Gittin I

Catalog description

This course in Advanced Talmud will explore the process of divorce in Jewish law. We will initially examine the circumstances that might mandate, permit, or prohibit divorce, as well as evaluate the halakhic standing of Jewish divorce as a potential mitzvah. Particular attention will be paid to the various halakhic features of the divorce document, a get. We will evaluate the role of the get as a vehicle that effectuates divorce in the moment and, alternatively, as proof that attests to the divorce in the long term and the balance between these two potential functions. The debate between R Eliezer and R Meir and whether eidei mesirah karti or eidei chatimah karti will be analyzed at great length with its attendant halakhic ramifications - including the need for signatures on the document, presence of witnesses at the time of divorce, lishmah, ketav sheyakhol lihizdayef, mechubar, etc. The role of lishmah, in particular, and its personalization of the get document will be explored and whether its nature is similar to or different from the role that lishmah plays in other halakhic contexts.