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The Gemora cites a braisa: If a man says to his wife, “Here is your get, but the paper belongs to me, she is not divorced (for he did not give her anything). If, however, he said, “Here is your get on condition that you return the paper to me,” she is divorced (provided that she returns him the paper). The Gemora asks: What is the difference between the two cases?
[The Gemora assumes that we are following the opinion of the Rabbis, who hold that the get can only be effective upon the fulfillment of the condition, and therefore, the Gemora asks: How can she become divorced after the get is returned to her husband?]
Abaye explains that the braisa is following Rabbi Meir’s opinion, who holds that a condition must be doubled (i.e., “if the condition will be fulfilled, this will result, and if it will be violated, this will result”) in order for it to be binding (derived from the condition mentioned in the Torah concerning the Tribes of Reuven and Gad before they entered Eretz Yisroel; Moshe specifically spoke out both sides of the condition).
We explore the fateful decision by Moshe to allow them to remain with conditions…