Talking Talmud

When a man wants to divorce a wife, and he has at least two, and he doesn't want to specify which one, and devises a plan for, let's say, whichever one comes to greet him first - the Gemara says, no. The get needs to be written in her name - they can't discover after the fact which wife was, lo and behold, the divorced one. But there many other circumstances where retroactive clarification does wo...

What happens when the woman is her own shaliach for her get? She needs to show up to a stipulated court, and when does the divorce kick in? Also, what if the get is written in the name of the woman, but someone else has the same name - can it be used for the person with the same name? Plus, every time a get is invalidated, she still can't marry a kohen.

Three mishnayot: Who can write a get? Basically, everyone, even the unexpected categories of people - including a woman writing her own get. The implication of that is that the writing matters less than the signing of the document. Note, of course, that the get must be written for her sake. Also, everyone can deliver a get, except for 5 categories of people including one who is blind and one who i...

A discussion about ma'aser in the context of perforated pots - where the perforation is in the land of Israel, but the pot is outside the land. What gives plants their primary nourishment - ground or air? We might have resolved the science of this by today, but they were figuring it all out, still. It becomes a real puzzle when to tithe, but the focus is definitely on the land of Israel. Also, the...

A note on the viability of a courtyard "accepting" a bill of divorce on behalf of the woman being divorced. Also, the opinion against writing a get on living things, and the biblical support for this approach. Plus, the counter-use of the same verses for the opposite view. Also, a new mishnah on the get itself - can't be attached to the ground - and when it can be detached from the ground itself....

Chiseling or embossing the letters of a get - with the example of the kohen gadol's front piece. Can a get be written on gold, and let that count also as the ketubah? Also, figuring out Rava's position, his argument on himself, and the way a woman might give up the value of her ketubah for a get (not written on gold). Also, what about writing a get on a Canaanite slave's hand - now what?

A get can be written with any substance that lasts - and the mishnah provides a list of them. A get can be written on any substance too - with a dispute over whether that includes living creatures and (lehavdil) slaves. Plus, R. Yehudah, who took great pains to read and sign his own documents, even when he could have managed otherwise. Also, when confusion creeps in to the delivery of a get - depe...

When does the counting period begin for a woman fromJ the time of her divorce until she can remarry... What about travel time? ie when the get is given or when it's written? Plus, a discussion of partial payment... of the ketubah. Also, when does the get need to be signed? Right when it was written? Or in the next day? 10 days later? Plus, what about group signing?

When two shlichim are used for a get. Plus metaphorical treatment of Persia, Rome, and Babylonia, and comparison of them insofar as who was good for the Jews. Also, a new mishnah and the requirement that a date must be included on documents, at writing and signing, which means the timing matters on a Jewish calendar in terms of the date switch at sundown. Also, Abaye and R. Yosef on issues of date...

More on needing two combining elements - in divorce, writing and signing - but other combinations in other arenas of halakhah. For example, two people dunking in a mikveh of exactly 40 se'ah. Also, the case of 2 people bringing the divorce from overseas - with more factors to potentially invalidate the divorce. Plus, when the rabbis jump in to protect all documents.

One who brings a bill of divorce from overseas, as a shaliach - various ways the get will end up invalid. With the attendant disputes and resolutions, including protecting other documents from a leniency that applies only in the case of divorce. Also, borrowing from other halakhic areas: how arenas combine or divide with legal partitions, as per eruvin. To what extent can the different arenas allo...

The case of appointing a shaliach to deliver the funds to pay back a debt - with a dispute by Rav and Shmuel whether the person can call back the shaliach. Plus, the logical inference of "migo," or "since." Also, the story of R. Sheshet, his consignment cloaks, and R. Yosef bar Chama as the collector of funds. Also, the difference between "taking" and "acquiring." Plus, what happens if something h...

A man appoints another man to be his shaliach to deliver either a divorce or a document that frees a slave... And then the man dies before the shaliach gets to the recipient(s), and there's no need to give the document - in contrast to one who owes money and is using a shaliach to deliver. Even after the man dies, the funds need to reach their designated recipient. So the Gemara attempts to apply...

A slave who has unintentionally killed someone and been exiled to a city of refuge, how will he provide food for himself? How are his earnings to pay for himself or for his master? Plus, what happens if it's a man's wife who is exiled to the city of refuge? Who and how is she provided for? Can she even go out to work? Shouldn't she be staying at home? (No) Also, what stipulations can be made betwe...

More on non-Jewish involvement in divorces and other documents. Rava introduces an example specifically with Persian non-Jews, but did Jewish witnesses know the Persian to be sure they're accurate? Indeed. How to ensure that the documents can't be forged? Also, at what point can one who's giving a get retract the document? For divorce, it's possible to do, but not for freeing a slave - where the s...

2 mishnayot: First, the question of witnesses of "Kutim" - which usually invalidates a document, with exceptions, of course. Plus, an emendation of the mishnah by the Gemara. Also, documents that are produced in non-Jewish courts are valid - with exception. Plus, "dina de-malkhuta dina" - the law of the land is the law. Plus, speech as speech acts.

The contracts a person makes on his death bed, signing over property to his slave, including freeing him. But then he recovers. So what happens to the slave? Also, a new mishnah: one who delivers a get from overseas, but without a declaration. If there are witnesses, that works. But what if one is deaf? (In the ancient category and all that entailed). Plus, exceptional cases.

Is Syria like the Land of Israel when it comes to freeing a slave? Yes and no. Also, a freed slave who has the document that frees him doesn't automatically grant him property, for example. With parallels to the woman and her bill of divorcement. Plus, a comment on the term "emancipation."

[Who's Who: Mar Ukva] Mar Ukva, the exilarch, asks whether he is allowed to turn over Jews to the non-Jewish (Babylonian) government - the reasons they are upsetting him are unclear, but he is clearly bothered by them. The response: even when you know you have enemies, keep yourself quiet. Plus, follow-up on the idea that God will ease the unpleasant situation, instead of people taking matters int...

The Gemara discusses how does one establish that a get was written lishmah. There is also a lengthy discussion about verifying gittin written in Bavel and what does this passage teach about the relationship between Eretz Yisroel and Bavel.

More on the declaration that the get was written and signed in the shaliach's presence - but what if there are two shlichim? What if the shaliach is the woman herself? What if the shaliach is the husband himself? Also, the concern for mamzerut that emerges from an ineffective delivery of a get - does the lack of a proclamation get in the way if the get?

On the dispute between Rava and Rabbah - why a shaliach needs to proclaim that the get was written and signed before him. Plus, the locations from where the proclamations had to be made, and the implications with regard to the land of Israel vs. outside of the land. Also, the implications of travel within the same country, and how that doesn't involve said declaration.

How many people must witness the shaliach's statement that he was present for the signing and giving of the get (2 vs 3)? And why. But isn't one witness enough, under these conditions? Wouldn't a woman also be sufficient under these conditions? Also, whose opinion is the basis for the mishnah's position? Plus, the Torah (d'Oraita) level and rabbinic level to the issues of gittin/divorce.

Introducing divorce. Including how the verses on divorce in the Torah provide the details of halakhic divorce, most saliently that a man gives a woman a divorce, and the reverse is not acceptable. Also, the first mishnah, and its description of how one can use an agent or emissary (shaliach) to convey a get (bill of divorce) and it will be an effective divorce. With geographical details that defin...

Wrapping up Sotah! So much had changed in the wake of the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash... Plus, a new mishnah, at the very end - poignant in what was lost with various wars and deaths. And the Gemara shifts the focus to Babylonia.