Gittin, Daf Het, Part 3

 

Introduction

Our sugya begins to talk about differences in halakhah between the Land of Israel and outside the Land. This comes in light of our mishnah which outlines the borders of the Land with regard to whether an agent bringing a get must make the declaration.

 

רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר עַכּוֹ כְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכוּ׳ בְּעוֹ מִינֵּיהּ מֵרַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא הַמּוֹכֵר עַבְדּוֹ לְסוּרְיָא כְּמוֹכֵר בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ דָּמֵי אוֹ לָא

אֲמַר לְהוּ תְּנֵיתוּהָ רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר עַכּוֹ כְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְגִיטִּין לְגִיטִּין אִין לַעֲבָדִים לָא וְכׇל שֶׁכֵּן סוּרְיָא דִּמְרַחֲקָא טוּבָא

 

R. Meir says: Akko is like the Land of Israel with regard to gittin etc.

They asked R. Hiyya bar Abba: One who sells his slave to [someone in Syria] is it like selling to outside the Land or not?

He said to him: We already taught this: R. Meir says: Akko is like the Land of Israel with regard to gittin. With regard to gittin, but not with regard to slaves. And all the more so Syria which is further away.

 

If one sells his slave to someone outside of Israel, the slave goes free. This is because slaves are obligated in commandments and outside of Israel they will not be able to perform all of the commandments. R. Hiyya b. Abba derives from our mishnah that Akko and anywhere north, certainly Syria (to the North of Israel) are considered outside of Israel. If one sells his slave there, the slave is allowed to go free. As we shall see, Syria is considered part of Israel for some matters and is considered out of Israel for other matters.

 

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְּרָכִים שָׁוְותָה סוּרְיָא לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבִשְׁלֹשָׁה לְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ (סִימָן עָב בַּר רַק) עֲפָרָהּ טָמֵא כְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ וְהַמּוֹכֵר עַבְדּוֹ לְסוּרְיָא כְּמוֹכֵר בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ וְהַמֵּבִיא גֵּט מִסּוּרְיָא כְּמֵבִיא מֵחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ

 

Our rabbis taught: There are three ways in which Syria is like the Land of Israel and three ways in which it is like outside of Israel (siman av bar rak): Its dirt is impure, like outside the Land, one who sells a slave to one in Syria is like selling one outside the Land, and one who brings a get from Syria is like one who brings a get from outside the Land.

 

The first half of the baraita lists ways in which Syria is equated with outside the Land. Two of these we have already discussed. The third is that its dirt is impure. The rabbis declared that the lands outside of Israel convey ritual impurity. This would mostly impact priests but is certainly an ideological statement meant to discourage all from going outside of Israel.

 

וּבִשְׁלֹשָׁה לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל חַיֶּיבֶת בְּמַעֲשֵׂר וּבִשְׁבִיעִית כְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהָרוֹצֶה לִיכָּנֵס לָהּ בְּטׇהֳרָה נִכְנָס וְהַקּוֹנֶה שָׂדֶה בְּסוּרְיָא כְּקוֹנָהּ בְּפַרְוָארֵי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם

 

And in three ways it is like the land of Israel: It is liable in tithes and the sabbatical year, like the Land of Israel. And one who wants to enter there in purity can enter. And one who buys a field in Syria is like one who buys one in the outskirts of Jerusalem.

 

Produce grown in Syria is liable for tithes. The sabbatical year laws are observed there. According to this section of the baraita, it is possible to enter there in purity (more on this tomorrow). And one who buys a field there is like one who buys a field near Jerusalem. This too will be explained below.