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BAVA BASRA 163

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SUMMARY 1. A document is invalid if there are two blank lines the size of the witnesses' signatures between their signatures and the end of the document.   2. The two lines must be large enough to have the letter Lamed on the first line and Chaf Sofis on the second (directly underneath the first).   3. Some argue that the bottom line must only be large enough to have a regular Chaf.   4. There also may not be two blank lines between the signatures of the witnesses and the verification of the document.   5. The Gemara explains why splattering ink helps for the two lines between the witnesses and verification, but not between the witnesses and the document.

A BIT MORE 1. The reason why the lines do not need to be the size of the writing of the scribe is because people generally do not go to a scribe to forge a document (therefore, their writing is the size of that of regular people, not a scribe).   2. While the lines are only the size of the writing of the witnesses, they must be able to contain this type of writing (in the witnesses' handwriting) in order to be considered two blank lines that would make the document invalid.   3. Others argue that "two lines" means one line that contains space for large letters (Lamed and Chaf Sofis) on the line.   4. However, if these two lines were splattered with ink, the document is valid, as it clearly cannot be forged without being recognized as a forgery.   5. This is because Beis Din is clearly verifying the document, even though they sign after a splatter of ink. However, since anyone can be a witness, it is possible that they signed and testified on what might have been written under the ink splatter, and not on the document itself (this is why ink splatter is invalid for the two lines between the witnesses and the document).

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