Yevamos 44a

יבמות מ״ד ע״א

Yevamot 44a

Learn Yevamos 44a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Which widow receives יבום or חליצה, why only one of two wives is handled, and רבי עקיבא's view that a child from a חלוצה's relative is a ממזר.

Overview

The amud opens with the end of a משנה: if one widow may marry a כהן and the other may not, חליצה is done with the one who is already unfit. The גמרא first rereads 'four brothers' as 'four of the brothers.' It then shows that the eldest may marry all four widows only if he can support them, and that stopping at four is good advice so each wife gets her עונה. Next it asks why a יבם deals with only one of two wives. The singular 'house' in the פסוקים allows only one יבום or one חליצה. The rule that only a woman eligible for יבום can have חליצה rules out mixing the two. The repeated word 'יבמתו' shows that יבום still applies when there are two wives. רב יוסף learns from the משנה not to cause others a needless loss. A new משנה follows: רבי עקיבא and the חכמים argue over whether a child from remarrying a divorcée, a חלוצה, or a חלוצה's relative is a ממזר. After trying to change the משנה's wording, the גמרא keeps it, explaining that for רבי עקיבא the Torah calls the חלוצה 'his house.' The amud ends as רב יוסף begins listing cases where everyone agrees, a teaching that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (37)

1. StatementChoosing which widow gets חליצה and which gets יבום
2. ChallengeCould all four brothers have died?
3. ResolutionRead it as 'four of the brothers'
4. ChallengeDo they really let him marry all four?
5. ProofThe elders must give the יבם good advice
6. ProofExample: do not bring fighting into your home
7. ResolutionOnly when he can support them all
8. ChallengeThen why stop at four?
9. ResolutionGood advice: no more than four
10. ChallengeWhy not יבום with both wives?
11. ResolutionHe builds only one house
12. ChallengeWhy not חליצה with both?
13. ResolutionHe does חליצה for only one house
14. ChallengeWhy not יבום with one and חליצה with the other?
15. Resolutionחליצה only where יבום is possible
16. ResolutionA second reason: a house half built and half released
17. ChallengeSo what if people say it?
18. ResolutionThe real danger: חליצה first, then יבום
19. ChallengeMaybe two wives means no יבום at all
20. ProofProof from צרת ערוה that two wives can do יבום
21. RejectionThe proof fails: the ערוה might have been ignored
22. ProofThe double word 'his יבמה' includes a case of two wives
23. StatementDo not spill water that others need
24. Statementרבי עקיבא: these forbidden marriages produce a ממזר
25. StatementThe חכמים: no ממזר, except with a relative of a divorcée
26. ChallengeCan a rabbinic prohibition make a child a ממזר?
27. ResolutionChange the משנה's wording to a divorcée's relative
28. ProofThe word 'they agree' supports the fix
29. RejectionMaybe 'they agree' teaches a ממזר from כרת
30. ResolutionThat rule is already taught in a later משנה
31. RejectionMaybe the משנה is stated anonymously to show the halacha
32. ResolutionThen why pick a divorcée's relative?
33. ConclusionIt seems רבי עקיבא spoke about a divorcée's relative
34. RejectionMaybe the divorcée's relative was only listed alongside similar cases
35. ResolutionKeep the original wording: for רבי עקיבא a חלוצה's relative is a Torah prohibition
36. ProofThe פסוק calls the חלוצה connection 'his house'
37. Statementרב יוסף begins: all agree about one who remarries his divorcée