Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Responsa for Gittin 153:19

וכדרבא דאמר רבא האומר

this tells me on]y that [he is liable if the theft is found] in his hand. Whence do I learn that [he is equally liable if it is found] on his roof, or in his courtyard or his enclosure? From the significant words, 'If it be found at all', which means, under all circumstances.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For notes v. op. cit. p. 56. ');"><sup>16</sup></span> And [both expositions are] necessary. For had I only the one regarding the Get, I should have said that the reason is because [she is divorced] against her will,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And therefore her courtyard serves the purpose equally with her hand. ');"><sup>17</sup></span> but [that this rule does] not apply to a thief who cannot become such against his will.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence, if, for instance, an animal entered his courtyard and he locked it in without touching it, I might think that he would not be liable. ');"><sup>18</sup></span> And had I been given the rule in regard to the thief only, I should have said [that it applied to him] because the All-Merciful imposed a fine upon him,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To repay double. Ex. loc. cit. This would indicate that the law was in general more severe with him. ');"><sup>19</sup></span> but not to a Get. Hence both were necessary. It says]. HER COURTYARD. [How can this be, Seeing that] whatever a woman acquires belongs to her husband? — R. Eleazar said: We presume him to have given her a written statement that he has no claim on her property. But suppose he did do so, what difference does it make, seeing that it has been taught.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. B.B. 43a. ');"><sup>20</sup></span> 'If a man says to another [a partner.] I have no claim on this field, I have no concern in it, I entirely dissociate myself from it, his words are of no effect'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Unless and until he makes it over as a gift.] ');"><sup>21</sup></span> — The school of R. Jannai explained: We suppose him to have given her this written statement while she was still betrothed, and we adopt [at the same time] the maxim of R. Kahana; for R. Kahana said that a man may stipulate beforehand that he will not take up a prospective inheritance from an outside source.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., not his father, or next-of-kin according to the Torah. ');"><sup>22</sup></span> This too is based on a ruling of Raba, who said: If one says.

Teshuvot Maharam

Q. In the presence of witnesses Leah asked A to betroth her. While she was in a yard not owned by her, A threw a ring into her lap for the purpose of betrothal. The witnesses, although they saw Leah shake her dresses in order to brush the ring away, did not see whether or not the ring actually fell into her lap. Does Leah need a divorce from A?
A. Had the witnesses seen the ring fall into Leah's lap, she would need a divorce in spite of her claim that she never intended to become A's wife and that she was joking when she asked him to betroth her. For we would, then, be concerned only with facts and not with her thoughts and unexpressed intentions. But, since the witnesses did not see the ring fall into Leah's lap, and the yard where the incident took place did not belong to Leah, she needs no divorce, for no betrothal took place. R. Meir adds: If my teachers agree with my decision, all will be well. But if they do not agree I shall subscribe to whatever they decide to do. However, I should prefer not to be strict in this matter and not to require Leah to obtain a divorce, lest A become rebellious and refuse to divorce her, and lest he travel to a distant land and thus render it impossible for the unfortunate woman ever to marry again.
This Responsum is addressed to: "My teacher Rabbi Haim and his court."
SOURCES: Pr. 993: Mord. Git. 451; ibid. Kid. 548: Tesh. Maim. to Nashim. 1.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Previous VerseFull ChapterNext Verse