## Gittin Daf 59b

###### Gittin 59b:1
[Gittin 59b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:1)

בּוֹר שֶׁהוּא קָרוֹב לָאַמָּה מִתְמַלֵּא רִאשׁוֹן – מִפְּנֵי דַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Sages enacted that **the pit that is nearest to the irrigation channel** that supplies water to several pits or fields **is filled first on account of the ways of peace.** They established a fixed order for the irrigation of fields, so that people would not quarrel over who is given precedence.


###### Gittin 59b:2
[Gittin 59b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:2)

מְצוּדוֹת חַיָּה וְעוֹפוֹת וְדָגִים, יֵשׁ בָּהֶן מִשּׁוּם גָּזֵל – מִפְּנֵי דַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם; רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: גָּזֵל גָּמוּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Animals, birds, or fish** that were caught in **traps** are not acquired by the one who set the traps until he actually takes possession of them. Nevertheless, if another person comes and takes them, it **is considered robbery on account of the ways of peace. Rabbi Yosei says:** This is **full-fledged robbery.**


###### Gittin 59b:3
[Gittin 59b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:3)

מְצִיאַת חֵרֵשׁ שׁוֹטֶה וְקָטָן, יֵשׁ בָּהֶן מִשּׁוּם גָּזֵל – מִפְּנֵי דַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם; רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: גָּזֵל גָּמוּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Similarly, **a lost item** found by **a deaf-mute, an imbecile, or a minor** is not acquired by him, since he lacks the legal competence to effect acquisition. Nevertheless, taking such an item from him **is considered robbery on account of the ways of peace. Rabbi Yosei says:** This is **full-fledged robbery.**


###### Gittin 59b:4
[Gittin 59b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:4)

עָנִי הַמְנַקֵּף בְּרֹאשׁ הַזַּיִת, מַה שֶּׁתַּחְתָּיו גָּזֵל – מִפְּנֵי דַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם; רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: גָּזֵל גָּמוּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
If **a poor person gleans** olives **at the top of an olive tree** and olives fall to the ground under the tree, then taking those olives **that are beneath it is** considered **robbery on account of the ways of peace. Rabbi Yosei says:** This is **full-fledged robbery.**


###### Gittin 59b:5
[Gittin 59b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:5)

אֵין מְמַחִין בְּיַד עֲנִיֵּי גּוֹיִם בְּלֶקֶט שִׁכְחָה וּפֵאָה – מִפְּנֵי דַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**One does not protest against poor gentiles** who come to take **gleanings, forgotten** sheaves, **and the produce in the corner of the field, which is given to the poor [*pe’a*],** although they are meant exclusively for the Jewish poor, **on account of the ways of peace.**


###### Gittin 59b:6
[Gittin 59b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:6)

**גְּמָ׳** מְנָא הָנֵי מִילֵּי? אָמַר רַב מַתְנָה, דְּאָמַר קְרָא: ״וַיִּכְתּוֹב מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת וַיִּתְּנָהּ אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי לֵוִי״ – אַטּוּ אֲנָא לָא יָדַעְנָא דְּכֹהֲנִים, בְּנֵי לֵוִי נִינְהוּ? אֶלָּא כֹּהֵן בְּרֵישָׁא, וַהֲדַר לֵוִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The mishna teaches that at public readings of the Torah, a priest reads first, and after him a Levite. The Gemara asks: **From where are these matters** derived? What is the source of this *halakha* in the Torah? **Rav Mattana said: As the verse states: “And Moses wrote this Torah, and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi”** (Deuteronomy 31:9). The Gemara explains the inference: **Is that to say I do not know that the priests are the sons of Levi?** Why is it necessary for the verse to say this? **Rather,** the Torah was first delivered to the priests and afterward to the other Levites, and this serves as the source for the enactment that first **a priest** reads from the Torah, **and after** him **a Levite.**


###### Gittin 59b:7
[Gittin 59b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:7)

רַבִּי יִצְחָק נַפָּחָא אָמַר, מֵהָכָא: ״וְנִגְּשׁוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי לֵוִי״ – אַטּוּ אֲנַן לָא יָדְעִינַן דְּכֹהֲנִים, בְּנֵי לֵוִי נִינְהוּ? אֶלָּא כֹּהֵן בְּרֵישָׁא, וַהֲדַר לֵוִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yitzḥak Nappaḥa said** that this *halakha* is derived **from here,** as it is written: **“And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near”** (Deuteronomy 21:5). The Gemara asks: **Is that to say I do not know that the priests are the sons of Levi? Rather,** the Torah was first given to the priests and afterward to the other Levites, and from this we learn that **first a priest** reads from the Torah, **and after** him **a Levite.**


