Yevamos 3b

יבמות ג׳ ע״ב

Yevamot 3b

Learn Yevamos 3b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Yevamos 3b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The count of fifteen in the משנה, the Torah source for the exemption of עריות and their צרות from יבום, and the start of the discussion of עשה דוחה לא תעשה

Overview

The גמרא explains that the number fifteen in the משנה shuts out the extra cases of רב (צרת סוטה) and רב אסי (צרת איילונית). It then works out what the count excludes according to רב and רב אסי themselves. It also explains why the משנה never listed their cases: those cases cannot lead to a צרת צרה. Next the גמרא asks for the Torah source of the whole rule. It brings a ברייתא that uses the word עליה, through a גזירה שוה with יבום, to show that a wife's sister stays forbidden even where יבום would apply. The word לצרור adds her צרה and the צרה of that צרה. A comparison to אחות אשה spreads the rule to every ערוה with כרת and חטאת who could marry the other brothers. That is why the six more severe עריות are left out. After giving the source of the punishment, the גמרא asks why עליה was needed at all, since עשה דוחה לא תעשה may not cover a לאו with כרת. It ends by asking where the basic rule of עשה דוחה לא תעשה comes from, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (23)

1. ResponseThe count in the משנה excludes the additions of רב and רב אסי
2. QuestionWhat does the count exclude according to רב and רב אסי?
3. ResponseIf they agree with each other: the counts exclude צרת ממאנת and צרת מחזיר גרושתו
4. ResponseIf they disagree: one count excludes the other's case, and one excludes one of the two cases
5. ChallengeWhy doesn't the משנה list the cases of רב and רב אסי?
6. ResolutionThose cases never lead to a rival of a rival
7. QuestionAsking for the source of the rule
8. ProofA ברייתא points to an extra word in the verse about a wife's sister
9. ResponseWithout the extra word, יבום might seem to override every ערוה
10. ConclusionEven where יבום is a מצוה, the Torah says do not take her
11. ProofThe wife's sister's rival is also exempt
12. ProofEven the rival of the rival is exempt
13. ProofApplying the rule to all other forbidden relatives
14. ProofThe rivals of all forbidden relatives are also exempt
15. ConclusionThe rule of the fifteen women
16. QuestionShould the six more severe forbidden relatives be included too?
17. ResponseThe comparison to a wife's sister has one more feature: she could marry the brothers
18. ConclusionThe six more severe עריות are excluded, so their co-wives are permitted
19. QuestionWe have the warning, but where is the punishment?
20. ResponseThe punishment comes from the verse about all the abominations
21. StatementWithout the word 'with her', we would have thought a wife's sister does יבום
22. ChallengeMaybe a positive commandment cannot push aside a prohibition with כרת
23. QuestionWhere do we learn that a positive commandment overrides even a plain prohibition?