Bava Batra 329:1

אלא אבק לשון הרע

— But the fine shades<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'dust', i.e., not actual, but hinted, Or implied slander. (Cf. 'Ar. 15b). ');">¹</span> of slander [were meant].

אמר רב יהודה אמר רב רוב בגזל ומיעוט בעריות והכל בלשון הרע בלשון הרע סלקא דעתך אלא אבק לשון הרע:

Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: Most [people are guilty] of robbery,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In trade or industry one commits robbery directly or indirectly by withholding due profits. Full price of labour or full value for money. ');">²</span> a minority of lewdness, and all of slander. 'Of slander'? [How] could one imagine [such a thing]! — But the fine shades of slander<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'dust', i.e., not actual, but hinted, Or implied slander. (Cf. 'Ar. 15b). ');">¹</span>

רשב"ג אומר הכל כמנהג המדינה: ותנא קמא לית ליה מנהג מדינה

[were meant]. RABBAN SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAID: ALL DEPENDS ON THE USAGE OF THE COUNTRY. And does not the first Tanna hold [the principle of the] 'usage of the country'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Surely he does. Wherein then, does R. Simeon b. Gamaliel differ from him? ');">³</span>

אמר רב אשי באתרא דנהיגי פשוט וא"ל עביד לי פשוט ואזל עבד ליה מקושר קפידא נהיגי מקושר וא"ל עביד לי מקושר ואזל עבד ליה פשוט קפידא

— R. Ashi<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Or, 'Abaye' (Rashal). ');">⁴</span> replied: Where<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'in the place'. ');">⁵</span>

כי פליגי באתרא דנהיגי בפשוט ומקושר וא"ל עביד לי פשוט ואזל עבד ליה מקושר מר סבר קפידא ומר סבר מראה מקום הוא לו

it is the custom [to use] plain [deeds] and one said to [the scribe]. 'Prepare for me a plain deed', and [the latter] prepared for him a folded [one], the objection [is valid].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the instruction was for the preparation of a deed in accordance with the usage of the country, the scribe's deviation tenders the deed legally invalid. ');">⁶</span> [Where it] is the custom [to use] folded [deeds] and one said to [the scribe]. 'Prepare for me a folded deed', and [the latter] prepared for him a plain [one, legal] objection [may be raised.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the instruction was for the preparation of a deed in accordance with the usage of the country, the scribe's deviation tenders the deed legally invalid. ');">⁶</span>

אמר אביי רשב"ג ור"ש ור' אלעזר כולהו סבירא להו מראה מקום הוא לו

Their dispute relates to a place where [both] plain and folded [deeds] are in use, and he said to [the scribe], 'Prepare for me a plain [deed],' and [the latter] prepared for him a folded [one]. [In such a case],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When the scribe did not carry out instructions but did not at the same time also deviate from the established local practice. ');">⁷</span> [one] master<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first Tanna. ');">⁸</span>

רשב"ג הא דאמרן ר"ש דתנן

is of the opinion [that legal] objection [may be raised]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the scribe did not carry out instructions, the deed is invalid. ');">⁹</span> and [the other] master<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel. ');">¹⁰</span>

ר"ש אומר אם הטעה לשבח הרי זו מקודשת

is of the opinion [that] it was merely an intimation.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'he shows him a place', i.e., the instruction was not meant to imply a request for a plain deed only. It was a mere intimation that a plain deed also would be acceptable; but no objection to a folded deed was ever intended. Hence, since it is the usage of the place to write either plain, or folded deeds, the document is legally valid. ');">¹¹</span> Abaye said: Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel and R. Simeon and R. Eleazar are of the opinion [that, in such a case,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where a person was instructed to perform a mission in a certain manner and he carried it out in a more acceptable manner. ');">¹²</span>

ר' אלעזר דתנן האשה שאמרה התקבל לי גיטי ממקום פלוני וקיבלו לה ממקום אחר פסול ור' אלעזר מכשיר מר סבר קפידא ומר סבר מראה מקום הוא לו:

the instruction] is [regarded as] a mere intimation.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. previous note but one. ');">¹³</span> [As to] Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel, [proof may be brought from] what has [just] been said. [As to] R. Simeon? — Because we learnt: R. Simeon said, If his mistake was in her favour, she is betrothed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Kid. 48b. The case of a man who (through an agent) said to a woman, 'Be thou betrothed to me by a silver denar' and tendered instead a gold denar. ');">¹⁴</span>

[פשוט שכתוב בו עד אחד כו']: בשלמא מקושר שכתוב בו שני עדים פסול איצטריך סלקא דעתך אמינא הואיל ובעלמא כשר הכא נמי כשר קמ"ל דפסול אלא פשוט שכתוב בו עד אחד פשיטא

[As to] R. Eleazar? — Because we learnt: If a woman said [to an agent] 'Receive a bill of divorce on my behalf at<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'from'. ');">¹⁵</span> such and such a place', and he received it on her behalf at a different place [the divorce is] invalid; but R. Eleazar considers it valid.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Git. 65a. ');">¹⁶</span>

אמר אביי לא נצרכא דאפי' עד אחד בכתב ועד אחד בפה

[for one] master is of the opinion [that by her instruction<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the document be received at a certain place. ');">¹⁷</span> she expressed her] objection.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To any other place. She objects to having her divorce discussed in any other place but the one she mentioned. ');">¹⁸</span>

אמימר אכשר בעד אחד בכתב ועד אחד על פה א"ל רב אשי לאמימר והא דאביי מאי א"ל לא שמיע לי כלומר לא סבירא לי

while [the other] master holds the opinion [that] it was merely an intimation to him of the place.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whither she would trouble him to go. Beyond that place he would not be expected to go, but she would, nevertheless, be grateful if he did. ');">¹⁹</span> A PLAIN [DEED] THAT BEARS THE SIGNATURE OF ONE WITNESS etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Rashal, a.l. ');">²⁰</span>

אלא קשיא

One can well understand why it was necessary [to state]. A FOLDED [ONE] THAT BEARS THE SIGNATURES OF TWO WITNESSES is invalid; [since] it might have been imagined [that] because elsewhere [such evidence is] valid, it is valid here also, it [was necessary] to teach us that it is invalid. [In the case] however, [of] A PLAIN [DEED] THAT BEARS THE SIGNATURE OF ONE WITNESS, [is not this] obvious?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Surely, the evidence of one witnesses is never sufficient to tender a document valid. ');">²¹</span> Abaye replied: This was required<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'it was not required (but)'. ');">²²</span> [for the following]. That even [where, in addition to] the signature of one witness,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'one witness in writing'. ');">²³</span> there is also the oral evidence of another<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'and one witness by (word of) mouth'. ');">²⁴</span> [the deed is invalid]. Amemar [once] declared [a deed] valid on the signature of one witness<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. n. 5. ');">²⁵</span> and the oral evidence of another.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'and one witness by (word of) mouth'. ');">²⁴</span> Said R. Ashi to Amemar: And what [about] the [view] of Abaye?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who maintains that in such a case the deed is invalid. ');">²⁶</span> [The other] replied to him: I did not hear [of it], that is to say<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'as if to say'. ');">²⁷</span> I do not share his view. But, [if so],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That Abaye's view is not accepted. ');">²⁸</span> the difficulty