## Gittin Daf 88a

###### Gittin 88a:1
[Gittin 88a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:1)

הָכָא נָמֵי – כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ רֶיוַח מִלְּמַעְלָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**so too,** it is a case **where there is space above** the latter one, so it is clearly not a separate bill of divorce that was cut.


###### Gittin 88a:2
[Gittin 88a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:2)

וְדִלְמָא אִימְּלוֹכֵי אִימְּלִיךְ (וּכְתַב)!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But** although it is clearly one bill of divorce, **perhaps** the scribe wrote the first part of the bill of divorce and then the husband **changed his mind** about divorcing his wife, thereby canceling the bill of divorce, and afterward he changed his mind again **and** the scribe then **wrote** the rest of the bill of divorce in the second column, after the first part was already canceled.


###### Gittin 88a:3
[Gittin 88a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:3)

דִּכְתִיב ״הֲרֵי אַתְּ״ מִלְּמַטָּה, וּ״מוּתֶּרֶת״ מִלְּמַעְלָה. וְדִלְמָא אִיתְרְמִי לֵיהּ? כּוּלֵּי הַאי לָא חָיְישִׁינַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: It is a case **where he wrote: You are hereby, on the bottom** of the first column, **and** continued: **Permitted** to marry any man, **at the top** of the second column. In this case there is obvious continuity between the columns, and he certainly did not change his mind in the meantime. The Gemara asks: **But perhaps it happened** that he stopped in the middle of the sentence? The Gemara answers: **We are not concerned to such a degree;** it is highly unlikely that he changed his mind in the middle of a sentence.


###### Gittin 88a:4
[Gittin 88a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:4)

רַב אָשֵׁי אָמַר: דִּידִיעָה בֵּיהּ מְתַחְתָּא דִמְגִילְּתָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ashi said:** The mishna is referring to a case **where the stretch of the scroll is clear,** so it is obvious that it is a complete piece of parchment and that nothing was cut out of it.


###### Gittin 88a:5
[Gittin 88a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:5)

חָתְמוּ עֵדִים בְּרֹאשׁ הַדַּף וְכוּ׳. אִינִי?! וְהָא רַב חָתֵים מִן הַצַּד! הָתָם בְּשֶׁגַּגּוֹ כְּלַפֵּי כְתָב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ It is stated in the mishna: If **the witnesses signed at the top of the column** or on the side, the bill of divorce is invalid. The Gemara raises an objection: **Is that so? Wouldn’t Rav sign on the side?** The Gemara answers: **There,** in the case of Rav, he would sign **with the roof,** i.e., the top, **of** his signature **facing the text** of the document, so it was clear that he was signing the document.


###### Gittin 88a:6
[Gittin 88a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:6)

אֶלָּא הָא דְּקָתָנֵי: הִקִּיף רֹאשׁוֹ שֶׁל זֶה בְּצַד רֹאשׁוֹ שֶׁל זֶה, וְהָעֵדִים בָּאֶמְצַע – שְׁנֵיהֶם פְּסוּלִין; וְלִיחְזֵי הֵי מִינַּיְיהוּ כְּלַפֵּי כְתָב, וְלִיתַּכְשַׁר!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But** this contradicts **that which is taught** in the mishna: If the scribe **placed the top of this** bill of divorce **next to the top of that** bill of divorce, writing both bills of divorce in the same column in opposite directions, **and the witnesses** signed **in the middle** between them, **both** bills of divorce **are invalid.** According to the above answer, **let us see** with regard to **which** one **of them** the top of the witnesses’ signatures **faces the text, and let it be rendered valid.**


###### Gittin 88a:7
[Gittin 88a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:7)

הָתָם, דִּרְמֵי לֵיהּ כְּעִיבְרָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **There,** in the mishna, it is a case **where** the signatures are not parallel to the text. Rather, **they are placed like** a door **bolt,** perpendicular to the text, so they are not written in the same direction as either of the bills of divorce.


