Yevamot 128

חוצבתם ואל מקבת בור נוקרתם וכתיב (ישעיהו נא, ב) הביטו אל אברהם אביכם ואל שרה תחוללכם

whence you were hewn<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Allusion to the male organ. It was hewn but was not there originally. ');">¹</span> and to the hole of the pit<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Allusion to that of the female. Cf supra n. 9. Here the deduction is from digged. ');">²</span> whence you were digged,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. LI, 1. ');">³</span>

אמר רב נחמן אמר רבה בר אבוה שרה אמנו אילונית היתה שנאמר (בראשית יא, ל) ותהי שרי עקרה אין לה ולד אפי' בית ולד אין לה

and this is followed by the text, Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bore you.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 2. This verse explains to whom v. 1 alludes. ');">⁴</span> R. Nahman stated in the name of Rabbah b. Abbuha: Our mother Sarah was incapable of procreation; for it is said, And Sarai was barren; she had no child,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XI, 30. ');">⁵</span> she had not even a womb.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As the second section of the verse is superfluous, child, [H] is taken to imply [H] the uterus or womb. ');">⁶</span>

אמר רב יהודה בריה דרב שמואל בר שילת משמיה דרב לא שנו אלא בדורות הראשונים ששנותיהן מרובות אבל בדורות האחרונים ששנותיהן מועטות שתי שנים ומחצה כנגד שלשה עיבורים רבה אמר רב נחמן שלש שנים כנגד שלש פקידות דאמר מר בר"ה נפקדו שרה רחל וחנה

Rab Judah son of R. Samuel b. Shilath stated in the name of Rab: That<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The period of ten years spoken of in our Mishnah, ');">⁷</span> was taught only in respect of the early generations who lived many years. In respect of the later generations, however, whose years of life are few, only two years and a half, corresponding to three periods of pregnancy<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Each period extending over nine months with the addition of one month after each period to cover the days of levitical uncleanness to which a woman after a confinement is subjected. ');">⁸</span> [are allowed].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Before the husband must take another wife. ');">⁹</span>

אמר רבה ליתנהו להני כללי מכדי מתני' מאן תקין רבי והא בימי דוד אימעוט שני דכתיב (תהלים צ, י) ימי שנותינו בהם שבעים שנה

Rabbah stated in the name of R. Nahman: Three years [must elapse],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Before the husband must take another wife. ');">⁹</span> corresponding to three remembrances;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Three Rosh Hashanah festivals. The first two days of the new year are a time of prayer on which God remembers the childless women. The festival is also known as the Day of Memorial [H] ');">¹⁰</span> For a Master said: Sarah, Rachel and Hannah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who were originally barren. (Cf. Gen. XI, 30, XXIX, 31, I Sam. I, 2, 5). ');">¹¹</span>

והאי שמא לא זכה להבנות הימנה ודלמא איהי דלא זכיא איהי כיון דלא מפקדא אפריה ורביה לא מיענשה

were remembered on New Year's Day.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R.H. 11b, Ber. 29a. ');">¹²</span> Rabbah ruled: These general principles<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which reduce the period of ten years in the case of later generations. ');">¹³</span> are to be disregarded.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'are not'. ');">¹⁴</span>

איני והא אמרו ליה רבנן לר' אבא בר זבדא נסיב איתתא ואוליד בני ואמר להו אי זכאי הוו לי מקמייתא התם דחוי קא מדחי להו לרבנן דר' אבא בר זבדא איעקר מפרקיה דרב הונא

For consider: Who compiled our Mishnah? Rabbi, of course; but the years of life were already reduced in the days of David. For it is written, The days of our years are threescore years and ten.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps, XC, 10. ');">¹⁵</span> With regard to the assumption that 'it is possible that it was he who was unworthy to have children from her',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supra 64a. ');">¹⁶</span> is it not possible that it was she who was unworthy?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Why then is she entitled to receive her kethubah? ');">¹⁷</span>

רב גידל איעקר מפרקיה דרב הונא רבי חלבו איעקר מפרקיה דרב הונא רב ששת איעקר מפרקיה דרב הונא רב אחא בר יעקב אחדתיה סוסכינתא תליוה בארזא דבי רב ונפק מיניה כהוצא ירקא אמר רב אחא בר יעקב שיתין סבי הוינא וכולהו איעקור מפרקיה דרב הונא לבר מאנא דקיימי בנפשאי (קהלת ז, יב) החכמה תחיה בעליה:

— Since she is not commanded to fulfil the duty of propagation she is not so punished.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By barrenness, ');">¹⁸</span> But surely it is not so!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This refers to the implication of the statement, supra, that the husband must take another wife, because it is possible that he was unworthy to have children from the first but may have them from the second. ');">¹⁹</span> For the Rabbis once said to R. Abba b. Zabda, 'Take a wife and beget children', and he answered them, 'Had I been worthy I would have had them from my first wife'! — There he was merely evading the Rabbis; for, in fact, R. Abba b. Zabda became impotent through the long discourses of R. Huna.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 416, n. 11. ');">²⁰</span>