###### Gittin 59b:8
[Gittin 59b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:8)

רַב אָשֵׁי אָמַר מֵהָכָא: ״בְּנֵי עַמְרָם אַהֲרֹן וּמֹשֶׁה, וַיִּבָּדֵל אַהֲרֹן לְהַקְדִּישׁוֹ קֹדֶשׁ קֳדָשִׁים״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ashi said** that this *halakha* is derived **from here: “The sons of Amram, Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was separated, that he should be sanctified as most holy”** (I Chronicles 23:13). This indicates that Aaron and his descendants, the priests, are considered to be holier than the rest of the tribe of Levi. Consequently, they are given precedence in public Torah readings.


###### Gittin 59b:9
[Gittin 59b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:9)

רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר מֵהָכָא: ״וְקִדַּשְׁתּוֹ״ – לְכׇל דָּבָר שֶׁבִּקְדוּשָּׁה. תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: ״וְקִדַּשְׁתּוֹ״ – לְכׇל דָּבָר שֶׁבִּקְדוּשָּׁה; לִפְתּוֹחַ רִאשׁוֹן, וּלְבָרֵךְ רִאשׁוֹן, וְלִיטּוֹל מָנָה יָפָה רִאשׁוֹן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said** that this *halakha* is derived **from here,** as it is stated with regard to a priest: **“And you shall sanctify him”** (Leviticus 21:8), giving a priest priority **for every matter of sanctity.** And with regard to this verse, a Sage from **the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: “And you shall sanctify him,”** giving a priest priority **for every matter of sanctity: To open** the discussion in the study hall **first, to recite the blessing** of Grace after Meals **first, and to take a fine portion** at a meal **first,** meaning that he can choose any portion at a meal for himself.


###### Gittin 59b:10
[Gittin 59b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:10)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ אַבָּיֵי לְרַב יוֹסֵף: מִפְּנֵי דַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם?! דְּאוֹרָיְיתָא הִיא! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דְּאוֹרָיְיתָא, וּמִפְּנֵי דַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Abaye said to Rav Yosef:** According to this, why does the mishna teach that the priest reads first from the Torah **on account of the ways of peace,** indicating that this is a rabbinic enactment? Is it not **by Torah law** that he reads first? Rav Yosef **said to** Abaye: Indeed, it is **by Torah law, but** the reason that the priest reads first is **on account of the ways of peace.**


###### Gittin 59b:11
[Gittin 59b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:11)

כׇּל הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ נָמֵי מִפְּנֵי דַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם הִיא, דִּכְתִיב: ״דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי נוֹעַם וְכׇל נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם״!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Abaye objected: Aren’t the *halakhot* of **the entire Torah also** given **on account of the ways of peace, as it is written: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace”** (Proverbs 3:17)? Consequently, this *halakha* is no different from the other *halakhot* in the Torah, all of which were given to increase pleasantness and tranquility in the world.


###### Gittin 59b:12
[Gittin 59b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:12)

אֶלָּא אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: לְכִדְמַר; דְּתַנְיָא: שְׁנַיִם – מַמְתִּינִין זֶה לָזֶה בַּקְּעָרָה. שְׁלֹשָׁה – אֵין מַמְתִּינִין. הַבּוֹצֵעַ – הוּא פּוֹשֵׁט יָדוֹ תְּחִלָּה, וְאִם בָּא לַחְלוֹק כָּבוֹד לְרַבּוֹ אוֹ לְמִי שֶׁגָּדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ – הָרְשׁוּת בְּיָדוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather, Abaye said:** The mishna’s statement that a priest reads first from the Torah on account of the ways of peace **is in accordance with** what was said by **my master,** Rabba. **As it is taught** in a *baraita* (*Tosefta*, *Berakhot* 5:3): When **two people** are eating together **from a single dish,** they must **wait for each other,** but if there are **three,** each eats when he wishes and they do **not** need to **wait** for each other. Generally, **the one who breaks bread extends his hand** to take food **first, but if he wishes to show respect to his teacher or to one who is greater** than he and allow him to take first, **he has permission** to do so.


