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Yevamos 85a

יבמות פ״ה ע״א

Yevamot 85a

Learn Yevamos 85a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Women and the marriage bans of כהונה, and the money rights (כתובה, מזונות) of women in forbidden marriages.

Overview

The גמרא tries to prove from טומאת כהנים that רב יהודה's rule makes women liable even for a לאו שאין שוה בכל. The proof is rejected in two versions. Each version ties the verse "בני אהרן" to the words "לא יקחו" in a different way. Next, a story asks whether women who are כשרות are warned against marrying פסולין. רב פפא tries to prove it from the משנה of the ten lineages, and רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע rejects that proof. Then רב אידי בר אבין rules in the name of רב that they are not warned. רב ששת then teaches from a ברייתא that a woman who was a שניה to her first husband gets no כתובה, not even from the יבם. After that, רבי יוחנן rules that a woman in a marriage forbidden to a כהן gets no מזונות while her husband is alive. The ברייתא that gives her מזונות is about after his death. Finally, a ברייתא contrasts Torah-level forbidden marriages, where she keeps her money rights but becomes פסולה, with שניות, where she loses them but stays כשרה. רבי שמעון בן אלעזר begins explaining why, and his explanation continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וַהֲרֵי טוּמְאָה,

But there is impurity,

דְּלָאו שֶׁאֵין שָׁוֶה בַּכֹּל,

which is a prohibition that is not equal for all,

וְטַעְמָא דִּכְתַב רַחֲמָנָא

and the reason is that the Merciful One wrote

״בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן״ וְלֹא בְּנוֹת אַהֲרֹן,

"sons of Aaron", and not daughters of Aaron;

The steps (26)

  1. ProofA proof from the impurity of כהנים
  2. RejectionThe early assumption came from "they may not take"
  3. RejectionAnother version: the verse about taking was needed
  4. QuestionThe people of הינצבו ask about כשרות marrying פסולין
  5. Proofרב פפא brings a proof from the list of ten lineages
  6. RejectionThe list only names groups that can marry each other both ways
  7. Responseרב אידי בר אבין settles it: women who are fit are not warned
  8. QuestionDoes a woman forbidden only to her husband get a marriage contract from the יבם?
  9. QuestionThe two sides of the marriage-contract question
  10. Responseרב ששת answers from a ברייתא
  11. ChallengeDoes the ברייתא imply the יבם sometimes pays?
  12. ResolutionThe ברייתא is missing a line
  13. QuestionDo forbidden wives of a כהן get food support?
  14. ChallengeIf she lives with him, the answer is obvious
  15. ResolutionThe case: he went overseas and she borrowed for food
  16. QuestionThe two sides: food is part of the כתובה, or food delays the divorce
  17. Responseרבי יוחנן: she gets no food support
  18. ChallengeA ברייתא says she does get food support
  19. ResolutionThe ברייתא is talking about after his death
  20. ResponseSecond version: רבי יוחנן answers from a ברייתא
  21. ChallengeHe must divorce her, so no food support
  22. RejectionBut the ברייתא still says she gets it
  23. ResolutionAgain: the ברייתא means after his death
  24. StatementTorah-level forbidden marriages: she keeps her money rights
  25. StatementRabbinic-level forbidden relatives: no money rights, but no disqualification
  26. Statementרבי שמעון בן אלעזר begins explaining the reason