Bava Batra 320

זה פשוט וחתום זה מקושר והעד שנים עדים שלשה הא כיצד שנים לפשוט שלשה למקושר

refers to<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'this'. ');">¹</span> the plain [deed]; and seal<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] seal, close, tie up. ');">²</span> them, refers to<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'this'. ');">¹</span>

ואיפוך אנא מתוך שנתרבה בקשריו נתרבה בעדיו

the folded [one]; <i>and procure the evidence</i>, [implies] two [witnesses]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The minimum number of witnesses. All evidence must be given by no less than two witnesses unless the contrary has been specifically indicated. (V. Sot. 2b). ');">³</span> witnesses, [implies] three.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The minimum number above two that has already been mentioned. ');">⁴</span> How [is] this<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That two, as well as three witnesses are required. ');">⁵</span>

רפרם אמר מהכא (ירמיהו לב, יא) ואקח את ספר המקנה את החתום המצוה והחקים ואת הגלוי ואקח את ספר המקנה זה פשוט את החתום זה מקושר ואת הגלוי זה פשוט שבמקושר

[possible]? Two for a folded [deed]; three for a plain [one]. Might not this be reversed?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Two witnesses for a folded deed and three for a plain one. ');">⁶</span> — Since it has more folds,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., since Scripture surrounded the folded deed with more restrictions. ');">⁷</span> it [must also] have more witnesses.

המצוה והחקים אלו דברים שבין פשוט למקושר הא כיצד זה עדיו שנים וזה עדיו שלשה זה עדיו מתוכו וזה עדיו מאחוריו

Rafram said: [It<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra n. 1. ');">⁸</span> may be derived] from the following.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'from here'. ');">⁹</span> <i>So I took the deed of the purchase, both that which was sealed, containing the terms and conditions, and that which was open</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. XXXII. 11. ');">¹⁰</span>

ואיפוך אנא מתוך שנתרבה בקשריו נתרבה בעדיו

So I took the deed of the purchase, refers to<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'this'. ');">¹¹</span> the plain [deed]; that which was sealed, refers to the folded [one]; and that which was open. refers to the plain [portion] in the folded [deed];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The folded deed, beside the date and amount which were entered in the first lines which were folded and stitched, also contained the formula, common to all deeds, which was entered in the same manner as on a plain deed. This second element is, 'the plain in the folded'. Cf. Supra p. 699, n. 9. ');">¹²</span> <i>the terms and conditions</i>, refers to<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'these'. ');">¹³</span>

רמי בר יחזקאל אמר מהכא (דברים יט, טו) על פי שנים עדים או על פי שלשה עדים יקום דבר אם תתקיים עדותן בשנים למה פרט לך בשלשה לומר לך שנים לפשוט שלשה למקושר

the laws which distinguish<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'which between'. ');">¹⁴</span> the plain [deed] from<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'to'. ');">¹⁵</span> the folded [one]. viz.,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'how this'. ');">¹⁶</span>

ואיפוך אנא מתוך שנתרבה בקשריו נתרבה בעדיו

the one<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'this'. ');">¹⁷</span> [requires] two witnesses<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'its witnesses'. ');">¹⁸</span> and the other,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'this'. ');">¹⁷</span>

והני להכי הוא דאתו כל חד וחד למילתיה הוא דאתא לכדתניא (ירמיהו לב, מד) שדות בכסף יקנו וכתוב בספר וחתום עצה טובה קא משמע לן ואקח את ספר המקנה הכי הוה מעשה על פי שנים עדים או על פי שלשה עדים להקיש שלשה לשנים בפלוגתא דרבי עקיבא ורבנן

three witnesses;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'its witnesses'. ');">¹⁸</span> the witnesses of the one [sign] on the obverse, while the witnesses of the other [sign] on the reverse side. Might not this be reversed?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 700, n. 8. ');">¹⁹</span> Since it has more folds<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. l.c n. 9. ');">²⁰</span>

אלא מקושר מדרבנן וקראי אסמכתא בעלמא

it [must also] have more witnesses. Rami b. Ezekiel said: [It<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. l.c., n. 1. ');">²¹</span> may be derived] from, the following text.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'from here'. ');">²²</span>

וטעמא מאי תקינו רבנן מקושר אתרא דכהני הוו והוו קפדי טובא ומגרשי נשייהו ועבדי רבנן תקנתא אדהכי והכי מיתבא דעתייהו

<i>At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the month of three witnesses, shall a matter be established</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XIX, 15. ');">²³</span> If their evidence may be established by two, why should three be specified? To tell you [that] two [are required] for a plain [deed]; three for a folded [one]. Might not this be reversed? — Since it has more folds,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. l.c n. 9. ');">²⁰</span> it [must also] have more witnesses.

