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Yevamos 99a

יבמות צ״ט ע״א

Yevamot 99a

Learn Yevamos 99a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Cases of doubtful lineage: mixed-up babies and חליצה, רבי מאיר's 'five nations', a son selling his slave father for a כתובה, and the משנה on mixed-up babies for יבום and תרומה

Overview

This amud brings several cases about unusual family situations. First a ברייתא shows how a man might do חליצה with a woman who could be his mother, sister or daughter. This happens because babies born 'in hiding' got mixed up, so יבום is impossible and he does חליצה with every woman who might be his יבמה. Next, רבי מאיר shows how one couple, a slave and a maidservant, can have children of five different statuses: גר, גוי, עבד, ממזר and ישראל. The גמרא says the point is that the child of a גוי or עבד with a Jewish woman is a ממזר. Another ברייתא describes a son who sells his own slave father to pay his mother's כתובה. The גמרא explains that it follows רבי מאיר, who holds that מטלטלין are tied up for a כתובה, or else it teaches that a slave counts like קרקע. Then a new משנה rules on יבום and חליצה when a woman's baby got mixed up with her daughter-in-law's baby. Finally, the משנה starts a case of a כהנת's baby mixed up with her שפחה's baby: both eat תרומה but receive one share. This case continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן:

The Rabbis taught:

יֵשׁ חוֹלֵץ לְאִמּוֹ מִסָּפֵק,

There is one who performs חליצה with his mother due to doubt,

לַאֲחוֹתוֹ מִסָּפֵק,

with his sister due to doubt,

לְבִתּוֹ מִסָּפֵק.

with his daughter due to doubt.

The steps (17)

  1. StatementThree surprising cases of doubtful חליצה
  2. StatementHow a man does חליצה with his mother out of doubt
  3. StatementHow a man does חליצה with his sister out of doubt
  4. StatementHow a man does חליצה with his daughter out of doubt
  5. StatementOne couple can have children of five nations
  6. StatementHow the five statuses come about
  7. QuestionWhat is this case really teaching?
  8. StatementA son can sell his father to pay his mother's marriage contract
  9. StatementHow a son ends up selling his father
  10. QuestionWhat is this ברייתא teaching?
  11. ResponseFirst answer: it follows רבי מאיר on movable property
  12. ResponseSecond answer: a slave counts like land
  13. StatementMixed-up babies: the daughter-in-law's sons may only do חליצה
  14. StatementThe grandmother's sons may do חליצה or יבום
  15. StatementReverse case: mixed-up men with the grandmother's sons' widows
  16. StatementMixed-up men with the daughter-in-law's sons' widows
  17. StatementA priestess's baby mixed up with her maidservant's baby