Yevamos 14a

יבמות י״ד ע״א

Yevamot 14a

Learn Yevamos 14a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Yevamos 14a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Did בית שמאי practice their own rulings, and how does that fit with לא תתגודדו?

Overview

This amud asks whether בית שמאי actually lived by their own rulings against בית הלל, or only argued in the study hall. ריש לקיש and רב say they did not act on them, while רבי יוחנן and שמואל say they certainly did. The גמרא explains both views twice. The first explanation places the dispute before the בת קול, where the question is whether the majority of בית הלל binds sharper opponents. The second places it after the בת קול, where the 'did act' side follows רבי יהושע, who ignores a heavenly voice. The 'did act' view seems to clash with לא תתגודדו, the ban on splitting into groups. אביי limits that ban to two courts in one city, and רבא limits it further to one court split in half. Stories about different towns practicing differently, even on שבת, and about רבי אבהו moving a lamp in one town but not another, are shown to fit these rules. Finally, the משנה says the two schools still married each other. The גמרא explains that בית שמאי did act on their view but warned בית הלל about problem families, and the משנה's clause about purity supports this.

Opening lines

The steps (32)

1. Rejectionריש לקיש: בית שמאי did not actually practice their view
2. Statementרבי יוחנן: They certainly did act
3. StatementThe same dispute between רב and שמואל
4. ChallengeWhen? Each time period makes one side hard to explain
5. ResolutionEither time period can work
6. ResolutionBefore the heavenly voice: בית הלל were the majority
7. ResolutionWhy some say they did act: בית שמאי were sharper
8. ResolutionSecond explanation: the dispute is about after the heavenly voice
9. ChallengeChallenge: acting differently breaks the rule against splitting into groups
10. Resolutionאביי: the ban only applies to two courts in one city
11. Rejectionרבא: בית שמאי and בית הלל were like two courts in one city
12. Resolutionרבא: the ban only applies to one court split in half
13. ChallengeSource: towns followed their own local רב's ruling
14. ChallengeOnly in רבי אליעזר's town, not in רבי עקיבא's
15. RejectionWhy is this a problem? Different places are allowed to differ
16. QuestionWhy was the question asked in the first place?
17. ResponseBecause שבת is so serious, we might have thought all places count as one
18. Challengeרבי אבהו followed each local rabbi about moving a lamp
19. RejectionWhy is the lamp story a problem at all?
20. ChallengeThe real question is about רבי אבהו himself
21. ResolutionHe held back out of respect for רבי יוחנן
22. ChallengeBut what about his attendant?
23. ResolutionHe explained it to the attendant
24. ProofA new source: they still married each other
25. ChallengeIf they acted on their rulings, why marry each other?
26. Challengeבית שמאי marrying from בית הלל is understandable
27. ChallengeHow could בית הלל marry from בית שמאי?
28. ResolutionSuggested defense: maybe כרת does not make a ממזר
29. Rejectionרבי אלעזר: both schools agree כרת makes a ממזר
30. ProofProposed proof: בית שמאי did not act on their view
31. RejectionNo: they did act, but they told each other
32. ProofSupport from the purity clause in the משנה