Gemara Clarity

Yevamos 119b

יבמות קי״ט ע״ב

Yevamot 119b

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

Open Yevamos 119b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

חזקה and רוב in רבי מאיר's rulings, how long a woman waits before חליצה, and two sisters-in-law who testify about their husbands' deaths

Overview

The גמרא first finishes explaining why רבי מאיר is strict in the רישא of the משנה but lenient in the סיפא. In the רישא, the חזקה and the minority of women who miscarry together balance the רוב, so the woman can neither marry nor do יבום. In the סיפא, the חזקה and the רוב agree, and a brother being born is only a minority of a minority, which even רבי מאיר ignores. The גמרא then asks whether the woman in the רישא must wait forever. זעירי says she waits nine months and then does חליצה, which works either way. רבי חנינא says she must wait until the facts are known, because an unneeded חליצה would require an announcement that she may still marry a כהן. Some people would miss that announcement. The גמרא tests this reasoning against an earlier משנה and answers it in two ways. A new משנה follows, about two sisters-in-law who each say their husband died, and a ברייתא adds a case. The amud ends with רבא asking for the reason behind רבי אלעזר's leniency, and the גמרא asks what practical difference his two options make.

Opening lines

רֵישָׁא, חֲזָקָה לְיִיבּוּם,

The first clause: the presumption is toward levirate marriage,

וְרוּבָּא לַשּׁוּק.

and the majority is toward the market (marrying anyone).

וַחֲזָקָה לָא עֲדִיף כִּי רוּבָּא.

And a presumption is not as strong as a majority.

וְאַיְיתִי מִיעוּטָא דְּמַפִּילוֹת

But bring the minority of women who miscarry

The steps (23)

  1. ResolutionIn the first case, the presumption and the majority point in opposite directions
  2. ResolutionWomen who miscarry tip the balance to an even split
  3. ResolutionIn the second case, the presumption and the majority agree
  4. ChallengeMust she wait forever?
  5. Resolutionזעירי: wait nine months, then do חליצה to cover both possibilities
  6. Statementרבי חנינא: three months for herself, indefinitely for her co-wife
  7. ChallengeWhy not let her do חליצה, which works either way?
  8. ResolutionAn unneeded חליצה would require an announcement for the כהונה
  9. ChallengeSo let them make the announcement
  10. ResolutionPeople who saw the חליצה may miss the announcement
  11. ChallengeQuoting the משנה about a son born overseas
  12. ChallengeWitnesses might later confirm her story
  13. Resolutionרב פפא: she was a divorcee
  14. Resolutionרב חייא: they hid alone in a cave
  15. StatementTwo sisters-in-law each say their husband died
  16. StatementWhen only one woman has witnesses
  17. StatementWhen only one woman has children
  18. StatementAfter יבום, when the יבמין died
  19. Statementרבי אלעזר: permitted to the יבמין means permitted to all
  20. StatementWitnesses and children: both women may remarry
  21. StatementThe משנה's argument after יבום, quoted again
  22. Questionרבא asks why רבי אלעזר permits them
  23. QuestionWhat difference do the two reasons make?