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Yevamos 29b

יבמות כ״ט ע״ב

Yevamot 29b

Learn Yevamos 29b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The strength of מאמר according to בית שמאי: whether it pushes away the צרה fully, and whether it makes נישואין or only אירוסין

Overview

The amud asks how strong מאמר, a יבם's verbal betrothal of his יבמה, is according to בית שמאי. An attempted proof from the two-sisters משנה fails, because a מאמר given where יבום is forbidden has no power at all. In רב אשי's version, רבי אלעזר says that for בית שמאי מאמר pushes away the צרה but leaves a remnant, so she still needs חליצה. רבי אבין supports this from the two-sisters משנה. The three-brothers משנה seems to show a full pushing away. The גמרא resolves this: a יבמה fit for full יבום gets a full-strength מאמר, and one who is not fit does not. Then רבה asks whether מאמר makes נישואין or only אירוסין. After אביי's challenges, the practical question becomes whether she still needs a חופה. The גמרא tries to answer from a משנה about a יבם cancelling a שומרת יבם's vows. Two answers block the proof: he may cancel only together with her father, or he cancels alone because the court made him support her.

Opening lines

וְאִי סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ

And if it enters your mind

מַאֲמָר לְבֵית שַׁמַּאי

that levirate betrothal, according to Beit Shammai,

קוֹנֶה קִנְיָן גָּמוּר:

acquires as a complete acquisition,

זֶה יַעֲשֶׂה מַאֲמָר וְיִקְנֶה,

then this one should perform levirate betrothal and acquire,

The steps (23)

  1. ProofAttempted proof that מאמר does not fully acquire for בית שמאי
  2. ChallengeThe same argument would disprove full pushing away
  3. Rejectionמאמר only works where יבום is permitted, so there is no proof
  4. Statementרב אשי's version: מאמר pushes away but leaves a remnant
  5. Proofרבי אבין brings support from the משנה of 'they may keep them'
  6. ChallengeBut another משנה shows מאמר fully pushes away
  7. ResolutionA fully fit יבמה gets a full-strength מאמר
  8. Questionרבה asks: is מאמר marriage or betrothal?
  9. Questionאביי asks: what law would this matter for?
  10. ChallengeIt can't be about inheritance, טומאה or vows
  11. Questionרבה's question is about bringing her to the wedding canopy
  12. Challengeאביי: she can be taken even against her will, so a canopy cannot be needed
  13. Resolutionרבה: maybe מאמר replaces the levirate bond with a betrothal bond
  14. ProofCome and hear: cancelling the vows of a woman waiting for her יבם
  15. ChallengeRecalling the difficulty with רבי אליעזר's view
  16. ResolutionThe case is after מאמר, following בית שמאי
  17. ProofAttempted proof that מאמר creates full marriage
  18. RejectionHe cancels only together with the father
  19. ChallengeHow does this fit רבי אלעזר's view of מאמר?
  20. Resolutionרבי אלעזר's limit was about חליצה, not vows
  21. ChallengeThe משנה says 'he cancels,' not 'they cancel'
  22. ResolutionThe case is where the court ordered him to support her
  23. StatementA woman vows with the agreement of the one who supports her