גירשה מותרת וכו': שני אין שלישי לא

R. Giddal became impotent through the discourses of R. Huna;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 416, n. 11. ');">²⁰</span> R. Helbo became impotent through the discourses of R. Huna,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 416, n. 11. ');">²⁰</span> and R. Shesheth also became impotent through the discourses of R. Huna.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 416, n. 11. ');">²⁰</span>

מתניתין מני רבי היא דתניא מלה הראשון ומת שני ומת שלישי לא תמול דברי רבי רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר שלישי תמול רביעי לא תמול

R. Aha b. Jacob was once attacked by dysuria,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] a painful or difficult discharge of the urine, occasioned by his suppression of his needs. Aruk reads, [H] 'uratic stone'. Cf. Jast. ');">²¹</span> and when he was supported on the college cedar tree a discharge issued like a green palm shoot. R. Aha b. Jacob stated: We were a group of sixty scholars, and all became impotent through the long discourses of R. Huna;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 416, n. 11. ');">²⁰</span>

והתניא איפכא הי מינייהו אחריניתא

with the exception of myself who followed the principle, Wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Eccl. VII, 12. ');">²²</span> IF HE DIVORCED HER SHE IS PERMITTED etc. Only a second husband<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'second, yes'. ');">²³</span> but not a third;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because, having remained barren after living with two husbands for a period of twenty years, her sterility is regarded as established. ');">²⁴</span>

ת"ש דאמר ר' חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן מעשה בארבע אחיות בצפורי שמלה ראשונה ומת שניה ומת שלישית ומת רביעית באת לפני רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אמר לה אל תמולי

whose view, then, is represented by our Mishnah? — It is that of Rabbi. For it was taught: If she circumcised her first child and he died,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As a result of the operation. ');">²⁵</span> and a second one who also died,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As a result of the operation. ');">²⁵</span> she must not circumcise her third child; so Rabbi. R. Simeon b. Gamaliel, however, said: She circumcises the third, but must not circumcise the fourth child. But, surely, the reverse was taught;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rabbi's opinion was attributed to R. Simeon and vice versa. ');">²⁶</span>

ודלמא אי אתיא שלישית נמי הוה אמר לה א"כ מאי אסהדותיה דר' חייא בר אבא ודלמא הא קמ"ל דאחיות מחזקות

now which of these is the latter?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The latter version of a statement is regarded as the more reliable, since the author may have recognized his error and changed his view. ');">²⁷</span> — Come and hear what R. Hiyya b. Abba stated in the name of R. Johanan: It once happened with four sisters at Sepphoris that when the first had circumcised her child he died; when the second [circumcised her child] he also died, and when the third [circumcised her child] he also died. The fourth came before R. Simeon b. Gamaliel who told her, 'You must not circumcise [the child]'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This incident must have occurred in the latter days of R. Simeon b. Gamaliel, since it was witnessed by R. Johanan who already belonged to the first generation of Amoraim. As the ruling in this incident clearly shews, R. Simeon b. Gamaliel held at that time the view attributed to him in the first cited Baraitha which must consequently be regarded as representing the later, and the more reliable version. ');">²⁸</span> But is it not possible that if the third sister had come he would also have told her the same!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And, consequently, the second Baraitha might represent the later version! ');">²⁹</span>

אמר רבא השתא דאמרת אחיות מחזקות לא ישא אדם אשה לא ממשפחת נכפין ולא ממשפחת מצורעים והוא דאתחזק תלתא זימני

— If so,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That R. Hiyya b. Abba's statement was not intended to testify that a presumption can only be established by the threefold repetition of an act. ');">³⁰</span> what could have been the purpose of the evidence of R. Hiyya b. Abba? [No]. It is possible that he meant to teach us the following: That sisters also establish a presumption!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., not only is presumption established when the act or incident is repeated three times in the case of one woman, but also when it is so repeated in the case of three sisters (women). ');">³¹</span> Raba said: Now that it has been stated that sisters also establish a presumption, a man should not take a wife either from a family of epileptics, or from a family of lepers. This applies. however, only when the fact had been established by the occurrence of three cases.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'three times', ');">³²</span>

מאי הוה עלה כי אתא רב יצחק בר יוסף אמר עובדא הוה קמיה דר' יוחנן בכנישתא דמעון ביוה"כ שחל להיות בשבת ומלה ראשונה ומת שניה ומת שלישית באה לפניו אמר לה לכי ומולי

What is the decision?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'what about it'. ');">³³</span> — When R. Isaac b. Joseph came he related: Such a case was once submitted to R. Johanan in the Synagogue of Ma'on<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Tell Ma'un, west of Tiberias, v, Klein, S. Beitrage, p. 60]. ');">³⁴</span> on the Day of Atonement which fell on a Sabbath. A woman, it happened, had circumcised her child<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'and the first circumcised'. ');">³⁵</span>

