Study Gittin folio 89B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
לחד מבני פלניא, אמר רבא: אפילו למאן דאמר לא מבטלינן קלא, בהא מבטלינן קלא; מימר אמרי: עיינו בהו רבנן בקידושי, וקידושי קטן הוו.
to one of the sons of so-and-so, who had both adult and minor sons. The son to whom she was betrothed was not specified. Rava said: Even according to the one who says that we do not suppress a rumor, in this case we suppress the rumor. People will not slander her. Rather, they will say that the rabbis investigated the betrothal and concluded that it was the betrothal of a minor.
ההיא דנפק עלה קלא, דאיקדשה לקטן הנראה כגדול. אמר ליה רב מרדכי לרב אשי: הוה עובדא, ואמרו: עדיין לא הגיע ל״פלגות ראובן״, שנאמר: ״לפלגות ראובן גדולים חקרי לב״.
A rumor circulated that a certain woman was betrothed to a minor boy who looked like an adult, as his body was developed like an adult. Rav Mordekhai said to Rav Ashi: There was a precedent in which the rabbis said that there is no concern that people will think that the woman is betrothed, since the boy did not yet reach the divisions of Reuben, i.e., the competence of adulthood, as it is stated: “Among the divisions of Reuben there were major resolves of heart” (Judges 5:16). Therefore, the betrothal is rendered entirely invalid, and there is no concern of slander.
ובלבד שלא תהא שם אמתלא: אמר רבה בר רב הונא: אמתלא שאמרו, אפילו מכאן ועד עשרה ימים. רב זביד אמר: במקום אמתלא, חוששין לאמתלא.
§ It is stated in the Mishnah that a rumor is treated seriously only provided there is no explanation. Rabba bar Rav Huna said: The explanation mentioned in the Mishnah negates the rumor even if it circulates at some point from now, i.e., from the time the rumor circulated, until 10 days afterward. Rav Zevid says: Where there is the reasonable possibility of an explanation, we are concerned about the possibility of an explanation even if it is not mentioned explicitly, and the rumor is therefore disregarded.