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Yevamos 11b

יבמות י״א ע״ב

Yevamot 11b

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Topic

יבום for a סוטה and for a man's remarried divorcée: the meaning of 'after she was defiled', and whether her צרה is also exempt.

Overview

This amud deals with יבום for women who are forbidden to their husbands. It opens by defending רב: his rule that a סוטה has no יבום bond covers only a definite סוטה, while the source brought against him is about an uncertain one. The גמרא tests this with a ברייתא in which רבי יוסי בן כיפר and the חכמים argue over the פסוק 'after she was defiled'. The חכמים use it for a סוטה and a לאו, while רבי יוסי בן כיפר applies it to a man who takes back his divorcée after she married someone else. רב יהודה then asks רב ששת whether the צרה of such a remarried divorcée is free from יבום. The גמרא works out where this question really belongs, according to רבי יוסי בן כיפר or the רבנן, in two versions. Two ברייתות are brought as proof, and each proof is pushed off. In the first, the 'fit' and 'disqualified' widows can be explained through רב יוסף's lesson not to waste what others need. In the second, the wording has to be fixed anyway, and it can be fixed in a way that lets the צרה do יבום. The amud ends with רבי יוחנן's question in two versions. In one, it is whether a קל וחומר can push off the צרה. In the other, it is whether a קל וחומר can forbid the woman herself despite the מצוה of יבום.

Opening lines

וְלֹא מִתְיַיבֶּמֶת.

and she does not do levirate marriage.

[אָמַר לְךָ רַב:]

Rav could say to you:

אָמֵינָא לָךְ אֲנָא סוֹטָה וַדַּאי,

I am telling you about a definite sota,

וְאָמְרַתְּ לִי אַתְּ סוֹטָה סָפֵק!

and you are telling me about an uncertain sota!

The steps (32)

  1. ChallengeEnd of the challenge against רב: she does חליצה, not יבום
  2. Resolutionרב was talking about a definite סוטה
  3. ChallengeThe Torah calls an uncertain סוטה 'defiled' too
  4. Proofברייתא: רבי אלעזר on remarrying a divorcée
  5. ProofThe חכמים: 'after she was defiled' includes a סוטה who secluded herself
  6. Rejection'Secluded' is a polite word for actual relations
  7. ChallengeWhy would she need a new source if her טומאה is already written?
  8. ResolutionThe extra words give a prohibition
  9. StatementNo prohibition for a סוטה according to רבי יוסי בן כיפר
  10. ResponseWhy רבי יוסי בן כיפר reads the פסוק as being about marriage
  11. Questionרב יהודה asks about the צרה of a taken-back divorcée
  12. StatementNo question according to רבי יוסי בן כיפר
  13. ChallengeMaybe 'היא' leaves out the צרה
  14. Resolution'היא' teaches about her children, not her צרה
  15. QuestionMoving the question to the opinion of the Rabbis
  16. StatementSecond version: no question according to the Rabbis
  17. QuestionThe question according to רבי יוסי בן כיפר: what does 'היא' exclude?
  18. Responseרב ששת answers from a ברייתא about a fit and a disqualified widow
  19. QuestionWhat do 'fit' and 'disqualified' mean in the ברייתא?
  20. ProofThe words must mean 'for him,' so the צרה of מחזיר גרושתו may do יבום
  21. RejectionNo, the words can still mean 'for everyone'
  22. Statementרב יוסף: do not waste what others may need
  23. ProofA second ברייתא seems to show both women must do חליצה
  24. RejectionSince the wording is being fixed anyway, it can be fixed differently
  25. Questionרבי יוחנן asks about the צרה in the case of a remarried divorcée
  26. Challengeרבי אמי asks why not ask about the woman herself
  27. ResolutionThe woman herself is clearly forbidden by a קל וחומר
  28. QuestionThe real question: is a קל וחומר strong enough to exclude the צרה?
  29. QuestionA second version of רבי יוחנן's question
  30. Challengeרבי אמי asks why the צרה is left out
  31. ResolutionThe צרה is no question at all
  32. QuestionThe real question: can a קל וחומר override a מצוה?