17. Therefore, they say to the ivver (blind man) again, What do you say about him, because he opened your eyes? And the man said, He is a Navi.
18. Therefore, those of Yehudah did not believe that the man had been ivver (blind) until they called the horim of the man whose eyes were opened.
19. And they asked the horim, saying, Is this the ben of you, whom you say was born ivver? How, therefore, does he now have sight?
20. In reply, therefore, his horim said, We have da'as that this man is the ben of us and that he was born ivver,
21. But how he sees now we do not have da'as nor do we have da'as of who opened his eyes. Interrogate him. He's had his Bar Mitzvah (T.N. i.e., he is of age). He will speak for himself.
22. His horim said these things, because they were fearing those of Yehudah, for already those of Yehudah had agreed that if any person made hoda'ah (confession) of him to be the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, that person would be put under cherem ban from the shul.
23. Therefore, his horim said, He has reached his religious majority and is of age. Interrogate him.
24. They called a second time, therefore, the man who had been ivver (blind) and said to him, V'ten lo todah. (Give glory to G-d) [YEHOSHUA 7:19] We have da'as that this man is a choteh (sinner). [TEHILLIM 68:35; YEHOSHUA 7:19]
25. In reply, therefore, he said, If he is a choteh (sinner), of that I don't have da'as. Of one thing I do have da'as, that though I was ivver, now I see.
26. They said, therefore, to him, What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?
27. The man answered them, I told you already, and you do not listen. Why again do you want to hear? Surely you do not want to become his talmidim also?
28. And they reviled him and said, You are a talmid of that man, but we are talmidim of Moshe Rabbeinu. [BAMIDBAR 12:2,8]
29. We have da'as that Hashem has spoken to Moshe Rabbeinu, but this man, we do not have da'as from where he comes.
30. In reply, the man said to them, Here is a real cheftza! That you do not have da'as from where he comes, and he opened my eyes!