One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he may commit: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.

Someone who brings a get from abroad must declare, “In my presence it was written and in my presence it was signed.”

Rabban Gamaliel says: even one who brings it from Rekam or from Heger.

Rabbi Eliezer says: even one who brings it from Kfar Ludim to Lud. The sages, however, say that the declaration “In my presence it was written and in my presence it was signed” is required only from one who brings a get from abroad or who takes it there. And someone who brings one from one province to another province in foreign lands is also required to declare, “In my presence it was written, and in my presence it was signed.”

Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says: even from one "hegemony" to another "hegemony".

Rabbi Judah says: From Rekem eastwards, Rekem being like the east; from Ashkelon southwards, Ashkelon being like the south; and from Acco northwards, Acco being like the north. Rabbi Meir says: Acco counts as the land of Israel in the matter of bills of divorce.

Someone who brings a get from the land of Israel need not declare, “In my presence it was written and in my presence it was signed.” If there are protestors, it is established with its signatories.

And someone who brings a get from abroad who is unable to declare “In my presence it was written and in my presence it was signed”, if there are witnesses on it, its validity can be established through its signatories.

Documents of divorce and of emancipation of slaves are similar in who takes them and who brings them.

This is one of the ways in which bills of divorce are similar to writs of emancipation.

Any document which has the signature of a Kuti is invalid, except for documents of divorce and of emancipation of slaves.

It happened that a bill of divorce was once brought before Rabban Gamaliel at Kefar Otni and its witnesses were Kutim, and he declared it valid.

All documents which are accepted in the courts of non-Jew, even if those who signed on the documents are non-Jews, are valid except for documents of divorce and of emancipation of slaves.

Rabbi Shimon says: these also are valid; they were only mentioned when done by ordinary persons.

Someone who says: “Give this get to my wife or this writ of emancipation to my slave”, if he wants he may retract both of them, according to Rabbi Meir.

And the Sages say: he may retract in the case of the get but not in the case of the writ of emancipation, since we benefit a person not in his presence but we don't detriment him without his presence.

For, if he does not want to maintain his slave he is permitted, but if he does not want to maintain his wife he is not permitted.

He said to them: behold, he disqualifies his slave from eating terumah [by emancipating him] in the same way that he disqualifies his wife [by divorcing her]?

They said to him: it is because he is his property.

Someone who says, “Give this get to my wife or this writ of emancipation to my slave”, and dies, they do not give after his death.

“Give a maneh to so-and-so” and he died, the money should be given after his death.

[The declaration over] the heifer whose neck is to be broken must be in the holy tongue; as it is said, “If a corpse is found slain on the land … then your elders and judges shall go out” (Deuteronomy 21:1-2)--three used to go out from the high court in Jerusalem. Rabbi Judah says: five, as it is said, “Your elders” two, “and your judges” two, and there cannot be a court of an even number, they add one more.

Someone who brings a get from abroad and declares: “It was written but not signed in my presence”;

“It was signed but not written in my presence”;

“All of it was written in my presence, but only half-signed in my presence”;

“Half was written in my presence but all of it was signed in my presence”; it is invalid.

If one says “It was written in my presence” and another says, “It was signed in my presence”, it is invalid.

If two say, “It was written in our presence” and another says, “It was signed in my presence”, it is invalid. Rabbi Judah declares it valid.
If one says, “It was written in my presence” and two say, “It was signed in our presence”, it is valid.

Written by day and signed on the day, by night and signed in the night, by night and signed on the day, are valid.

]Written] by day and signed in the night, it is invalid. Rabbi Shimon validates it, for Rabbi Shimon used to say that all documents written by day and signed on the night are invalid except bills of divorce.

When a man has taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he has found some unseemliness in her: then let him write her a scroll of separation, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife.

We write with everything, with ink, with arsenic, with red chalk, with gum or with sulfate of copper or with anything which is lasting.

We don't write with liquids or with fruit juice or with anything that is not lasting.

We write on anything: on an olive leaf, on the horn of an ox and he must give her the ox, or on the hand of a slave--and he must give her the slave.

Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: we do not write on anything living, nor on foods.

One does not write on anything attached to the ground.

If he wrote it on something still attached, and then detached it and signed it and gave it to her, it is valid.

Rabbi Judah invalidates it unless both its writing and its signature are on something detached.

Rabbi Judah ben Batera says: they do not write on a sheet from which writing has been erased nor on semi-finished parchment, for it can be faked. And the sages say it is valid.

