Gemara Clarity

Gittin 34a

גיטין ל״ד ע״א

Learn Gittin 34a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Gittin 34a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The power of בית דין versus a husband's cancellation, and whether גילוי דעתא cancels a גט

Overview

The גמרא answers a challenge against רב נחמן. He let a husband cancel a גט even though this seems to weaken בית דין, yet in the case of orphans dividing an estate he argued 'otherwise, what power does בית דין have?' The answer is that money matters are different from matters of איסור. Next comes the story of גידול בר רעילאי. His wife put off receiving her גט, and he happily said 'ברוך הטוב והמטיב'. אביי and רבא disagree whether this cancelled the גט, and the root of their argument is גילוי דעתא: does clearly showing you don't want the גט count as cancelling it? Each side brings proofs from real cases: רב ששת, רב יהודה's witnesses with gourds in their ears, and the man stopped by the ferry. Each proof is pushed away. Two more stories about marriage deadlines are shown to depend on the same argument, since אין אונס בגיטין. The amud ends with two rulings like רב נחמן.

Opening lines

יְתוֹמִין שֶׁבָּאוּ לַחֲלוֹק בְּנִכְסֵי אֲבִיהֶן,

Orphans who came to divide their father's property,

בֵּית דִּין מַעֲמִידִין לָהֶן אַפּוֹטְרוֹפּוֹס,

the court appoints a guardian for them,

וּבוֹרְרִים לָהֶן חֵלֶק יָפֶה.

and they choose a fine portion for them.

הִגְדִּילוּ – יְכוֹלִין לְמַחוֹת.

When they have grown up, they can protest.

The steps (18)

  1. Challengeרב נחמן seems to contradict himself about the court's power
  2. ResolutionMoney matters are different from prohibition matters
  3. Statementגידול בר רעילאי's wife puts off her גט
  4. Statementאביי and רבא disagree whether the גט was cancelled
  5. QuestionWhat is the root of their disagreement?
  6. ResponseThey argue about showing intent regarding a גט
  7. Proofרבא's proof from the story with רב ששת
  8. Rejectionאביי rejects רבא's proof
  9. Proofאביי's proof from the story with רב יהודה
  10. Rejectionרבא: The Husband Was Running to Say 'Hurry Up'
  11. Proofאביי's Proof from the Man Stopped by the Ferry
  12. Rejectionרבא: The Ferry Man Wasn't Cancelling, He Just Missed His Condition
  13. StatementThe Man Who Promised to Marry Within Thirty Days
  14. ResponseAnalyzing the thirty-day marriage case
  15. StatementThe אדר versus ניסן story
  16. ResponseSame analysis for the אדר case
  17. ConclusionFirst ruling like רב נחמן
  18. ConclusionSecond ruling like רב נחמן