Ketubot 77 - September 21, 25 Elul

Today's daf is sponsored by Shelley and Jerry Gornish in loving memory of their ayin zayin, their beloved grandson Oz Wilchek.

If the man has a blemish can the woman demand that he divorce her? On what does it depend? In what cases can the court force a man to give a get to his wife -  by Torah law and by rabbinic law? Can they use force? In the context of blemishes, they mention a severe one - ba'alei ra'atan. As it is highly contagious, people would keep far away from them. However, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi went close to them and would teach them Torah, assuming that the Torah would protect him. As a reward for his selfless behavior, he managed to get into heaven without actually dying. The elaborate story and the negotiations between him and the angel of death are told and also contrasted with a similar story with Rabbi Chanina bar Papa, who was not deemed as worthy as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi.