Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Quoting%20commentary for Yevamot 228:19

איבעיא להו החזיקה היא מלחמה בעולם מהו מי אמרינן מה לה לשקר

that famine is not like war, since [in the former case] she does not speak from conjecture. [Later. however]. Raba changed his opinion. stating that famine is like war. For a woman once appeared before Raba and said to him, 'My husband died during a famine'. 'You have acted well', he remarked to her.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Desiring to probe whether she had actually witnessed her husband's death or spoke from conjecture only. ');"><sup>28</sup></span> 'in that you saved your own life,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Leaving him to his fate in the famine-stricken area. ');"><sup>29</sup></span> since it could hardly be imagined that he would survive on the little remnant of flour that you left for him'. 'The Master then'. she replied. 'also understands that in such circumstances he could not survive'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' She thus admitted that she had not actually witnessed her husband's death. ');"><sup>30</sup></span> After this<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'he returned'. Finding that even in the case of famine a wife speaks from conjecture. ');"><sup>31</sup></span> Raba ruled: Famine<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In respect of accepting a wife's evidence as to the death of her husband in a country beyond the sea. ');"><sup>27</sup></span> is worse than war; for whereas in the case of war it is only when the wife states, 'My husband died in the war', that she is not believed, but [if her statement is that]. 'He died in his bed', she is believed, in the case of famine she is not believed unless she states, 'He died and I buried him'. A ruin<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In respect of accepting a wife's evidence as to the death of her husband in a country beyond the sea. ');"><sup>27</sup></span> is regarded as war, for [in this case also] she speaks from conjecture. A visitation of serpents or scorpions<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In respect of accepting a wife's evidence as to the death of her husband in a country beyond the sea. ');"><sup>27</sup></span> is regarded as war, for [here also a wife] speaks from conjecture. As to pestilence. some hold that it is like war, while others hold that it is not like war. 'Some hold that it is like war', because a wife, they maintain. speaks from conjecture; while 'others hold that it is not like war' because, they maintain, a wife relies upon the common saying.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'on what men say'. ');"><sup>32</sup></span> 'A pestilence may rage for seven years but none dies before his time'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., and a man without (his full tale of) years does not depart'. ');"><sup>33</sup></span> The question was raised:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Rashi v. 115b s.v. [H] reads, He (Raba) raised the question]. ');"><sup>34</sup></span> What is the law if it was she who established that there was a war in the world?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [And she stated, 'He died in war' v. Rashi loc. cit.]. ');"><sup>36</sup></span> Do we apply the argument. 'What motive could she have for telling a lie?'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where a person has no benefit from a lie he may obviously be presumed to be speaking the truth. ');"><sup>36</sup></span>

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