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Bava Basra 160a

בבא בתרא ק״ס ע״א

Bava Batra 160a

Learn Bava Basra 160a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The two kinds of documents, גט פשוט (ordinary) and גט מקושר (tied): where the witnesses sign, how many are needed, and the פסוק these two kinds come from.

Overview

This amud opens a new פרק with a משנה about two kinds of legal documents. In a גט פשוט, an ordinary flat document, the witnesses sign inside, under the writing, and two witnesses are needed. In a גט מקושר, a folded and tied document, the witnesses sign on the back, and three are needed. If the signing places are swapped, or a document has fewer witnesses than it needs, it is פסול. רבי חנינא בן גמליאל holds that a מקושר signed inside is still כשר, because it can be untied and treated as a פשוט. רבן שמעון בן גמליאל says it all depends on local custom. The גמרא then asks where these two kinds of documents come from. רבי חנינא answers with a פסוק in ירמיהו and starts explaining its first half. That explanation continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

גֵּט פָּשׁוּט – עֵדָיו מִתּוֹכוֹ.

An ordinary document: its witnesses sign inside it.

מְקוּשָּׁר – עֵדָיו מֵאֲחוֹרָיו.

A tied document: its witnesses sign on its back.

פָּשׁוּט – שֶׁכָּתְבוּ עֵדָיו מֵאֲחוֹרָיו,

An ordinary document whose witnesses wrote their signatures on its back,

מְקוּשָּׁר – שֶׁכָּתְבוּ עֵדָיו מִתּוֹכוֹ,

and a tied document whose witnesses wrote their signatures inside it,

The steps (8)

  1. StatementWhere the witnesses sign on each type of document
  2. StatementSwitching the signing place makes both documents invalid
  3. StatementA tied document signed inside is still valid
  4. StatementEverything follows local custom
  5. StatementHow many witnesses each document needs
  6. QuestionWhere do these two kinds of documents come from
  7. Responseרבי חנינא brings a verse from ירמיהו
  8. ResponseStarting to break down the first part of the verse