Someone who read it with breaks, or napped, has fulfilled his obligation.
If he was writing it, teaching it or correcting it, if he directed his heart, he has fulfilled his obligation, but if not, he has not fulfilled his obligation.
If it was written with arsenic, with red chalk, with gum or with sulfate of copper, or on paper or on scratch paper, he has not fulfilled his obligation, unless it is written in Assyrian [Aramaic script] on the scroll and in ink.

If a man says: “Give this get to my wife or this writ of emancipation to my slave”, if he wants he may change his mind on either document, the words of Rabbi Meir. The Sages say: he may change his mind in the case of the get but not in the case of the writ of emancipation, since a benefit may be conferred on a person not in his presence but a disability may be imposed on him only in his presence; for if he does not want to maintain his slave he is permitted, but if he does not want to maintain his wife he is not permitted. Rabbi Meir said to them: behold, he disqualifies his slave from eating terumah [by emancipating him] in the same way that he disqualifies his wife [by divorcing her]? They said to him: [the slave is disqualified] because he is the priest’s property. If a man says, “Give this get to my wife or this writ of emancipation to my slave”, and dies [before they are given], they do not give [the documents] after his death. [If he said], “Give a maneh to so-and-so” and died, the money should be given after his death.

Anyone may write a get, even a deaf-mute, an imbecile and a minor.

A woman may write her own get and a man his own receipt, since the document is upheld only by its signatures.

Anyone may bring a get except a deaf-mute, an imbecile, a minor, a blind person and a non-Jew.

If the minor received it and then became of age; or a deaf-mute and he was opened up; or a blind person and he opened up; or an imbecile and his reason returned; or a Gentile and he then converted, it is invalid.

But a person of sound senses who became a deaf-mute and then recovered; or one with sight who became blind and then recovered; or one who was sane and then went insane and then recovered his reason, it is valid.

This is the principle: anyone who begins and finishes [his mission] in full possession of his mental faculties is qualified.

Even the women who are not trusted to say “Her husband died,” are trusted to bring her get: her mother-in-law, the daughter of her mother-in-law, her rival wife, her sister-in-law (husband’s brother’s wife) and the daughter of her husband.

What is the difference between the get and death? The writing proves it.

A woman may bring her own get but she must say, “In my presence it was written and in my presence it was signed.”

Any get which is not written for the woman is invalid. How is this so?

Someone was passing through the market and heard the voice of a scribe dictating “So-and-so divorces so-and-so from such and such a place” and he says “that is my name and that is the name of my wife”, it is not valid for divorce..

Moreover: if he wrote to divorce his wife and changed his mind and a person found him and said to him, “My name is the same as yours and my wife’s name the same as your wife’s”, it is not valid for divorce.

Moreover: if he had two wives with the same name and wrote a get with which to divorce the elder, he may not use it to divorce the younger.

Moreover: if he said to the scribe, “Write, and I will divorce whichever I choose,” it is not valid for divorce.

Someone who writes out formulas of bills of divorce must leave blank spaces for the name of the man and the name of the woman and the date.

Loan documents must leave blank spaces for the name of the lender, the name of the borrower, the amount of money and the date.

Sale documents must leave blank spaces for the name of the seller, the name of the purchaser, the amount of money, the property and the date;
Because of the “takkanah”.

Rabbi Judah disqualifies all of them.

Rabbi Elazar validates all of them valid except divorce documents, as it says, “He writes for her” (Deut 24:1), expressly for her.

Someone who brings a get and loses it: If he finds it immediately it is valid, and if not it is invalid.

If he finds it in a small bag or in a chest if he recognizes it, it is valid.

Someone who brings a get and and an old or sick man gives it to him, he should deliver it to her on the presumption that he is still alive.

A daughter of an ordinary Israelite married to a priest whose husband goes abroad, continues eating terumah on the presumption that he is still alive.

If someone sends a sin-offering from abroad they sacrifice it on the presumption that he is still alive.

Three statements were made by Rabbi Elazar ben Parta before the Sages, and they upheld his words. About a besieged town and about a ship tossed about at sea and about a person who has been brought to court: that that they are presumed to be alive.

But a besieged town which has been captured or a ship which has been lost at sea or a person who has been led out to execution we put upon them all of the stringencies of their being alive and all of the stringencies of their being dead: neither the daughter of an Israelite who has married a priest or the daughter of a priest who has married an Israelite may eat terumah.

Someone who brings a get in the land of Israel and becomes sick can send it with another.

If he said to him, “Take for me from her such-and-such an object”, he may not send it with another, since he may not want his deposit in the hand of another.

Someone who brings a get from across the sea and becomes sick may arrange a Bet Din and sends him, declaring before them, “In my presence it was written and in my presence it was signed.”