###### Gittin 59b:13
[Gittin 59b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:13)

וְאָמַר מָר עֲלַהּ: לֹא שָׁנוּ אֶלָּא בִּסְעוּדָה, אֲבָל בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת לֹא, דְּאָתוּ לְאִינְּצוֹיֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And the Master,** Rabba, **said with regard to** this *baraita*: **They taught** this **with regard to a meal,** that one may show honor to a person of greater stature and allow him to take food first. **But in the synagogue,** one may **not** show another honor, because the congregants are liable to **come to quarrel** about who is the most distinguished among them. Accordingly, the ruling of the mishna is that to prevent strife and controversy, it is not permitted for a priest to honor an Israelite and allow him to read first from the Torah in his place.


###### Gittin 59b:14
[Gittin 59b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:14)

אָמַר רַב מַתְנָה: הָא דְּאָמְרַתְּ בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת לֹא, לָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא בְּשַׁבָּתוֹת וְיָמִים טוֹבִים – דִּשְׁכִיחִי רַבִּים, אֲבָל בְּשֵׁנִי וּבַחֲמִישִׁי – לָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Mattana said:** With regard to **this** matter **that you stated,** that **in the synagogue** a priest is **not** permitted to honor an Israelite and allow him to read first, **we said** this **only concerning *Shabbatot* and Festivals, when many people are present** for the services, **but not on Mondays and Thursdays,** when only a small number of people are there. On those days it is permitted for one to honor his superior, and there is no concern that this will lead to a quarrel.


###### Gittin 59b:15
[Gittin 59b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:15)

אִינִי?! וְהָא רַב הוּנָא קָרֵי בְּכָהֲנֵי בְּשַׁבָּתוֹת וְיוֹם טוֹב! שָׁאנֵי רַב הוּנָא, דַּאֲפִילּוּ רַבִּי אַמֵּי וְרַבִּי אַסִּי – כָּהֲנֵי חֲשִׁיבִי דְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל – מֵיכָף הֲווֹ כַּיְיפִי לֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **Is that so?** Is it actually prohibited for a priest to honor his teacher and allow him to read first in his place? **But didn’t Rav Huna,** who was not a priest, **read** the Torah section ordinarily reserved **for priests,** even **on *Shabbatot* and Festivals?** The Gemara answers: **Rav Huna is different, as even Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi, the most important priests in Eretz Yisrael, were subject to his** jurisdiction. Therefore, there was no concern about a quarrel, because everyone agreed that he was the leading authority of the generation and it was fitting that he should read from the Torah first.


###### Gittin 59b:16
[Gittin 59b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:16)

אָמַר אַבָּיֵי, נָקְטִינַן: אֵין שָׁם כֹּהֵן – נִתְפָּרְדָה חֲבִילָה. וְאָמַר אַבָּיֵי, נָקְטִינַן: אֵין שָׁם לֵוִי – קוֹרֵא כֹּהֵן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Abaye said** that **we have a tradition** that if **there is no priest there** in the synagogue at the time of the Torah reading, **the bundle is separated,** i.e., a Levite is not shown precedence over Israelites. **And Abaye said** that **we have a tradition** that if **there is no Levite there** in the synagogue, **a priest reads** in his place.


###### Gittin 59b:17
[Gittin 59b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:17)

אִינִי?! וְהָאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כֹּהֵן אַחַר כֹּהֵן לֹא יִקְרָא, מִשּׁוּם פְּגָמוֹ שֶׁל רִאשׁוֹן. לֵוִי אַחַר לֵוִי לֹא יִקְרָא מִשּׁוּם פְּגַם שְׁנֵיהֶם! כִּי קָאָמְרִינַן, בְּאוֹתוֹ כֹּהֵן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **Is that so? But didn’t Rabbi Yoḥanan say:** One **priest should not read after** another **priest, because** people might mistakenly think that the second priest was called to read due to **a flaw** that was found **in** the status of **the first** one, i.e., that he was found not to be a priest. And one **Levite should not read after** another **Levite, because** people might mistakenly think that there is **a flaw in both of them.** If two Levites read one after the other, people might say that the second is not a Levite but an Israelite, or else that the first was not a Levite, and therefore a real Levite was called to read in his place. The Gemara answers: **When we said** that when there is no Levite present a priest reads in his place, we were speaking **of the same priest** who had already read from the Torah, for in that case there is no concern that people will think that a flaw had been found in his status.


