Commentary for Yevamot 128:12

ודלמא אי אתיא שלישית נמי הוה אמר לה א"כ מאי אסהדותיה דר' חייא בר אבא ודלמא הא קמ"ל דאחיות מחזקות

now which of these is the latter?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The latter version of a statement is regarded as the more reliable, since the author may have recognized his error and changed his view. ');">²⁷</span> — Come and hear what R. Hiyya b. Abba stated in the name of R. Johanan: It once happened with four sisters at Sepphoris that when the first had circumcised her child he died; when the second [circumcised her child] he also died, and when the third [circumcised her child] he also died. The fourth came before R. Simeon b. Gamaliel who told her, 'You must not circumcise [the child]'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This incident must have occurred in the latter days of R. Simeon b. Gamaliel, since it was witnessed by R. Johanan who already belonged to the first generation of Amoraim. As the ruling in this incident clearly shews, R. Simeon b. Gamaliel held at that time the view attributed to him in the first cited Baraitha which must consequently be regarded as representing the later, and the more reliable version. ');">²⁸</span> But is it not possible that if the third sister had come he would also have told her the same!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And, consequently, the second Baraitha might represent the later version! ');">²⁹</span>

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