Yevamot 123

משאי אפשר ובית הלל נמי לילפו ממשה אמרי לך משה מדעתיה הוא דעבד דתניא שלשה דברים עשה משה מדעתו והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום פירש מן האשה ושיבר הלוחות והוסיף יום אחד

from the impossible.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It would have been impossible for the human race to propagate had not one of each sex been created. For the preservation of the race, however, it is not necessary for every man to have children of both sexes. ');">¹</span> Let Beth Hillel, then, make the inference from Moses! — They can answer you: Moses did it with His consent.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' God approved of Moses' action. No inference for other people may be drawn from an exceptional case. ');">²</span> For it was taught: Moses did three things on his own initiative and his opinion coincided with that of the Omnipresent. He separated himself from his wife,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though no daughter had been born from their union. ');">³</span>

פירש מן האשה מאי דרש אמר ומה ישראל שלא דברה עמהם שכינה אלא לפי שעה וקבע להם זמן אמרה תורה (שמות יט, טו) אל תגשו אל אשה אני שמיוחד לדבור בכל שעה ושעה ולא קבע לי זמן על אחת כמה וכמה והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום שנאמר (דברים ה, ל) לך אמור להם שובו לכם לאהליכם ואתה פה עמוד עמדי

broke the Tables of Testimony<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When, on descending from the mountain, he found the people worshipping the golden calf (v. Ex. XXXII, 19). ');">⁴</span> and added one day.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To the prescribed period of sanctification that preceded the revelation on Sinai (v. Ex. XIX, 10 and 15). ');">⁵</span> 'He separated himself from his wife'; what exposition did he make?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In support of his action. ');">⁶</span>

שיבר את הלוחות מאי דרש אמר ומה פסח שהוא אחד משש מאות ושלש עשרה מצות אמרה תורה (שמות יב, מג) כל בן נכר לא יאכל בו התורה כולה וישראל מומרים על אחת כמה וכמה

— He said, 'If to the Israelites, with whom the <i>Shechinah</i> spoke only for a while and for whom a definite time was fixed, the Torah nevertheless said, Come not near a woman,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XIX, 15. ');">⁷</span> how much more so to me, who am liable to be spoken to at any moment and for whom no definite time has been fixed'. And his view coincided with that of the Omnipresent; for it is said, Go say to them: Return ye to your tents; but as for thee, stand thou here by Me.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. V, 27f. ');">⁸</span> 'He broke the Tables of Testimony'; what exposition did he make?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In support of his action. ');">⁶</span>

והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום דכתיב (שמות לד, א) אשר שברת ואמר ריש לקיש אמר ליה הקב"ה למשה יישר כחך ששברת

— He said, 'If of the Paschal lamb, which is only one of the six hundred and thirteen commandments, the Torah said, There shall no alien eat thereof,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XII, 43. ');">⁹</span> how much more should this apply to the entire Torah when all Israel are apostates'. And his view coincided with that of the Omnipresent; for it is written, Which thou didst break<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXXIV, 1, [H]. ');">¹⁰</span> and Resh Lakish explained: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, 'I thank you for breaking them'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H], lit., 'may thy strength be firm'. [H] and [H] are regarded as coming from the same rt. [H]. ');">¹¹</span>

הוסיף יום אחד מדעתו מאי דרש דכתיב (שמות יט, י) וקדשתם היום ומחר היום כמחר מה מחר לילו עמו אף היום לילו עמו ולילה דהאידנא נפק ליה ש"מ תרי יומי לבר מהאידנא והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום דלא שריא שכינה עד שבתא

'He added one day' on his own initiative. What exposition did he make?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In support of his action. ');">¹²</span> — 'As it is written, And sanctify them to-day and to-morrow<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XIX, 10. ');">¹³</span> [It implies that] to-day shall be the same as to-morrow; as to-morrow includes the previous night<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The day always beginning after the sunset of the previous day. ');">¹⁴</span>

תניא רבי נתן אומר ב"ש אומרים שני זכרים ושתי נקבות ובה"א זכר ונקבה

so to-day must include the previous night. As, however, to-day's previous night has already passed away,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At the time Moses received his instructions. ');">¹⁵</span> it must be inferred that two days exclusive of to-day must be observed'. And his view coincided with that of the Omnipresent, for the Revelation did not take place<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'the Shechinah did not dwell'. ');">¹⁶</span> before the Sabbath.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The sanctification began on Wednesday. They observed all Thursday and Friday; and the Shechinah descended on the Sabbath which was the third of the two complete days (V. Shab. 86a), thus, as Moses expected, disregarding the first day which was incomplete. ');">¹⁷</span>

א"ר הונא מ"ט דרבי נתן אליבא דב"ש דכתיב (בראשית ד, ב) ותוסף ללדת את אחיו את הבל הבל ואחותו קין ואחותו וכתיב (בראשית ד, כה) כי שת לי אלהים זרע אחר תחת הבל כי הרגו קין ורבנן אודויי הוא דקא מודית

It was taught: R. Nathan stated: Beth Shammai ruled: Two males and two females;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Are the minimum required to fulfil the duty of the propagation of the race. V. Tosef. Yeb. VIII. ');">¹⁸</span> and Beth Hillel ruled: A male and a female.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Are the minimum required to fulfil the duty of the propagation of the race. V. Tosef. Yeb. VIII. ');">¹⁸</span> Said R. Huna: What is the reason which R. Nathan assigns for the opinion of Beth Shammai? Because it is written, And again she bore his brother Abel<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. IV, 2. ');">¹⁹</span>

תניא אידך ר' נתן אומר ב"ש אומרים זכר ונקבה ובה"א או זכר או נקבה אמר רבא מ"ט דר' נתן אליבא דב"ה שנא' (ישעיהו מה, יח) לא תהו בראה לשבת יצרה והא עבד לה שבת

[which<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H], (the sign of the defined accusative) which could be omitted (as in many other instances), appearing both before brother and before Abel. ');">²⁰</span> implies:] Abel and his sister; Cain and his sister.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Two males and two females. ');">²¹</span> And it is also written, For God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Obviously to make up the minimum. ');">²²</span>

איתמר היו לו בנים בהיותו עובד כוכבים ונתגייר ר' יוחנן אמר קיים פריה ורביה וריש לקיש אמר לא קיים פריה ורביה רבי יוחנן אמר קיים פריה ורביה דהא הוו ליה וריש לקיש אמר לא קיים פריה ורביה גר שנתגייר כקטן שנולד דמי

for Cain slew him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. IV, 25. ');">²³</span> And the Rabbis? She was merely expressing her gratitude.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The duty of propagation, however, would have been fulfilled without the additional birth. ');">²⁴</span> Elsewhere it was taught: R. Nathan stated that Beth Shammai ruled: A male and a female;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra note 8. ');">²⁵</span>

ואזדו לטעמייהו דאיתמר היו לו בנים בהיותו עובד כוכבים ונתגייר רבי יוחנן אמר אין לו בכור לנחלה דהא הוה ליה ראשית אונו וריש לקיש אמר יש לו בכור לנחלה גר שנתגייר כקטן שנולד דמי

and Beth Hillel ruled: Either a male or a female.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra note 8. ');">²⁵</span> Said Raba: What is the reason which R. Nathan assigns for the view of Beth Hillel? — Because it is said, He created it not a waste, He formed it to be inhabited,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XLV, 18. It is the duty of man to assist in making the world inhabited. ');">²⁶</span> and he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The man who has even only one son or one daughter. ');">²⁷</span>

וצריכא דאי אשמעינן בההיא קמייתא בההיא קאמר רבי יוחנן משום דמעיקרא נמי בני פריה ורביה נינהו אבל לענין נחלה דלאו בני נחלה נינהו אימא מודי ליה לריש לקיש

has obviously helped it to be inhabited. It was stated: If a man had children while he was an idolater and then he became a proselyte, he has fulfilled, R. Johanan said, the duty of propagation of the race; and Resh Lakish said: He has not fulfilled the duty of propagation of the race. 'R. Johanan said: He has fulfilled the duty of propagation', since he had children. 'And Resh Lakish said: He has not fulfilled the duty of propagation' because one who became a proselyte is like a child newly born. And they<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Johanan and Resh Lakish. ');">²⁸</span>

ואי איתמר בהא בהא קאמר ריש לקיש אבל בההיא אימא מודה ליה לר' יוחנן צריכא

follow their views.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Expressed elsewhere. ');">²⁹</span> For it was stated: If a man had children while he was an idolater and then he became a proselyte, he has, R. Johanan said, no firstborn in respect of inheritance,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first son born after his conversion is not entitled to the double portion of the firstborn. ');">³⁰</span> since he already had<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Before his conversion. ');">³¹</span>

איתיביה ר' יוחנן לר"ל (מלכים ב כ, יב) בעת ההיא שלח בראדך בלאדן בן בלאדן מלך בבל וגו' א"ל בהיותן עובדי כוכבים אית להו חייס נתגיירו לית להו חייס

the first-fruits of his strength.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Deut. XXI, 17. ');">³²</span> Resh Lakish, however, said: He has a firstborn son in respect of inheritance, for a man who became a proselyte is like a child newly born. And [both statements<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That relating to the duty of propa- gation and that in respect of the firstborn. ');">³³</span>

