Yevamos 119a

יבמות קי״ט ע״א

Yevamot 119a

Learn Yevamos 119a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

A widow whose husband died overseas: the doubt of a child from her צרה or a new son from her חמות, and whether we follow רוב or worry about a מיעוט.

Overview

The משנה discusses a woman whose husband and צרה went to מדינת הים, and she then hears that her husband died. She may not marry anyone else, and she may not do יבום, until she knows whether her צרה had a child. The משנה adds that an ordinary חמות overseas is no worry. If the חמות left pregnant, she must worry that a new יבם was born, but רבי יהושע disagrees. The גמרא learns from the word היא that we worry only about the known צרה, not some unknown wife. It then asks why she cannot marry an outsider, since most women give birth. After testing whether the רבנן ignore a רוב דליתיה קמן, it proves from the ברייתא about minors and יבום that they do not, so the משנה must follow רבי מאיר, who worries about a מיעוט. The סיפא about the חמות seems to contradict רבי מאיר. The גמרא answers with her חזקה of being free to marry, and then with רב נחמן's distinction between כרת and לאו. רבא rejects that distinction, and his own answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (18)

1. StatementHusband and co-wife go overseas, and news of his death arrives
2. StatementA mother-in-law overseas, and one who left pregnant
3. Statementרבי יהושע says there is no concern
4. QuestionWhy does the משנה add the word 'she'?
5. ResponseWe worry only about this co-wife, not an unknown one
6. ChallengeWhy can't she marry someone else? Most women give birth
7. ResolutionMaybe the משנה follows רבי מאיר
8. RejectionEven the רבנן only follow a majority that is in front of us
9. ChallengeBut the רבנן follow a hidden majority with a minor boy and girl
10. ProofThe ברייתא: minors and חליצה and יבום
11. Responseרבי מאיר's reason: the child might turn out unable to have children
12. ProofThe רבנן follow the majority of children
13. ConclusionIt is clear: the משנה follows רבי מאיר
14. ChallengeThe mother-in-law case seems to contradict רבי מאיר
15. ResolutionShe is presumed free to marry anyone
16. ChallengeThen in the רישא she should do יבום
17. ResolutionA כרת prohibition is more serious than a לאו
18. Rejectionרבא: both are Torah prohibitions, so there is no difference