Gittin 28a

גיטין כ״ח ע״א

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Topic

A lost גט that was found, and the assumption that an absent husband is still alive

Overview

The amud opens with the end of a ברייתא: a lost גט found among the שליח's own things is valid even after a long time. Two אמוראים then give the הלכה on a found גט in their own words. One says it is valid if no one stopped there, and the other says only if no one passed there. They spelled out the rules instead of naming the תנאים because those names were sometimes swapped. The גמרא then explains the משנה's words חפיסה (a small leather flask) and דלוסקמא (an old man's pouch). A new משנה teaches that an absent person is assumed alive, so a גט is delivered, a כהן's wife eats תרומה, and a חטאת is offered. רבא tries to limit this to a man under eighty who is not a גוסס. A ברייתא about a hundred-year-old challenges him, and the גמרא suggests such a man may be a special case. אביי then raises contradictions from a גט that takes effect 'one hour before my death.' After several answers, אביי explains that the משנה follows רבי מאיר and the ברייתא follows רבי יהודה, and proves this from a case of wine bought from the כותים. רבא's own answer begins at the end of the amud and continues on the next one.

Opening lines

The steps (24)

1. StatementFound among his own belongings: valid even after a long time
2. Statementשמואל's ruling: valid if no one stopped there
3. StatementA second ruling: valid only if no one passed there
4. ChallengeWhy not just name the תנא each one follows?
5. ResolutionBecause the names of the תנאים get switched
6. QuestionWhat is a חפיסה?
7. ResponseA חפיסה is a small leather flask
8. QuestionWhat is a דלוסקמא?
9. ResponseA דלוסקמא is an old man's pouch
10. StatementThe משנה: we assume an absent person is still alive
11. Statementרבא limits the rule to an old man under eighty and an ordinary sick person
12. Challengeאביי challenges רבא from a ברייתא about a hundred-year-old man
13. Conclusionרבא's statement is refuted
14. ResolutionSomeone who reached a hundred has proven he is exceptional
15. ChallengeThe גט case assumes life, but the תרומה case worries about death
16. ResolutionWith תרומה you can be strict, but with a גט you cannot
17. ChallengeSetting up a contradiction between two תרומה rulings
18. ChallengeA ruling about a deathbed divorce contradicts the משנה
19. ResolutionIn the divorce case, she is sure to become forbidden someday
20. RejectionMaybe she dies first
21. ResolutionTwo תנאים disagree about worrying over death
22. Proofרבי מאיר lets a person drink now and separate later
23. ProofThree Sages forbid drinking the wine right away
24. Resolutionרבא begins his own answer