###### Gittin 88a:8
[Gittin 88a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:8)

אִי הָכִי, סֵיפָא דְּקָתָנֵי: רֹאשׁוֹ שֶׁל זֶה בְּצַד סוֹפוֹ שֶׁל זֶה, וְהָעֵדִים בָּאֶמְצַע – אֶת שֶׁהָעֵדִים נִיקְרִין בְּסוֹפוֹ, כָּשֵׁר. וְאִי דִּרְמֵי כְּעִיבְרָא – לָאו בַּהֲדֵי הַאי מִיקְּרֵי, וְלָאו בַּהֲדֵי הַאי מִיקְּרֵי!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges: **If so,** consider **the latter clause** of the mishna, **which teaches** that if the scribe placed **the top of this** bill of divorce **next to the end of that** bill of divorce, **and the witnesses** signed **in the middle,** the bill of divorce **at the end of which the witnesses are read is valid. And if** the mishna is referring to a case **where** the signatures **are placed like a bolt,** perpendicular to the text, **they are neither read with this** bill of divorce, **nor are they read with that** one.


###### Gittin 88a:9
[Gittin 88a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:9)

אֶלָּא רַב בְּדִיסְקֵי הֲוָה חָתֵים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather,** a different answer must be offered: **Rav would sign** only **letters** and rulings on the side, where the location of his signature is inconsequential. By contrast, bills of divorce and monetary documents must be signed beneath the text.


###### Gittin 88a:10
[Gittin 88a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:10)

גֵּט שֶׁכְּתָבוֹ עִבְרִית וְכוּ׳ כָּתַב סוֹפֵר וְעֵד כָּשֵׁר. אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה: ״חָתַם סוֹפֵר״ שָׁנִינוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ It is stated in the mishna: With regard to **a bill of divorce that was written in Hebrew** and its witnesses signed in Greek, or that was written in Greek and its witnesses signed in Hebrew, or in which one witness signed in Hebrew and one witness signed in Greek, or if a bill of divorce has **the writing of a scribe,** and the scribe identifies his handwriting, **and** one **witness** verifies his signature, it is **valid** as though two witnesses testified to ratify their signatures. **Rabbi Yirmeya says: We learned** that the mishna means that **the scribe signed** the bill of divorce as a witness; his handwriting in the text is not sufficient.


###### Gittin 88a:11
[Gittin 88a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:11)

אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: הָא מַנִּי – רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הִיא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ḥisda says:** In accordance with **whose** opinion **is this? It is** in accordance with the opinion of **Rabbi Yosei** that there is no concern that the scribe signed unlawfully.


###### Gittin 88a:12
[Gittin 88a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:12)

הָהִיא כְּתוּבַּת חֲתָנִים דַּאֲתַאי לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֲבָהוּ, דַּהֲווֹ יָדְעִי לֵיהּ לְטוּפְסָא, וְלַחֲתִימַת יְדָא דְּחַד סָהֲדָא. סְבַר לְאַכְשׁוֹרַהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה: ״חָתַם סוֹפֵר״ שָׁנִינוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: There was **a certain marriage contract that was brought before Rabbi Abbahu, which** people **recognized** and verified **its formula,** i.e., the scribe’s handwriting, **and the signature of one witness.** Rabbi Abbahu **thought to deem it valid** based on the scribe’s handwriting and the witness. **Rabbi Yirmeya said to him: We learned** that the mishna means that **the scribe signed** the bill of divorce; his handwriting alone is not sufficient.


###### Gittin 88a:13
[Gittin 88a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:13)

כָּתַב חֲנִיכָתוֹ וַחֲנִיכָתָהּ – כָּשֵׁר. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: חֲנִיכַת אָבוֹת בְּגִיטִּין – עַד עֲשָׂרָה דּוֹרוֹת. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: שְׁלֹשָׁה דּוֹרוֹת – כָּשֵׁר, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ – פָּסוּל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ It is stated in the mishna: With regard to the names of the husband and wife, if the scribe **wrote his surname** or nickname **and her surname** or nickname, it is **valid. The Sages taught** (*Tosefta* 8:6): **A surname** from one’s **forefathers** is valid **with regard to bills of divorce until ten generations** after the forefather. **Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says:** It is **valid** for only **three generations; from this** point **forward** it is **invalid.**


###### Gittin 88a:14
[Gittin 88a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:14)

כְּמַאן אָזְלָא הָא דְּאָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: כָּתַב חֲנִיכַת אָבוֹת בְּגִיטִּין עַד שְׁלֹשָׁה דּוֹרוֹת? כְּמַאן – כְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **In accordance with whose** opinion **is that which Rabbi Ḥanina said,** that **the writing of a surname** from one’s **forefathers** is valid **with regard to bills of divorce until three generations** after the forefather? It is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar.**