אמר רב הכל מודין בעבד שאין לו חייס דכתיב (בראשית כב, ה) שבו לכם פה עם החמור עם הדומה לחמור מיתיבי (שמואל ב ט, י) ולציבא חמשה עשר בנים ועשרים עבדים אמר רב אחא בר יעקב כפר בן בקר

were] necessary. For if the first only had been stated [it might have been assumed that] only in that state- ment did R. Johanan maintain his view, since formerly he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'they', sc. idolaters. ');">³⁴</span> was also subject to the obligation of propagation,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It being one of the seven Noahide commandments. V. Gen. IX, 7. ');">³⁵</span> but in respect of inherit- ance, since [the proselyte's former children] are not entitled to heirship, it might have been presumed that he agrees with Resh Lakish. And were only the second stated [it might have been assumed that] only in that did Resh Lakish maintain his view but that in the former he agrees with R. Johanan. [Hence both were] necessary.

א"ה ה"נ שאני התם דיחסינהו בשמייהו ובשמא דאבוהון והכא לא מפרש ואיבעית אימא יחסינהו בדוכתא אחריתי באבוהון ובאבא דאבוהון דכתיב (מלכים א טו, יח) וישלחם המלך אסא אל בן הדד בן טברימון בן חזיון מלך ארם היושב בדמשק לאמר

R. Johanan raised an objection against Resh Lakish. At that time Berodach-baladan the son of Baladan, King of Babylon etc.!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Kings, XX, 12; which shews that an offspring of an idolater is also described as a son! ');">³⁶</span> — The other replied: While they are idolaters they have legally recognized ancestry, but when they become proselytes they have no longer any legally recognized ancestry. Rab<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Others, 'R. Abba', v. Alfasi and [H]. ');">³⁷</span>

איתמר היו לו בנים ומתו רב הונא אמר קיים פריה ורביה רבי יוחנן אמר לא קיים

said: All agree that a slave has no legally recognized relatives, since it is written, Abide ye here with<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H], the same consonants as [H] 'a people'. ');">³⁸</span> the ass,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXII, 5. ');">³⁹</span> people who are like the ass.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' With reference to Abraham's slaves v. Gen. ibid. The slave, like the ass, is considered the chattel of the master. ');">⁴⁰</span>

רב הונא אמר קיים משום דרב אסי דאמר רב אסי אין בן דוד בא עד שיכלו כל נשמות שבגוף שנאמר (ישעיהו נז, טז) כי רוח מלפני יעטוף וגו' ורבי יוחנן אמר לא קיים פריה ורביה לשבת יצרה בעינן והא ליכא

An objection was raised: Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. IX, 10. Ziba was a slave (v. ibid. 9) and yet he is described as having sons. ');">⁴¹</span> — R. Aba b. Jacob replied: Like a young bullock.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H], lit., 'a bullock the son of a herd'. The expression of son in the case of the slave Ziba had no greater significance than the expression of 'son' in the case of cattle. ');">⁴²</span> If so, [the same reply could be given] there also!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the description of Berodach in II Kings XX, 12. ');">⁴³</span>

מיתיבי

— There it is different, since Scripture mentioned his<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. supra p. 414, n. 9. ');">⁴⁴</span> own name as well as his father's<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which may indeed be taken as proof that idolaters' children are legal descendants and may be described as 'sons'. ');">⁴⁵</span> name, while here<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ziba's descendants. ');">⁴⁶</span> [the son's names] were not specified. If you prefer I might say: They<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Idolaters. ');">⁴⁷</span> were elsewhere ascribed to their father and their father's father; as it is written, And King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the King of Aram, that dwelt at Damascus, saying.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings XV, 18. Cf. supra n. 9. ');">⁴⁸</span> It was stated: If a man had children and they died, he has fulfilled, said R. Huna, the duty of propagation. R. Johanan said: He has not fulfilled it. 'R. Huna said: He fulfilled' because [he follows the tradition] of R. Assi. For R. Assi<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Others, 'Jose'. V. 'A.Z. 5a, Nid. 13b. ');">⁴⁹</span> stated: The Son of David<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Messiah. ');">⁵⁰</span> will not come before all the souls in Guf<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'body', the region inhabited by the souls of the unborn. ');">⁵¹</span> will have been disposed of, since it is said, For the spirit that unwrappeth itself is from Me etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. LVII, 16. This being the reason for the duty of propagation, the duty is fulfilled as soon as a child is born, i.e., as soon as his soul has left the region of Guf irrespective of whether he survives or not. ');">⁵²</span> And 'R. Johanan said: He has not fulfilled the duty of propagation' because we require [the fulfilment of the text] He formed it to be inhabited,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XLV, 18. ');">⁵³</span> which is not the case here.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The children being dead. ');">⁵⁴</span> An objection was raised: