Commentary for Leviticus 24:14

השמעים THEY THAT HEARD — This refers to the witnesses.

For you caused [it] to yourself. Some explain [that the witnesses were saying], “We will not be punished [for testifying against you],” even though the witnesses have to testify [the actual blasphemy] they heard from the blasphemer. However, this is not implied in Rashi.

וסמכו, “and all who heard the curse are to place their hands, etc.;” what was the reason for this procedure which had to be performed on the bodies of all people about to be executed legally? The reason is that when judgment was passed, the witnesses on whose testimony this sentence was based had been forced during the proceedings to literally quote the words used by the blasphemer in doing so. This had made them perform this symbolic act by means of which they transferred any guilt that they had been burdened with through that to the blasphemer before the latter was executed. כל השומעים, “all who had heard it;” seeing that he would be executed by stoning due to their testimony.