Gittin 117

Chapter 117

א אנא הואי במניינא דבי רבי ומינאי דידי מנו ברישא
1 I was in that assembly of Rabbi, and my vote was taken first. [How could this be], seeing that we have learnt: 'In [taking decisions on] money matters and cases of cleanness and uncleanness, they commence from the principal [of those present]; in capital cases, they commence from the side'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., from the youngest, as Rab would be, v. Sanh. 32a. ');"><sup>1</sup></span>
ב והאנן תנן דיני ממונות והטהרות והטומאות מתחילין מן הגדול ודיני נפשות מתחילין מן הצד
2 Rabbah the son of Raba, or as some say R. Hillel the son of R. Wallas said: The voting at the court of Rabbi was different, as in all cases it commenced from the side.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On account of his humility. ');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ג אמר רבה בריה דרבא ואיתימא ר' הילל בריה דר' וולס שאני מנינא דבי רבי דכולהו מנינייהו מן הצד הוו מתחילין
3 Rabbah the son of Raba, or as some say R. Hillel the son of R. Wallas also said: Between Moses and Rabbi we do not find one who was supreme both in Torah and in worldly affairs.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'Torah and greatness in one place'. ');"><sup>3</sup></span>
ד ואמר רבה בריה דרבא ואיתימא רבי הילל בריה דרבי וולס מימות משה ועד רבי לא מצינו תורה וגדולה במקום אחד
4 Is that so? Was there not Joshua? — There was Eleazar [with him]. But there was Eleazar?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After the death of Joshua. ');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ה ולא הא הוה יהושע הוה אלעזר הא הוה אלעזר הוה פנחס והא הוה פנחס הוו זקנים
5 — There was Phinehas [with him]. But there was Phinehas?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After the death of Eleazar. ');"><sup>5</sup></span>
ו הא הוה שאול הוה שמואל והא נח נפשיה כולהו שני קאמרינן והא הוה דוד הוה עירא היאירי
6 — There were the Elders<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Jud. II, 7. ');"><sup>6</sup></span>
ז והא נח נפשיה כולהו שני בעינן הא הוה שלמה הוה שמעי בן גרא והא קטליה כולהו שני קאמרינן
7 [with him]. But there was Saul?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to the Talmudic tradition ('Er. 53a), Saul was well versed in the Torah but he did not expound. ');"><sup>7</sup></span>
ח הא הוה חזקיה הוה שבנא הא איקטיל כולהו שני קאמרינן והא הוה עזרא הוה נחמיה בן חכליה
8 — There was Samuel [with him]. But Samuel died [before Saul]? — We mean, [supreme] all his life. But there was David? — There was Ira the Jairite<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Chief Minister to David, II. Sam. XX, 26; cf. M.K. 16b. ');"><sup>8</sup></span>
ט אמר רב אחא בריה דרבא אף אני אומר מימות רבי ועד רב אשי לא מצינו תורה וגדולה במקום אחד ולא והא הוה הונא בר נתן שאני הונא בר נתן דמיכף הוה כייף ליה לרב אשי:
9 [with him]. But he died [before David]? — We mean, [supreme] all his life. But there was Solomon? — There was Shimei ben Gera<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. II Sam. XIX, 18. ');"><sup>9</sup></span>
י <big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> חרש רומז ונרמז ובן בתירא אומר קופץ ונקפץ במטלטלין הפעוטות מקחן מקח וממכרן ממכר במטלטלין:
10 with him. But he killed him? — We mean, all his life. But there was Hezekiah? — There was Shebnah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Sanh. 26a. ');"><sup>10</sup></span>
יא <big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> א"ר נחמן מחלוקת במטלטלין אבל בגיטין דברי הכל ברמיזה
11 [with him]. But he was killed?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By Sennacherib. For fuller notes v. Sanh. (Sonc. ed.) p. 227. ');"><sup>11</sup></span>
יב פשיטא במטלטלין תנן מהו דתימא אף במטלטלין קמ"ל
12 — We mean, all his life. But there was Ezra? — There was Nehemiah son of Hachaliah with him. R. Aha son of Raba said: I too say that between Rabbi and R. Ashi there was no-one who was supreme both in Torah and in worldly affairs. Is that so? Was there not Huna b. Nathan [with him]? — We do not count Huna b. Nathan because he used to defer to R. Ashi.
