136 Rosh Hashana 1/9 & 2/1-3

(ט) מי שראה את החדש ואינו יכול להלך, מוליכין אותו על החמור, אפלו במטה. ואם צודה להם, לוקחין בידם מקלות. ואם היתה דרך רחוקה, לוקחין בידם מזונות. שעל מהלך לילה ויום מחללין את השבת ויוצאין לעדות החדש, שנאמר (ויקרא כג), אלה מועדי יי אשר תקראו אותם במועדם.

(9) One who has seen the new moon [on Shabbat], but is unable to walk [to the court to give evidence], must be brought mounted on an ass or even [carried by others] in a bed. If they are [concerned about possible] ambushers, [the witnesses] may take sticks with them; and if it was a long way [to go], they may take provisions with them, since we desecrate the Shabbat and go out to testify about the new moon [up to] the distance of a day and a night [on the road,] as it stated (Leviticus 23:4), "These are the feasts of the Lord, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their appointed seasons."

(א) אם אינן מכירין אותו, משלחין אחר עמו להעידו. בראשונה היו מקבלין עדות החדש מכל אדם. משקלקלו המינין, התקינו שלא יהו מקבלין אלא מן המכירים.

(ב) בראשונה היו משיאין משואות. משקלקלו הכותים, התקינו שיהו שלוחין יוצאין.

(ג) כיצד היו משיאין משואות, מביאין כלנסאות של ארז ארכין וקנים ועצי שמן ונערת של פשתן וכורך במשיחה, ועולה לראש ההר ומצית בהן את האור ומוליך ומביא ומעלה ומוריד עד שהוא רואה את חברו שהוא עושה כן בראש ההר השני, וכן בראש ההר השלישי.

(1) If [the judges] didn't know [the witness], others were sent with him to testify about him. At first, testimony about the new moon was received from any one; [but] from when the heretics corrupted [and bribed witnesses to lie], it was ordained, that [testimony] should be received only of those witnesses who were known.

(2) At first, bonfires were lighted on the tops of the mountains [to transmit the appearance of the new moon]; but when the Cutheans [the Samaritans] corrupted [the process], it was ordained that messengers should be sent out.

(3) How were these mountain fires lighted? They brought long staves of cedar wood, and shoots, and sticks from oil trees, and the scraps of flax, which were [all] tied on the top of [the staves] with twine; [with these, the court's agent] went to the top of the mountain, and lighted the fire; and waved them to and fro, upward and downward, until he could see his fellow, [and] that [the latter] was doing the same on the top of the next mountain; and so too, [this process was repeated with regards to the next fellow] on the top of the third mountain.