The last agent is not required to say, “In my presence it was written and in my presence it was signed”, rather he declares, “I am the messenger of a court.”

Someone who brings a get from across the sea and becomes sick may arrange an agent in a Bet Din and send him, declaring before them, “In my presence it was written and in my presence it was signed.”

The last agent is not required to say, “In my presence it was written and in my presence it was signed”, rather he declares, “I am the messenger of a court.”

If a man lends money to a priest or a levite or a poor man on condition that he can may separate [terumah or tithes] from their portion, he may do so, in the presumption that they are still alive, and he need not be concerned that the priest or the levite may have died or the poor man may have become rich.

If they died, he must obtain the permission of the heirs. If he made the loan in the presence of the court, he need not obtain permission from the heirs.

If a man sets aside produce in order to count it as terumah and tithe, or money in order to count it as second tithe, he may continue to count it as such in the presumption that they still exist.

If they are lost, he must be concerned from time period to time period, according to Rabbi Eliezer.


Rabbi Judah says: at three seasons they check the wine: when the east wind blows after the hag [Sukkot], when the flowers fall, and when the juice begins to form in the grapes.

Someone who sends a get to his wife and then reaches the messenger, or sends a messenger after the original messenger, and says to him, “The get which I gave you is annulled”, then it is annulled.

If the husband arrives at his wife beforehand or sends a messenger to her and says, “The get which I sent to you is annulled”, then it is annulled.

Once the get has reached her hand, he cannot annul it.

Originally, a husband would bring together a court wherever he was and annul the get. Rabban Gamaliel the Elder made a tikkun that this should not be done, because of tikkun olam.

Originally the husband would change his name, or his wife’s name, or the name of his town or of his wife’s town.

Rabban Gamaliel the Elder made a tikkun that he should write, “The man so-and-so or any name that he has,”; “the woman so-and-so or any name that she has,” because of tikkun olam.

A widow can only collect [her ketubah] from the property of orphans by taking an oath.

When people refrained from imposing an oath on her, Rabban Gamaliel the Elder made a tikkun that she could take any vow which the orphans wanted and collect her ketubah.

Witnesses sign their names on a get because of tikkun olam.


Hillel instituted the prosbul because of tikkun olam.

A slave was taken captive and then ransomed [by a third party]: If [he is ransomed] to be a slave he goes back to slavery. If [he is ransomed] as a free man he does not go back to slavery. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says: in either case he goes back to slavery.
If a man makes his slave a pledge [for a debt] to another man and then he emancipates him, according to the “letter of the law” the slave is not liable to do anything. But because of tikkun olam we force his [second] master to emancipate him and he [the slave] writes a document for his purchase price. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says that the slave does not write the document but rather the one who emancipates him.

One who is half a slave and half free works for his master one day and for himself one day, the words of Beth Hillel. Beth Shammai said to them: you have set things right for the master but you have not set things right for the slave. He cannot marry a female slave because he is already half free, and he cannot marry a free woman because he is half a slave. Shall he then decease [from having children]? But wasn’t the world only made to be populated, as it says, “He did not create it as a waste, he formed it to be inhabited” (Isaiah 45:18)? Rather because of tikkun olam we compel his master to emancipate him and he writes a document for half his purchase price. Beth Hillel retracted [their opinion and] ruled like Beth Shammai.

If a man sells his slave to a Gentile or to outside the land of Israel the slave goes free.

We do not redeem captives for more than their value, because of tikkun olam. Captives should not be enabled to escape, because of tikkun olam. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says to repair [takkana] captives.

Torah scrolls of the law, tefillin and mezuzot are not bought from Gentiles at more than their value, because of tikkun olam.

They asked about "for tikkun olam".

Is it the pressure on the community or so that they will not seize and bring more?"

Come and hear, Levi bar Darga redeemed his daughter with thirteen thousand gold dinars!

Someone who divorces his wife because of ill-repute cannot remarry her.
If because of a vow, he cannot remarry her.

Rabbi Judah says: for vows which the public know about, he may not remarry her, but for vows which the public do not know about he may remarry her.

Rabbi Meir says: for a vow which requires the investigation of a sage, he may not remarry her, but for one which does not require the investigation of a sage, he may remarry her.

Rabbi Eliezer says: they only forbid that one because of that one.

Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Judah said: a case happened in Sidon of a man who said to his wife, “Kunam, if I do not divorce you”, and he did divorce her, and the Sages permitted him to remarry her because of tikkun olam.

Someone who divorces his wife because she is an aylonit: Rabbi Judah says he may not remarry her and the sages say that he may remarry her.

