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Yevamos 55b

יבמות נ״ה ע״ב

Yevamot 55b

Learn Yevamos 55b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Defining העראה: its sources, the three uses of 'שכבת זרע', and the reports of רבי יוחנן about what counts as העראה and גמר ביאה

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a list of sources showing that הַעֲרָאָה (the first stage of relations) counts as full ביאה. A גזרה שוה of 'ביאה' covers prohibitions and יבום, and a גזרה שוה of 'קיחה' covers קידושין. Then רבא asks why the תורה writes 'שכבת זרע' by שפחה חרופה, by אשת איש, and by סוטה. By שפחה חרופה it requires a complete act. By אשת איש it excludes relations with a dead woman. By סוטה, after the attempts of רב ששת, רבא and אביי, the גמרא concludes that a husband's warning about mere closeness 'by way of limbs' does not count. Next, שמואל defines העראה as outer contact ('kissing'). Several sages then bring different reports of רבי יוחנן's view. רבה בר בר חנה says הכנסת עטרה is a complete act with a שפחה חרופה. רב דימי, רבין and רב שמואל בר יהודה say it is only העראה, and that גמר ביאה is literally a complete act.

Opening lines

אָתְיָא ״בִּיאָה״ ״בִּיאָה״.

It is derived from 'entering' and 'entering.'

יְבָמָה לַשּׁוּק, מְנָלַן?

A yevama to the general public, from where do we derive it?

אִי לְמַאן דְּאָמַר לָאו — לָאו,

If according to the one who says it is a prohibition, it is a prohibition,

אִי לְמַאן דְּאָמַר עֲשֵׂה — עֲשֵׂה.

if according to the one who says it is a positive מצוה, it is a positive מצוה.

The steps (32)

  1. ResponseProhibitions from a positive command are learned from the word 'entering'
  2. QuestionAsking about a יבמה with an outside man
  3. RejectionNo separate source is needed for the יבמה and the outside man
  4. QuestionThe real question: how a יבם acquires through העראה
  5. Responseיבום is also learned from 'entering'
  6. QuestionAsking about קידושין through העראה
  7. Responseקידושין is learned from the word 'taking'
  8. QuestionWhy is 'cohabitation with seed' written three times?
  9. ResponseThe maidservant as explained; the married woman excludes a limp organ
  10. ChallengeThis answer fails for the view that a limp organ still makes one liable
  11. ResolutionNew answer: the married-woman phrase excludes relations with a dead woman
  12. QuestionWhy is the phrase needed by sotah?
  13. ResponseA ברייתא: the phrase excludes 'something else'
  14. QuestionWhat does 'something else' mean?
  15. Responseרב ששת: a warning about unnatural relations
  16. Challengeרבא objects: 'the lyings of a woman' includes both ways
  17. Responseרבא's new explanation: a warning about closeness through other limbs
  18. Challengeאביי objects: the Torah never forbids mere immodesty
  19. Responseאביי's explanation: a warning about 'kissing'
  20. Challengeאביי's answer only works for one opinion about העראה
  21. ResolutionBack to רבא: the verse was needed because of the husband's objection
  22. Statementשמואל: העראה is 'kissing', like a finger on the lips
  23. Statementרבה בר בר חנה reports רבי יוחנן's definition of a complete act
  24. Challengeרב ששת challenges from the words 'שכבת זרע'
  25. Resolution'Finished' means finishing the עטרה
  26. Statementרב דימי reports that הכנסת עטרה is only העראה
  27. ChallengeThe listeners point out the contradiction
  28. Responseרב דימי: one of us quoted wrongly
  29. Statementרבין gives the same report as רב דימי
  30. QuestionDoes רבין's report disagree with שמואל too?
  31. ResponseFrom outer contact up to the עטרה is all העראה
  32. Statementרב שמואל בר יהודה's report: העראה and גמר ביאה defined