Gittin - Daf 4

• מודה רבי אלעזר במזוייף מתוכו - where a document is internally faulty that it is invalid

The Gemara explains that the Tanna of our Mishnah, who requires לשמה by both the writing and signing, is Rebbe Elazar. Although he does not require signing at all, היכא דאיכא עדים בעי – where there are witnesses signed onto the get, he requires the signing be performed לשמה, because Rebbe Abba said: מודה רבי אלעזר במזוייף מתוכו שהוא פסול – Rebbe Elazar agrees where a document is internally faulty that it is invalid. Illegitimate signatures, such as relatives, are worse than no signatures and invalidate a document. Similarly, Rebbe Elazar holds that if witnesses do sign, they must sign לשמה (Tosafos explains that if signing not לשמה would be accepted, people may come to write the get itself not לשמה). Rav Ashi answers that the Mishnah is Rebbe Yehudah: ר' יהודה פוסל עד שתהא כתיבתו וחתימתו בתלוש – Rebbe Yehudah invalidates [the get] unless both its writing and signing were done on something detached from the ground. Since he understands that the word “וכתב” – and he writes, refers to both the writing and the signing, it implies that both require being done לשמה.

• How Rava explains why בפני נכתב is not required inside Eretz Yisroel

The Gemara explains how Rava and Rabbah understand each phrase of the Mishnah. The Mishnah taught that a get brought from one province to another in מדינת הים requires saying בפני נכתב. The Gemara asks that this implies that if a get is brought to another province within Eretz Yisroel, בפני נכתב would not be required. This is understood if בפני נכתב is to confirm לשמה, but according to Rava that it is to confirm the signatures, why should בפני נכתב not be required? The Gemara answers:דכיון דאיכא עולי רגלים מישכח שכיחי – Since there are those traveling up to Yerushalayim for the three regalim, witnesses from another province can commonly be found to confirm the signatures. The Gemara asks that in times where there is no Beis Hamikdash, and people no longer travel to Yerushalayim, בפני נכתב should then be required within Eretz Yisroel? It answers: כיון דאיכא בתי דינין דקביעי מישכח שכיחי – since there are established batei din throughout Eretz Yisroel, witnesses from other provinces can commonly be found to confirm the signatures.

• The case of הגמוניא להגמוניא proves that Rabbah must agree re: confirming signatures

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said in the Mishnah: אפילו מהגמוניא להגמוניא – Even when bringing from one jurisdiction to another jurisdiction, בפני נכתב is required. Rebbe Yitzchak gave an example: עיר אחת היתה בארץ ישראל ועססיות שמה – There was a city in Eretz Yisroel, whose name was Assasiyos,והיו בה ב' הגמוניות שהיו מקפידין זה על זה – and there were two jurisdictions in it which were restrictive regarding travel from one to another, לפיכך הוצרכו לומר מהגמוניא להגמוניא – therefore, they needed to say that a get brought from one jurisdiction to another jurisdiction requires saying בפני נכתב. This clearly shows like Rava that בפני נכתב is necessary to confirm signatures!? The Gemara concludes: רבה אית ליה דרבא – We must say that Rabbah also holds of Rava’s reason of requiring בפני נכתב to confirm signatures, in addition to his own reason to confirm לשמה. The Gemara notes that now there remain only two practical differences between their opinions: (1) when two witnesses bring a get, and (2) a get delivered within a single province outside of Eretz Yisroel. In each case, Rava would not require בפני נכתב, and Rabbah would, to ensure the get was written לשמה.