Yevamos 122b

יבמות קכ״ב ע״ב

Yevamot 122b

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Topic

The non-Jewish innkeeper who spoke offhandedly, and the dispute between רבי עקיבא and רבי טרפון over cross-examining witnesses who allow a woman to remarry

Overview

The גמרא asks what made the innkeeper in the משנה a weaker witness than an ordinary woman. רב כהנא, backed by a ברייתא, explains that she was a גוֹיָה who is believed only because she spoke offhandedly (מסיח לפי תומו). When the גמרא objects that the men asked her a question, it answers that she began crying on her own before they asked. Next a ברייתא tells how a witness testified before רבי טרפון that a man known as 'אריה' fell sick and died, and רבי טרפון let the wife remarry. The גמרא then brings another version of the same story in which רבי טרפון cross-examined the witness several times before ruling. It explains that this is a dispute: רבי עקיבא does not require דרישה וחקירה for witnesses about women, while רבי טרפון does. Both work within רבי חנינא's rule that the Torah requires checking in all cases, but the רבנן waived it for money cases so lenders would keep lending. רבי עקיבא treats this testimony as a money case because of the כתובה. רבי טרפון treats it as a capital case because an אשת איש is being permitted to remarry. The מסכת closes with the teaching that תלמידי חכמים increase peace in the world.

Opening lines

The steps (16)

1. QuestionWhat made the innkeeper a weaker witness?
2. ResponseShe was a non-Jew speaking offhandedly
3. ProofA ברייתא teaches the same thing
4. ChallengeBut they asked her a question
5. ResolutionShe started crying before they asked
6. StatementA man testifies before רבי טרפון
7. StatementHow the witness learned the man's name
8. Conclusionרבי טרפון allows the wife to remarry
9. ChallengeDidn't רבי טרפון require cross-examination?
10. Proofרבי טרפון tests the witness by switching the name
11. ResolutionIt is a dispute between תנאים
12. StatementThe dispute depends on רבי חנינא's rule
13. StatementWhy the Sages waived cross-examination in money cases
14. ConclusionIs remarriage testimony like a money case or a capital case?
15. StatementTorah scholars increase peace in the world
16. ConclusionHadran — Closing פרק האשה בתרא and מסכת יבמות