Gemara Clarity

Yevamos 35b

יבמות ל״ה ע״ב

Yevamot 35b

Learn Yevamos 35b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Yevamos 35b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

חליצה or ייבום with a יבמה who turns out to be pregnant, and whether such acts count

Overview

This amud deals with a surprise: a יבם does חליצה or ייבום, and then it turns out the widow was pregnant from her late husband. The משנה rules that everything depends on whether the baby is viable. A viable baby means there was never a יבום bond, so the חליצה is void and the ייבום was a forbidden marriage. A non-viable baby means the bond was real, so the חליצה counts and the ייבום stands. The גמרא then brings a dispute about a חליצה done with a pregnant woman who later miscarried. רבי יוחנן says it counts, and ריש לקיש says it does not. Each side tests its view against the משנה's wording, in two versions of the exchange. A ברייתא about the widow's צרה leads אביי to say that everyone agrees ביאה with a pregnant woman does not count, and that the argument is only about חליצה. רבא challenges that split at the end of the amud, and his proof continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

הַחוֹלֵץ לִיבִמְתּוֹ

One who performs chalitza with his yevama

וְנִמְצֵאת מְעוּבֶּרֶת וְיָלְדָה,

and she is found to be pregnant and gives birth,

בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַוָּלָד שֶׁל קַיָּימָא —

when the child is viable —

הוּא מוּתָּר בִּקְרוֹבוֹתֶיהָ,

he is permitted to her relatives,

The steps (27)

  1. Statementחליצה, then a viable baby is born
  2. Statementחליצה, then a non-viable baby is born
  3. Statementייבום, then a viable baby is born
  4. Statementייבום, then a non-viable baby is born
  5. StatementA baby of uncertain father after ייבום
  6. StatementDispute: חליצה with a pregnant woman who then miscarried
  7. StatementThe reason behind each opinion
  8. QuestionWhat is the root of their dispute?
  9. ResponseThe reasoning approach: רבי יוחנן says the truth is revealed after the fact
  10. Responseריש לקיש rejects the idea of revealing after the fact
  11. ResponseThe verse approach: two readings of 'and he has no child'
  12. Challengeרבי יוחנן challenges ריש לקיש from the משנה's ruling on the priesthood
  13. Resolutionריש לקיש answers that the disqualification is only rabbinic
  14. ChallengeSecond version: ריש לקיש challenges רבי יוחנן from the same משנה
  15. Resolutionרבי יוחנן answers that the wording matches the first part of the משנה
  16. Challengeרבי יוחנן challenges ריש לקיש from the case of ייבום
  17. ChallengeAccording to ריש לקיש, the משנה should have said 'do ייבום again'
  18. Resolution'Keep her' already means doing ייבום again
  19. ChallengeSecond version: ריש לקיש uses 'keep her' against רבי יוחנן
  20. Resolutionרבי יוחנן: the wording just matches the first part
  21. ChallengeA ברייתא about the צרה when the יבמה turns out pregnant
  22. ChallengeThe ברייתא's reason seems backwards
  23. ResolutionFixing the wording: 'in case the baby is NOT viable'
  24. ChallengeWhy the Corrected ברייתא Challenges רבי יוחנן
  25. Resolutionאביי: Everyone Agrees About ביאה, and the Argument Is About חליצה
  26. Statementאביי Spells Out Each Side's View
  27. Challengeרבא: ביאה and חליצה Must Go Together