יג איכא דאמרי א"ר נחמן כמחלוקת במטלטלין כך מחלוקת בגיטין והאנן במטלטלין תנן אימא אף במטלטלין:
13 <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. A DEAF-MUTE CAN HOLD CONVERSATION BY MEANS OF GESTURES.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'Can gesticulate and be gesticulated to'. ');"><sup>12</sup></span>
יד הפעוטות מקחן מקח וממכרן ממכר במטלטלין: ועד כמה מחוי רב יהודה לרב יצחק בריה כבר שית כבר שב רב כהנא אמר כבר שב כבר תמני במתניתא תנא כבר תשע כבר עשר
14 BEN BATHYRA SAYS THAT HE MAY ALSO DO SO BY MEANS OF LIP-MOTIONS,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'can speak with movements (of the mouth) and be spoken to by movements'. This is not as clear as gesticulations with the fingers. ');"><sup>13</sup></span>
טו ולא פליגי כל חד וחד לפי חורפיה וטעמא מאי א"ר אבא בר יעקב א"ר יוחנן משום כדי חייו
15 WHERE THE TRANSACTION CONCERNS MOVABLES. THE PURCHASE OR SALE EFFECTED BY YOUNG CHILDREN<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From six to nine or ten, v. infra 63b. ');"><sup>14</sup></span>
טז (מלכים ב י, כב) ויאמר לאשר על המלתחה הוצא לבוש לכל עובדי הבעל מאי מלתחה א"ר אבא בר יעקב א"ר יוחנן דבר הנמלל ונמתח
16 IN MOVABLES IS VALID.
יז כי אתא רב דימי א"ר יוחנן שיגר לו בוניים בן נוניים לרבי סיבני וחומס סלסלה ומלמלא סיבני וחומס כאמגוזא ופלגיה דאמגוזא סלסלה ומלמלא כפיסתקא ופלגי דפיסתקא מאי מלמלא דבר הנמלל ונמתח
17 <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. R. Nahman said: The difference between Ben Bathyra and the Rabbis is only on the question of movables, but where a Get is concerned both agree that gestures [must be used].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In spite of the fact that a deaf-mute may betroth by means of lip motions. ');"><sup>15</sup></span>
יח וטעותן עד כמה א"ר יונה א"ר זירא עד שתות כגדול
18 Surely this is obvious; Ben Bathyra says distinctly 'MOVABLES'? — You might take this to mean 'where movable also are concerned'; hence we are told [that this is not so].
יט בעי אביי מתנתו מאי רב יימר אמר אין מתנתו מתנה מר בר רב אשי אמר מתנתו מתנה
19 THE PURCHASE OR SALE EFFECTED BY YOUNG CHILDREN IN MOVABLES. What is the youngest age [at which they can do so]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'up to what age (are they in this matter regarded as children).' ');"><sup>16</sup></span>
כ אפכוה ושדרוה לקמיה דרב מרדכי א"ל זילו אמרו לבר מר לאו הכי הוה עובדא כי הוה קאי מר חד כרעיה אארעא וחד כרעיה אדרגא ואמרנא ליה מתנתו מאי ואמר לן מתנתו מתנה אחת מתנת שכיב מרע ואחת מתנת בריא אחת מתנה מרובה ואחת מתנה מועטת:
20 — R. Judah pointed out to R. Isaac his son: About six or seven. R. Kahana said: About seven or eight. In a Baraitha it was taught: About nine or ten. There is no contradiction: Each [child] varies according to his intelligence. What is the reason [why this is allowed in the case of movables]? — R. Abba b. Jacob said in the name of R. Johanan: In order that they may procure ordinary necessities.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'for the provision of his livelihood'. ');"><sup>17</sup></span>
כא <big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> אלו דברים אמרו מפני דרכי שלום כהן קורא ראשון ואחריו לוי ואחריו ישראל מפני דרכי שלום מערבין בבית ישן מפני דרכי שלום
21 And he said to him that was over the meltaha. Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Kings X, 22. As R. Abba b. Jacob has just been mentioned, another saying recorded by him in the name of R. Johanan is adduced. ');"><sup>18</sup></span> What is meltaha?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.V. 