Gemara Clarity

Yevamos 9a

יבמות ט׳ ע״א

Yevamot 9a

Learn Yevamos 9a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Yevamos 9a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Sources for the כרת requirement in sin-offerings, and why the משנה counts fifteen women

Overview

This amud asks where we learn that the sin-offerings for a mistaken sin, brought by an individual, a נשיא, the משיח or the community, apply only to sins that carry כרת when done on purpose. רבי learns it from the word "עליה," which links the communal offering to the prohibition of אחות אשה. From there, other links like "לאשמת העם," "מצות," "מעיני" and the ו of "ואם נפש" carry the rule to every case, including עבודה זרה. The רבנן use "עליה" for the צרות, so they learn the rule from "תורה אחת," which compares the whole Torah to עבודה זרה. רבי uses "תורה אחת" instead to teach that individuals and the many bring the same offering for עבודה זרה, even though their punishments differ. רב חלקיה asks why that is needed, and the גמרא gives two answers. Then לוי asks רבי why the משנה lists fifteen women and not sixteen. רבי answers that the extra case is disputed, and our chapter lists only agreed cases. The גמרא tests that rule against several cases, and a new challenge continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְלֹא בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה,

And not for idolatry either,

אֶלָּא עַל דָּבָר

except for a matter

שֶׁחַיָּיבִין עַל זְדוֹנוֹ כָּרֵת

for whose intentional violation one is liable to כרת

וְשִׁגְגָתוֹ חַטָּאת.

and for its unintentional violation a sin-offering.

The steps (32)

  1. StatementIdolatry also needs a כרת-level act
  2. StatementWhich offering each person brings
  3. QuestionWhat is the source?
  4. ResponseThe word "עליה" links to the wife's sister
  5. QuestionWhat about the משיח?
  6. ResponseThe משיח is like the community
  7. ResponseThe individual and the נשיא are learned from the word "מצות"
  8. ResponseThe community's offering for עבודה זרה is learned from the word "מעיני"
  9. ResponseThe individual, נשיא and משיח in עבודה זרה are learned from "ואם נפש אחת"
  10. ConclusionThe single person's rule is learned from the community's
  11. QuestionWhere do the Rabbis get this rule?
  12. ResponseOne law compares the whole Torah to idolatry
  13. QuestionWhat about the community in idolatry?
  14. ResponseThe upper section learns from the lower
  15. QuestionWhat about the community in other commandments?
  16. ResponseLearned from the word from the eyes
  17. QuestionWhat does רבי do with one law?
  18. Responseרבי needs it for a teaching about individuals and the many
  19. ResponseThe ברייתא finishes: different punishments, but the same offering
  20. Challengeרב חלקיה asks: without the פסוק, what else could they bring?
  21. ChallengeEvery possible offering is already taken
  22. ResolutionWe might have reversed the animals of the צבור
  23. ResolutionOr: they need a different קרבן but have none
  24. Challengeלוי asks why the משנה says fifteen and not sixteen
  25. Rejectionרבי's sharp response
  26. QuestionWhat did לוי have in mind? His mother raped by his father
  27. ResponseThe sixteenth case is in dispute, so the משנה leaves it out
  28. ChallengeBut the משנה does include איסור מצוה and איסור קדושה
  29. ResolutionThe rule only applies to our chapter
  30. ChallengeBut our chapter has the dispute of בית שמאי and בית הלל
  31. Resolutionבית שמאי's view against בית הלל does not count as a real dispute
  32. ChallengeA new challenge from the brother who was never alive with his brother