Yevamos 105a
יבמות ק״ה ע״א
Yevamot 105a
Learn Yevamos 105a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.
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Topic
Partial חליצה and spitting, heavenly decrees and how they can be undone, and spitting blood in חליצה
Overview
The גמרא finishes a ברייתא about a יבמה who did only part of חליצה, and proves it follows רבי עקיבא. According to רבי עקיבא, spitting alone makes her forbidden to the brothers. The reason is that spitting comes at the end of חליצה, so people might think a full חליצה happened. A story with רבי אמי then teaches that if she spat before removing the shoe, she just removes it and does not spit again, because the order is not essential. Next, לוי is asked three questions: whether an armless woman can do חליצה, whether spitting blood counts, and what 'writing of truth' in דניאל means. This leads to a discussion of heavenly decrees: one sealed with a שבועה, like the one on בית עלי, cannot be undone by קרבנות, but תורה and גמילות חסדים can still help. A decree on a צבור can be torn up through prayer at any time, while a יחיד has the ten days between ראש השנה and יום הכפורים. The גמרא then returns to a יבמה who spat blood and explains when blood comes with saliva. Finally, it quotes the next line of the משנה about a חרש and חליצה.
Opening lines
רָקְקָה וְלֹא קָרְאָה —
[If she removed the shoe but did not] spit and did not recite —
חֲלִיצָתָהּ כְּשֵׁירָה,
her ḥalitza is valid.
רָקְקָה וְלֹא חָלְצָה וְלֹא קָרְאָה —
If she spat but did not remove the shoe and did not recite —
חֲלִיצָתָהּ פְּסוּלָה.
her ḥalitza is flawed.
The steps (37)
- StatementThe ברייתא's three cases of incomplete חליצה
- QuestionWhose view is the ברייתא? Maybe רבי אליעזר
- Challengeרבי אליעזר holds every action is essential
- ResponseSo the ברייתא must be רבי עקיבא
- QuestionFlawed to whom?
- RejectionIt cannot mean forbidden to everyone
- ConclusionSpitting alone forbids her to the brothers
- ChallengeWhy is spitting different from reciting?
- ResolutionSpitting can be mistaken for a finished חליצה, but reciting cannot
- StatementAnother version: a יבמה who spat first just removes the shoe
- ProofThe story before רבי אמי
- ChallengeBut חליצה needs spitting
- ResolutionShe already spat
- ChallengeWhy not just have her spit again?
- ResolutionA second spit would teach people that spitting means nothing
- ChallengeBut the acts must be done in order
- ResolutionThe order is not essential
- ProofA ברייתא proves רבי אמי was right
- Questionלוי is asked three questions in the villages
- ResponseThe בית מדרש answers the two חליצה questions
- ChallengeThe writing of truth question is raised again
- ResolutionA decree sealed with an oath versus one without
- ProofThe source: an oath against בית עלי
- StatementTorah and kindness can still bring atonement
- Proofרבה and אביי's own lives
- ProofThe family that died at eighteen
- StatementA sentence on a community is never sealed
- ChallengeChallenge: a פסוק says the community's sin is sealed
- ResolutionRewording רב: even a sealed decree can be torn up
- ChallengeA פסוק that says to seek ה' only when He can be found
- ResolutionOne פסוק is about a person alone, the other about a community
- QuestionWhen is ה' close to an individual?
- ResponseThe ten days between ראש השנה and יום הכפורים
- StatementA יבמה who spat blood may do חליצה
- ChallengeChallenge from the blood of a זב
- ResolutionSucked-up blood versus dripping blood
- StatementQuoting the משנה about a deaf-mute and חליצה