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Kesubos 77a

כתובות ע״ז ע״א

Ketubot 77a

Learn Kesubos 77a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

When the court forces a husband to divorce: blemishes, foul-smelling jobs, refusing support, and forbidden or childless marriages

Overview

The amud opens by finishing an earlier topic. A wife's epilepsy counts as a hidden blemish only if the seizures come at fixed times. A new משנה teaches that a husband with blemishes is not forced to divorce, but רבן שמעון בן גמליאל says big blemishes, like a blinded eye or a cut-off hand, are grounds for forcing a divorce. The גמרא debates whether the משנה reads 'נולדו' or 'היו', explains why size matters even if she knew beforehand, and brings conflicting rulings on the הלכה. A second משנה lists men who must divorce: one with boils, one with a polyp, and men in smelly jobs. רבי מאיר and the חכמים argue whether a wife who agreed in advance can still back out. The גמרא defines the unclear words in that list. Then רב and שמואל argue whether a husband who refuses to support his wife must divorce her. Finally, the גמרא discusses whether בית דין forces divorce after ten childless years, and רבי אבא's answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְנִכְפֶּה — כְּמוּמִין שֶׁבַּסֵּתֶר דָּמֵי.

And an epileptic is considered like hidden blemishes.

וְהָנֵי מִילֵּי דִּקְבִיעַ לֵיהּ זְמַן,

And this applies only when it has a fixed time,

אֲבָל לָא קְבִיעַ לֵיהּ —

but if it does not have a fixed time —

כְּמוּמִין שֶׁבַּגָּלוּי דָּמֵי.

it is considered like visible blemishes.

The steps (43)

  1. StatementEpilepsy counts as a hidden blemish
  2. StatementOnly when the seizures come at fixed times
  3. StatementA husband with blemishes is not forced to divorce
  4. Statementרבן שמעון בן גמליאל: big blemishes are different
  5. StatementTwo readings of the משנה: 'developed' or 'had'
  6. StatementWhat each reading implies
  7. ChallengeThe big/small split fits only 'developed'
  8. ResolutionShe thought she could handle it, but now she can't
  9. QuestionWhat counts as a big blemish?
  10. ResponseExamples of big blemishes
  11. StatementTwo rulings on whose view is the הלכה
  12. ChallengeWhy would רבי יוחנן need to say this here?
  13. ResolutionThe אמוראים report רבי יוחנן differently
  14. StatementNew משנה: men who are forced to divorce
  15. Statementרבי מאיר: even a warning in advance does not help
  16. StatementThe חכמים: She Must Accept It, Except for Boils
  17. StatementThe Story of the Tanner's Widow in צידן
  18. QuestionWhat Is a בעל פוליפוס?
  19. ResponseNose Smell or Mouth Smell
  20. Statementרב אסי Reverses It, With a Memory Sign
  21. QuestionWhat Is a מקמץ?
  22. Responseרב יהודה: A Collector of Dog Excrement
  23. ChallengeA ברייתא Says a מקמץ Is a Tanner
  24. ChallengeBut the משנה Itself Lists Them Separately
  25. ResolutionBig Tanner Versus Small Tanner
  26. ChallengeThe Challenge to רב יהודה Returns
  27. ResolutionIt Is a Dispute Between תנאים
  28. QuestionWhat is a coppersmith?
  29. Responseרב אשי: a kettle smith
  30. Responseרבה בר בר חנה: one who cuts copper from its source
  31. ProofA ברייתא supports רבה בר בר חנה
  32. Statementרב: a husband who refuses to support his wife must divorce her
  33. Challengeשמואל: better to force him to support her
  34. Resolutionרב's reason: no one lives with a snake in a basket
  35. Proofרבי יוחנן also holds like רב
  36. Statementרב אסי: forcing divorce only for forbidden wives
  37. Statementשמואל lists the forbidden marriages
  38. StatementNo forced divorce after ten childless years
  39. StatementA different report of שמואל: after ten childless years, they do force him
  40. ChallengeWhy doesn't the משנה list the childless case?
  41. Resolutionרב נחמן: one is forced with words, the other with rods
  42. Challengeרבי אבא: words alone do not work
  43. Resolutionרבי אבא starts a new answer: both cases use rods