Kiddushin 97

גט פשוט עדיו מתוכו מקושר עדיו מאחוריו פשוט שכתבו עדיו מאחוריו ומקושר שכתבו עדיו מתוכו שניהם פסולים ר' חנינא בן גמליאל אומר מקושר שכתבו עדיו מתוכו כשר שיכול לעשותו פשוט רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר הכל כמנהג המדינה

A plain divorce [bears] its witnesses on the inside; a folded one [bears] its witnesses on the outside.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. B.B. 160a.');">¹</span> If the signatures of a plain one are written on the outside, or of a folded one on the inside, both are invalid. R'Hanina B'Gamaliel said: If the signatures of a folded one are written on the inside it is valid, because it can be converted into a plain one.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By leaving it unsewn.');">²</span>

והוינן בה ותנא קמא לית ליה מנהג המדינה ואמר רב אשי באתרא דנהיגי בפשוט ועבד ליה מקושר א"נ באתרא דנהיגי במקושר ועבד ליה פשוט כולי עלמא לא פליגי דודאי קפידא

R'Simeon B'Gamaliel said: It all depends on local custom.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If it is customary to write a folded divorce, a plain one is invalid, and vice versa. For when a husband authorizes the scribe to write a divorce, it is tacitly understood that he wants it written in accordance with local custom; for notes v. B.B. 160a.');">³</span> Now, we pondered thereon: does not the first Tanna agree that local custom [is the determining factor]? To which R'Ashi<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashal in B.B. ');">⁴</span>

כי פליגי באתרא דנהיגי בין בפשוט בין במקושר ואמר ליה עביד לי פשוט ואזל ועבד ליה מקושר מר סבר קפידא ומר סבר מראה מקום הוא לו

replied: In the place where a plain one is customary and a folded one is made, or in the place where a folded one is customary and a plain one is made, all agree that the objection [is valid]. Where do they differ? Where both are customary, and he [the husband] instructs him [the scribe], 'Make me a plain one,' and he goes and makes him a folded one.

ר' אלעזר דתנן האשה שאמרה התקבל לי גיטי ממקום פלוני וקבל לה גיטה ממקום אחר פסול ורבי אלעזר מכשיר אלמא קסבר מראה מקום היא לו

One Master holds that he particularised; the other, that he indicated a place to him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., gave him a general intimation that he wanted a divorce to be indited.');">⁵</span> R'Eleazar' - for we learnt: If a woman says: 'Accept a divorce on my behalf at such and such a place,' and he accepts it elsewhere: R'Eleazar ruled it valid. This shews that he holds that she merely indicated a place to him.'

אמר עולא מחלוקת בשבח ממון אבל בשבח יוחסין דברי הכל אינה מקודשת מאי טעמא מסאנא דרב מכרעאי לא בעינא תניא נמי הכי מודה ר' שמעון אם הטעה לשבח יוחסים אינה מקודשת

Ulla said: The controversy [in the Mishnah] refers to a monetary advantage. But in an advantage of birth,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., if he says, on condition that I am a mamzer (q.v. Glos.) . and is found to be a Nathin, i.e., of higher caste.');">⁶</span> all agree that she is not betrothed.

אמר רב אשי מתניתין נמי דיקא דקתני ע"מ שאני כהן ונמצא לוי לוי ונמצא כהן נתין ונמצא ממזר ממזר ונמצא נתין ולא פליג ר"ש

What is the reason? 'I do not want a shoe too large for my foot.' It was taught likewise. R'Simeon admits that if he deceives her by a superiority of birth she is not betrothed.

מתקיף לה מר בר רב אשי אלא דקתני ע"מ שיש לי בת או שפחה מגודלת ואין לו על מנת שאין לו ויש לו דשבח ממון הוא הכי נמי דלא פליג

R'Ashi said: This follows from our Mishnah too. For it states:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Infra b.');">⁷</span> 'On condition that I am a priest,' and he is found to be a Levite, or 'a Levite', and he is found to be a priest, 'a Nathin,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos.');">⁸</span>

אלא פליג ברישא וה"ה לסיפא הכא נמי פליג ברישא וה"ה לסיפא

and he is found to be a mamzer,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos.');">⁹</span> or a mamzer', and he is found to be a Nathin [she is not betrothed]; and R'Simeon does not disagree. Mar, son of R'Ashi, demurred: If so, when it is stated: 'on condition that I have a daughter or maidservant [meguddeleth]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. infra p. 249, n. 8.');">¹⁰</span>

הכי השתא התם אידי ואידי דשבח ממון פליג ברישא והוא הדין בסיפא הכא דשבח יוחסים הוא אם איתא דפליג נתני

that is grown up', whereas he has none; or on condition that he has not, and he has, which is a monetary advantage, does he not disagree there either! But [what you must say is that] he differs in the first clause,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., in the Mishnah on 48b.');">¹¹</span> and the same is understood of the second;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Infra b.');">¹²</span> so here too [in respect to superiority] of birth, h differs in the first clause, and the same applies to the last clause.

