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Yevamos 12a

יבמות י״ב ע״א

Yevamot 12a

Learn Yevamos 12a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Forbidden צרות in יבום: the remarried divorcee, the ממאנת, and the אילונית

Overview

This amud starts with רבי יוחנן's question: when a man has remarried his ex-wife after she married someone else, may her צרה do יבום? רבי אמי tries to prove the answer from a ברייתא about a 'fit' wife and a 'disqualified' wife. The גמרא rejects the proof, because the ברייתא may only mean fit or unfit to marry a כהן, following רב יוסף's lesson not to waste what others need. A second ברייתא is also turned aside, so the question is not settled. Next, שמואל rules that the צרה of a girl who refused the יבם (a ממאנת) is forbidden to that יבם. The גמרא explains that this is a decree because of the case of צרת בתו ממאנת. From the moment the widow falls to the יבם, things already look like a forbidden relationship, as רמי בר יחזקאל's ברייתא shows. Then רב אסי rules that the צרה of an אילונית is forbidden. The גמרא defends him against רב ששת's challenge from רב יוסף's words 'זו היא'. It also defends him against the משנה, by explaining that the משנה speaks of a husband who did not know she was an אילונית. The amud ends as רבא begins a new statement.

Opening lines

אֲמַר לֵיהּ, תְּנֵיתוּהָ:

He said to him: You taught it!

הָיְתָה אַחַת כְּשֵׁרָה וְאַחַת פְּסוּלָה,

If one was fit and one was disqualified,

אִם הָיָה חוֹלֵץ — חוֹלֵץ לַפְּסוּלָה,

if he does חליצה, he does it with the disqualified one,

וְאִם הָיָה מְיַיבֵּם — מְיַיבֵּם לַכְּשֵׁרָה.

and if he does יבום, he does it with the fit one.

The steps (28)

  1. Proofרבי אמי quotes a ברייתא about a fit wife and a disqualified wife
  2. QuestionWhat do 'fit' and 'disqualified' mean? The first reading does not work
  3. ProofSo 'disqualified' must mean the remarried divorcee, and the צרה may do יבום
  4. RejectionNo: the ברייתא may mean fit or unfit for everyone, based on רב יוסף's lesson
  5. ProofA second ברייתא: 'she and her צרה do חליצה'
  6. RejectionIf you are fixing the wording anyway, fix it differently
  7. Statementשמואל: the rival wife of a girl who refused is forbidden
  8. QuestionForbidden to whom? Not to the other brothers
  9. ResponseShe is forbidden to the brother who was refused
  10. ChallengeWhy should the rival wife be forbidden to him?
  11. ResolutionA rabbinic decree because of a daughter's rival wife
  12. ChallengeBut the משנה says a refusing daughter's rival wife is allowed
  13. ProofThe משנה must mean she refused the יבם
  14. RejectionRefusal in the משנה means refusing the husband
  15. ChallengeRefusing the יבם also cancels the first marriage
  16. ResolutionThe ברייתא of רמי בר יחזקאל
  17. ConclusionAfter falling to יבום she looks like a daughter-in-law
  18. ConclusionApplying the lesson: from the moment of falling she looks like the צרה of his daughter
  19. StatementThe rival wife of an אילונית is forbidden
  20. Challengeרב ששת quotes a משנה about three brothers and two levirate bonds
  21. Challengeרב יוסף's comment on the משנה about two יבמין
  22. ChallengeDoes 'this is' leave out the צרה of an אילונית?
  23. Resolution'This is' excludes the צרת אילונית for being even more forbidden
  24. ChallengeChallenge from the opening משנה: צרות of an אילונית are permitted
  25. ResolutionAnswer begins: רב אסי's case is when the husband knew
  26. ResolutionThe משנה is about a husband who did not know
  27. ProofThe משנה's wording supports the answer
  28. Statementרבא begins a new statement