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Kesubos 51b

כתובות נ״א ע״ב

Ketubot 51b

Learn Kesubos 51b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Missing אחריות in a כתובה; when a raped or captive wife stays permitted to her husband; redeeming a כהן's wife

Overview

The גמרא finishes a משנה showing that רבי מאיר treats a missing אחריות clause as truly missing. It then asks how our משנה can follow one opinion, and answers in two ways: the whole משנה is רבי יהודה, or the whole משנה is רבי מאיר and "obligated" means only from free property. Next, אבוה דשמואל rules that a raped wife of an ישראל is forbidden, because she may have ended up willing. The גמרא defends him: captives are a special leniency, and a forced woman is permitted when witnesses saw her scream the whole time. רבא disagrees and holds that what starts as אונס stays אונס. Three teachings on "והיא לא נתפשה" each find a different exception. רב יהודה rules that kidnapped women stay permitted, because helping their captors comes from fear. Two ברייתות about women taken by kings and by bandits are reconciled through אחשורוש, בן נצר and ordinary bandits. Finally, אביי rules that a כהן גדול must redeem a widow he married.

Opening lines

יֵשׁ בָּהֶן אַחְרָיוּת נְכָסִים —

If they include a property guarantee —

לֹא יַחֲזִיר,

he should not return them,

שֶׁבֵּית דִּין נִפְרָעִין מֵהֶן.

because the court collects with them.

אֵין בָּהֶן אַחְרָיוּת נְכָסִים —

If they do not include a property guarantee —

The steps (30)

  1. StatementThe end of the משנה about found loan documents
  2. ChallengeOur משנה seems to follow two different opinions
  3. ResolutionA possible answer: רבי מאיר treats a כתובה differently
  4. ChallengeA ברייתא shows no difference between a כתובה and a loan document
  5. ProofThe ברייתא must follow רבי מאיר
  6. ResolutionFirst answer: the whole משנה follows רבי יהודה
  7. ResolutionSecond answer: the whole משנה follows רבי מאיר
  8. StatementA married woman who was raped is forbidden to her husband
  9. Challengeרב challenges from the captive-wife clause of the כתובה
  10. Questionרב's verse about the silence, and what could have been answered
  11. ResolutionWith a captive woman the חכמים were lenient
  12. ChallengeBy his view, when is the Torah's permitted אונס ever possible?
  13. ResolutionWitnesses saw her screaming the whole time
  14. Statementרבא disagrees: even if it ends willingly, she is permitted
  15. ProofA ברייתא supports רבא
  16. StatementAnother ברייתא: a כהן's wife is forbidden even if forced
  17. StatementA third reading: a girl whose marriage can be ended by מיאון
  18. StatementWomen kidnapped by thieves stay permitted
  19. ChallengeBut they bring their captors bread
  20. ResolutionThey do it out of fear
  21. ChallengeBut they send them arrows
  22. ResolutionThat is also out of fear
  23. ConclusionIf they go back on their own, they are forbidden
  24. StatementWomen taken by a king versus women taken by bandits
  25. ChallengeAnother teaching says the reverse
  26. ResolutionTwo kinds of kings
  27. ResolutionTwo kinds of bandits
  28. ChallengeIs בן נצר a king or a bandit?
  29. ResolutionIt depends on whom you compare him to
  30. StatementA widow married to a כהן גדול must be redeemed