Kesubos 14a

כתובות י״ד ע״א

Ketubot 14a

Learn Kesubos 14a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Believing a woman about her child's or husband's lineage: רבן גמליאל and רבי יהושע, ברי versus שמא, and one doubt versus a ספק ספיקא

Overview

An ארוסה became pregnant, and her ארוס admitted the child was his. רב יוסף rules the child is kosher for two reasons: the ארוס admits it, and the הלכה follows רבן גמליאל, who believes the woman. אביי objects that שמואל said not to act on רבן גמליאל's view unless most men around her are kosher, and for an ארוסה most men are not. The answer is that שמואל's limit is only לכתחילה, and a pregnancy that has already happened counts as בדיעבד. Next, אביי asks רבא how רבי יהושע can say the woman is not believed, when he himself permitted an אלמנת עיסה to marry a כהן. רבא first answers that a bride checks her husband's family, but then notes that this answer makes רבן גמליאל contradict himself. So רבא gives a new answer: רבן גמליאל decides by the woman's claim (ברי versus שמא), and רבי יהושע decides by the number of doubts (one doubt versus a ספק ספיקא). The amud ends with a ברייתא defining an אלמנת עיסה, and רבי מאיר's view continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (12)

1. ResponseThe ארוס admits the child is his
2. Statementרב יוסף rules the child is kosher, for two reasons
3. Challengeאביי: שמואל said not to act on רבן גמליאל here
4. RejectionTurning the question back on אביי
5. Resolutionלכתחילה versus בדיעבד: this case counts as בדיעבד
6. Challengeאביי asks רבא: doesn't רבי יהושע trust the woman elsewhere?
7. ResolutionA bride checks; a woman acting immorally does not
8. Challengeרבן גמליאל also seems to contradict himself
9. Resolutionרבן גמליאל: a sure claim versus a doubt
10. Resolutionרבי יהושע: one doubt versus two doubts
11. ConclusionSummary: what each תנא treats as strong and as weak
12. StatementA ברייתא defines which widow counts as an אלמנת עיסה