Study Gittin folio 5B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
What is the reason that the rabbis required this testimony at all? Perhaps the husband will come to contest, and invalidate the bill of divorce. Now, in this case, where the husband is not contesting its validity, will we, the court, arise and contest it?
§ The Talmud comments: Rabba and Rava disagree with regard to the dispute between R' Yoḥanan and R' Yehoshua ben Levi. One said that the reason the rabbis required an agent to say: It was written in my presence and it was signed in my presence, is because they are not experts in writing a bill of di
The Talmud suggests: It may be concluded that R' Yehoshua ben Levi is the one who said that the reason is because they are not experts in writing a bill of divorce for her sake, as R' Shimon bar Abba brought a bill of divorce before R' Yehoshua ben Levi, and said to him: Am I required to say: It was
R' Yehoshua ben Levi said to him: You are not required to do so, as they said that one was required to state this declaration only in the earlier generations, when they were not experts in writing a bill of divorce for her sake. However, in the later generations, when they are experts about writing
The Talmud asks: And can you understand that an individual agent does not need to say: It was written in my presence and it was signed in my presence? But it was demonstrated earlier that Rabba is of the opinion that the reason is also in accordance with the opinion of Rava, and the issue of the av