authority, the authority granted him is of no consequence unless he is fit. To cite a parallel: When a person consecrates an animal with a physical blemish to be sacrificed on the altar, the holiness does not encompass it.טומִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לָדוּן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ אוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינוֹ הָגוּן, שֶׁעָבַר רֹאשׁ גָּלוּת וְנָתַן לוֹ רְשׁוּת, אוֹ שֶׁטָּעוּ בֵּית דִּין וְנָתְנוּ לוֹ רְשׁוּת - אֵין הָרְשׁוּת מוֹעֶלֶת לוֹ כְּלוּם, עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה רָאוּי. שֶׁהַמַּקְדִּישׁ בַּעַל מוּם לַמִּזְבֵּחַ, אֵין קְדֻשָּׁה חָלָה עָלָיו.

Footnotes

The head of the Supreme Sanhedrin, as stated in Chapter 1, Halachah 3.

I.e., the person receiving semichah. He is called a zekein, “elder,” for the Hebrew word zekein is interpreted as an allusion to the phrase zeh shekanah chochmah - “the one who acquired wisdom.”

Which refers to God, the supreme Judge, but which is also the term used by the Bible (Exodus 22:8) for a court.

When the Jews entered Eretz Yisrael after the exodus from Egypt, they conquered the Holy Land and settled within. After the Babylonian conquest, they were exiled and the holiness of the land was nullified. After conquering Babylon, Cyrus, King of Persia, gave the Jews the right to return to Eretz Yisrael and led by Ezra, they resettled and reconsecrated the land. The area which they resettled was, however, smaller than that originally possessed by the Jewish people. See Hilchot Terumot 1:6-7 for a description of the boundaries of the lands.

originally possessed by the Jewish people. See Hilchot Terumot 1:6-7 for a description of the boundaries of the lands.

To determine whether they render a woman ritually impure or not. See Hilchot Issurei Bi'ah 9:36. As stated in the Jerusalem Talmud (Chagigah 1:8), special authority must be given to a sage to issue such rulings.

For as stated in Chapter 2, Halachah 9, he may not serve in the Sanhedrin.

As Sanhedrin 14a relates the Romans tried to stamp out the Jewish court system by preventing the sages from conveying semichah on their students. They were almost successful, but Rabbi Yehudah ben Bava sacrificed his life and conveyed semichah on five students. They in tum conveyed semichah on others and were able to reconstruct the court system.

I.e., the Rambam was uncertain whether his ruling should be accepted or not. His equivocation on this matter represents somewhat of a change of thinking on this subject. In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Sanhedrin 1:3), the Rambam explains his rationale for this ruling and outlines similar ideas. In that source, however, he does not speak of the need for resolution. To quote: If you do not say [that semichah can be renewed in the above manner], there will never be the possibility for the Supreme Sanhedrin to exist [again], for it will be necessary that there be a judge who received semichah [and this is not so].... And God has promised [the Jewish people] on their return [to Eretz Yisrael] (Isaiah 1:26): “I will restore your judges as in the previous era.” This issue was debated not only by the Rambam, but by many other sages. Moreover, the debate was not merely theoretical. In the year 5298 (1538), Rav Ya’akov bei Rav, the Chief Rabbi of Tsfat, acted on the Rambam’s ruling. Convening his yeshivah which included such luminaries as Rav Yosef Karo and Rav Moshe of Turin, he desired to be granted semichah himself, then to convey semichah, and in this way, to renew the Sanhedrin.
The Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, the Ralbach, opposed this concept vehemently, composing a text Kuntres HaSemichah to explain his opposition to the concept. For resolution, the two sides turned to the Radbaz, Chief Rabbi of Egypt, who sided with the Ralbach. In his gloss to this halachah, the Radbaz reveals some of the thinking that motivated his decision. Firstly, he questions the Rambam’s statements about the difficulty of collecting all the judges together and suggests that the appointments could be done by correspondence. Alternatively, he notes that if one requires all the judges of Eretz Yisrael to gather together, that was not done in Tsfat. Secondly, he notes that to receive semichah, a sage must be able to rule with regard to the entire Torah, and questions whether such sages exist at present.
And with regard to the Rambam’s statements in his Commentary to the Mishnah, that in the Messianic era, there will be a Sanhedrin and that Sanhedrin must be made up of judges with semichah, the Radbaz answers that Elijah the prophet will arrive before Mashiach. He possesses semichah and he can grant that ordination to others.

10.

I.e., the ruling authority.

11.

The exiliarchs were descendants of King David, son after son. As such, they were granted authority over the Jewish people. As the Rambam states in his Commentary to the Mishnah (Bechorot 4:4), their authority was not an outgrowth of their wisdom - indeed, not all of them were Torah sages - but rather of their lineage and the acceptance of them by people at large.

12.

Although semichah can be given only by the judges of Eretz Yisrael and this empowers a judge to adjudicate a wider variety of cases, semichah does not carry with it the authority to compel a litigant to appear in court. In the Diaspora, that is dependent on the authority granted by the exiliarch alone.

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Sanhedrin veha’Onashin haMesurin lahem - Chapter 4

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