Gittin, Daf Yod, Part 4

 

Introduction

The Talmud now returns to discuss Rabbi Elazar s statement from above.

 

גּוּפָא אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר לֹא הִכְשִׁירוּ בּוֹ אֶלָּא עֵד אֶחָד כּוּתִי בִּלְבַד

מַאי קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן תְּנֵינָא כׇּל גֵּט שֶׁיֵּשׁ עָלָיו עֵד כּוּתִי פָּסוּל כּוּ׳

אִי מִמַּתְנִיתִין הֲוָה אָמֵינָא אֲפִילּוּ תְּרֵי נָמֵי וְהַאי דְּקָתָנֵי חַד מִשּׁוּם דְּבִשְׁטָרוֹת אֲפִילּוּ חַד נָמֵי לָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן

 

The matter itself: R. Elazar said: They only validated it if it had only one Samaritan witness.

What does this come to teach us? We already taught this: A get that has on it one Samaritan witness is disqualified [except for divorce documents ].

If we only had the mishnah, I would have said that even two [are valid] and the reason it taught one is that with other documents, even one is invalid. Therefore he comes to teach us.

 

The Talmud asks why we need R. Elazar s statement. The mishnah already seems to state that only one Samaritan witness is okay, not two.

The Talmud answers that if we only had the mishnah we would have thought that for gittin even two are okay. The mishnah mentioned one because for other documents, even one is invalid. Therefore we needed Rabbi Elazar to teach us that for gittin only one Samaritan witness is valid, not two.

 

וּתְרֵי לָא וְהָא קָתָנֵי מַעֲשֶׂה וְהֵבִיאוּ לִפְנֵי רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל לִכְפַר עוֹתְנַאי גֵּט אִשָּׁה וְהָיוּ עֵדָיו עֵדֵי כוּתִים וְהִכְשִׁיר

אָמַר אַבָּיֵי תְּנִי עֵדוֹ

רָבָא אָמַר לְעוֹלָם תְּרֵי וְרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל מִיפְלָג פְּלִיג וְחַסּוֹרֵי מִיחַסְּרָא וְהָכִי קָתָנֵי וְרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל מַכְשִׁיר בִּשְׁנַיִם וּמַעֲשֶׂה נָמֵי שֶׁהֵבִיאוּ לִפְנֵי רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל לִכְפַר עוֹתְנַאי גֵּט אִשָּׁה וְהָיוּ עֵדָיו עֵדֵי כוּתִים וְהִכְשִׁיר

 

And two are not valid? But does it not teach, It happened that a bill of divorce was once brought before Rabban Gamaliel at Kefar Otnai and its witnesses were Samaritan, and he declared it valid.

Abaye said: Recite it as its witness.

Rava said: Indeed, it does refer to two, but Rabban Gamaliel disagrees, and the mishnah is lacking a line and this is how it should read: And Rabban Gamaliel allows two [Samaritan witnesses]. And it also happened that a bill of divorce was once brought before Rabban Gamaliel at Kefar Otnai and its witnesses were Samaritan, and he declared it valid.

 

The problem with Rabbi Elazar s statement is that Rabban Gamaliel validated a get with two Samaritan witnesses, not just one.

There are two responses to this difficulty. Abaye emends the mishnah. Rabban Gamaliel allowed a get with one Samaritan witness, not two.

Rava also emends the mishnah such that it is clear that Rabban Gamaliel disagrees with the first opinion. The first opinion, which Rabbi Elazar was explaining, allows one. Rabban Gamaliel allows both.