Study Gittin folio 36A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
דמדרינן ליה ברבים. הניחא למאן דאמר נדר שהודר ברבים – אין לו הפרה; אלא למאן דאמר יש לו הפרה, מאי איכא למימר?
The Talmud answers that we administer the vow to the priest in public. The Talmud asks: This works out well according to the one who says that a vow that was taken in public has no possibility of nullification by a halakhic authority, but according to the one who says it has the possibility of nullification, what can be said?
דמדרינן ליה על דעת רבים – דאמר אמימר, הלכתא: אפילו למאן דאמר נדר שהודר ברבים יש לו הפרה, על דעת רבים – אין לו הפרה.
The Talmud answers that we administer the vow to the priest based on the consent of the public, making it a type of vow that cannot be dissolved without their consent. As Ameimar said, the halakha is as follows: Even according to the one who says that a vow that was taken in public has the possibility of nullification, if it was taken based on the consent of the public, it has no possibility of nullification.
והני מילי לדבר הרשות, אבל לדבר מצוה – יש לו הפרה. כי ההוא מקרי דרדקי דאדריה רב אחא על דעת רבים, דהוה פשע בינוקי; ואהדריה רבינא, דלא אישתכח דדייק כוותיה.
The Talmud comments: And this matter applies only to when the nullification of a vow is in order to enable one to perform an optional matter, but to enable one to perform a matter of a mitzva, it has the possibility of nullification. This is like the incident involving a certain teacher of children, upon whom Rav Aḥa administered a vow based on the consent of the public to cease teaching, as he was negligent with regard to the children by hitting them too much. And Ravina had his vow nullified and reinstated him, as they did not find another teacher who was as meticulous as he was.
והעדים חותמין על הגט מפני תיקון העולם: מפני תיקון העולם?! דאורייתא הוא, דכתיב: ״וכתוב בספר וחתום״!
§ The Mishnah taught: And the witnesses sign the bill of divorce for the betterment of the world. The Talmud asks: Is the reason that the witnesses sign the bill of divorce for the betterment of the world? It is by Torah law that they must sign, as it is written: “And subscribe the deeds, and sign them, and call witnesses” (Jeremiah 32:44).
Text data via Sefaria: William Davidson Edition - English and William Davidson Edition - Vocalized Aramaic, CC-BY-NC; edition provenance: Koren. Display terminology has been modernized for readability.