Reference for Yevamot 243:17
אמר להו לכשתהא כפונדקית נאמנת הפונדקית הוציאה להם מקלו ותרמילו וספר תורה שהיה בידו:
— This is no difficulty. One ruling<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of R. Akiba. ');"><sup>63</sup></span> was made<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'here'. ');"><sup>64</sup></span> before the law,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That a woman's evidence on a man's death shall be relied upon in permitting that man's wife to marry again. ');"><sup>65</sup></span> had been established; the other,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'here'. ');"><sup>64</sup></span> after the law<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That a woman's evidence on a man's death shall be relied upon in permitting that man's wife to marry again. ');"><sup>65</sup></span> had been established. <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. THEY<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Rabbis. ');"><sup>66</sup></span> SAID TO HIM:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Akiba. V. previous Mishnah. ');"><sup>67</sup></span> 'IT ONCE HAPPENED THAT A NUMBER OF LEVITES WENT TO ZOAR,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the East or S.E. of the Dead Sea. Zoar is mentioned several times in the Bible. Cf., e.g., Gel. XIV, 2, 8 and XIX, 22. ');"><sup>68</sup></span> THE CITY OF PALMS, AND ONE OF THEM WHO FELL. ILL WAS TAKEN BY THEM INTO AN INN. WHEN THEY RETURNED THEY ASKED THE INNKEEPER<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] (fem.) 'woman innkeeper'. ');"><sup>69</sup></span> WHERE IS OUR FRIEND?" AND SHE REPLIED, HE IS DEAD AND I BURIED HIM". [AND IT WAS ON THIS EVIDENCE THAT] HIS WIFE WAS PERMITTED TO MARRY AGAIN. SHOULD NOT THEN A PRIEST'S WIFE<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] V. n. 3. ');"><sup>70</sup></span> [BE BELIEVED AT LEAST AS MUCH] AS THE INNKEEPER!'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., since a woman's evidence is ineligible, even that of a priest's wife would be ineligible. Is it then conceivable that the latter should be regarded as less trustworthy than an innkeeper! [H] might perhaps be rendered 'princess', 'lady' as [H] is interpreted by the Targumim (cf. e.g., Gen. XLI, 45, ps. CX, 4) as [H] 'great man', 'prince'. 'Should not the lady enjoy the status of the innkeeper!' Another interpretation applies [H] to all Jewish women since any of them might become a [H] by marrying a priest. Cf. Golds. ');"><sup>71</sup></span> HE ANSWERED THEM, WHEN SHE WILL BE [GIVING SUCH EVIDENCE] AS THE INNKEEPER SHE WILL BE BELIEVED. THE INNKEEPER [AS A MATTER OF FACT] HAD BROUGHT OUT TO THEM HIS<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The dead man's. ');"><sup>72</sup></span> STAFF, HIS BAG<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Some texts add, 'his shoes']. ');"><sup>73</sup></span> AND THE SCROLL OF THE LAW WHICH HE HAD WITH HIM.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It was on this proof, and not on the evidence of the innkeeper, that they acted. ');"><sup>74</sup></span>