Gemara Clarity

Gittin 11b

גיטין י״א ע״ב

Learn Gittin 11b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Gittin 11b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Gentile-sounding names on a גט; canceling a גט or שטר שחרור; acquiring for someone at others' expense

Overview

The amud opens with a question: is a גט valid if its witnesses have names that sound like the names of גוים? רבי יוחנן says he only approved clearly non-Jewish names like לוקוס and לוס. The גמרא learns from this that names Jews also commonly use would not be accepted. ריש לקיש challenges this from a ברייתא that accepts such גיטין from overseas, and the גמרא answers that in חוץ לארץ most Jews have gentile-sounding names. A new משנה follows about a man who sends a גט to his wife and a שטר שחרור to his slave. רבי מאיר says he can cancel both before they arrive. The חכמים say he can cancel only the גט, because freedom is a benefit to the slave and זכין לאדם שלא בפניו. In the גמרא, רב הונא learns from this that grabbing a debtor's property for a creditor acquires it. רבי ירמיה, quoting רבי יוחנן, says this does not work when it causes a loss to others. רב חסדא then ties the question to the מחלוקת of רבי אליעזר and the חכמים about gathering פאה for a poor person, and the response of אמימר (or רב פפא) continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

עֵדִים הַחֲתוּמִין עַל הַגֵּט

Witnesses who are signed on the bill of divorce

וּשְׁמוֹתָן כְּשֵׁמוֹת גּוֹיִם, מַהוּ?

and their names are like the names of gentiles: what is the law?

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לָא בָּא לְיָדֵינוּ

He said to him: There did not come to our hands

אֶלָּא לוֹקוּס וְלוּס, וְהִכְשַׁרְנוּ.

anything except Lukos and Los, and we declared them valid.

The steps (19)

  1. QuestionWhat if the witnesses on a גט have gentile names?
  2. Responseרבי יוחנן only approved names like לוקוס and לוס
  3. StatementOnly obviously gentile names are approved
  4. Challengeריש לקיש's challenge from a ברייתא about גיטין from overseas
  5. ResolutionThe ברייתא is a special case because of its stated reason
  6. ResponseA second version: the question was asked and answered from the ברייתא
  7. StatementNew משנה: רבי מאיר says the sender can take back both documents
  8. StatementThe חכמים: he can take back the גט but not the slave's freedom
  9. ProofProof that freedom helps the slave but divorce hurts the wife
  10. Challengeרבי מאיר: Freedom Also Costs the Slave Something
  11. ResolutionThe חכמים: He Ate תרומה Only Because He Was Owned
  12. Statementרב הונא: Grabbing Property for a Creditor Works
  13. QuestionEven When It Hurts Other People?
  14. Rejectionרבי ירמיה Wakes Up: It Does Not Work When It Hurts Others
  15. ChallengeBut What About Our משנה?
  16. ResolutionSaying 'Give' is like saying 'Acquire'
  17. Statementרב חסדא links the question to an older מחלוקת
  18. ProofThe משנה about gathering פאה for a poor person
  19. Statementאמימר (or רב פפא) begins a response