Jerusalem Talmud Gittin 6.1

משנה: הָאוֹמֶר הִתְקַבֵּל גֵּט זֶה לְאִשְׁתִּי אוֹ הוֹלֵךְ גֵּט זֶה לְאִשְׁתִּי אִם רָצָה לְהַחֲזִיר יַחֲזִיר. הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁאָמְרָה הִתְקַבֵּל לִי גִּיטִּי אִם רָצָה לְהַחֲזִיר לֹא יַחֲזִיר. לְפִיכָךְ אִם אָמַר לוֹ הַבַּעַל אֵי אֶיפְשִׁי שֶׁתְּקַבֵּל לָהּ אֶלָּא הוֹלֵךְ וְתֵן לָהּ אִם רָצָה לְהַחֲזִיר יַחֲזִיר. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר אַף הָאוֹמֶרֶת טוֹל לִי גִּיטִּי אִם רָצָה לְהַחֲזִיר לֹא יַחֲזִיר.

MISHNAH: Somebody who says, accept this bill of divorce for my wife, or bring this bill of divorce to my wife, may retract if he wants to retract. If a woman said, accept the bill of divorce for me, he cannot retract even if he wants to retract. Therefore, if the husband said, it is not possible for me that you accept for her but bring and deliver it to her, he may retract if he wants to retract. Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel says, even if she says, take my the bill of divorce for me, he cannot retract even if he wants to retract.

הלכה: הָאוֹמֶר הִתְקַבֵּל גֵּט זֶה לְאִשְׁתִּי כול׳. בְּכָל אָתָר אַתְּ אָמַר. הִתְקַבֵּל כִּזְכֵה. הָכָא אַתְּ אָמַר. הִתְקַבֵּל כְּהוֹלִךְ. שַׁנְיָיה הִיא שֶׁזָּכִין לוֹ לְאָדָם שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו. הָתִיב רִבִּי שַׁמַּי. הַגַּע עַצְמָךְ שֶׁהָיְתָה צוֹוַחַת לְהִתְגָּרֵשׁ. אֲנִי אוֹמֵר. שֶׁמָּא חָזְרָה בָהּ. הָא תַנִּינָן. הִיא עַצְמָהּ מֵבִיאָה אֶת גִּיטָּהּ. חָשׁ לוֹמַר שֶׁמָּא חָזְרָה בָהּ. תַּמָּן הִיא חָבָה לְעַצְמָהּ. בְּרַם הָכָא חוֹב לָהּ.

HALAKHAH: “Somebody who says, accept this bill of divorce for my wife,” etc. Everywhere you say that “accept” is the equivalent of “obtain,” but here you say that “accept” is the equivalent of “bring”? There is a difference, for one can obtain something for a person without him being present. Rebbi Shammai objected: Think of it, if she was shouting to obtain a divorce? I say, maybe she changed her mind. But did we not state: “A woman herself may bring her bill of divorce”? Could you say that she may have changed her mind? There, she is damaging herself; here it is to her detriment.

רַב נַחֲמָן בַּר יַעֲקֹב אָמַר. אָמְרָה. הֲבֵא לִי גִיטִּי. וְהָלַךְ וְאָמַר לוֹ. אִשְׁתְּךָ אָמְרָה. הִתְקַבֵּל לִי גִיטִּי. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְיָדָהּ אֵינוֹ גֵט. שֶׁהוּא סָבוּר מִדַּעַת הַשָּׁלִיחַ מִתְגָּרֶשֶׁת. וְהִיא אֵינָהּ מִתְגָּרֶשֶׁת אֶלָּא מִדַּעְתָּהּ. הָתִיב רִבִּי הוּנָא בַּר חִיָיה. וְהָא דְתַנִּינָן. הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁאָמְרָה. הִתְקַבֵּל לִי גִיטִּי. אֵינוֹ גֵט עַד שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ גֵּט לְיָדָהּ. מֵעַתַּה אֲפִילוּ הִגִּיעַ גֵּט לְיָדָהּ אֵינוֹ גֵט. שֶׁהִיא סְבוּרָה שֶׁהִיא מִתְגָּרֶשֶׁת מִדַּעַת הַשָּׁלִיחַ. וְהִיא אֵינָהּ מִתְגָּרֶשֶׁת אֶלָּא מִדַּעְתָּהּ. בְּיוֹדֵעַ הֲלָכָה לוֹמַר. הִתְקַבֵּל וּזְכֵה כְּהוֹלִךְ. וְהָתַנִּינָן. קְטַנָּה שֶׁאָמְרָה. הִתְקַבֵּל לִי גִיטִּי. אֵינוֹ גֵט עַד שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ גֵּט לְיָדָהּ. מֵעַתָּה אֲפִילוּ הִגִּיעַ גֵּט לְיָדָהּ אֵינוֹ גֵט. שֶׁהִיא סְבוּרָה שֶׁמָּא לְדַעַת הַשָּׁלִיחַ הִיא מִתְגָּרֶשֶׁת. וְהִיא אֵינָהּ מִתְגָּרֶשֶׁת אֶלָּא מִדַּעְתָּהּ. בְּיוֹדֵעַ שֶׁאֵין הַקָּטָן עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלִיחַ.

Rav Naḥman bar Jacob said: If she said, bring me my bill of divorce, but he went and said to him, your wife said, accept the bill of divorce for me, even after the bill came into her hand it is not a valid bill of divorce, since he thinks that she will be divorced by the acceptance of the agent but she can be divorced only by her own acceptance. Rebbi Huna bar Ḥiyya objected: But did we not state that if a woman said, accept the bill of divorce for me, it is not a valid bill of divorce until it reaches her hand? Then even if the bill came into her hand it should not be a valid bill! For she thinks that she will be divorced by the acceptance of the agent but she can be divorced only by her own acceptance. If he knows that practice is that “accept” and “obtain” mean “bring”. But did we not state: “If an underage girl said, accept the bill of divorce for me, it is not a valid bill until the bill of divorce reaches her hand.” Then it should not be a valid bill even if the bill of divorce reaches her hand. For she thinks that maybe she is divorced by the acceptance of the agent, but she can be divorced only by her own acceptance. If he knows that a minor cannot appoint an agent.

רַב הוּנָא בְשֵׁם רַב. אֵין הָאִשָּׁה עוֹשָׂה שָׁלִיחַ לְקַבֵּל גִּיטָּהּ מִשְּׁלוּחֹה שֶׁלְּבַעֲלָהּ. שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁמָעָהּ מִינֵּיהּ וְלָעֲתָהּ בַּתְרֵי אַרְבָּעִים זִימְנֵי.

Rav Huna said in the name of Rav: A woman cannot appoint an agent to accept her bill of divorce from her husband’s agent. Samuel heard this from him and repeated after him forty times.

רִבִּי זְעִירָא בָּעֵי. עַד כְּדוֹן בְּשֶׁאָמְרָה. הֲבֵא לִי. וְאָמַרה לוֹ. הִתְקַבֵּל לִי. אָמְרָה. הִתְקַבֵּל לִי. וְהוּא אָמַר לוֹ. הֲבֵא לִי. אַשְׁכָּח תַּנֵּי עַל תְּרַוֵּיהֹן. הֲרֵי זֶה גֵּט וְאִם רָצָה לְהַחֲזִיר לֹא יַחֲזִיר. וְהָא תַנִּינָן. וְנָתַן בְּיָדָהּ. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא בְיָדָהּ. מְנַיִין בְּיַד שְׁלוּחוֹ בְּיַד שְׁלוּחָהּ מִשְּׁלוּחוֹ לִשְׁלוּחָהּ מִשְּׁלוּחָהּ לִשְׁלוּחוֹ מְנַיִין. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְנָתַן וְנָתַן. מַה תַנֵּי אֵי אֶיפְשִׁי. רִבִּי. דְּתַנֵּי. אָמְרָה. הָבֵא לִי גִיטִּי. וְהָלַךְ וְאָמַר לוֹ. אִשְׁתָּךְ אָמְרָה. הִתְקַבֵּל לִי גִיטִּי. הוֹלִיכוֹ לָהּ וּנְתָנוֹ לָהּ זָכָה לָהּ וְנִתְקַבֵּל לָהּ. אִם רָצָה לְהַחֲזִיר לֹא יַחֲזִיר. דִּבְרֵי רִבִּי. רִבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר. הוֹלִיכוֹ לָהּ וּנְתָנוֹ לָהּ. אִם רָצָה לְהַחֲזִיר לֹא יַחֲזִיר עַד שֶׁיֹּאמַר לוֹ. אֵי אֶיפְשִׁי שֶׁתְּקַבְּלוֹ לָהּ אֶלָּא שֶׁתּוֹלִיכוֹ לָהּ. וִקַשְׁיָא עַל דְּרִבִּי. הֵילָךְ מִן דִּיבּוּרִי אִם רָצָה לְהַחֲזִיר יַחֲזִיר. וִקַשְׁיָא עַל דְּרִבִּי נָתָן. הֵילָךְ לִדִיבּוּרָהּ אִם רָצָה לְהַחֲזִיר יַחֲזִיר. רַב הוּנָא אָמַר. נַעֲשֶׂה שְׁלוּחוֹ וּשְׁלוּחָהּ. אַסִּי אָמַר. כָּל הֵיכָא דְאָמַר. שְׁלוּחוֹ וּשְׁלוּחָהּ. מְגוּרֶשֶׁת וְאֵינָהּ מְגוּרֶשֶׁת.

