Yevamos 12b

יבמות י״ב ע״ב

Yevamot 12b

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Topic

The הלכה on the צרה of an אילונית, a ברייתא on women who use a מוך, and whether a minor can give birth

Overview

The amud opens with the final הלכה on the earlier discussion: the צרה of an אילונית may marry the יבם, even if the husband knew of her condition. To fit this ruling, the גמרא changes the משנה's word 'שנמצאו' to 'שהיו'. רבין then reports in the name of רבי יוחנן that the צרות of a ממאנת, an אילונית and a man who remarried his divorcée are all permitted. Next, רב ביבי teaches a ברייתא listing three women who use a מוך because pregnancy would be dangerous: a קטנה, a pregnant woman and a nursing woman. רבי מאיר defines the endangered קטנה as a girl aged eleven and a day to twelve and a day, while the חכמים say all these women live normally and rely on 'שומר פתאים ה׳'. The ברייתא's words 'perhaps she will die' seem to allow a minor to give birth, which would make possible a חמות who did מיאון, and the משנה says that cannot happen. The גמרא tries rereading the ברייתא and brings support from רבה בר ליואי, but רבה בר שמואל's ברייתא pushes it back to the original wording. רב ספרא then answers that having children counts as signs of adulthood, so a mother is no longer a minor who can do מיאון. A second version says children are even better than signs, and the practical difference is that even רבי יהודה agrees about children.

Opening lines

The steps (16)

1. ConclusionThe final ruling: the co-wife of an אילונית is permitted
2. ChallengeWhat about the משנה's word 'were found to be'?
3. ResolutionRead the משנה as 'that were'
4. Statementרבי יוחנן: three kinds of co-wives are all permitted
5. StatementThree women who use a מוך
6. Statementרבי מאיר defines the 'minor'
7. StatementThe חכמים: all live normally and Heaven protects
8. ChallengeInference from the ברייתא contradicts the משנה
9. ResolutionRead the ברייתא as 'become pregnant and die'
10. Proofרבה בר ליואי: the three stages of a young girl's pregnancy
11. Challengeרבה בר שמואל's ברייתא suggests a minor can give birth
12. ChallengeBack to the original wording, and the משנה remains difficult
13. ResolutionHaving children counts as signs of adulthood
14. ResolutionA second version: children are even better than signs
15. QuestionWhat difference do the two versions make?
16. ResponseEven רבי יהודה agrees about children