Kesubos 22a

כתובות כ״ב ע״א

Ketubot 22a

Learn Kesubos 22a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Kesubos 22a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Judges vouching for a colleague, ratifying a שטר with a full court, and when a woman is believed about her status (הפה שאסר and אמתלא)

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a discussion about judges who vouch for a challenged colleague. The גמרא concludes that the challenge was about theft, and the judges are saying he did תשובה. Next, רבי זירא teaches that if one of three judges ratifying a שטר dies, the other two must write that three sat together. The גמרא then debates whether writing 'before us, the court' is enough, given that שמואל allows a בית דין חצוף of two. A new משנה follows: a woman who says she was married and is now divorced, or was captured but stayed pure, is believed, because הפה שאסר הוא הפה שהתיר. Witnesses who know the problematic fact take that belief away. The גמרא looks for a Torah source and ends up assigning the words of the פסוק to other teachings. It then teaches that a woman who said 'I am married' and then 'I am single' is believed only if she gives an אמתלא, a believable reason, and it supports this with the story of a beautiful woman and a ruling of the חכמים in אושא. Finally, שמואל asks רב about a woman who said 'I am טמאה' and then 'I am טהורה,' and רב's answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (23)

1. ChallengeNeither kind of challenge seems to fit
2. ResolutionA theft challenge, and the judges say he repented
3. StatementOne of three ratifying judges died
4. StatementWriting 'before us, the court' is enough
5. ChallengeMaybe it was a court of only two
6. ResolutionThe text names רב אשי's court
7. ChallengeMaybe רב אשי's court follows שמואל
8. Resolutionרב אשי himself instructed them
9. Statementמשנה: A woman who says she was married but is now divorced
10. Statementמשנה: A woman who says she was captured but remained pure
11. Proofרב אסי brings a Torah verse as the source for the rule
12. ChallengeWhy do we need a verse for something so logical?
13. ResolutionThe verse teaches that a father is believed to forbid his daughter
14. ChallengeThen why does the verse add the word 'this'?
15. Resolution'This' teaches רבי יונה's rule: not a יבם
16. StatementA woman who said 'married' then 'single' is believed
17. ChallengeDidn't she already make herself forbidden?
18. ResolutionShe gave a good reason for her first words
19. ProofAnother ברייתא says the same thing
20. ProofThe story of the beautiful woman
21. ConclusionThe חכמים in אושא rule: with a reason, she is believed
22. Questionשמואל asks about 'impure' then 'pure'
23. Responseרב answers: here too, if she gives a reason