Gittin, Daf Bet, Part 3

Introduction

In this mishnah the tannaim continue to debate the definitions of what is inside the land of Israel and what is considered abroad , such that a messenger who brings a get from there must state, In my presence it was written and in my presence it was signed. Whereas in the previous mishnah, Rabban Gamaliel and Rabbi Eliezer debated the borders, in this mishnah Rabbi Judah and Rabbi Meir, who lived two generations later, debate.

We should note that the Hebrew word for abroad is literally translated, the province of the sea. This may mean a place accessible by sea travel but it may also mean coastal towns contiguous with the land of Israel. Often people would travel to coastal towns by sea, so there would be difficulty in bringing witnesses from there to the hinterland. Furthermore, these towns were usually more populated by Greek speakers, who settled on the coasts to control the trade. Jews, or at least Aramaic speaking, less Hellenistic Jews, tended to live inlands. Hence, the rabbis feared that those who live on the coast, abroad , do not know how to properly write a divorce document.

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר מֵרְקָם לַמִּזְרָח וּרְקָם כַּמִּזְרָח מֵאַשְׁקְלוֹן לַדָּרוֹם וְאַשְׁקְלוֹן כַּדָּרוֹם מֵעַכּוֹ לַצָּפוֹן וְעַכּוֹ כַּצָּפוֹן

רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר עַכּוֹ כְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְגִיטִּין

הַמֵּבִיא גֵּט בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ שֶׁיֹּאמַר בְּפָנַי נִכְתַּב וּבְפָנַי נֶחְתַּם וְאִם יֵשׁ עָלָיו עוֹרְרִים יִתְקַיֵּים בְּחוֹתְמָיו

1) Rabbi Judah says: From Rekem eastwards, Rekem being like the east; from Ashkelon southwards, Ashkelon being like the south; and from Acco northwards, Acco being like the north.

Rabbi Meir says: Acco counts as the land of Israel in the matter of bills of divorce.

2) One who brings a get within the land of Israel need not declare, In my presence it was written and in my presence it was signed.

If there are those who protest [its validity] it must be established through the signatures.

Section one: Rabbi Judah defines cities that he considers outside of the land of Israel, at least for issues of divorce. Rabbi Meir disagrees with him concerning Acco.

Section two: A messenger who brings a get from one place within the land of Israel to another place need not say the formula In my presence etc. The formula is only mandatory for cases where it will be difficult to locate witnesses to validate the get. Within the borders of the land of Israel this will not be difficult. Furthermore, it was only people outside of the land who did not know how to write and sign gittin, and therefore the messenger had to testify to its validity. Within the land there was no such concern. If someone should come and protest the get, saying that it is false, the court could summons the witnesses.