'vestry'. ');"><sup>19</sup></span> — R. Abba b. Jacob said in the name of R. Johanan: Something which is drawn out thin by fingering<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., fine linen. ');"><sup>20</sup></span> [nimlal we-nimtah]. When R. Dimi came [from Palestine] he said in the name of R. Johanan: Bonias son of Nonias<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In 'Er. 85, the name is given as Bonias b. Bonias. ');"><sup>21</sup></span> sent to Rabbi a sibni and a homes<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Head-coverings of fine linen. [Aruch reads: subni and homes subni. For subni cf. [G] (sabanum) a 'head-cover'; homes is derived from [G] (half). On this reading the meaning is, he sent him a full size subanum and a half size sabanum. V. Krauss, TA I, p. 521.] ');"><sup>22</sup></span> and salsela and malmela.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Names of various kinds of fine linen. ');"><sup>23</sup></span> The sibni and homes [folded tip] into the size of a nut and a half, the salsela<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Heb. [H] 'to turn', 'to plait', hence 'to weave'. ');"><sup>24</sup></span> and malmela into the size of a pistachio-nut<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi: 'Acorn'. ');"><sup>25</sup></span> and a half. What is malmela? Something which fingering draws out thin.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The word is derived from [H] 'to crush', 'to rub between fingers'. [The reference is to the head-coverings made from fine elastic material worn by the Egyptian and Ethiopian nobility in antiquity. Krauss, op cit. p. 522]. ');"><sup>26</sup></span> Up to what point [can advantage be taken of] their mistake? — R. Jonah said in the name of R. Zera: Up to a sixth, as with a grown-up.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Provided the error is rectified. The rule was that if an article was inadvertently bought or sold for more than a sixth of its value, the transaction could be declared void, v. B.M. 49b. ');"><sup>27</sup></span> Abaye inquired: What of the gift of such a one?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the consideration stated in connection with buying and selling does not apply in the case of a gift. ');"><sup>28</sup></span> — R. Yemar replied. His gift is no gift. Mar, the son of R. Ashi, however, said that it is a valid gift. The [members of the Academy] communicated this statement to R. Mordecai with the names reversed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., making R. Ashi's son say that the gift was no gift. ');"><sup>29</sup></span> He replied: Go and tell the son of the Master<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Ashi, whose disciple was R. Mordecai. ');"><sup>30</sup></span> that this does not correspond with the facts. As the Master was once standing with one foot on the ground and one on the steps<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Leading up to the Academy. ');"><sup>31</sup></span> we asked him, What of his gift, and he answered us, His gift is a valid gift, no matter whether made when he is ill or when he is well, whether it is a big gift or a small one. <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. THE FOLLOWING RULES WERE LAID DOWN IN THE INTERESTS OF PEACE.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'on account of ways of peace'. ');"><sup>32</sup></span> A PRIEST IS CALLED UP FIRST TO READ THE LAW<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At the public reading in the synagogue etc. ');"><sup>33</sup></span> AND AFTER HIM A LEVITE AND THEN A LAY ISRAELITE, IN THE INTERESTS OF PEACE. AN 'ERUB<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'mixture', 'combination', a measure introduced to enable tenants in a courtyard to have unrestricted access to the premises of other tenants. This is done by depositing some food in which all have a share in the house of one of the tenants. V. 'Er. VI-VII. ');"><sup>34</sup></span> IS PLACED IN THE ROOM WHERE IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN PLACED,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'an old house'. ');"><sup>35</sup></span> IN THE INTERESTS OF PEACE.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Between the residents, each of whom might want to have the erub in his own room. ');"><sup>36</sup></span>