איבעית אימא הכא נמי שבח יוחסים מי סברת מאי מגודלת גדולה ממש מאי מגודלת גדלת דאמרה היא לא ניחא לי דשקלה מילי מינאי ואזלא נדיא קמי שיבבותיי

How compare! There, since both refer to a financial advantage, he differs in the first clause and the same is understood of the last. Here, however, that it is superiority of birth, if it is so that he disagrees, it should be taught. Alternatively, here too superior [is meant].

תנו רבנן על מנת שאני קריינא כיון שקרא שלשה פסוקים בבית הכנסת הרי זו מקודשת ר' יהודה אומר עד שיקרא ויתרגם יתרגם מדעתיה והתניא ר' יהודה אומר המתרגם פסוק כצורתו הרי זה בדאי והמוסיף עליו הרי זה מחרף ומגדף אלא מאי תרגום תרגום דידן

Do you think that meguddeleth means literally an adult; meguddeleth means of superior breeding,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So Rashi.');">¹³</span> for she [the woman betrothed] can say: 'It does not please me that she should take up my words and carry them about to the neighbours.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And because she is of superior breeding she has access to them and is listened to, where she would not be otherwise.');">¹⁴</span> Our Rabbis taught: 'On condition that I am a karyana,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., able to read the Bible.');">¹⁵</span>

והני מילי דא"ל קריינ' אבל אמר לה קרא אנא עד דקרי אורייתא נביאי וכתובי בדיוקא

once he has read three verses [of the Pentateuch] in the synagogue,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In Talmudic times the reading of the Pentateuch, which was an important part of Sabbath and Festival services, was performed by a number of congregants, each of whom read not less than three verses, and not by a Reader, as to-day.');">¹⁶</span> she is betrothed. R'Judah said: He must be able to read and translate it.

על מנת שאני שונה חזקיה אמר הלכות ור' יוחנן אמר תורה

Even if he translates it according to his own understanding! But it was taught: R'Judah said: If one translates<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This refers to the public translations in the synagogue alongside the Reading of the Law, which was also a feature of ancient times. ktrah hekt ,t utrhu');">¹⁷</span> a verse literally, he is a liar; if he adds thereto, he is a blasphemer and a libeller.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Meharef and megaddef are synonyms. [Tosaf. In the name of R. Hananel cites Ex. XXIV. 10: of which the literal rendering 'they saw the God of Israel' conveys a lie, as God cannot be seen, whilst the added words in the rendering 'they saw the angel of the God of Israel' involves a blasphemy; for further examples v. Harkavy, A., Teshuboth ha-Geonim, pp. 124ff.]');">¹⁸</span> Then what is meant by translation?

מיתיבי איזו היא משנה ר' מאיר אומר הלכות ר' יהודה אומר מדרש

Our [authorised] translation.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Aramaic translation known as Targum Onkelos; v. Bacher, Die Terminologie der Tannaiten, pp. 205 et seq., also art. 'Targum' in J.E.');">¹⁹</span> Now, that is only if he said to her 'karyana'. But if he says: 'I a kara,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Likewise 'reader', but the word implies wider erudition.');">²⁰</span> he must be able to read the Pentateuch, Prophets and Hagiographa with exactitude.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of course, with full understanding.');">²¹</span> [If he says,] 'On condition that I am learned' - Hezekiah said: [In] Halachoth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi: traditional laws dating back to Moses. The probable meaning is traditional statements of laws in general, such as form the Mishnah, but without the exegetical knowledge of their derivation from the Bible, particularly the Pentateuch, v, Glos. s.v. Halachah.');">²²</span> R'Johanan ruled: In Torah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is now assumed to mean the written law, i.e., the Pentateuch.');">²³</span> An objection is raised: What is Mishnah?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'Learning' a word of the same root as in the phrase 'that I am learned'.');">²⁴</span> R'Meir said: Halachoth. R'Judah said: Midrash.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Exegesis. The exegetical literature, e.g., Sifra and Sifre, containing the laws derived from the Pentateuch and the manner of derival. - Thus on both views the knowledge of the Torah alone is insufficient.');">²⁵</span>