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Yevamos 18b

יבמות י״ח ע״ב

Yevamot 18b

Learn Yevamos 18b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

שמואל's view that יש זיקה, and the משנה of a brother born after יבום, where רבי שמעון's leniency is traced to זיקה and challenged by רב יוסף

Overview

The גמרא first shows that שמואל holds יש זיקה, because he rules like רבי יהודה בן בתירה: a brother may not marry the sister of a שומרת יבם until the יבם does יבום or חליצה. After a short back-and-forth about why the ruling can't be רב's, רב זביד of נהרדעא reports a version where שמואל says it openly: even after a שומרת יבם dies, her mother is forbidden. The גמרא explains why both of שמואל's rulings are needed. One teaches that the bond is real even with two יבמים. The other teaches that it does not end by itself at death. A new משנה follows: if a brother is born after the second brother already did יבום, the חכמים exempt both wives, while רבי שמעון allows normal יבום. רב אושעיא proves from an otherwise extra משנה that רבי שמעון argues even when the brother was born before the יבום. The גמרא then explains that רבי שמעון's reason is that זיקה makes her like a married woman. רב יוסף objects that רבי שמעון is unsure even about זיקה plus מאמר, and the גמרא brings the משנה of three brothers to show that doubt. The discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

שׁוֹמֶרֶת יָבָם שֶׁקִּדֵּשׁ אָחִיו אֶת אֲחוֹתָהּ,

A woman waiting for her yavam, whose brother betrothed her sister,

מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתִירָה אָמְרוּ:

in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira they said:

אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: הַמְתֵּן

We say to him: Wait

עַד שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה אָחִיךָ מַעֲשֶׂה.

until your brother does an action.

The steps (29)

  1. Proofשמואל follows רבי יהודה בן בתירה, so he holds the bond is real
  2. QuestionWhy not say the ruling is רב's?
  3. Responseרב would contradict himself
  4. ChallengeMaybe two students argue about רב's view
  5. ResolutionAn explicit שמואל source beats a forced reading
  6. Statementרב זביד's version credits שמואל openly
  7. ProofThis fits שמואל's other ruling
  8. ResolutionWhy the ruling like רבי יהודה בן בתירה is needed
  9. ConclusionWhy the ruling about the mother is needed
  10. StatementNew משנה: a brother born after the יבום
  11. StatementIf the second brother only did מאמר
  12. Statementרבי שמעון: he may choose either woman
  13. Statementרב אושעיא: רבי שמעון argues in the first משנה too
  14. QuestionHow do we know?
  15. ResponseBecause a משנה would be extra
  16. QuestionWhose view is the first משנה?
  17. RejectionIt can't be just for the חכמים
  18. ResponseSo it must be needed for רבי שמעון
  19. ResolutionEach משנה shows how far one side goes
  20. QuestionWhen does the prohibition apply for רבי שמעון?
  21. ResponseTwo cases where רבי שמעון still forbids
  22. QuestionWhy permit her when the brother was born before the יבום?
  23. Responseרבי שמעון holds that זיקה makes her like a married woman
  24. Challengeרב יוסף: רבי שמעון is unsure even about זיקה plus מאמר
  25. QuestionWhere is this doubt of רבי שמעון found?
  26. ProofThe three brothers case: both widows do only חליצה
  27. StatementThe reason from the פסוק: only a woman tied to one יבם
  28. Statementרבי שמעון: יבום with one, חליצה with the other
  29. ProofWhy not יבום with both? Maybe the זיקה is real