###### Gittin 59b:18
[Gittin 59b:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:18)

מַאי שְׁנָא לֵוִי אַחַר לֵוִי, דְּאִיכָּא פְּגַם שְׁנֵיהֶם – דְּאָמְרִי: חַד מִינַּיְיהוּ לָאו לֵוִי הוּא; כֹּהֵן אַחֵר כֹּהֵן נָמֵי, אָמְרִי: חַד מִינַּיְיהוּ לָאו כֹּהֵן הוּא! כְּגוֹן דְּמוּחְזָק לַן בַּאֲבוּהּ דְּהַאי שֵׁנִי, דְּכֹהֵן הוּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara raises a question with regard to Rabbi Yoḥanan’s statement: **What is different** that in the case where one **Levite** reads from the Torah **after** another **Levite,** Rabbi Yoḥanan says **that there is** concern that people might mistakenly think that there is **a flaw in both of them?** It must be that he is concerned that people might **say** that **one of them,** either the first or the second, **is** certainly **not a Levite.** If so, in the case where one **priest** reads from the Torah **after** another **priest,** he should **also** be concerned that people might **say** that **one of them,** either the first or the second, **is** certainly **not a priest.** Why, then, was Rabbi Yoḥanan concerned only about suspicions that might be raised about the first priest? The Gemara answers: He speaks about a case **where we have a presumption concerning the father of the second** one, **that he is a priest.**


###### Gittin 59b:19
[Gittin 59b:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:19)

הָכָא נָמֵי, דְּמוּחְזָק לַן בַּאֲבוּהּ דְּהַאי שֵׁנִי, דְּלֵוִי הוּא! אֶלָּא אָמְרִי: מַמְזֶרֶת אוֹ נְתִינָה נְסֵיב, וּפַסְלֵיהּ לְזַרְעֵיהּ. הָכָא נָמֵי, אָמְרִי: גְּרוּשָׁה אוֹ חֲלוּצָה נְסֵיב, וְאַחֲלֵיהּ לְזַרְעֵיהּ!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: If so, **here too,** in the case of the Levites let us say that **we have a presumption concerning the father of the second** one, **that he is a Levite. Rather,** the concern here is that even if it is known that he is the son of a Levite, people might **say** that perhaps the father **married a *mamzeret*,** a daughter born from an incestuous or adulterous relationship, **or a Gibeonite woman, and** thereby **disqualified his children,** so that they are considered Israelites rather than Levites. If so, then **here too,** in the case of the priests, there is concern that people might **say** that perhaps the priest’s father **married a divorced woman or a *yevama* who underwent *ḥalitza* [*ḥalutza*] and** thereby **disqualified his children** from the priesthood (see Leviticus 21:7).


###### Gittin 59b:20
[Gittin 59b:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:20)

סוֹף סוֹף, לֵוִי מִי קָא הָוֵי?!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **Ultimately, is he a Levite?** If the priest is disqualified from the priesthood owing to his blemished lineage, he has the status of an Israelite, not a Levite. Therefore, if he reads from the Torah after another priest, and it is known that his father is a priest, then it must be that he too is a qualified priest. Therefore, the only reason for concern is that people might say that there is a flaw in the status of the first priest.


###### Gittin 59b:21
[Gittin 59b:21](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:21)

וּלְמַאן? אִי לְיוֹשְׁבִין – הָא קָא חָזוּ לֵיהּ! אֶלָּא לְיוֹצְאִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to the concern itself, the Gemara asks: **And about whom** is there a concern? Who might mistakenly think that the first priest’s status is blemished? **If** you say that the concern is **for those sitting** in the synagogue until the end of the Torah reading, that is not a valid concern, as **they see** that he is counted as one of the seven who must read from the Torah, and therefore he must certainly be a qualified priest. **Rather,** the concern is **for those who leave** before the conclusion of the reading, and do not know that he was counted among the seven readers.


###### Gittin 59b:22
[Gittin 59b:22](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/59b:22)

שְׁלַחוּ לֵיהּ בְּנֵי גָלִילָא לְרַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ: אַחֲרֵיהֶן,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The people of the Galilee sent** a question **to Rabbi Ḥelbo: After them,** the priest and the Levite,