Kiddushin 44a

קידושין מ״ד ע״א

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Topic

Who accepts קידושין, a גט, and מאמר for a נערה: the dispute between רבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש, its sources, and how the study hall decided it

Overview

This amud asks who may accept קידושין, a גט, and מאמר for a נערה. A ברייתא says a נערה can accept מאמר herself. This forces the גמרא to restate רבי יוחנן's reason: קידושין needs consent, so only the father accepts it, while a גט works against her will, so either she or her father may accept it. מאמר seems to need consent too. The גמרא answers that the ברייתא follows רבי, who learns מאמר from ביאה of a יבמה, while חכמים learn it from regular קידושין. The ending of the ברייתא, 'unlike קידושין', supports רבי יוחנן. ריש לקיש answers that the ברייתא follows רבי יהודה, and in the end the special bond of a יבמה (זקוקה ועומדת) explains מאמר and clears רבי יוחנן as well. Our משנה also seems to refute ריש לקיש. The גמרא concludes that the whole משנה follows רבי שמעון, who agrees with רבי יהודה on agency. A story then reports that the study hall sided with רבי יוחנן, though ריש לקיש cried out a פסוק, and the report is confirmed as reliable and quoted from an unspecified רבי אבין. The amud ends as רבא begins a new question to רב נחמן, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (31)

1. ChallengeThe end of the ברייתא: a נערה can accept מאמר herself
2. ResolutionRestating רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא: consent versus no consent
3. ChallengeBut מאמר also needs her consent
4. ResolutionThe ברייתא follows רבי: מאמר works against her will
5. ProofThe ברייתא showing רבי and חכמים disagree
6. QuestionAsking for רבי's reason
7. Responseרבי learns מאמר from ביאה of a יבמה
8. Responseחכמים learn מאמר from regular קידושין
9. ResponseThe root of the argument between רבי and רבנן
10. ProofThe ברייתא's ending supports רבי יוחנן
11. ChallengeIs this a refutation of ריש לקיש?
12. Resolutionריש לקיש: the ברייתא follows רבי יהודה
13. ChallengeThen it should have said 'unlike divorce'
14. ResolutionIt mentions קידושין only because מאמר is like קידושין
15. QuestionWhy is מאמר different for רבי יהודה?
16. ResponseShe is already bound to the יבם
17. ConclusionThe same reason clears רבי יוחנן from the start
18. ChallengeThe משנה seems to refute ריש לקיש
19. Resolutionריש לקיש says this משנה follows רבי יהודה
20. ChallengeA later clause of the same משנה points to a different תנא
21. Challengeרבה: that clause follows רבי שמעון
22. RejectionCould רבי יהודה agree with רבי שמעון on this one point?
23. ChallengeA ברייתא shows רבי יהודה disagrees with רבי שמעון on oaths
24. ResolutionThe whole משנה is רבי שמעון, who agrees with רבי יהודה on agency
25. StatementReport from the study hall: everyone sided with רבי יוחנן
26. QuestionIs רבי אבין a reliable source?
27. ResponseYes, the report is fresh, like a fish from sea to pan
28. Statementרב נחמן בר יצחק quotes plain 'רבי אבין'
29. QuestionWhy does it matter which רבי אבין?
30. ResponseIt matters for contradictions between his own statements
31. Questionרבא asks רב נחמן a question