She marries someone else and has children from him and then demands her ketubah: Rabbi Judah said, they say to her, “Your silence is better than your speech.”

Someone who sells himself and his children to a Gentile, he is not to be redeemed but his children are to be redeemed after the death of their father.

Someone who sells his field to a Gentile, and an Israelite bought it back the purchaser must bring first fruits from it, because of tikkun olam.

Thus we teach the Mishnah: "the purchaser brings first-fruits" means that every year he must buy from the non-Jew the first fruits, at great expense, and bring them to Jerusalem.

Damages are paid out of the best quality; creditors are paid out of medium quality, and a wife's ketubah is paid out of the worst quality.

Rabbi Meir says that a ketubah is also paid out of medium quality.

We don't collect a debt from mortgaged property where there is free property is available, even if it is only of the lowest quality. We only collect debts from orphans from the lowest quality.

We don't collect from mortgaged property for produce consumed, for the improvement of property, for the maintenance of a widow and daughters, because of tikkun olam. The finder of a lost article is not required to take an oath, because of tikkun olam.

If orphans relied on a householder or if their father appointed a guardian for them, he must tithe their produce.

A guardian appointed by the father of the orphans is required to take an oath; if appointed by the court, he does not swear.

Abba Shaul says that the rule is the reverse.

Someone who impurifies or mixes terumah or makes a libation, by accident is exempt but with purpose is liable.

Priests who intentionally made someone else’s sacrifice piggul in the Temple are liable.

Rabbi Yohanan ben Gudgada testified concerning a deaf-mute whose father had given her in marriage, that she could be divorced with a get, and concerning a minor daughter of an Israelite who married a priest, that she could eat terumah, and if she died her husband inherited from her.

And concerning a stolen beam that had been built into a palace, that he might give its value, because of the takkanah of repentance.

And concerning a sin-offering that had been stolen, unknown to the public, that it made atonement for the tikun of the altar.

§ The Gemara relates: Abba Sikkara was the leader of the zealots [biryonei] of Jerusalem and the nephew of Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai.

There was no Sicaricon in Judea for those killed in war. After the war’s slaughter ended there is Sicaricon there. How so?

If a man buys a field from the Sicaricon and then buys it again from the original owner, his purchase is void, but if he buys it first from the original owner and then from the Sicaricon it is valid.

If a man buys [a piece of a married woman’s property] from the husband and then buys it from the wife, the purchase is void, but if he buys it first from the wife and then from the husband it is valid.

This was the first mishnah.

The court that came after them said if a man buys property from the Sicaricon he had to give the original owner a quarter.

When is this so? When they cannot buy it themselves, but if they can they come before everyone else.

Rabbi assembled a court and they voted that if the property had been in the hands of the Sicaricon twelve months, whoever purchased it and acquired it had to give a quarter to the original owners.

Some of Haman’s descendants studied Torah in Bnei Brak, some of Sisera’s descendants taught children Torah in Jerusalem, and some of Sennacherib’s descendants taught Torah in public. Who are they? They are Shemaya and Avtalyon.

A deaf-mute can gesture and be gestured at.

Ben Betera says that he may make lip-motions, if the transaction is of movable property.

Young children, their purchase or sale done in movable property is valid.

These were the rules they laid down because of the ways of peace.

A priest is called up first to read the Torah and after him a Levite and then an Israelite, because of the ways of peace.

We make an “eruv” is placed in an old house, because of the ways of peace.

The cistern which is nearest to the channel is filled first, because of the ways of peace.

Something found by a deaf-mute, an idiot or a minor is theft, because of the ways of peace. Rabbi Yose says, actual theft.

Trapped beasts, birds and fishes are subject to laws of theft, because of the ways of peace. Rabbi Yose says, actual theft.


If a poor man strikes on top of an olive tree, what is beneath him is subject to the laws of theft, because of the ways of peace. Rabbi Yose says, actual theft.
We do not bar the poor of the nations from gleanings, forgotten sheaves, and the corners of the field, because of the ways of peace.

"We do not bar the poor of the nations from gleanings, forgotten sheaves, and the corners of the field, because of the ways of peace."

Our teachers taught (Tosefta 5:4), "We sustain poor gentiles with poor Jews, and we visit sick gentiles with sick Jews, and we bury dead gentiles with dead Jews, for the sake of peace.

A woman may lend to another woman who is suspected of not observing the sabbatical year a fan or a sieve or a handmill or a stove, but she should not sift or grind with her.

The wife of a “haver” may lend to the wife of an “am ha-aretz” a fan or a sieve and may winnow and grind and sift with her, but once she has poured water over the flour she should not touch anything with her, because we do not assist those who commit a transgression.

