Gemara Clarity

Yevamos 34b

יבמות ל״ד ע״ב

Yevamot 34b

Learn Yevamos 34b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Pregnancy from first relations (תמר, ער and אונן, a כלה's טומאה), the ten-year rule, and שמואל's three-month wait

Overview

The amud opens with a challenge to the rule that a woman does not conceive from her first act of relations, since תמר did. The גמרא answers that תמר had already broken her hymen herself. It explains that ער and אונן never had normal relations with her, and it learns from a פסוק that ער acted like אונן. Next comes a ברייתא where רבי יהודה and the חכמים argue about what the word 'אותה' excludes from the טומאה of relations. רב נחמן explains that רבי יהודה exempts a כלה because a woman does not conceive from her first relations. Then רבי יוחנן teaches that a woman who waited ten years before remarrying will not give birth. רב נחמן limits this rule, and two stories back it up. Finally שמואל rules who must wait three months before marrying, and the גמרא works out that his case of a minor בת ישראל is about זנות.

Opening lines

וְהָא תָּמָר בְּבִיאָה רִאשׁוֹנָה אִיעַבַּרָא!

But Tamar became pregnant from the first act of intercourse!

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תָּמָר בְּאֶצְבַּע מִעֲכָה.

He said to him: Tamar broke [her hymen] with her finger.

דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק:

As Rabbi Yitzḥak said:

כׇּל מוֹעֹכוֹת שֶׁל בֵּית רַבִּי — תָּמָר שְׁמָן,

All those [women] of the household of Rabbi who broke [their hymens], their name is Tamar,

The steps (23)

  1. ChallengeChallenge from תמר's first pregnancy
  2. Resolutionתמר had already removed her virginity
  3. ProofSupport from רבי יצחק's nickname 'תמר'
  4. ChallengeWhat about ער and אונן?
  5. Resolutionער and אונן were not with her in the normal way
  6. ChallengeA ברייתא compares 'spilling outside' to ער and אונן
  7. ResolutionThe comparison is only partial
  8. QuestionWhere do we see that ער did this too?
  9. Response'He killed him too': the same death
  10. QuestionWhy would ער do this?
  11. Responseער wanted to protect her beauty
  12. StatementA ברייתא: what the word 'אותה' excludes
  13. QuestionIs רבי יהודה protecting the bride's adornments?
  14. ResponseThe reason: no pregnancy from first relations
  15. QuestionWhat exactly do they argue about?
  16. ResponseHow each side reads the פסוק
  17. StatementA woman who waited ten years will not give birth
  18. Statementרב נחמן limits the rule to a woman who had no plan to remarry
  19. Proofרבא's wife: her mind was on him
  20. ProofThe woman before רב יוסף confesses
  21. Statementשמואל: Everyone waits three months, except a minor convert and a minor freed maidservant
  22. QuestionWhich case of a minor Jewish girl does שמואל mean?
  23. ResponseAnswer: שמואל means a minor who had relations through זנות