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Perek 7

Mishnayos Gittin Perek 7 Mishnah 4

גיטין פרק ז׳ משנה ד׳

4
If a woman’s ill husband gave her a bill of divorce, and made a condition that it should take effect from today if he dies from his illness, then she may be secluded with him only in the presence of two witnesses, lest they end up engaging in sexual intercourse. This applies to being secluded in the presence of not only valid witnesses; it is permitted for her to be secluded with him even in the presence of a slave or even in the presence of a maidservant, except for the wife’s personal maidservant. And it is prohibited for the wife to be secluded in the presence of the latter because she is accustomed to her maidservant, and there is concern that she will engage in sexual intercourse with her husband even though the maidservant is present. What is the halakhic status of the wife during these days between when the bill of divorce was given but before the condition has been fulfilled with the death of the husband? Rabbi Yehuda says: She is like a married woman with regard to all of her matters, and she remains forbidden to other men. Rabbi Yosei says: It is uncertain whether she is divorced or whether she is not divorced.

לֹא תִתְיַחֵד עִמּוֹ אֶלָּא בִפְנֵי עֵדִים, אֲפִלּוּ עֶבֶד, אֲפִלּוּ שִׁפְחָה, חוּץ מִשִּׁפְחָתָהּ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלִּבָּהּ גַּס בָּהּ בְּשִׁפְחָתָהּ. מַה הִיא בְאוֹתָן הַיָּמִים. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, כְּאֵשֶׁת אִישׁ לְכָל דְּבָרֶיהָ. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, מְגֹרֶשֶׁת וְאֵינָהּ מְגֹרָשֶׁת:

ד׳

לא תתיחד עמו – This one who gave [her] a Jewish bill of divorce and said to her, “from today if I die,” she should not be alone with him, lest that he should come up upon her and she would need a second Jewish bill of divorce, for we are concerned lest he engaged in a sexual act with her for the purposes of betrothal.

מה היא באותן הימים – This is not referring to the first part of the Mishnah, when he [i.e., the husband] says [to his wife] , “ [you will be divorced] from today if I die.” For this is surely the case that when he dies, the matter is revealed that it would be a Jewish bill of divorce from the time of the giving of [the Jewish bill of divorce] and he who comes upon her, is exempt. But when he says to her [at the time] when the Jewish bill of divorce is delivered, “this is your Jewish bill of divorce, and you will be divorced by it from the time that I am in the world, if I die,” Rabbi Yehuda thinks that this [this takes place] close to [his] death, that it is a [legitimate] bill of divorce, and before this, she is a married woman. But Rabbi Yosi holds that from when he gives her the Jewish bill of divorce, all that time, it is doubtful to us perhaps this is the time close to his death, and it is a questionable Jewish bill of divorce. And even though he lives more, there is no alternative. Therefore, it is doubtful and he who comes upon her {in a sexual act] is liable for special guilt-offering, made when in doubt as to the commission of a sinful act.

לא תתיחד עמו. זה שנתן גט ואמר לה מהיום אם מתי, לא תתייחד עמו. שמא יבא עליה ותהא צריכה גט שני, דחיישינן שמא בעל לשם קדושין:

מה היא באותן הימים. לאו ארישא קאי באומר מהיום אם מתי, דההיא ודאי לכי מיית אגלאי מלתא דהוי גט משעת נתינה, והבא עליה פטור. אלא באומר לה במסירת הגט הרי זה גטך והתגרשי בו מעת שאני בעולם אם מתי, ר׳ יהודה סבר סמוך למיתה הוא דהדי גט ומקמי הכי אשת איש היא. ור׳ יוסי סבר מכי יהיב לה גיטא כל שעתא מספקא לן דלמא זו היא שעה הסמוכה למיתה והוי גט ספק, ואע״ג דחי טפי, אין ברירה, הלכך ספיקא היא והבא עליה באשם תלוי: