We begin this daf by concluding the discussion between Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish regarding an agent who deviated from the husband's specific instructions. The Gemara then introduces a new Mishnah that teaches us the halachos of a shliach bringing a get from overseas who becomes ill and cannot complete his mission. We learn how he may appoint a sub-agent in a Beis Din, and what declaration the final agent must make upon delivery.
שְׁקוֹל מִינַּהּ חֵפֶץ וַהֲדַר הַב לַהּ גִּיטָּא; וַאֲזַל אִיהוּ וִיהַב לַהּ גִּיטָּא, וַהֲדַר שְׁקַל מִינַּהּ חֵפֶץ.
If a husband told his agent, "Take from her a certain object and then give her the bill of divorce," and he went and gave her the bill of divorce, and then took from her the object, thereby reversing the husband's instructions,
רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן פּוֹסֵל בּוֹ, וְכׇל שֶׁכֵּן בִּשְׁלוּחוֹ,
Rabbi Yochanan invalidates the divorce in his case, when delivered by the first agent himself, because he deviated from the instructions, and all the more so does he invalidate it when delivered by his agent, whom the first agent appointed;
וְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ מַכְשִׁיר בִּשְׁלוּחוֹ, וְכׇל שֶׁכֵּן בּוֹ.
and Reish Lakish validates the divorce even when delivered by his agent, and all the more so does he validate it when delivered by the first agent himself.
מַתְנִי׳ הַמֵּבִיא גֵּט מִמְּדִינַת הַיָּם, וְחָלָה – עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלִיחַ בְּבֵית דִּין וּמְשַׁלְּחוֹ,
MISHNAH: One who brings a bill of divorce from a country overseas, and became sick so that he cannot complete his journey, appoints an agent in court and sends him to deliver it,
וְאוֹמֵר לִפְנֵיהֶם: ״בְּפָנַי נִכְתַּב וּבְפָנַי נֶחְתַּם״;
and the first agent says before them, the court: "In my presence it was written and in my presence it was signed";
וְאֵין שָׁלִיחַ אַחֲרוֹן צָרִיךְ שֶׁיֹּאמַר ״בְּפָנַי נִכְתַּב וּבְפָנַי נֶחְתַּם״,
and the final agent does not need to say, "In my presence it was written and in my presence it was signed,"
אֶלָּא אוֹמֵר: שְׁלִיחַ בֵּית דִּין אֲנִי.
rather, he says: "I am an agent of the court."
גְּמָ׳ אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ רַבָּנַן לַאֲבִימִי בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֲבָהוּ: בָּעֵי מִינֵּיהּ מֵרַבִּי אֲבָהו,ּ שָׁלִיחַ דְּשָׁלִיחַ מְשַׁוֵּי שָׁלִיחַ, אוֹ לָא?
GEMARA: The Rabbis said to Avimei the son of Rabbi Abbahu: Ask of Rabbi Abbahu: Can the agent of an agent appoint another agent, or not?
אֲמַר לְהוּ: הָא לָא תִּיבְּעֵי לְכוּ, מִדְּקָתָנֵי ״אֵין הַשָּׁלִיחַ הָאַחֲרוֹן״, מִכְלָל דִּמְשַׁוֵּי שָׁלִיחַ;
He said to them: This you should not ask, from that which the Mishnah teaches: "The final agent does not need to say," it is by implication clear that a second agent can appoint another agent, which is why the Mishnah uses the term "final" rather than "second";
אֶלָּא כִּי תִּיבְּעֵי לְכוּ: כִּי מְשַׁוֵּי שָׁלִיחַ – בְּבֵית דִּין, אוֹ אֲפִילּוּ שֶׁלֹּא בְּבֵית דִּין?
rather, when you should ask, this is what you should ask: When he appoints another agent, must it be done in court, or can it be done even not in court?
אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: הָא לָא מִבַּעְיָא לַן, מִדְּקָתָנֵי: אֶלָּא אוֹמֵר ״שְׁלִיחַ בֵּית דִּין אֲנִי״.
They said to him: This is not a question for us, from that which the Mishnah teaches: "Rather, he says: 'I am an agent of the court,'" which proves that any subsequent agent must be appointed in court.
רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק מַתְנֵי הָכִי: אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ רַבָּנַן לַאֲבִימִי בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֲבָהוּ, בְּעִי מִינֵּיהּ מֵרַבִּי אֲבָהוּ: שָׁלִיחַ דְּשָׁלִיחַ, כִּי מְשַׁוֵּי שָׁלִיחַ – בְּבֵית דִּין, אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בְּבֵית דִּין?
Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak would teach the exchange like this: The Rabbis said to Avimei the son of Rabbi Abbahu: Ask of Rabbi Abbahu: When the agent of an agent appoints another agent, must it be done in court, or can it be done not in court?
אֲמַר לְהוּ: וְתִיבְּעֵי לְכוּ אִי מְשַׁוֵּי שָׁלִיחַ בְּעָלְמָא!
He said to them: But you should ask whether an agent of an agent can appoint an agent at all!
אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: הָא לָא קָא מִיבַּעְיָא לַן, דִּתְנַן: ״אֵין הַשָּׁלִיחַ הָאַחֲרוֹן״, מִכְּלָל דְּשָׁלִיחַ מְשַׁוֵּי שָׁלִיחַ;
They said to him: That is not a question for us, as we learned in our Mishnah: "The final agent does not need to say," which is by implication clear that a second agent can appoint another agent;
אֶלָּא כִּי קָא מִיבַּעְיָא לַן – בְּבֵית דִּין, אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בְּבֵית דִּין?
rather, when we are asking, it is: Must it be done in court, or can it be done not in court?
אֲמַר לְהוּ: הָא נָמֵי לָא תִּיבְּעֵי לְכוּ, דְּקָתָנֵי: אֶלָּא אוֹמֵר ״שְׁלִיחַ בֵּית דִּין אֲנִי״.
He said to them: This also you should not ask, as the Mishnah teaches: "Rather, he says: 'I am an agent of the court,'" which shows that the appointment must be in court.
אָמַר רַבָּה: שָׁלִיחַ בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, עוֹשֶׂה כַּמָּה שְׁלוּחִין.
Rabba said: An agent delivering a bill of divorce in Eretz Yisrael can appoint several agents one after another, even if he does not fall ill, and they do not need to do so in court.
אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: אִם מֵת רִאשׁוֹן – בָּטְלוּ כּוּלָּן.
Rav Ashi said: If the first agent dies, they are all canceled, because they all act as sub-agents of the first, and with his death, their power is nullified.
אָמַר מָר בַּר רַב אָשֵׁי: הָא דְּאַבָּא, דְּקַטְנוּתָא הִיא!
Mar bar Rav Ashi said: This statement of my father is from the rulings of his youth and is incorrect! For
אִילּוּ מֵת בַּעַל, מִידֵּי מְשָׁשָׁא אִית בְּהוּ?!
if the husband dies, is there any substance to them? Surely they can no longer deliver the get!
כוּלְּהוּ מִכֹּחַ מַאן קָאָתוּ – מִכֹּחַ דְּבַעַל קָאָתוּ;
All of them, from whose power do they come? They come from the power of the husband.
אִיתֵיהּ לְבַעַל – אִיתַנְהוּ לְכוּלְּהוּ, לֵיתֵיהּ לְבַעַל – לֵיתַנְהוּ לְכוּלְּהוּ.
Therefore, as long as the husband is alive, they are all valid agents; if the husband is not alive, they are all not valid agents. The first agent's death does not affect them.
הָהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּשַׁדַּר לַהּ גִּיטָּא לִדְבֵיתְהוּ, אֲמַר שָׁלִיחַ: לָא יָדַעְנָא לַהּ,
There was a certain man who sent a bill of divorce to his wife. The agent said: "I do not know her."
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: זִיל יַהֲבֵיהּ לְאַבָּא בַּר מִנְיוֹמֵי, דְּאִיהוּ יָדַע לַהּ, וְלֵיזִיל וְלִיתְּבֵיהּ נִיהֲלַהּ.
The husband said to him: "Go, give it to Abba bar Minyumi, as he knows her, and let him go and give it to her."
אֲתָא וְלָא אַשְׁכַּח לְאַבָּא בַּר מִנְיוֹמֵי.
The agent came and did not find Abba bar Minyumi.
אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ לְרַבִּי אֲבָהוּ וְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פָּפָּא וְרַבִּי יִצְחָק נַפָּחָא, וְיָתֵיב רַב סָפְרָא גַּבַּיְיהוּ.
He found Rabbi Abbahu, Rabbi Chanina bar Pappa, and Rabbi Yitzchak Nappacha, and Rav Safra was sitting with them.
אֲמרוּ לֵיהּ: מְסוֹר מִילָּךְ קַמֵּי דִּידַן, דְּכִי יֵיתֵי אַבָּא בַּר מִנְיוֹמֵי נִיתְּבִינֵיהּ לֵיהּ, וְלֵיזִיל וְלִיתְּבִינֵיהּ לַהּ.
The three Sages said to him: "Transfer your words of agency before us, so that when Abba bar Minyumi comes, we will give it to him, and let him go and give it to her."
אֲמַר לְהוּ רַב סָפְרָא: וְהָא שְׁלִיחַ שֶׁלֹּא נִיתַּן לְגֵירוּשִׁין הוּא!
Rav Safra said to them: But is he not an agent who was not given the power to divorce? He was only authorized to hand it to Abba bar Minyumi, so he cannot appoint others!
אִיכְּסוּפוּ.
The Sages were embarrassed because they had erred.
אָמַר רָבָא: קַפְּחִינְהוּ רַב סָפְרָא לִתְלָתָא רַבָּנַן סְמִוכֵי.
Rava said: Rav Safra defeated three ordained Rabbis with his argument.
אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: בְּמַאי קַפְּחִינְהוּ? מִי קָאָמַר לֵיהּ ״אַבָּא בַּר מִנְיוֹמֵי וְלָא אַתְּ״?!
Rav Ashi said: In what did he defeat them? Did the husband say to him, "Abba bar Minyumi should deliver it and not you"? No, he was authorized to deliver it himself if he could find her, so he was indeed an agent for divorce!
אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי, אָמַר רָבָא: קַפְּחִינְהוּ רַב סָפְרָא לִתְלָתָא רַבָּנַן סְמִוכֵי, בְּטָעוּתָא.
There are those who say that Rava said: Rav Safra defeated three ordained Rabbis, but he did so with an error of his own.
אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: מַאי טָעוּתָא? מַאי קָא אָמַר לֵיהּ: ״אַבָּא בַּר מִנְיוֹמֵי״ – וְלָא אַתְּ!
Rav Ashi said: What is the error? What did the husband actually say to him? "Abba bar Minyumi" should deliver it, meaning and not you! Thus, Rav Safra's objection was correct.
הָהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּשַׁדַּר לָהּ גִּיטָּא לִדְבֵיתְהוּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְשָׁלִיחַ: לָא תִּיתְּבֵיהּ נִיהֲלַהּ עַד תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין.
There was a certain man who sent a bill of divorce to his wife. He said to the agent: "Do not give it to her until thirty days have passed."
אִתְּנִיס בְּגוֹ תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין.
The agent was prevented by circumstances beyond his control within the thirty days from being able to deliver it afterward.
אֲתָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרָבָא, אָמַר רָבָא: חָלָה טַעְמָא מַאי – מִשּׁוּם דַּאֲנִוס, הַאי נָמֵי [הָא אֲנִיס] (אָנוּס הוּא).
He came before Rava. Rava said: What is the reason that an agent who became sick can appoint another? Because he is prevented by circumstances beyond his control; this one also is prevented by circumstances beyond his control.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מְסוֹר מִילָּךְ קַמֵּי דִּידַן, דִּלְבָתַר תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין מְשַׁוֵּינַן שָׁלִיחַ, וְיָהֵיב לֵיהּ נִיהֲלַהּ.
Rava said to him: "Transfer your words before us, and after thirty days we will appoint an agent, and he will give it to her."
אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ רַבָּנַן לְרָבָא: וְהָא שָׁלִיחַ שֶׁלֹּא נִיתַּן לְגֵירוּשִׁין הוּא!
The Rabbis said to Rava: But is he not an agent who was not given the power to divorce right now?
אֲמַר לְהוּ: כֵּיוָן דִּלְבָתַר תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין מָצֵי מְגָרֵשׁ, כְּשָׁלִיחַ שֶׁנִּיתַּן לְגֵירוּשִׁין הוּא.
He said to them: Since after thirty days he is able to divorce, he is considered like an agent who was given the power to divorce.
וְלֵיחוּשׁ שֶׁמָּא פִּיֵּיס!
The Rabbis asked: But should we not fear lest the husband reconciled with his wife during those thirty days, thereby canceling the get?
מִי לָא תְּנַן: ״מֵעַכְשָׁיו – אִם לֹא בָּאתִי מִכָּאן וְעַד שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ״, וּמֵת בְּתוֹךְ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ – הֲרֵי זֶה גֵּט.
Did we not learn in a Mishnah: If a husband says, "This is your get from now, if I do not return from now until twelve months have passed," and he died within the twelve months, this is a valid bill of divorce?
וְהָוֵינַן בַּהּ: וְנֵיחוּשׁ שֶׁמָּא פִּיֵּיס!
And we discussed this: Should we not fear lest he reconciled with her when he was with her before leaving?
וְאָמַר רַבָּה בַּר רַב הוּנָא, הָכִי אָמַר אַבָּא מָרִי מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב: בְּאוֹמֵר ״נֶאֱמֶנֶת עָלַי לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא בָּאתִי״!
And Rabba bar Rav Huna said, so said my father and master in the name of Rav: That Mishnah refers to one who says, "She is trusted by me to say that I did not return," which shows we do fear reconciliation unless he explicitly trusts her!
אִיכְּסִיף.
Rava was embarrassed because he had not considered this.
לְסוֹף אִיגַּלַּאי מִילְּתָא דַּאֲרוּסָה הֲוַאי.
In the end, the matter was revealed that she was only his betrothed and they had never lived together.
אָמַר רָבָא: אִם אָמְרוּ בִּנְשׂוּאָה – יֹאמְרוּ בַּאֲרוּסָה?!
Rava said: If they said we fear reconciliation with a married woman, would they say so with a betrothed woman, with whom he does not live?
אָמַר רָבָא: הָא וַדַּאי קָא מִיבַּעְיָא לַן –
Rava said: This is certainly a question for us:
The Gemara analyzes the Mishnah's ruling regarding sub-agents, debating whether a second agent can appoint a third, and whether these subsequent appointments must also take place in a Beis Din. We learn that in Eretz Yisrael, where the declaration of 'b'fanai nishsav' is not required, an agent can appoint multiple sub-agents outside of court. The Gemara discusses whether the death of the first agent invalidates the sub-agents, and concludes with a fascinating incident where the Sages debated the scope of an agent's authority when the husband directed him to utilize a specific acquaintance to identify his wife.
In today's daf, we see a fascinating discussion about the power of agency. The Gemara teaches us a profound principle: even if there is a long chain of multiple agents appointed one after the other, they all ultimately derive their power from the original sender. As Mar bar Rav Ashi beautifully clarifies, the status of every single agent in the chain depends entirely on the husband who initiated the mission. If the husband is alive and his will remains, the agency stands; if not, the entire chain dissolves.
This contains a deep lesson for our daily avodah. Every single one of us is a shaliach, an agent sent by the Aibershter into this world to perform a specific mission of bringing holiness and light into our surroundings. Sometimes, we might feel small, disconnected, or far removed from the source, like a late link in a long chain of agents. We might think our daily actions do not carry much weight.
But the Gemara reminds us: your power does not come from your own limited strength. You are acting on the authority of the One who sent you. As long as you align your will with the will of Hashem, you carry the full weight and power of the King of kings behind you. Your small mitzvah, your word of encouragement, or your moment of overcoming a nisayon is backed by the ultimate Source of all reality.
Today, before you perform a mitzvah or speak a kind word, pause for a moment and say to yourself: "I am a shaliach of the Creator of the world, and I carry His power with me right now."