Yevamos 38b

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Yevamot 38b

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Topic

How strong is the bond (זיקה) between a יבמה and the יבם? The גמרא proves that the זיקה gives her only a 'doubtful' (ספק) status, like a ספק ארוסה or ספק נשואה, and uses this to explain the property rulings in our משנה.

Overview

The גמרא explains the משנה about a שומרת יבם (a widow waiting for יבום) who receives property. It proves that the זיקה gives her only a doubtful status: זיקת ארוסה עושה ספק ארוסה, shown from בית הלל letting her sell, and זיקת נשואה עושה ספק נשואה, shown from בית שמאי splitting her property after death. רבה challenges this reading, because the dispute should then have appeared over the produce while she is alive. He offers his own explanation instead. While she lives, her claim is certain and the יבם's claim is only doubtful, and a ספק cannot take from a ודאי. After she dies, both sets of heirs come to inherit, so they split. אביי objects with the collapsed-house משנה, where בית שמאי let a doubtful creditor share with the certain heirs. רבה answers that בית שמאי hold שטר העומד לגבות כגבוי דמי, and he proves it from the סוטה משנה. The גמרא then explains why אביי did not challenge from the סוטה case or from the כתובה in our משנה, with רב אשי supporting the answer from the משנה's wording. Finally אביי gives his own answer: the two parts of the משנה deal with property that came to her at different times.

Opening lines

The steps (28)

1. StatementThe second half of the principle: a married woman's bond creates a doubtful marriage
2. ProofWhy the engaged woman's bond must be only a doubt
3. ProofThe משנה in כתובות: בית הלל forbid an engaged woman to sell
4. ConclusionConclusion: the engaged woman's bond is only a doubtful engagement
5. ProofStarting the proof for the married woman's bond
6. ProofA definite husband takes back property even from buyers
7. ConclusionSo the bond makes her only a doubtful married woman
8. ChallengeWhy not argue about the produce while she is alive?
9. Resolutionרבה: while she is alive, a doubt cannot take from her
10. ResolutionAfter her death, both sides split
11. Challengeאביי questions רבה's rule and starts quoting a משנה
12. ChallengeThe two sides argue over who died first
13. Challengeבית שמאי say divide; בית הלל say the property stays where it was
14. Challengeאביי's point: here a doubtful claim takes from a certain claim
15. Resolutionבית שמאי treat a debt document as already collected
16. ProofSource: the suspected wives whose husbands died
17. ChallengeHow could she drink without her husband?
18. ResolutionSince they cannot drink, they cannot collect
19. ProofHer claim is only a doubt, yet she collects
20. ConclusionConclusion: a debt document counts as collected
21. ChallengeWhy didn't אביי challenge רבה from the סוטה case?
22. ResolutionA woman's כתובה may be special because of חינא
23. ChallengeWhy not challenge from the כתובה in our own משנה?
24. Resolutionבית שמאי don't argue about the כתובה there
25. ChallengeBut the משנה clearly mentions the כתובה
26. ResolutionRereading the משנה: the כתובה question is left open
27. ProofThe wording of the משנה supports the new reading
28. Resolutionאביי: the two parts of the משנה talk about property received at different times