Yevamos 30b

יבמות ל׳ ע״ב

Yevamot 30b

Learn Yevamos 30b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Yevamos 30b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Pairing the views on the זיקה with readings of ״זוֹ הִיא״, and how doubtful קידושין or גירושין affect the צרות

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a debate about the זיקה, the bond between a widow and her dead husband's brothers. רב אשי held that the זיקה is strong, and רב נחמן held that it is weak. After defending רב אשי, the גמרא asks how רב נחמן explains the words ״זוֹ הִיא״ in our משנה. It answers that they exclude a brother who did יבום first and divorced afterward. That answer works only with רבי ירמיה's view that two משניות come from different תנאים: one says the moment of death decides, and the other says the original marriage decides. The גמרא then pairs the views: רב נחמן must hold like רבי ירמיה, and רבא must hold like רב אשי. A new משנה follows. If a forbidden relative's קידושין or גירושין is in doubt, her צרות do חליצה and not יבום, and the משנה gives examples of each kind of doubt. רבה explains why a thrown גט is not listed: a doubt cannot take away a woman's presumed freedom to marry. אביי challenges this from the קידושין case. The גמרא answers that we are strict there, then objects that this strictness could lead to a leniency, and the discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (20)

1. ResolutionThe earlier משנה teaches that we do not follow בית שמאי
2. ChallengeThe reverse problem: רב אשי's reading challenges רב נחמן
3. ResolutionProposed answer: the order does not matter
4. ChallengeThen what does ״זוֹ הִיא״ exclude?
5. ResolutionIt excludes the case of יבום first and divorce afterward
6. ChallengeThis only works if we follow רבי ירמיה
7. StatementDeath decides or first marriage decides
8. ChallengeUsing רבא's view, ״זוֹ הִיא״ seems to exclude nothing
9. Conclusionרב נחמן must hold like רבי ירמיה
10. ChallengeTesting רבא's view against רב אשי and רב נחמן
11. Conclusionרבא must hold like רב אשי
12. StatementNew משנה: a doubtful marriage or divorce means חליצה, not יבום
13. StatementExample of a doubtful קידושין
14. StatementExamples of a doubtful divorce
15. QuestionWhy no doubtful-distance case for divorce?
16. Responseרבה: don't forbid her because of a doubt
17. Challengeאביי: then קידושין should be lenient too
18. ResolutionThere we rule strictly
19. ChallengeBeing strict here could lead to a leniency: the sister case
20. ChallengeA second example: another man betroths the woman herself