Gittin 26a

גיטין כ״ו ע״א

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Topic

Whether רבי יהודה and רבי שמעון accept ברירה, and the rules for pre-written document forms (טופס and תורף) in a גט and other שטרות

Overview

The amud opens at the end of רב משרשיא's proof that רבי שמעון accepts ברירה when the outcome depends on someone else, such as a father's approval of קידושין. רבא rejects this distinction. Both רבי יהודה and רבי שמעון accept ברירה in every case, and their strict ruling about wine bought from כותים comes only from the worry that the wineskin might burst. A new משנה then teaches that a scribe may prepare the standard form (טופס) of a גט, a loan document or a sale document in advance. He must leave blanks for the names, the date, and other key details. רבי יהודה invalidates all such forms. רבי אלעזר allows them except for a גט, because of 'וכתב לה', which teaches that a גט must be written לשמה. In the גמרא, שמואל adds that the words 'הרי את מותרת לכל אדם' must also be left blank, following רבי אלעזר. A צריכותא then explains why this had to be stated for several משניות. רבי יונתן explains that writing the טופס in advance is allowed only because of a תקנה for scribes. The גמרא then lays out the גזירות behind רבי יהודה's and רבי אלעזר's rulings, and rewords the source from 'וכתב לה' so that it refers to the תורף.

Opening lines

The steps (17)

1. ProofIf the father does not agree, the betrothal fails
2. RejectionBoth sages accept retroactive clarification in every case
3. ResolutionThe wine case is about a bursting wineskin, not about ברירה
4. StatementNew משנה: pre-written forms of a גט must leave blanks
5. StatementBlanks to leave in a loan document
6. StatementBlanks to leave in a sale document
7. Statementרבי יהודה invalidates all pre-written forms; רבי אלעזר excludes only divorce documents
8. Statementשמואל adds a blank for the key divorce words
9. StatementThis follows רבי אלעזר: the core writing must be for her sake
10. StatementWhy the first משנה alone would not be enough
11. ConclusionWhy the second משנה alone would not be enough either
12. QuestionWhat is the ordinance the משנה mentions?
13. ResponseIt is a תקנה for scribes, following רבי אלעזר
14. StatementWhy רבי יהודה invalidates every pre-written document
15. StatementWhy רבי אלעזר forbids only a גט
16. ChallengeThe פסוק 'וכתב לה' speaks only about the essential part
17. ResolutionRewording the reason: the verse demands לשמה, and the טופס follows the תורף