Yevamos 78b

יבמות ע״ח ע״ב

Yevamot 78b

Learn Yevamos 78b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Fetal טבילה, lineage of mixed converts, and the permanent ban on ממזרים and נתינים

Overview

This amud first finishes a question about a pregnant woman who converts. The womb fully covers the fetus, so why isn't it a barrier (חציצה) to its טבילה? The גמרא answers that the womb is the fetus's natural place of growth. Next, רבי יוחנן teaches that among non-Jews a child follows the father, but after conversion the child follows the more flawed parent. The case is an עמוני man married to a מצרית woman: a son is עמוני and a daughter is מצרית. A new משנה then rules that ממזרים and נתינים are forbidden forever, men and women alike. ריש לקיש permits a ממזרת after ten generations, and the גמרא explains this as a disagreement over how far a גזירה שוה reaches. The גמרא also teaches that a hidden ממזר does not survive, while a known one does. Finally, it begins the story of how דוד came to decree against the גבעונים during a three-year famine, and the story continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (38)

1. Challengeרב כהנא: a full covering is a barrier
2. ResolutionA fetus is different: this is how it grows
3. Statementרבי יוחנן: lineage among nations and after conversion
4. ProofProof from a ברייתא: a son of a Canaanite mother may be bought
5. ProofThe other side: a son of a Canaanite father may not be bought
6. QuestionWhich case is 'the more flawed of the two' about?
7. RejectionNot an Egyptian man with an Ammonite woman
8. ResponseThe case: an Ammonite man with an Egyptian woman
9. Statementממזרים and נתינים are forbidden forever, males and females alike
10. StatementA ממזרת is permitted after ten generations
11. ProofLearning from the word 'tenth' in the verses about Ammonites and Moabites
12. ChallengeThen she should be permitted right away
13. ResolutionThe analogy only works from the tenth generation on
14. ChallengeBut the משנה says females are forbidden forever
15. Resolutionריש לקיש follows the opinion of 'learn from it fully'
16. ResolutionOur משנה follows the 'learn it and keep it in its place' method
17. QuestionStudents ask about a ממזרת after ten generations
18. Responseרבי אליעזר: find me even a third generation
19. StatementA ממזר does not survive
20. ChallengeBut the משנה says the ban is forever
21. ResolutionIt depends on whether the ממזר is known
22. Statementרבי אמי: 'I have given you life'
23. Statementדוד made the decree against the גבעונים
24. QuestionWhy did דוד make this decree?
25. ResponseThe famine begins and idol worship is checked first
26. ResponseSecond year: forbidden relationships are checked
27. ResponseThird year: false charity pledges are checked
28. Responseדוד realizes the problem depends on him
29. QuestionHow did דוד seek ה׳?
30. ResponseHe asked through the אורים ותומים
31. QuestionWhere do we see that from?
32. ResponseLearning it from the word 'presence' in both verses
33. Statementה׳'s answer: שאול's הספד and the גבעונים
34. ChallengeWhere did שאול ever kill the גבעונים?
35. ResolutionDestroying נוב counts as killing the גבעונים
36. ChallengeHow can one פסוק both defend and accuse שאול?
37. ResolutionWhere one is judged, his good deeds are mentioned too
38. Statementדוד begins his response about שאול's הספד