Gittin 23a

גיטין כ״ג ע״א

Learn Gittin 23a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Who may write a גט and whether the writing or the signing must be לשמה (רבי מאיר vs. רבי אלעזר), and who may serve as a שליח to bring a גט.

Overview

The amud opens with רב הונא's rule that a חרש, שוטה or קטן may write a גט only if a גדול supervises. רב נחמן challenges this from a גוי, then retracts. He explains that the ברייתא disqualifying a גוי follows רבי אלעזר, who requires the writing itself to be לשמה. רב נחמן then reports that for רבי מאיר, even a גט found in the garbage is כשר if it is signed for the woman, because the signing is what must be לשמה. רבא challenges this three times, and each challenge is answered. Next, שמואל and עולא explain the earlier משנה according to רבי אלעזר: the writer must leave the תורף blank. There are two conflicting reports of רבי יוחנן's view, which turn out to be a disagreement between אמוראים. A new משנה lists who may not bring a גט and teaches that the שליח must have דעת at the beginning and the end. The גמרא then debates why a סומא is excluded, and רב יוסף's answer about 'בפני נכתב ובפני נחתם' is upheld. The amud ends as רבי אמי begins to answer whether an עבד can receive a גט for a woman; his answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (33)

1. StatementA קטן may write a גט only with a גדול supervising
2. ChallengeThen a gentile with a Jewish supervisor should be valid too
3. ResolutionA gentile acts on his own mind
4. Rejectionרב נחמן retracts: a gentile may in fact write a גט
5. ChallengeBut a ברייתא says a gentile is disqualified
6. ResolutionThe baraita follows רבי אלעזר, who requires the writing to be for her sake
7. StatementA גט found in the garbage can be valid according to רבי מאיר
8. ChallengeThe פסוק 'and he writes her' seems to require the writing to be for her
9. ResolutionThe פסוק is about the witnesses' signing
10. ChallengeA משנה says a גט not written for a woman is invalid
11. ResolutionRead the משנה as 'signed'
12. ChallengeWriting the key part for her counts as writing the standard part for her
13. ResolutionSigning for her counts as writing for her
14. ResolutionAnother answer: these sources follow רבי אלעזר
15. Statementשמואל and עולא: only if the essential section was left blank
16. Statementרבי יוחנן: 'It is not Torah'
17. QuestionWhat does 'it is not Torah' mean?
18. Responseרבי אבא: writing לשמה has no force; this follows רבי מאיר
19. ChallengeBut רבה בר בר חנה reported רבי יוחנן differently
20. ResolutionTwo אמוראים disagree about רבי יוחנן's view
21. StatementWho cannot bring a גט
22. StatementUnfit when receiving, fit later: still invalid
23. StatementFit, then unfit, then fit again: valid
24. ConclusionThe rule: fit at the start and at the end
25. QuestionWhy is a blind person excluded?
26. Responseרב ששת: he cannot see who gave and who received
27. Challengeרב יוסף: A blind man can recognize people by their voice
28. Responseרב יוסף: The case is a גט from outside ארץ ישראל
29. Challengeאביי: Then someone who saw and later went blind should be fit
30. ResolutionThe משנה mentions regaining sight only to match the שוטה case
31. ProofThe wording of the rule supports the answer
32. QuestionCan a slave be an agent to receive a divorce document?
33. Responseרבי אמי starts from the gentile's disqualification