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Yevamos 45a

יבמות מ״ה ע״א

Yevamot 45a

Learn Yevamos 45a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Is the child of a גוי or an עבד with a בת ישראל a ממזר, כשר, or only פגום for כהונה?

Overview

The גמרא asks whether a child born to a Jewish woman from a גוי or an עבד is a ממזר. First it tries to explain who "הכל מודים" includes. A ברייתא knocks down the first answer, so רב יוסף says it includes רבי, quoting רב דימי's report that רבי calls the child a ממזר. רבי אמי rules the same way in a real case, citing רבי יוחנן, רבי אלעזר and רבי חנינא. רב יוסף answers that counting names proves nothing, since רב, שמואל, רבי יהושע בן לוי and others call the child כשר. The lenient Sages still agree the child is פגום for כהונה, which the גמרא proves with a קל וחומר from an אלמנה and a פסוק. אביי then points to רבין's report that רבי is lenient. רב, רב מתנה, רב יהודה and רבא all treat the child as כשר, and the story of רב refusing his daughter does not change his ruling. רבה adds that the child of a half-slave is surely כשר, and רב יוסף begins a statement that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

מֵחַיָּיבֵי לָאוִין דְּתָפְסִי בְּהוּ קִדּוּשִׁין,

to those forbidden by a negative prohibition, with whom betrothal takes effect,

אֲבָל הָכָא, גּוֹי וְעֶבֶד,

but here, a gentile and a slave,

כֵּיוָן דְּלָא תָּפְסִי בְּהוּ קִדּוּשִׁין —

since betrothal does not take effect with them —

כְּחַיָּיבֵי כָּרֵיתוֹת דְּמֵי.

it is like those liable for karet.

The steps (29)

  1. ResponseWhy even the strict view would agree about a gentile or a slave
  2. ChallengeA ברייתא shows the strict view disagrees
  3. Resolutionרב יוסף: "Everyone" includes רבי
  4. ProofProof that רבי holds the child is a ממזר
  5. QuestionA real case: a redeemed captive pregnant from a gentile
  6. Responseרבי אמי: Three great אמוראים say the child is a ממזר
  7. RejectionCounting famous names proves nothing
  8. Statementרב יוסף rules like רבי
  9. Statementרבי יהושע בן לוי: the child is spoiled
  10. QuestionSpoiled for whom?
  11. ResponseSpoiled means unfit for כהונה
  12. ProofA קל וחומר from an אלמנה
  13. ChallengeThe widow herself becomes disqualified
  14. ResolutionHere too, the woman becomes disqualified
  15. ProofA פסוק shows a גוי or עבד disqualifies the woman
  16. Challengeאביי asks why to rely on רב דימי
  17. Proofרבין reports that רבי is lenient
  18. Proofרב also ruled leniently: the story begins
  19. Responseרב rules the child is כשר
  20. StatementThe man asks for רב's daughter and is refused
  21. Challengeשימי בר חייא challenges רב with the camel proverb
  22. Resolutionרב says his refusal has nothing to do with the ruling
  23. Rejectionשימי says this man has no other options
  24. ConclusionThe man keeps pressing and dies
  25. Statementרב מתנה and רב יהודה also rule leniently
  26. ProofProof from the advice of רב יהודה and רבא
  27. QuestionThe people of בי מיכסי ask about a half-slave
  28. Responseרבה: if a full slave's child is כשר, surely a half-slave's child is
  29. Statementרב יוסף begins: the master of this teaching