All these rules were only said because of the ways of peace.

We support Gentiles in the Sabbatical year but not Jews. And we greet them, because of the ways of peace.

A man who says, “Receive this get on behalf of my wife”, or, “Carry this get to my wife”, if he wishes to retract he retracts.

A woman who says, “Receive the get on my behalf”, even if he wishes to retract he cannot retract.

Therefore if the husband said to him, “I do not want you to receive it on her behalf, but rather carry it and give it to her”, then if he wishes to retract he may do so. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says: even if she says “Take for me”, the husband may not retract.

A woman who said, “Receive my get for me” requires two sets of witnesses, two to say, “In our presence she spoke”, and two to say, “In our presence he received and tore it”. Even if the first set are the same as the last set or if there was one in the first set and one in the second, and one joined with them.

If a 12 - 12 ½ year-old is betrothed, both she and her father may receive her get.
Rabbi Judah said that two hands cannot take possession as one. Rather her father alone may receive her get.

Anyone who is not able to safeeguard her get is not capable of being divorced.

If a minor says, “Receive my get for me”, it is not a get until the get reaches her hand. Therefore, if the husband wished to retract, he may retract, since a minor cannot appoint an agent.

But if her father said to him, “Go and receive the get for my daughter”, he may not retract.

Someone who says, “Give this get to my wife in such-and-such a place” and he gives it to her in another place, it is invalid.

“She is in such-and-such a place”, and he gives it to her in another place, it is valid.

If a woman says, “Receive my get in such-and-such a place” and he receives it for her in another place, it is invalid. Rabbi Elazar says it valid.

“Bring me my get from such-and-such a place” and he brings it from somewhere else, it is valid.

“Bring me my get”, she may eat terumah until the get reaches her hand.

“Receive for me my get”, she is forbidden to eat terumah immediately.

“Receive for me my get in such-and-such a place”, she can eat terumah until the get reaches that place. Rabbi Elazar says that she is forbidden immediately.

If a man says, “Write a get and give it to my wife”, “Divorce her”, “Write a letter and give it to her”, then they should write it and give it to her.

If he said, “Release her”, “Provide for her”, “Do for her as the law dictates”, “Do the proper thing for her”, he has not said anything.

Originally they said that if a man was being led out to execution and said, “Write a get for my wife”, they may write and give a get.

They went back and said, even if he were leaving for a sea voyage or for a caravan journey. Rabbi Shimon Shezuri says: even if he were in danger.

Anyone who goes to a war for the house of David writes a bill of divorce for his wife.

"Writes a bill of divorce for his wife"- For if he died in war the bill would take effect retroactively from the day it was written- And behold Uriah died in war.

Someone who had been thrown into a pit and cried out, “Whoever hears his voice should write a get for his wife”, those who hear should write a get and give it to her.
A healthy man who says, “Write a get for my wife”, just wants to play with her.

It happened that a healthy man said, “Write a get for my wife”, and then went up on to a roof and fell and died. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel said that the sages said, if he had thrown himself down this is a get, but if the wind had pushed him it was not a get.

[Our source sheet for this mishnah follows the printed text rather than Kaufmann, because Kaufmann's text is incomprehensible here.]

If a man said to two people, “Give a get to my wife”, or to three people, “Write a get and give it to my wife”, they must write it and give it.

If he said to three, “Give a get to my wife”, they may tell others to write the get because he has made them into a court, according to Rabbi Meir.

And this is the halakhah which Rabbi Hanina a man of Ono brought from prison: “I have received a tradition that if a man says to three persons, ‘Give a get to my wife’, they may tell others to write it, because he has made them into a court.

Rabbi Yose said: We said to the messenger, we also have a tradition that even were he to say to the great court in Jerusalem, ‘Give a get to my wife’, they must learn and write and give to her.

If he said to ten, “Give a get to my wife”, one writes, and two sign.

“All of you write”, one writes and all sign. Therefore, if one of them dies, the get is invalid.

Someone who is gripped by kordiakos and says, “Write a get for my wife”, he has not said anything.

If he says, “Write a get for my wife”, and is then gripped by kordiakos and then says, “Do not write it”, his last words are nothing.

If he becomes mute, and they say to him, “Should we write a get for your wife”, and he nods his head, they test him three times. If he answers ‘no’ and ‘yes’ properly each time, then they should write and give it.

Someone gripped by kordiakos. Kordiakos is a disease that begins in the cavities of the brain and confuses thought, and it is one of the diseases that makes people fall down. [Epilepsy?]

Someone gripped by kordiakos. His mind became confused as a result of an evil spirit who reigns over those who drink new wine.