Rebbi Ze‘ira asked: So far if she said, bring me, but [the agent] said [to the husband] “receive for me”. If she said, receive for me but [the agent] said [to the husband] “bring me”? If was found stated in both cases, this is a bill of divorce and if he wants to retract he cannot retract. But did we not state: “He shall deliver into her hand,” that includes not only her hand, from where through his agent’s hand, into her agent’s hand, from his agent to her agent, and from her agent to his agent; the verse says, “he shall deliver, he shall deliver.” Who said, “it is impossible for me”? Rebbi! As it was stated: “If she said, bring me my bill of divorce, but he said to him, your wife said, accept my bill of divorce for me: If he brought it to her, gave it to her, he acquired it for her, it was received for her; if he wants to retract, he may not retract, the words of Rebbi. Rebbi Nathan says, ‘bring it to her, give it to her,’ [if he wants to retract, he may retract; ‘acquire it for her, receive it for her’, if he wants to retract, he may not retract. Rebbi says, in any of these cases] he may not retract except if he says, ‘It is impossible for me that you accept it for her, but give it to her.’” It is difficult for Rebbi, “here you have it from my word”, if he wants to retract, he may retract. It is difficult for Rebbi Nathan, “here you have it from her word”, if he wants to retract, he may retract! Rav Ḥuna said, he becomes his and her agent. Assi said, everywhere we have stated “his and her agent”, she is both divorced and not divorced.

אָמַר רִבִּי חַגַּיי קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹסֵי. וְאַתְיָין אִילֵּין פְּלוּגָתָא כְאִילֵּין פְּלוּגָתָא. דְּתַנִּינָן תַּמָּן. הָיָה מְדַבֵּר עִם הָאִשָּׁה עַל עִיסְקֵי גִיטָּהּ וְקִידּוּשֶׁיהָ וְנָתַן לָהּ גִּיטָּהּ וְקִידּוּשֶׁיהָ וְלֹא פֵּירַשׁ. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר דַּייוֹ. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר. צָרִיךְ לְפָרֵשׁ. וְאַתְיָא דְּרִבִּי כְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי. וּדְרִבִּי נָתָן כְּרִבִּי יוּדָה. אָמַר לֵיהּ וְאַתְּ מַה בְיָדָךְ. דְּאָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָא אָמַר רִבּי חִיָיה בַּר אָבִין אָדָא בַּר תַּחְלִיפָא בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה. מַה פְלִיגִין. עַצְמוֹ לְעִנְיָינוֹת אֲחֵרִים. אֲבָל אִם הָיָה עוֹסֵק בְּאוֹתוֹ עִנְיָין גֵּט הוּא. וְהָכָא אֲפִילוּ בָעוֹסְקִין בְּאוֹתוֹ עִנְיָין הִיא מַחֲלוֹקֶת.

Rebbi Ḥaggai said before Rebbi Yose: Is not this disagreement the same as that disagreement, as we have stated there: “If a man was talking with a woman about her bill of divorce or her preliminary marriage and gave her the bill of divorce or [some valuable for] preliminary marriage and did not spell it out, Rebbi Yose says it is sufficient; Rebbi Jehudah says he has to be explicit.” Then Rebbi follows Rebbi Yose and Rebbi Nathan Rebbi Jehudah. He said to him, what do you have in your hand, did not Rebbi Zeïra, Ḥiyya bar Abin, Abba bar Taḥlifa, say in the name of Rebbi Hoshaia, when do they differ? [If they thought about] other things but if he still was on the same subject, it is a bill of divorce. But here, even if they are still on the same subject there is disagreement.

רִבִּי זְעִירָא בָּעֵי קוֹמֵי רִבִּי מָנָא. אַף לְעִנְיָין מַתָּנָה כֵן. אָדָם עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלִיחַ לְקַבֵּל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁלּוֹ. אָמַר לֵיהּ. תַּמָּן הַתּוֹרָה זִיכָּת אוֹתָהּ בְּגִיטָּהּ וְהִיא עוֹשָׂה שָׁלִיחַ לְקַבֵּל דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא שֶׁלָּהּ. אִית לָךְ מֵימַר בְּמַתָּנָה. אָדָם עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלִיחַ לְקַבֵּל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁלּוֹ. וְעוֹד מִן הָדָא דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵה וְרִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר זַבְדִּי רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. אָמַר לִיתֵּן מַתָּנָה לַחֲבֵירוֹ וּבִיקֵּשׁ לַחֲזוֹר בּוֹ חוֹזֵר בּוֹ. קָם רִבִּי יוֹסֵי עִם רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר זַבְדִּי. אָמַר לֵיהּ וְהֶן הוּא הִין צֶדֶק. אָמַר לֵיהּ. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאֲמָרוֹ הִין צֶדֶק הָיָה.

