Bava Basra - Daf 160
- The differences between a גט מקושר and a גט פשוט
The tenth Perek begins: גט פשוט עדיו מתוכו – In a straight שטר, its witnesses are signed on the inside, at the end of the text. מקושר עדיו מאחוריו – In a bound שטר, its witnesses are signed on the outside. If a גט פשוט was signed on the outside, or a גט מקושר was signed on the inside, it is invalid. Rebbe Chanina ben Gamliel says that a גט מקושר which was signed on the inside is valid, מפני שיכול לעשותו פשוט – because one can make it a straight שטר by unsewing and opening its folds. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says everything follows the local custom. The Mishnah continues: גט פשוט עדיו בשנים – a straight שטר requires at least two witnesses, ומקושר בשלשה – and a bound שטר requires at least three witnesses (the Rashbam adds that there cannot be any folds without a signature). If a גט פשוט was signed by only one witness, or a גט מקושר was signed by only two witnesses, it is invalid.
- גט מקושר is מדרבנן, to stall Kohanim from divorcing their wives out of anger
Amoraim provide several sources in the Torah for the concept of גט מקושר and its unique requirements. However, these sources are all rejected, and the Gemara concludes: אלא מקושר מדרבנן – rather, the concept of a bound שטר was Rabbinically instituted, and the pesukim quoted were intended as an אסמכתא. The reason they instituted this type of שטר is because there was a place of Kohanim who were easily upset, who would impulsively divorce their wives in a moment of anger, and could not remarry them after calming down. The Rabbis instituted a גט מקושר, which requires time to prepare, אדהכי והכי מיתבא דעתייהו – so in the meantime, they would calm down. Although this reason only applies to a get of divorce, they required all their שטרות to be מקושר, כדי שלא תחלק בין גיטין לשטרות – so as not to distinguish between gittin and other documents.
- Machlokes where עדים sign on a גט מקושר
The Gemara asks: היכן עדים חותמין – where do witnesses sign on a גט מקושר? Rav Huna says: בין קשר לקשר – between one fold and the next fold. Rav Yirmiyah bar Abba says: אחורי הכתב וכנגד הכתב מבחוץ – behind the text, opposite the text on the outside. The Gemara clarifies that Rav Huna also means the עדים sign on the back of the שטר, but holds they sign between the individual folds on the outside. The Gemara asks that we should be concerned that the one holding the שטר will write whatever he wants at the end of the שטר, since the עדים are already signed on the back (as opposed to an ordinary שטר, where the עדים are signed at the bottom, or a גט מקושר according to Rav Yirmiyah bar Abba, who holds the עדים’s signatures run parallel to the entire text in front). The Gemara answers that the שטר must end with the words "שריר וקיים" – firm and established, and nothing may be added afterwards. This phrase is only written once, and if the holder attempts to erase it and rewrite it later after his fraudulent addition, the entire שטר will be invalidated.