###### Gittin 88a:15
[Gittin 88a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:15)

אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: מַאי קְרָאָה? ״כִּי תוֹלִיד בָּנִים וּבְנֵי בָנִים וְנוֹשַׁנְתֶּם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Huna said: What is the verse** from which this opinion is derived? It is the verse: **“When you will beget children, and children’s children, and you will have been long [*venoshantem*]** in the land” (Deuteronomy 4:25). Since the word *venoshantem* stems from the word *yashan*, meaning old, it is derived that after one’s grandchildren, or three generations, a matter is considered old and forgotten.


###### Gittin 88a:16
[Gittin 88a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:16)

אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: לֹא חָרְבָה אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד שֶׁעָבְדוּ בָּהּ שִׁבְעָה בָּתֵּי דִינִים עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: יָרׇבְעָם בֶּן נְבָט, וּבַעְשָׁא בֶּן אֲחִיָּה, וְאַחְאָב בֶּן עָמְרִי, וְיֵהוּא בֶּן נִמְשִׁי, וּפֶקַח בֶּן רְמַלְיָהוּ, וּמְנַחֵם בֶּן גָּדִי, וְהוֹשֵׁעַ בֶּן אֵלָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אוּמְלְלָה יוֹלֶדֶת הַשִּׁבְעָה, נָפְחָה נַפְשָׁהּ, בָּאָה שִׁמְשָׁהּ בְּעוֹד יוֹמָם, בּוֹשָׁה וְחָפֵרָה״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara cites another derivation from this verse. **Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says:** The first **destruction** of **Eretz Yisrael did not** occur **until seven** dynasties and their **courts committed idol worship in it, and they are these: Jeroboam, son of Nevat; and Baasa, son of Ahijah; and Ahab, son of Omri; and Jehu, son of Nimshi; and Pekah, son of Remaliah; and Menahem, son of Gadi; and Hoshea, son of Elah, as it is stated: “She who has given birth to seven languishes; her spirit droops; her sun is gone down while it was yet day, she is ashamed and confounded”** (Jeremiah 15:9).


###### Gittin 88a:17
[Gittin 88a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:17)

אָמַר רַב אַמֵּי: מַאי קְרָאָה? ״כִּי תוֹלִיד בָּנִים וּבְנֵי בָנִים״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Ammi said: What is the verse** from which it is derived that it was seven dynasties? **“When you will beget children, and children’s children,** and you will have been long in the land, and will deal corruptly, and make a graven image, even the form of anything…you will soon utterly perish from off the land” (Deuteronomy 4:25–26). The phrase “when you will beget children and children’s children” is interpreted homiletically as indicating seven generations. This is because the term “you will beget [*tolid*],” written in the singular form, indicates one generation, and the word “children,” written in the plural form, indicates two generations. Since the word “children” is mentioned three times, seven generations are indicated in total.


###### Gittin 88a:18
[Gittin 88a:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:18)

אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ רַב כָּהֲנָא וְרַב אַסִּי לְרַב, כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ בְּהוֹשֵׁעַ בֶּן אֵלָה: ״וַיַּעַשׂ הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי ה׳, רַק לֹא כְּמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״, וּכְתִיב: ״עָלָיו עָלָה שַׁלְמַנְאֶסֶר וְגוֹ׳״?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Kahana and Rav Asi said to Rav: It is written with regard to Hoshea ben Elah: “And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord, yet not as the kings of Israel** that were before him” (II Kings 17:2). **But it is written** subsequently: **“Against him came up Shalmaneser,** king of Assyria” (II Kings 17:3) and exiled the people of Israel. If Hoshea performed less evil than the previous kings of Israel, why was his generation the one that was punished?


