Gemara Clarity

Gittin 66b

גיטין ס״ו ע״ב

Learn Gittin 66b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Gittin 66b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Who must write the גט when a husband tells a group to write or give it, and שמואל's doubt about agents who had a סופר write it

Overview

The amud finishes a משנה about a husband who tells a group of people to handle his גט. If he tells three people 'write and give,' they write it themselves. If he says only 'give,' רבי מאיר holds that he made them a בית דין, so they may have others write it. רבי יוסי reports a tradition that even the בית דין הגדול would have to learn to write and do it themselves. If he speaks to ten people, one writes and two sign, but if he says 'all of you,' everyone must sign. The גמרא then brings a question sent to שמואל about two agents who had a סופר write the גט. שמואל answered 'she must leave, and the matter requires study.' The גמרא works out that his doubt is whether 'write' means the agents' signatures or the text of the גט. It tests this against the משנה and against רבי יוסי's rule that spoken instructions cannot be passed on to an agent. The amud ends in the middle of a challenge about whether רבי יוסי accepts a husband who says 'tell someone.' That challenge continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

אוֹ לִשְׁלֹשָׁה:

Or to three people:

״כִּתְבוּ גֵּט, וּתְנוּ לְאִשְׁתִּי״,

'Write a bill of divorce, and give it to my wife,'

הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ יִכְתְּבוּ וְיִתְּנוּ.

these people should write it and give it.

אָמַר לִשְׁלֹשָׁה:

If he said to three people:

The steps (19)

  1. StatementTelling three people to write and give
  2. StatementTelling three people only to give
  3. ProofA received tradition supporting רבי מאיר
  4. Rejectionרבי יוסי's opposing tradition
  5. StatementTelling ten people to write and give
  6. Statement'All of you': everyone must sign
  7. Questionרב's students ask שמואל about agents who had a scribe write the divorce document
  8. Responseשמואל answers that she must leave but the matter needs more study
  9. QuestionWhat is שמואל unsure about? Maybe whether spoken instructions can be passed on
  10. ChallengeThat can't be it, since שמואל already ruled like רבי יוסי
  11. Resolutionשמואל's real doubt is what the husband meant by 'write'
  12. ChallengeWhy not settle the question from the משנה?
  13. ResolutionThe משנה's wording is itself the doubt
  14. ChallengeProof from רבי יוסי's statement about the Great Court
  15. ResolutionA new court might need to learn to sign
  16. ChallengeEven if 'write' means sign, a סופר still should not work
  17. ResolutionWriting the גט counts as 'Tell someone,' which רבי יוסי accepts
  18. ChallengeChallenge from the משנה of a scribe and one witness
  19. ChallengeIf רבי יוסי accepts 'Tell,' a problem follows