Gemara Clarity

Kiddushin 2b

קידושין ב׳ ע״ב

Learn Kiddushin 2b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Why the first משנה of קידושין is worded 'האשה נקנית בשלש דרכים'

Overview

The גמרא keeps explaining the unusual wording at the start of מסכת קידושין. First it brings another source for calling marriage an 'acquisition' (the פסוק 'שדות בכסף יקנו'). It then explains why the next פרק says 'מקדש' and what the word קידושין means: the wife becomes forbidden to everyone, like הקדש. Next it explains why the woman is the subject ('האשה נקנית'). One answer is that 'she acquires herself' covers both a גט and the husband's death. The other answer is that the wording teaches that קידושין needs her consent. The גמרא then asks why the משנה says the feminine 'שלש' and uses the word 'דרכים'. Along the way it settles an apparent clash between פסוקים and משניות about whether 'דרך' is masculine or feminine. It gives two reasons for 'דרכים': ביאה is called a 'דרך', or the משנה follows רבי שמעון, who says it is a man's 'דרך' to seek a wife. Finally it tests the word 'דרכים' in the משניות about the זב and the אתרוג, and the question about the אתרוג continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

אִי נָמֵי, ״שָׂדוֹת בַּכֶּסֶף יִקְנוּ״,

Alternatively: "They shall acquire fields with money,"

תָּנֵי ״הָאִשָּׁה נִקְנֵית״.

so he taught "A woman is acquired."

וְנִיתְנֵי הָתָם ״הָאִישׁ קוֹנֶה״!

But let it teach there, "A man acquires"!

מֵעִיקָּרָא תָּנֵי לִישָּׁנָא דְאוֹרָיְיתָא,

At first it taught in the language of the Torah,

The steps (30)

  1. ResolutionAnother source for calling marriage an acquisition
  2. ChallengeWhy doesn't the next chapter also say 'a man acquires'?
  3. ResolutionFirst Torah language, then the Rabbis' language
  4. QuestionWhat is the meaning of the Rabbis' word?
  5. ResponseShe becomes forbidden to everyone, like הקדש
  6. ChallengeWhy not make the man the subject here too?
  7. ResolutionThe end of the משנה is about her, so the beginning is too
  8. ChallengeWhy not say 'the man acquires and releases'?
  9. ResolutionThe husband's death is not his doing
  10. ResolutionA second reason for "the woman is acquired": she must agree
  11. ChallengeWhy does the משנה use the feminine form of "three"?
  12. ResolutionBecause "דרך" is a feminine word
  13. ChallengeBut the זב משנה says "שבעה דרכים" in the masculine
  14. Resolution"דרך" can also be masculine
  15. ChallengeThen the פסוקים and the משניות contradict each other
  16. ResolutionFeminine when it means תורה, masculine when it means war
  17. ResolutionThe two משניות do not contradict: each matches the person it is about
  18. ChallengeWhy say "ways" at all instead of "things"?
  19. Resolutionביאה is called a "way" in a פסוק
  20. Challenge"Way" fits ביאה, but what about כסף and שטר?
  21. ResolutionThe other two are called "ways" because of ביאה
  22. ChallengeWould the משנה word two cases to suit just one?
  23. Resolutionכסף and שטר also serve the goal of ביאה
  24. ResolutionA second answer: the משנה follows רבי שמעון
  25. Proofרבי שמעון: a man goes looking for a wife, like someone looking for a lost item
  26. ChallengeChallenge: why does the משנה about the זב say "ways"?
  27. ResolutionAnswer: "ways" hints that overeating and overdrinking can cause זיבה
  28. ChallengeChallenge: why does the משנה about the אתרוג say "ways"?
  29. ResolutionAnswer: the wording follows the last part, "in one way"
  30. ChallengeChallenge: then the last part should have said "one thing"