Rebbi Ze‘ira asked before Rebbi Mana: Is it the same for a gift? Can a person appoint an agent for anything that is not his? He said to him, there the Torah gave her the right to a bill of divorce and she appoints an agent to receive what is rightfully hers. Can you say in regard to a gift that a person can appoint an agent for anything that is not his? In addition, from what Rebbi Yose and Rebbi Jacob bar Zavdi, Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan said, if somebody said to give a gift to another and he wants to retract, he may retract. Rebbi Yose stood near Rebbi Jacob bar Zavdi and said to him, is that a just “yes”? He said to him, at the moment he said it, it was a just “yes”.

אָמַר לוֹ. הוֹלֵךְ גֵּט אִשְׁתִּי גֵּט בִּתָּהּ גֵּט אֲחוֹתָהּ. וְהָלַךְ וּנְתָנוֹ לָהּ. אֵינוֹ גֵּט. תְּבָעוֹ הַשָּׁלִיחַ וְאָמַר לוֹ. תֵּן גֵּט לְאִשְׁתּוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ. הֵילָךְ גֵּט אִשְׁתִּי גֵּט בִּתָּהּ גֵּט אֲחוֹתָהּ. וְהָלַךְ וּנְתָנוֹ לָהּ. הֲרֵי זֶה גֵט. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי בּוּן וְרִבִּי אָבִין בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי שַׁמַּי. זוֹ דִבְרֵי רִבִּי. אֲבָל חֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים. בְּאוֹמֶרֶת. יְהֵא לִי בְיָדָךְ.

If [the husband] said to [another person]: Bring my wife’s bill of divorce, or her daughter’s, or her sister’s, then he went and delivered it to her, it is no divorce. But if [the other] said: Give a bill of divorce to his wife, and [the husband] said, here is my wife’s bill of divorce, or her daughter’s, or her sister’s, and he went and gave it to her, it is a divorce. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun and Rebbi Avin in the name of Rebbi Shammai: These are Rebbi’s words. But the Sages say, only if she says, it should be mine in your hand.

אָמַר רִבִּי חֲנִינָא. הֲלָכָה כְרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל. וְהוּא שֶׁאָמְרָה לוֹ הִיא טוֹל לִי. יְהֵא לִי בְיָדָךְ. חַד בַּר נַשׁ שָׁלַח גֵּט לְאִיתְּתֵיהּ. אָמְרָה לֵיהּ. יְהֵא לִי בְיָדָךְ. אָתָא עוֹבְדָא קוֹמֵי רַב. אָמַר. אִם בָּא לְהַחֲזִיר לֹא יַחֲזִיר. מַה וּפְלִיג. שַׁנְיָיא הוּא יְהֵא בְיָדָךְ שַׁנְיָיא הוּא יְהֵא לִי בְיָדָךְ. אָמַר רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה. אֲנָא יְדַע רֵישָׁא וְסֵיפָא. אִשָּׁה אַחַת עָשָׂת שָׁלִיחַ לְקַבֵּל גִּיטָּהּ מִשְּׁלוּחֵי בַעֲלָהּ. אָתָא עוֹבְדָא קוֹמֵי רַב. אָמַר. אִם רָצָה לְהַחֲזִיר לֹא יַחֲזִיר. מִחְלְפָה שִׁיטָּתֵיהּ דְּרַב. תַּמָּן אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בְשֵׁם רַב. אֵין הָאִשָּׁה עוֹשָׂה שָׁלִיחַ לְקַבֵּל גִּיטָּהּ מִשְּׁלוּחֵי בַעֲלָהּ. וְהָכָא הוּא אָמַר הָכֵין. אֲנִי אֹמֵר. אַחַר הַדֶּלֶת הָיָה עוֹמֵד וְשָׁמַע אֶת קוֹלָהּ.

Rebbi Ḥanina said, practice follows Rabban Gamliel: if she said “take for me, it should be mine in your hand.” A man sent a bill of divorce to his wife. She told [the agent]: “It should be mine in your hand.” The casecame before Rav, who said, if he wants to retract he cannot retract. Does he disagree? There is a difference between “it should be in your hand” and “it should be mine in your hand.” Rebbi Ḥizqiah said, I know the beginning and the end. A woman appointed an agent to accept her bill of divorce from the husband’s agents. The case came before Rav, who said, if he wants to retract he cannot retract. Rav’s opinion has switched! There, Rav Huna said in the name of Rav: A woman cannot appoint an agent to accept her bill of divorce from her husband’s agent, and here, he says so? I say, he was standing behind the door and heard her voice.