Gittin 90b (צ:) — the Talmud in English

and brazen

in her garments

on both sides,

and bathes with men,

and he does not divorce her. And we ask: Can it enter your mind that a woman who bathes

with men

is merely a woman of bad character, so that if he does not divorce her you would regard this as a bad trait? There is clear indication in the case of this woman that she is a promiscuous woman, and she is forbidden to him.

there is nevertheless substantial evidence that she is promiscuous, and she is forbidden to him?

Rather,

bathes

in a place where men bathe.

That is, after they have finished bathing, she enters there while they are still present.

It is a mitzva from the Torah to divorce her, as it is stated: “For he has found in her a matter of sexual impropriety, and he shall send her from his house.”

And now we explain the conclusion of this verse: “She went and became another man’s wife.”

“She went and became another man’s wife.”

The man who takes her,

Scripture calls him “another,” indicating that

he

is not “her partner,”

he is not on the same level

as the first.

For

this one removed a wicked woman from

within

his house. And this

second man

brought

that same

wicked woman into his house.

And in this manner the continuation of the verse is interpreted: “And

the

last man hated her and sent her from his house.”

If

the

second man

is worthy,

he will fulfill with regard to her “he shall send her,” as it is stated:

“And the last man hated her.”

But if not,

if he does not remove her, she will

bury him. As it is stated

later in the verse:

“Or if the last man dies,”

for this is his punishment.

And he is deserving of death,

because

this one removed a wicked woman from his house. And this one brought

that

wicked woman into his house.

It is stated in Malachi [22]:

“For he hates, he should send her away.”

Rabbi Yehuda says:

This is how we expound it:

“If you hate her, send her away.”

Rabbi Yohanan says:

This is how we expound it:

The one who sends her away is hated.

is the man who sends her away.

And they do not disagree—

this

is where Rabbi Yohanan expounded that the one who sends her away is hated: it is referring

to a first marriage.

This

is where Rabbi Yehuda expounded:

it is referring to a second marriage.

For divorcing in a second marriage is not as painful as divorcing from a first marriage.

For Rabbi Elazar said: “Whoever divorces his first wife,

even

the altar sheds tears over him. As it is stated

[Malachi 2]:

“And this is a second thing that you do: covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and sighing,

so that there is no more turning to the offering and receiving favor from your hand. And you say, ‘For what reason?’ Because the Lord has testified between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously, although she is your companion and the wife of your covenant.”

We have returned to you, chapter “The One Who Divorces,” and the tractate Gittin is concluded.