התינח גיטין שטרות מאי איכא למימר כדי שלא תחלק בין גיטין לשטרות

[Is it] for this [purpose]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To indicate the differences between the two kinds of deeds. ');">²⁴</span> that the verses<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'and these'. ');">²⁵</span> [mentioned] were intended?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., that they came'. ');">²⁶</span>

היכן עדים חותמין רב הונא אמר בין קשר לקשר ורב ירמיה בר אבא אמר אחורי הכתב וכנגד הכתב מבחוץ

[Surely] each one is required<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'that it came'. ');">²⁷</span> for a separate purpose;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'For its thing'. ');">²⁸</span> as it was taught: [By the statement], <i>men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe the deeds, and seal them</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. XXXII, 44. ');">²⁹</span>

אמר ליה רמי בר חמא לרב חסדא לרב הונא דאמר בין קשר לקשר קא סלקא דעתין בין קשר לקשר מגואי והא ההוא מקושר דקאתא לקמיה דרבי ואמר רבי אין זמן בזה אמר ליה רבי שמעון ברבי לרבי שמא בין קשריו מובלע פלייה וחזייה ואם איתא אין זמן בזה ואין עדים בזה מיבעי ליה

good advice was tendered;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'he taught us'. The text is a guide to purchasers how to proceed with such transactions. Cf. supra 28b. ');">³⁰</span> <i> so I took the deed of the purchase</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. XXXII, 21. ');">³¹</span> [is] just [a record of] what had happened; <i>at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XIX, 15. ');">³²</span>

אמר ליה מי סברת בין קשר לקשר מגואי לא בין קשר לקשר מאבראי

[has been specified], in order to compare three [witnesses] to two,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That three witnesses have no more powers or privileges than two. ');">³³</span> concerning which<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Mak. 5b. ');">³⁴</span> R. Akiba and the Rabbis are in dispute!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' How, then, could these same verses be said to refer to the laws of folded and plain deeds? ');">³⁵</span>

וניחוש דלמא זייף וכתב מאי דבעי וחתימי סהדי

[The fact], however, [is that the law of] a folded [deed] is [only] Rabbinical, and the Scriptural verses [quoted] are a mere <i>asmakta</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] 'support', i.e., the Scriptural text was used by the Rabbis as some slight support, or mnemotechnical aid to the laws of the plain and folded deeds which they themselves have enacted. ');">³⁶</span> What is the reason why the Rabbis instituted a folded [deed]? — They were [in] a place [inhabited] by priests, who were very hot-tempered and they divorced their wives.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the slightest or imaginary provocation. A plain bill of divorce was easily obtainable, and once the divorce had taken place none could re-marry his wife, since a divorced woman is forbidden to a priest. Cf. Lev. XXI, 7. ');">³⁷</span> Consequently the Rabbis made [this] provision,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The folded bill of divorce. ');">³⁸</span>

דכתיב ביה שריר וקיים

so that in the meantime<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' While the elaborate document was being prepared, written, folded, stitched and signed. ');">³⁹</span> they might cool down.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And reconsider their hasty decisions. ');">⁴⁰</span> This satisfactorily explains bills of divorce; what [explanation, however], may be given<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'is there to be said'. ');">⁴¹</span>

וניחוש דלמא כתב מאי דבעי והדר כתב שריר וקיים אחרינא חד שריר וקיים כתבינן תרי שריר וקיים לא כתבינן

[in the case of other] documents? — In order that there may be no distinction between bills of divorce and [other] deeds. Where, [in the case of a folded deed], do the witnesses sign? — R. Huna said: Between [one] fold and the other;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The assumption at present is that they sign on the blank spaces between the written lines on the obverse of the deed. ');">⁴²</span> and R. Jeremiah b. Abba said: [On] the back of the writing and corresponding to [all] the written part, on the external [side of the deed].

וליחוש דלמא מחיק ליה לשריר וקיים וכתב מאי דבעי והדר כתב שריר וקיים הא אמר ר' יוחנן תלויה מקויימת כשרה

Rami b. Hama said to R. Hisda: According to R. Huna who said [that the witnesses sign] 'between [one] fold and the other', assuming [that he meant], 'between [one] fold and the other on the external side'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the document. ');">⁴³</span> [the following objection may be raised]: Surely, a folded [deed] was once brought before Rabbi who remarked, 'There is no date on this [deed]'. [Thereupon] R. Simeon son of Rabbi said to Rabbi, 'It might be hidden between the folds'. [On] ripping [the seams] open he saw it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The date. ');">⁴⁴</span> Now, if it were [so],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the witnesses sign between the written lines on the inside and that their signatures are consequently folded and stitched in the same way as the date. ');">⁴⁵</span> he should have [remarked].' There is neither date nor are there witnesses on this deed!' — He replied to him: Do you think [that according to R. Huna the witnesses sign] between the folds on the inside? No; [they sign] between the folds on the outside.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence the signatures may be seen without ripping open the stitched folds. [According to the description of the folded deed given by the Yad Ramah, the signatures would appear as in fig. 2, p. 704.] ');">⁴⁶</span> But [is there no reason] to apprehend that he might forge [the lower section of the folded deed]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which is left unfolded. (Cf. supra p. 700. n. 14.) ');">⁴⁷</span> and enter whatever he wished [after] the witnesses had signed?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the external sides of the folds of the upper section. Since the signatures do not appear at the foot of the deed, there is no guarantee that the holder would not add anything he pleased. ');">⁴⁸</span> — 'Firm and established', is entered on it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This formula appears at the foot of every deed, and anything added after it would be detected at once as a forgery. ');">⁴⁹</span> Is [there, however, no reason] to apprehend that he might enter whatever he wished and then write a second time, 'firm and established'? — [The formula], 'firm and established', is entered [only] once,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'one firm etc. we write. ');">⁵⁰</span> not twice.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'two'. Cf. previous note. Hence the forgery would be detected by the double entry of the formula. ');">⁵¹</span> Is [there no] apprehension that he might erase the [original] 'firm and established', and add<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'write'. ');">⁵²</span> whatever he wished, and then write, 'firm and established'? — Surely, R. Johanan said: A suspended [word<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Or words, inserted between the lines of a deed. ');">⁵³</span> that has been] confirmed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At the foot of the deed. ');">⁵⁴</span> is admissible;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And the deed is valid. ');">⁵⁵</span>