Yevamos 88b

יבמות פ״ח ע״ב

Yevamot 88b

Learn Yevamos 88b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

A woman who remarried amid conflicting testimony: רב's ruling that she need not leave, שמואל's rule about contradicting a single witness, and why she needs a גט from the second man.

Overview

רב ruled that when two witnesses say a husband died and two say he is alive, a woman who remarried need not leave. The גמרא objects that the new couple would owe an אשם תלוי. It answers that she married one of her own witnesses and says 'ברי לי'. Next it asks what רב adds beyond רבי מנחם ברבי יוסי, and gives two versions of how רב relates to him. רבא then challenges רב from a ברייתא about forcing a כהן, and the גמרא gives three answers. רב אשי instead reads רב as saying she stays permitted to her first husband. שמואל adds that she leaves only if she does not contradict a single witness, and the גמרא reconciles this with עולא's rule using רבי נחמיה's majority rule. Finally the גמרא asks why she needs a גט from the second man. רב הונא explains it as a גזירה, and the גמרא defends this using רבי יוסי בן כיפר. A new challenge from the משנה's later clause begins and continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (31)

1. ChallengeThe new husband would owe a doubtful sin-offering
2. ResolutionShe married one of her own witnesses
3. ChallengeBut the woman herself is still in doubt
4. ResolutionShe says she is certain
5. ChallengeThen what is new in רב's ruling?
6. ProofThe ברייתא of conflicting witnesses
7. Resolutionרב means witnesses who came before the marriage
8. ResolutionAnother version: רב agrees with רבי מנחם ברבי יוסי
9. Challengeרבא quotes a teaching about forcing a כהן
10. ChallengeProving the teaching must contradict רב
11. ResolutionProhibitions of כהונה are different
12. ResolutionForcing him only with clear witnesses
13. ResolutionThe ברייתא follows רבי מנחם ברבי יוסי
14. Statementרב אשי's new reading of רב
15. Challengeרב already said this once
16. ResolutionOne ruling was inferred from the other
17. Statementשמואל: she leaves only if she does not contradict
18. QuestionWhat case is שמואל talking about?
19. ResponseIt must be one witness, so silence means she leaves
20. Challengeעולא: one trusted witness counts like two
21. ResolutionThe case involves disqualified witnesses, like רבי נחמיה
22. Proofרבי נחמיה: follow the majority of opinions
23. ResolutionA second answer: עולא's rule applies only when a valid witness came first
24. ResolutionRewording רבי נחמיה's teaching to fit the second answer
25. ChallengeWhy does she need a גט from the second husband?
26. Resolutionרב הונא: a rabbinic decree so people will not get the wrong idea
27. ChallengeChallenge from the later clause: a woman who was only engaged may go back
28. ResolutionEven after an engagement she needs a גט
29. ChallengeThen it looks like he is taking back his divorced wife
30. ResolutionThe משנה follows רבי יוסי בן כיפר
31. ChallengeA new challenge from the later clause of the משנה