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Kesubos 9a

כתובות ט׳ ע״א

Ketubot 9a

Learn Kesubos 9a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

פתח פתוח: why a husband's claim is believed, ספק ספיקא, and reconciling רבי אלעזר's statements about what forbids a wife

Overview

רבי אלעזר rules that a husband who says 'I found an open opening' (פתח פתוח), meaning his bride was not a בתולה, is believed to forbid her to himself. The גמרא asks why, since there is a ספק ספיקא: maybe it happened before the אירוסין, and even if after, maybe it was אונס. It answers that the case is an אשת כהן, who is forbidden even through אונס, or a girl betrothed before age three, so only one doubt remains. The גמרא then asks what the ruling adds, since a משנה already shows a man can forbid things to himself by his own word. It answers that here he might be mistaken, yet he is still believed. Next, the גמרא raises a contradiction from another statement of רבי אלעזר: a wife is forbidden only through קינוי וסתירה, as learned from the story of דוד and בת שבע. After clearing up that statement's wording, the גמרא rereads it as being about evidence. Two witnesses forbid a wife, after קינוי וסתירה one witness is enough, and פתח פתוח counts like two witnesses. Finally, it asks why בת שבע was not forbidden. It answers that it was אונס, and begins a second answer from רבי שמואל בר נחמני in the name of רבי יונתן, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

הָאוֹמֵר ״פֶּתַח פָּתוּחַ מָצָאתִי״ —

One who says: 'I found an open opening'

נֶאֱמָן לְאוֹסְרָהּ עָלָיו.

is believed to make her forbidden to himself.

וְאַמַּאי?

But why?

סְפֵק סְפֵיקָא הוּא:

It is a double doubt:

The steps (15)

  1. StatementThe husband is believed to forbid his wife to himself
  2. ChallengeWhy forbid her if there is a double doubt?
  3. ResolutionAnswer: the case is the wife of a כהן
  4. ResolutionSecond answer: a girl betrothed before age three
  5. ChallengeWhat does the ruling add? A משנה already teaches this
  6. ResolutionWhy the ruling is not obvious after all
  7. ChallengeContradiction from another statement of רבי אלעזר
  8. ChallengeThe quoted statement does not fit the story itself
  9. ResolutionReading the story as the source for the rule
  10. ChallengeThe contradiction still stands
  11. RejectionWitnesses obviously forbid a wife too
  12. ResolutionRereading רבי אלעזר: one witness, two witnesses, and פתח פתוח
  13. ChallengeWhy was בת שבע not forbidden?
  14. ResolutionFirst answer: it was אונס
  15. ResolutionSecond answer begins: רבי שמואל בר נחמני in the name of רבי יונתן