Sanhedrin 28b

סנהדרין כ״ח ע״ב

Learn Sanhedrin 28b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Which relatives by marriage may not testify, and whether a relationship that ends still disqualifies

Overview

This amud works out which relatives by marriage may not testify. רב was asked whether a man may testify about his stepson's wife, and the answer is that he may not. סורא and פומבדיתא report this answer with two different reasons, and the second reason is backed by a פסוק. The גמרא then asks why the משנה lists the stepfather's son. רבי ירמיה and רב חסדא explain that line in two different ways, and they disagree about the half-brother's half-brother. Next come rulings about the fathers of a bride and groom, who may testify for each other, and about a man's betrothed wife, whom he may not testify about because he already feels close to her. The גמרא sorts out a מחלוקת between רבי יהודה and רבי יוסי about the stepson and the brother-in-law. It then brings שמואל's ruling like רבי יוסי, which leads to a real case: רב יוסף could not uphold a gift document signed by two brothers-in-law. The amud ends with rulings on whether a former relative becomes fit again, and it opens a story about מר עוקבא's in-laws that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (38)

1. QuestionMay a man testify about his stepson's wife?
2. ResponseThe סורא version: a husband is like his wife
3. ResponseThe פומבדיתא version: a wife is like her husband
4. ProofA פסוק proves that a wife is like her husband
5. StatementQuoting the משנה: the mother's husband and his family
6. ChallengeIsn't the stepfather's son just one's brother?
7. Resolutionרבי ירמיה: The case is the half-brother's half-brother
8. Statementרב חסדא allows the half-brother's half-brother to testify
9. ChallengeThe Sages ask רב חסדא if he did not hear רבי ירמיה's teaching
10. Resolutionרב חסדא: 'I did not hear it' means 'I do not agree'
11. ChallengeAccording to רב חסדא, the original question comes back
12. ResolutionThe משנה lists a paternal brother and a maternal brother
13. StatementFathers of the bride and groom may testify for each other
14. StatementA man may testify for his betrothed wife
15. StatementOnly when the testimony takes money away from her
16. RejectionHe is not believed either way
17. QuestionWhat was the lenient view based on?
18. ResponseThe source: עולא's rule that a betrothed wife is not like a relative
19. RejectionTestimony is about closeness, not legal kinship
20. StatementTwo teachings argue about the stepson and the brother-in-law
21. QuestionFirst reading: both relatives are disqualified alone
22. ChallengeThen whose view is the משנה?
23. ResolutionSecond reading: each limits only one relative
24. ChallengeThen whose view is רבי חייא's 'twenty-four'?
25. ResolutionA new reading: the משנה follows רבי יהודה and the ברייתא follows רבי יוסי
26. Statementשמואל rules like רבי יוסי
27. Statementרב יוסף wants to accept a gift document signed by two brothers-in-law
28. Challengeאביי: maybe שמואל meant the רבי יוסי of the ברייתא
29. Resolutionרב יוסף proves שמואל meant the lenient רבי יוסי
30. RejectionMaybe שמואל mentioned the brother-in-law link as the real reason
31. Statementרב יוסף tries to save the gift through the handover witnesses
32. ChallengeEven רבי אלעזר rejects a document with invalid signatures
33. Conclusionרב יוסף cannot validate the gift
34. Statementרב rules like רבי יהודה
35. Statementרב נחמן and רבי יוחנן rule against רבי יהודה
36. StatementAnother version: רבי יוסי הגלילי's דרשה about a former relative
37. Statementרבי יוחנן rules like רבי יוסי הגלילי
38. StatementA story begins: the sons of מר עוקבא's father-in-law