Yevamos 16a

יבמות ט״ז ע״א

Yevamot 16a

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Topic

Did בית שמאי practice their view on צרת הבת? The story of רבי דוסא בן הרכינס and the three הלכות of חגי הנביא

Overview

The גמרא finishes its proofs that בית שמאי really acted on their view that the צרה of a daughter may marry the brothers, and concludes that they did. It then tells the full story behind one of those proofs. רבי יהושע, רבי אלעזר בן עזריה and רבי עקיבא visit the elderly, nearly blind רבי דוסא בן הרכינס, who welcomes each one warmly. When they ask about צרת הבת, he rules like בית הלל and explains that the ruling quoted as 'בן הרכינס' came from his brother יונתן, a student of שמאי. He swears that חגי הנביא taught three הלכות: צרת הבת is forbidden, עמון ומואב give מעשר עני in שביעית, and גרים are accepted from the קרדויים and תרמודים. רבי עקיבא then holds his ground against יונתן and answers his insult with humility. The גמרא explains חגי's second and third הלכות and settles a challenge about the קרדויים. Finally it brings רבי יוחנן's view that גרים are not accepted from the תרמודים and begins questioning it from a משנה about stains from רקם. That discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (25)

1. ProofEnd of the testimony about children of rival wives
2. ProofAnother proof from the days of רבי דוסא בן הרכינס
3. ConclusionConclusion: בית שמאי did act on their view
4. StatementThe full story: the חכמים were troubled by רבי דוסא's ruling
5. StatementThree great חכמים go to visit רבי דוסא
6. Statementרבי דוסא welcomes רבי יהושע and רבי אלעזר בן עזריה
7. Statementרבי דוסא welcomes רבי עקיבא
8. QuestionThe visitors ask about צרת הבת
9. Responseרבי דוסא rules like בית הלל
10. ChallengeBut a ruling like בית שמאי was quoted in your name
11. ResolutionIt was my brother יונתן, not me
12. StatementWarning about יונתן's 300 arguments
13. ProofTestimony from חגי הנביא
14. StatementThe חכמים leave and רבי עקיבא faces יונתן
15. Statementיונתן's remark to רבי עקיבא
16. Responseרבי עקיבא's humble reply
17. Statementחגי's second הלכה: עמון ומואב give מעשר עני in שביעית
18. ProofWhy עמון ומואב are farmed and tithed in שביעית
19. Statementחגי's third הלכה: גרים are accepted from the קרדויים and תרמודים
20. ChallengeA ברייתא says not to accept גרים from the קרדויים
21. Resolutionרב אשי: the ברייתא actually said קרתויים
22. ChallengeSecond version: maybe קרתויים and קרדויים are the same people
23. Resolutionרב אשי: קרתויים and קרדויים are two separate groups
24. Statementרבי יוחנן and the סביא reject גרים from the תרמודים
25. ChallengeDid רבי יוחנן really say this? A משנה about stains from רקם