Gittin, Daf Zayin, Part 5

 

Introduction

The sugya returns to discussing the mishnah, in particular the geographical boundaries of Israel. The section being discussed reads as follows:

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.

 

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר מִרְקָם לַמִּזְרָח כּוּ׳

לְמֵימְרָא דְּעַכּוֹ לִצְפוֹנָהּ דְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל קָיְימָא

וּרְמִינְהוּ הָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ מֵעַכּוֹ לִכְזִיב מִימִינוֹ לְמִזְרַח הַדֶּרֶךְ טְמֵאָה מִשּׁוּם אֶרֶץ הָעַמִּים וּפְטוּרָה מִן הַמַּעֲשֵׂר וּמִן הַשְּׁבִיעִית עַד שֶׁיִּוָּדַע לָךְ שֶׁהִיא חַיֶּיבֶת

מִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ לְמַעֲרַב הַדֶּרֶךְ טְהוֹרָה מִשּׁוּם אֶרֶץ הָעַמִּים וְחַיֶּיבֶת בְּמַעֲשֵׂר וּבִשְׁבִיעִית עַד שֶׁיִּוָּדַע לָךְ שֶׁהִיא פְּטוּרָה עַד הֵיכָן עַד כְּזִיב רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם אָבִיו עַד לַבְלָבוֹ

 

R. Yehudah says: From Rekem to the east

That is to say that Akko is the north of Israel. And they raised a difficulty: If one was walking from Akko to Khziv, the area on his right to the east is impure due to its being the land of the gentiles, and it is exempt from tithes and the sabbatical year until he knows it is obligated.

To his left the land is pure from the [impurity] of the land of the gentiles, and it is obligated in tithes and the sabbatical year until he knows it is exempt.

Until where? Until Khziv.

R. Yishmael the son of R. Yose said in the name of his father: Until Lavlevo.

 

Our mishnah in Gittin gives the impression that Akko is the northernmost point in Israel. But this baraita seems to think that Khziv is the northernmost point. The baraita also seems to think that Akko and Khziv are on the eastern side of Israel, although they are in reality on the western side.

אָמַר אַבָּיֵי רְצוּעָה נָפְקָא

וְיָהֵיב תַּנָּא סִימָנָא הָכִי אִין קְרָא נָמֵי יָהֵיב סִימָנָא דִּכְתִיב וַיֹּאמְרוּ הִנֵּה חַג ה׳ בְּשִׁילוֹ מִיָּמִים יָמִימָה אֲשֶׁר מִצְּפוֹנָה לְבֵית אֵל מִזְרְחָה הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לִמְסִלָּה הָעוֹלָה מִבֵּית אֵל שְׁכֶמָה וּמִנֶּגֶב לִלְבוֹנָה וְאָמַר רַב פָּפָּא לְמִזְרָחָהּ שֶׁל מְסִלָּה

 

Abaye said: There is a strip that goes out [from Akko to Khziv].

But would the tanna give such a sign? Yes, for the verse also gives such a sign, as it is written, And they said: Behold, there is the feast of the Lord from year to year in Shiloh, which is on the north of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah (Judges 21:19). And Rav Papa said: To the east of the strip.

 

Abaye explains that Akko is really the northernmost point of the main part of Israel. But there is still a strip that goes north from Akko to Khziv that is still part of Israel. Rashi even draws here a map showing that Akko and Khziv are to the north of Israel on the west side, not the east. The map is still not a great rendering of Israel, but better than the impression above.

 

The Gemara then asks if the tanna would give Akko as a sign if it was not really the northernmost point? And the answer is yes. The verse refers to the east side of the highway and Rav Papa interprets that as a strip, which the verse uses as a sign (Rashi draws a map here too!).