Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Commentary for Yevamot 70:20

מיתיבי הכונס את יבמתו ונמצאת מעוברת הרי זו לא תנשא צרתה שמא יהא ולד בן קיימא אדרבה כי הוי הולד בן קיימא מיפטרה צרתה אלא אימא שמא לא יהא הולד בן קיימא

with a pregnant woman is not a valid marriage, it should have been stated, 'He must repeat contact and only then he may retain her'! — The meaning of HE MAY RETAIN HER is that he must repeat contact and then HE MAY RETAIN HER, but not otherwise.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'it is not enough without such'. V. Emden, a.l. Cur. edd. omit the last two words. ');"><sup>36</sup></span> Others say: Resh Lakish raised an objection against R. Johanan: IF THE CHILD IS NOT VIABLE HE MAY RETAIN HER. This is quite correct according to my view; since I maintain that the <i>halizah</i> of a pregnant woman is not a valid <i>halizah</i> and marital contact with a pregnant woman is not a valid marriage, it was rightly stated HE MAY RETAIN HER, [meaning that] he must repeat contact and then HE MAY RETAIN HER, since otherwise this<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The option of either retaining or divorcing her. ');"><sup>37</sup></span>

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