Gittin 44

Chapter 44

א ר' אלעזר היא דאמר עדי מסירה כרתי

1 R. Eleazar [the Tanna] is meant, for he said that it is the witnesses to the delivery who make [the Get] effective. R. Eleazar further said: R. Eleazar declared [such a Get] valid only if brought [by the woman] before the Beth din immediately,1

ב ואמר ר"א לא הכשיר ר"א אלא לאלתר אבל מכאן עד עשרה ימים לא חיישי' דילמא הוה ביה תנאה וזייפתיה

2 but not if it is brought ten days later, because in that case we have to consider the possibility that there was some condition in it and she altered it.2

ג ור' יוחנן אמר אפי' מכאן עד עשרה ימים דאם איתא דהוה ביה תנאי מידכר דכירי

3 R. Johanan, however, said [that it is valid] even if produced ten days later, because if there was any condition in it the witnesses [to the delivery] will still remember it. R. Eleazar further said: R. Eleazar declared valid a document [of this kind] only if it was a Get,3

ד ואמר ר"א לא הכשיר ר"א אלא בגיטין אבל בשאר שטרות לא דכתי' (ירמיהו לב, יד) ונתתם בכלי חרש למען יעמדו ימים רבים

4 but no other documents,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., bonds and promissory notes. These are necessary for substantiating the claim at a later date and there is a possibility of altering any condition contained in them without necessarily arousing the suspicion of the witnesses. (Rashi). ');">4

ה ורבי יוחנן אמר אפי' בשטרות והכתיב למען יעמדו ימים רבים התם עצה טובה קמ"ל:

5 in virtue of the Scriptural verse, And thou shalt put them in an earthenware vessel, in order that they may stand many days.5

ו <big>מתני׳</big> הכל כשרין לכתוב את הגט אפי' חרש שוטה וקטן האשה כותבת את גיטה והאיש כותב את שוברו שאין קיום הגט אלא בחותמיו:

6 R. Johanan, however, held that even other documents of this nature are valid.6

ז <big>גמ׳</big> והא לאו בני דיעה נינהו אמר רב הונא

7 But does not Scripture say, 'In order that they may stand'? — That is merely a piece of good advice. MISHNAH. ALL [PERSONS] ARE QUALIFIED TO WRITE A GET, EVEN A DEAF-MUTE, A LUNATIC AND A MINOR. A WOMAN MAY WRITE HER OWN GET AND A MAN HIS OWN RECEIPT [FOR THE KETHUBAH], SINCE THE DOCUMENT IS MADE EFFECTIVE ONLY BY THE SIGNATURES ATTACHED TO IT.7 GEMARA. [How can a deaf-mute etc. be qualified to write] seeing that they do not understand8 [what they are doing and therefore will not write with special reference to the woman in question]? — Said R. Huna:

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