Kiddushin 7b: Chatzi Isha and the Mechanics of Hispashtus (Part 2)

This intensive Gemara (גמרא) shiur analyzes Kiddushin 7b, focusing on the sugya of chatzi isha (half a woman) and the principle of hispashtus (spreading). The shiur opens by examining the Gemara's case of one who attempts to be mekadesh half a woman with half a pruta and the other half with another half pruta. The core question is: if the Gemara established that chatzi isha could theoretically work through hispashtus—whereby the initial half-kiddushin would spread to encompass the whole woman—why doesn't that same principle apply in these cases? Rabbi Zweig carefully distinguishes between Rashi (רש"י)'s and Tosafot's understandings of mona v'holech (counting as one goes). According to Rashi, mona v'holech means the person is simply counting out the money in increments but intends the whole woman from the outset—it is a single unified transaction for the entire woman, not a half-and-half acquisition. Tosafot, on the other hand, understands mona v'holech as genuinely acquiring half with the first half-pruta and half with the second half-pruta, but these two halves join together as a single process. The shiur then addresses the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s ruling that shetei chetziyot be'pruta (two halves for one pruta) is a sofek (doubt) while chatzi pruta v'chatzi pruta is vadai mekudeshes (certainly betrothed). This is perplexing: shetei chetziyot should be better because both halves are acquired with a full pruta rather than each with half a pruta.