Gemara Clarity

Gittin 24b

גיטין כ״ד ע״ב

Learn Gittin 24b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Gittin 24b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

A גט must be written לשמה, for a specific woman. The גמרא finds the source in the פסוק, discusses same-name documents, and asks whether invalid גיטין still forbid a woman to a כהן.

Overview

The משנה finishes its list of invalid גיטין. A גט written for one wife cannot divorce his other wife with the same name, and a גט written 'for whichever wife I choose' is invalid for both. The גמרא explains that the משנה's first case is about scribes practicing, proven from the word מקרין. A ברייתא from the school of רבי ישמעאל shows how each 'יתר מיכן' goes one step further. The גמרא finds each step in the words of the פסוק: ספר כריתות, וכתב, and לה (לשמה). The last case teaches אין ברירה. רבא learns a rule about two people with the same name collecting a שטר חוב, but אביי pushes it away: the משנה works only because of עדי מסירה, following רבי אלעזר. Finally, רב and שמואל argue whether these invalid גיטין still forbid a woman to a כהן. שמואל's view fits his rule that an invalid גט or חליצה is 'פסול ופוסל'.

Opening lines

יָתֵר מִיכֵּן –

Moreover,

הָיוּ לוֹ שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים

if he had two wives

וּשְׁמוֹתֵיהֶן שָׁווֹת,

and their names were the same,

כָּתַב לְגָרֵשׁ אֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה –

and he wrote [a גט] to divorce the older one,

The steps (20)

  1. StatementTwo wives with the same name
  2. StatementA גט for whichever wife he chooses
  3. QuestionWhat is the first case of the משנה about?
  4. ResponseThe first case is about scribes practicing
  5. ProofProof from the word 'dictating'
  6. QuestionWhat does 'Moreover' add?
  7. ResponseEach case goes one level further
  8. QuestionWhat is the source?
  9. ResponseWhy the word 'וכתב' is needed
  10. ResponseWhy the word 'לה' is needed
  11. QuestionWhy do we need the last case of the משנה?
  12. ResponseThe last case teaches that there is no ברירה
  13. StatementA גט written for the older wife works for her
  14. Statementרבא: one of two people with the same name can collect a debt
  15. Challengeאביי challenges רבא from the case of 'שמי כשמך'
  16. ResolutionHow the 'שמי כשמך' case must be explained
  17. RejectionThe two-wives case is explained the same way, so רבא's proof falls
  18. Statementרב and שמואל argue whether the invalid גיטין block marrying a כהן
  19. Statementשמואל follows his general rule about 'invalid' גט and חליצה
  20. StatementLeft-foot or nighttime חליצה is invalid but still disqualifies