פירוש על גיטין 2:6

קיבל הקטן – [The minor received] the Jewish bill of divorce from the hand of the husband.

Introduction This mishnah is a continuation of the end of yesterday’s mishnah which discussed those categories of people who are disqualified from delivering a get.

והגדיל – [became an adult] prior to his delivery of it [i.e., the Jewish bill of divorce] to her [i.e., the wife].

If the minor had received the get [in order to deliver it] and then became of age; or the deaf-mute [received the get and then] his speech was restored; or the blind person [received the get and then] his sight was restored; or the imbecile [received the get and then] his reason returned; or the Gentile [received the get and then] converted, [the get] is invalid. In this case a person received the get while disqualified to deliver it (see yesterday’s mishnah) and then his/her status changed to one who is qualified to deliver the get before he/she delivered it. Since the person was disqualified when receiving the get in order to deliver it, the delivery is invalid, even though by the time the get was actually delivered the person was in a valid category.

פתוח ונסתמא וחזר ונתפתח – even if he was not restored to being sighted, since he was able to see at the time when he received the Jewish bill of divorce, he well is able to serve as an agent for he is able to say: “it was written in my presence and it was signed in my presence.” But, since it is required for [the Mishnah] to teach the concluding segment, “and he returned to being sighted,” that he [the agent] must be cognitively aware at the time of the giving [of the Jewish bill of divorce], the Mishnah teaches also at the beginning, “and he returned to being sighted.” But all those who are invalid for testimony through sin, are also invalid to bring the Jewish bill of divorce, for they are not believed to say, “it was written in my presence and signed in my presence.” But if the Jewish bill of divorce is verified through its signatories, they are valid to bring it (i.e., the Jewish bill of divorce).

But if a person of sound senses [received the get] and then became a deaf-mute and then recovered his speech; or one with sight [received the get and then] became blind and then recovered his sight; or one who was sane [received the get and then] went insane and then recovered his reason, [the get] is valid. The general principle is that anyone who begins and finishes [his mission] in full possession of his mental faculties is qualified. In this case the person was qualified to deliver the get when it was received and when it was delivered but while in the process he/she briefly entered a status of one who is disqualified. As explained at the end of the mishnah, since the person was qualified at the two critical moments, the reception of the get from the husband and the delivery to the wife, the delivery is valid. The fact that the person was temporarily invalid in-between is immaterial. Note that this section cannot include a person who was Jewish and then apostatized to another religion and then returned to Judaism for in the eyes of Jewish law, a Jew cannot legally convert to another religion.