Commentary for Yoma 36:3

והתניא ר' אליעזר בן יעקב אומר לא ישא אדם אשה במדינה זו וילך וישא אשה במדינה אחרת שמא יזדווגו זה אצל זה ונמצא אח נושא אחותו (ואב נושא בתו) וממלא כל העולם כולו ממזרות ועל זה נאמר (ויקרא יט, כט) ומלאה הארץ זמה אמרי רבנן קלא אית להו

Whenever Rab came to Darshis,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Be-Ardashir near Mahuza.');">⁴</span> he would announce: Who would be mine for a day?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who would marry me for one day. 'This strange statement, completely contradicted by the saintly character of both Rab (v. 'Er. 100a, Hag. 5a, Keth. 48b, Sanh. 76a) and R. Nahman, has been explained through an account in Babli 76b. King Shapur entertained two guests, Bati b. Toba and Mar Judah. In accordance with Persian custom, he " honoured"="" them="" by="" sending="" to="" each="" a="" concubine.="" this="" gift="" was="" rejected="" mar="" judah,="" but="" accepted="" bar="" toba.="" rab="" and="" r.="" nahman,="" as="" leaders="" of="" their="" people="" would="" find="" themselves="" similarly="" embarrassed="" such="" attention,="" on="" the="" occasion="" official="" visits="" persian="" cities.="" some="" princes="" are="" known="" have="" taken="" refusal="" "gift"="" serious="" affront.="" in="" order="" avoid="" complications,="" these="" rabbis="" hit="" upon="" device="" declaring="" married,="" i.e.,="" provided="" with="" wife="" city="" they="" visited,="" going="" length="" marrying="" "for="" day"="" local="" wife,="" thus="" helping="" escape="" royal="" "gift".'="" for="" another="" explanation="" v.="" yeb.,="" sonc.="" ed.,="" p.="" 235="" n.="" 7.');"="">⁵</span> Whenever R'Nahman would come to Shekunzib<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the eastern bank of the Tigris.');">⁶</span> he would have it announced: Who will be mine for a day?

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