Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Reference for Gittin 45:13

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> הכל כשרין להביא את הגט חוץ מחרש שוטה וקטן וסומא ועובד כוכבים

But why should a blind person be disqualified? — R. Shesheth says: Because he does not know from whom he takes [the Get] and to whom he delivers it. R. Joseph strongly demurred to this. In that case, [he said,] how is it permitted to a blind man to associate with his wife, or to any men to associate with their wives at night time? Is it not by recognising the voice? So here, [a blind person] can recognise the voice! No, said R. Joseph; the fact is that here we are speaking of [a Get brought from] foreign parts, [the bearer of which] has to declare, 'In my presence it was written and in my presence it was signed', and a blind man cannot say this. Said Abaye to him: If that is so, then a person who becomes blind [after receiving the Get] ought to be qualified, and yet [the Mishnah] states expressly that IF [BEING] WITH SIGHT HE BECAME BLIND AND RECOVERED HIS SIGHT [THE GET] IS VALID, which shows [it is valid] only if he recovered his sight, but if he did not recover his sight that he is not qualified? — He is qualified even if he does not recover his sight. Since, however, the Mishnah employed the formula, 'OR [BEING] SANE HE BECAME INSANE AND RECOVERED HIS REASON' — which was necessary in that case because the reason [why it is valid] is because he recovers his reason, but if he does not recover it, [the Get] is not valid — it uses a similar wording in the next clause: 'BEING WITH SIGHT HE BECAME BLIND AND RECOVERED HIS SIGHT. Said R. Ashi: There is an indication of this in [the language of] the Mishnah itself, since it says: THIS IS THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE; ANY BEARER WHO IS IN FULL POSSESSION OF HIS MENTAL FACULTIES AT THE BEGINNING AND END [OF HIS MISSION] IS QUALIFIED, and it does not say, 'anyone who is qualified at the beginning and end [of his mission].' This shows [that what was said above about the bearer who becomes blind, is correct].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The stress is laid on the possession of mental faculties at the beginning and the end but not of sight provided it was there at the beginning enabling him to make the necessary declaration.] ');"><sup>9</sup></span>

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