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Kesubos 81b

כתובות פ״א ע״ב

Ketubot 81b

Learn Kesubos 81b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Setting aside the כתובה and selling the rest, and whether a sale the רבנן forbade still takes effect (רב יוסף versus אביי)

Overview

The גמרא asks why a יבם can't just set aside the amount of the כתובה and sell the rest of the property. It answers that the משנה's line about not putting the כתובה "on the table" is only עצה טובה (good advice), and proves this from the סיפא about an ordinary husband. רבי אבא's harder method is explained as a way to avoid איבה between husband and wife. Then comes a story from פומבדיתא: a יבם promised his brother half the property so the brother would not disqualify the יבמה with a גט. רב יוסף rules that the promise means nothing, because a sale the רבנן said not to make does not take effect. אביי disagrees, citing a משנה where a forbidden sale still stands. The question is sent to two scholars, and רב מניומי rules like אביי. רב יוסף then brings a ברייתא about a debt owed to the dead brother, but רב נחמן says this ברייתא is not reliable. His reason is that the debtor can tell the יבמה, "You are not my litigant."

Opening lines

וְאִי סָלְקָא דַּעְתִּין

And if it enters our mind

נִתְּנָה כְּתוּבָּה לִגָּבוֹת מֵחַיִּים,

that a כתובה can be collected during his lifetime,

נְיַיחֵד לַהּ שִׁיעוּר כְּתוּבָּה,

let him set aside for her the amount of the כתובה,

וְהַשְּׁאָר לִיזַבֵּין!

and the rest let him sell!

The steps (21)

  1. ChallengeWhy not set aside only the כתובה amount and sell the rest?
  2. ChallengeCounter-question: our משנה says the same thing
  3. ResolutionThe משנה is only giving good advice
  4. ProofProof from the סיפא about an ordinary husband
  5. ChallengeThen רבי אבא's ruling is a problem again
  6. Resolutionרבי אבא's reason: avoiding bad feelings
  7. StatementA new story: a יבמה in פומבדיתא
  8. StatementThe יבם offers to split the property
  9. Statementרב יוסף: a sale the רבנן forbade does not take effect
  10. ProofThe ברייתא that a יבם may not sell
  11. Challengeאביי: forbidden sales sometimes still hold
  12. Responseרבי חנינא בר פפי sides with רב יוסף
  13. Rejectionאביי rejects a ruling with no reason
  14. Conclusionרב מניומי sides with אביי, open to more reasons
  15. Proofרב יוסף finds a ברייתא about a debt owed to the dead brother
  16. Rejectionאביי: maybe it is just good advice
  17. Resolutionרב יוסף: the word 'they take out' means it is forced
  18. Rejectionרב נחמן: this ברייתא is not reliable
  19. QuestionWhy is the ברייתא rejected? A first suggestion
  20. RejectionThat reason fails: the ברייתא may follow רבי מאיר
  21. ResponseThe real reason: she is not his litigant