###### Gittin 88a:19
[Gittin 88a:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:19)

אֲמַר לְהוּ: אוֹתָן פַּרְדְּסִיאוֹת שֶׁהוֹשִׁיב יָרׇבְעָם עַל הַדְּרָכִים כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לָרֶגֶל, בָּא הוֹשֵׁעַ וּבִיטְּלָן, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא עָלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לָרֶגֶל. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אוֹתָן שָׁנִים שֶׁלֹּא עָלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לָרֶגֶל – יֵלְכוּ בַּשֶּׁבִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rav **said to them: Hoshea came and canceled those guards [*pardesei’ot*] that Jeroboam placed on the roads in order to prevent** the subjects of the kingdom of **Israel from ascending to** Jerusalem **on the pilgrimage Festival, and even so** the subjects of the kingdom of **Israel did not ascend to** Jerusalem **on the pilgrimage Festival. The Holy One, Blessed be He,** therefore **said** that for **those years that** the subjects of the kingdom of **Israel did not ascend to** Jerusalem **on the pilgrimage Festival they will go into captivity.**


###### Gittin 88a:20
[Gittin 88a:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:20)

אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא אָמַר מָר עוּקְבָא, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה, דָּרֵשׁ מָרִימָר: מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיִּשְׁקוֹד ה׳ עַל הָרָעָה וַיְבִיאֶהָ עָלֵינוּ, כִּי צַדִּיק ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ״? מִשּׁוּם דְּ״צַדִּיק ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ״ – ״וַיִּשְׁקוֹד ה׳ עַל הָרָעָה וַיְבִיאֶהָ עָלֵינוּ״?!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ḥisda said** that **Mar Ukva said, and some say** that it was **Rav Ḥisda** who **said** that **Rabbi Yirmeya said,** that **Mareimar interpreted** a verse **homiletically** as follows: **What** is the meaning of that **which is written: “And so the Lord has watched over the evil, and brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous [*tzaddik*]”** (Daniel 9:14)? How can it be that **because the Lord, our God, is righteous, the Lord watched over the evil and brought it upon us?**


###### Gittin 88a:21
[Gittin 88a:21](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:21)

אֶלָּא צְדָקָה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁהִגְלָה גָּלוּת צִדְקִיָּהוּ – וַעֲדַיִין גָּלוּת יְכָנְיָה קַיֶּימֶת; דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ בְּגָלוּת יְכָנְיָה: ״הֶחָרָשׁ וְהַמַּסְגֵּר אֶלֶף״;

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather,** it must be interpreted as follows: **The Holy One, Blessed be He, performed charity [*tzedaka*] with** the people of **Israel by exiling** them in **the exile of Zedekiah while the exile of Jeconiah still existed** in Babylonia, **as it is written with regard to the exile of Jeconiah: “And the craftsmen [*ḥarash*] and the smiths [*masger*] a thousand”** (II Kings 24:16). The great scholars, referred to in this verse as craftsmen and smiths, of the generation were exiled with Jeconiah, and they were therefore able to give guidance to those who were exiled in the time of Zedekiah when they came to Babylonia.


###### Gittin 88a:22
[Gittin 88a:22](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:22)

״חָרָשׁ״ – שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁפּוֹתְחִין, נַעֲשׂוּ הַכֹּל כְּחֵרְשִׁין. ״מַסְגֵּר״ – כֵּיוָן שֶׁסּוֹגְרִין, שׁוּב אֵינָן פּוֹתְחִין. וְכַמָּה – אֶלֶף.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Why are the great scholars referred to as craftsmen [*ḥarash*] and smiths [*masger*]? ***Ḥarash*,** containing the same letters as *ḥeresh*, meaning deaf, is an allusion to the fact **that when they would introduce** a statement of Torah **everyone would become like deaf persons,** as they would not understand. ***Masger*,** which stems from the root *samekh*, *gimmel*, *reish*, meaning to close, alludes to the fact that **once they would close** a certain matter that they did not comprehend, **no** one **would introduce** it **again,** as no one was capable of solving such a problem. **And how many** scholars were there? There were **one thousand.**


###### Gittin 88a:23
[Gittin 88a:23](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Gittin/r/88a:23)

עוּלָּא אָמַר: שֶׁהִקְדִּים שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים לִ״וְנוֹשַׁנְתֶּם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Ulla says** that God performed charity with the people of Israel **by advancing** their exile **by two years** relative to the numerical value of the word ***venoshantem*** that appears in the verse. Although the numerical value of the word is 852, God exiled the Jewish people from the land after only 850 years, so that the punishment mentioned subsequently, i.e., utter annihilation, would not be fulfilled either.