Yevamos 104b

יבמות ק״ד ע״ב

Yevamot 104b

Learn Yevamos 104b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Yevamos 104b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The essential parts of חליצה, who can perform it, whether a mute person's חליצה is valid, and the power of spitting alone

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a מחלוקת from the previous משנה. רבי אליעזר says every action in חליצה, spitting included, is essential, while רבי עקיבא says only the action done on the man's body, taking off the shoe, is essential. A new משנה teaches that חליצה with a חרש, a חרשת or a minor boy is invalid, that a minor girl must repeat it when she grows up, and that a disqualified judge makes it invalid, though רבי שמעון and רבי יוחנן הסנדלר disagree and רבי עקיבא once approved a private חליצה done in prison. In the גמרא, רבא first rules that a mute person's חליצה is valid because the reading is not essential. The teaching of the house of רבי ינאי knocks this out, so רבא's statement is moved to the חרש clause and reversed: a mute person's חליצה is invalid. The משנה is explained with רבי זירא's rule that something which can be done is not essential, but something which cannot be done at all is essential. Next comes a ruling sent to אבוה דשמואל that a יבמה who spat must do חליצה, which shows that spitting alone forbids her to the brothers. The גמרא rules out רבי עקיבא and רבי אלעזר as its source and ties it to רבי, using a ברייתא about the שבועות lambs. The amud ends as the גמרא begins to question whether רבי עקיבא really holds that spitting does not disqualify; that discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (24)

1. StatementEvery action in חליצה is essential
2. RejectionOnly the action done on the man is essential
3. StatementWho cannot do חליצה
4. StatementA judge who turns out to be disqualified
5. Proofרבי עקיבא approves a private חליצה in prison
6. StatementA mute man or woman can do חליצה
7. ChallengeChallenge from the חרש case
8. ResolutionA חרש is invalid because he lacks understanding
9. ChallengeThen a mute man and woman should also be invalid
10. ResolutionMute people have full understanding; only their speech is missing
11. ChallengeThe house of רבי ינאי says a חרש is invalid because he cannot recite
12. Resolutionרבא's statement really belongs to the later part of the משנה
13. StatementCorrected רבא: since the reading is essential, mute people are invalid
14. ResolutionThe משנה follows רבי זירא's rule about mixing
15. StatementA ruling sent to שמואל's father about a יבמה who spat
16. StatementInference: spitting disqualifies her from the brothers
17. QuestionWhose opinion is this? Maybe רבי עקיבא
18. ChallengeA קל וחומר shows it cannot be רבי עקיבא
19. QuestionMaybe the ruling follows רבי אלעזר
20. RejectionTwo permitting acts do nothing one without the other
21. ResponseThe ruling follows רבי, as shown by the שבועות lambs
22. ProofProper slaughter alone makes the loaves partly holy
23. ProofThe opposing view: both acts are needed for the loaves to become holy
24. ChallengeDoes רבי עקיבא really hold that spitting does not disqualify?