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Gittin 63a

גיטין ס״ג ע״א

Learn Gittin 63a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Gittin 63a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

An agent who misreports the wife's instructions, when a husband can retract a גט given to an agent, and whether 'here you are' counts like 'acquire'

Overview

First the גמרא shows that רב נחמן's ruling about an agent who misreported the wife's words proves nothing about whose words the husband relies on. In his case, the agent cancelled his own agency by saying he would only receive the גט. רב הונא בר חייא and then רבא challenge רב נחמן with two sources. One is a husband who says 'receive this גט for my wife.' The other is a קטנה who appoints a receiving agent. In both, the husband seems to want her divorced in any way that works. The גמרא answers that in those cases the husband knowingly meant delivery, while in רב נחמן's case he was fooled. A ברייתא about switched wording is read so that it does not clash with רב נחמן. That ברייתא shows the husband can rely on the agent's words, but רב נחמן's case differs because the husband said 'here you are, as she said.' Next comes a ברייתא with three views on when a husband can take back a גט given to the wife's receiving agent: the first opinion, רבי נתן, and רבי. Finally the גמרא asks whether, for רבי נתן, 'here you are' counts like 'acquire,' and begins quoting a משנה to answer. The answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

בִּשְׁלָמָא אִי אִיתְּמַר אִיפְּכָא:

It would be understandable if the opposite had been stated:

״הִתְקַבֵּל לִי גִּיטִּי״,

[she said:] "Receive my bill of divorce for me,"

וְ״אִשְׁתְּךָ אָמְרָה הָבֵא לִי גִּיטִּי״,

and [the agent said:] "Your wife said: Bring me my bill of divorce,"

וְהוּא אֹמֵר: ״הֵילָךְ כְּמָה שֶׁאָמְרָה״;

and he [the husband] says: "Here it is, as she said";

The steps (20)

  1. RejectionIf the case were reversed, we could learn something
  2. ResolutionIn the real case, the agent cancelled his own agency
  3. Challengeרב הונא בר חייא cites a משנה: the husband may retract
  4. ChallengeHe wants her divorced in any way that works
  5. RejectionThe husband knew he could not appoint a receiving agent
  6. Challengeרבא's challenge from a minor girl who appointed a receiving agent
  7. RejectionThe husband knew a minor cannot appoint an agent
  8. ChallengeA ברייתא about an agent who switched the wife's words
  9. ChallengeReading the ברייתא as the husband echoing the agent's words
  10. RejectionThe husband's words matched what the wife really said
  11. ChallengeWhy not divorced immediately? The husband relies on the agent's words
  12. Rejectionרב נחמן's case is different: 'here you are, as she said'
  13. StatementThe first opinion: once the wife appointed a receiving agent, the husband cannot take it back
  14. Statementרבי נתן: 'bring and give' lets him take it back
  15. Statementרבי: no taking back unless the husband clearly rejects the receiving role
  16. ChallengeIsn't רבי saying the same thing as the first opinion?
  17. ResolutionFirst answer: רבי comes to teach the 'I do not want' case
  18. ResolutionSecond answer: the first opinion is רבי himself
  19. QuestionFor רבי נתן, is 'here you are' like 'acquire'?
  20. ProofQuoting the משנה to try to answer the question