Yevamos 48a

יבמות מ״ח ע״א

Yevamot 48a

Learn Yevamos 48a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Can a slave be circumcised and brought into Judaism against his will? רבי שמעון בן אלעזר and the רבנן argue, and the גמרא explains the פסוק each side uses (״כׇּל עֶבֶד אִישׁ״). שמואל uses the same פסוק to teach that a master who gives up ownership of his slave sets him free.

Overview

This amud opens with the last words of רב ששת's proof from the יפת תואר. רבא then explains why רבי שמעון בן אלעזר holds that an adult slave may be circumcised against his will: he reads ״עֶבֶד אִישׁ״ as 'a slave who is an adult man.' According to עולא, the רבנן hold that no adult, slave or free, may be circumcised against his will. They use ״עֶבֶד אִישׁ״ for שמואל's rule instead: a slave whose master gives up ownership goes free without a גט שחרור. רב פפא then challenges רב ששת. He says a slave, who already keeps some מצוות, may not need to accept the מצוות even according to the רבנן, and he supports this with a ברייתא about a slave bought from a non-Jew. A phrase from the conversion ברייתא seems to contradict him, but the גמרא explains that it refers only to טבילה. Next the גמרא turns to the יפת תואר. רבי אליעזר says 'doing her nails' means cutting them, and רבי עקיבא says it means letting them grow. A פסוק about מפיבשת supports רבי אליעזר. The amud ends as a new ברייתא begins on her weeping for her parents, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (17)

1. ProofEnd of the proof: he would be permitted to her immediately
2. Proofרבא explains רבי שמעון בן אלעזר's source
3. QuestionHow do the רבנן deal with this?
4. Responseעולא: a slave is like a free adult
5. ChallengeBut the פסוק says 'slave of a man'
6. ResolutionThe פסוק is needed for שמואל's teaching
7. Statementשמואל: a slave his master gives up goes free
8. Challengeרב פפא: Maybe a Slave Differs From a Captive Woman
9. ProofA ברייתא Requiring Acceptance Only for a Slave Bought From a Non-Jew
10. ProofThe ברייתא Must Follow the רבנן
11. ChallengeA Phrase That Seems to Require a Freed Slave to Accept
12. ResolutionThat Phrase Is About Immersion Only
13. StatementDispute over what 'doing her nails' means
14. Proofרבי אליעזר's reason: nails are like hair, so they are removed
15. Proofרבי עקיבא's reason: nails are like hair, so she is made unattractive
16. ProofProof for רבי אליעזר from מפיבשת
17. StatementOpening a new ברייתא about her weeping for her parents