א"ל אביי חזי דקשרית איסורא וסכנתא

who died; her second [sister circumcised her child] and he also died, and her third sister appeared before him. He said to her, 'Go and circumcise him'. Said Abaye to him:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To R. Isaac b. Joseph. ');">³⁶</span> See, you have permitted<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [I.e., by reporting R. Johanan's ruling. Var. lec., 'the Master permits a forbidden' etc., referring probably to R. Johanan]. ');">³⁷</span> a forbidden<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As the third child was not permitted to be circumcised, the operation constituted manual labour which is forbidden on the Sabbath. ');">³⁸</span>

סמך עלה אביי ואזל נסבה לחומה ברתא דאיסי בריה דרב יצחק בריה דרב יהודה דנסבה רחבא דפומבדיתא ושכיב רב יצחק בריה דרבה בר בר חנה ושכיב ונסבה הוא ושכיב

and a dangerous<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The child might have died as a result of the operation as did the other two. ');">³⁹</span> act. Abaye, however, relying upon this statement<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of R. Isaac in the name of R. Johanan, that a presumption can only be established when an incident has occurred three times. ');">⁴⁰</span>

אמר רבא ומי איכא דעביד עובדא בנפשיה כי האי והא איהו דאמר אבין דסמכא יצחק סומקא לאו בר סמכא אבין ישנו בחזרה יצחק סומקא אינו בחזרה ועוד אימר דפליגי לענין מילה בנישואין מי פליגי

married Homa the daughter of Isi son of R. Isaac the son of Rab Judah, although Rehaba of Pumbeditha had married her and died, and R. Isaac son of Rabbah b. Hana had subsequently married her and also died. And after he had married her, he himself died also. Said Raba: Would any one else have exposed himself to such danger? Surely he himself had said that Abin was reliable<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the reports he made in the name of R. Johanan. Both Abin and R. Isaac the Red reported rulings in the name of R. Johanan. ');">⁴¹</span> but that Isaac the Red was not a person to be relied upon;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the reports he made in the name of R. Johanan. Both Abin and R. Isaac the Red reported rulings in the name of R. Johanan. ');">⁴¹</span>

אין והתניא ניסת לראשון ומת לשני ומת לשלישי לא תנשא דברי רבי רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר לשלישי תנשא לרביעי לא תנשא

that Abin was well acquainted with any change<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] lit., 'retraction'. [H] may also signify repetition', i.e., Abin is reliable 'because he repeated and revised what he heard' while R. Isaac the Red did not. [Hyman, Toledoth p. 794 explains it as: 'return'. Abin had proved reliable and hence entrusted by Babylonian scholars with traditional teachings for him to repeat on his 'return' to Palestine, which was not the case with R. Isaac]. ');">⁴²</span> [in the views of R. Johanan] but Isaac the Red was not acquainted with any such changes! Furthermore, it might be said that their dispute<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That of Rabbi and R. Simeon b. Gamaliel. ');">⁴³</span> extended only to the case of circumcision; do they, however, differ also in the case of marriage? — Yes; for so it was taught: If a woman was married to one husband<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'to the first'. ');">⁴⁴</span>

בשלמא גבי מילה איכא משפחה דרפי דמא ואיכא משפחה דקמיט דמא אלא נישואין מ"ט א"ל רב מרדכי לרב אשי הכי אמר אבימי מהגרוניא משמיה דרב הונא מעין גורם ורב אשי אמר מזל גורם

who died, and to a second one who also died, she must not be married to a third; so Rabbi. R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: She may be married to a third, but she may not be married to a fourth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Nid. 64a. ');">⁴⁵</span> In the case of circumcision, one can well understand [why the operation is dangerous with some children and not with others] since the members of one family may bleed profusely<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'the blood is loose'. ');">⁴⁶</span> while those of another family may bleed little;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., the blood is held fast'. ');">⁴⁷</span>

מאי בינייהו איכא בינייהו דאירסה ומית אי נמי דנפל מדיקלא ומית

what, however, is the reason in the case of marriage?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Why is marriage with certain women a danger? ');">⁴⁸</span> — R. Mordecai answered R. Ashi: Thus said Abimi from Hagronia in the name of R. Huna, 'The source<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Some malignant disease in the womb. ');">⁴⁹</span> is the cause'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the death of successive husbands. ');">⁵⁰</span>

א"ל רב יוסף בריה דרבא לרבא בעי מיניה מרב יוסף הלכה כרבי ואמר לי אין הלכה כרבן שמעון בן גמליאל ואמר לי אין אחוכי אחיך בי

But R. Ashi stated: '[The woman's] ill luck is the cause'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the death of successive husbands. ');">⁵⁰</span> What practical difference is there between them?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Ashi and Abimi. ');">⁵¹</span> — The difference between them is the case where the man only betrothed her and died,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Here the source cannot have been the cause and the deaths can only be attributed to ill luck. According to the former view, therefore, no presumption would thereby be constituted. ');">⁵²</span>

א"ל לא סתמי היא ופשיט לך נישואין ומלקיות כרבי וסתות ושור המועד כרבן שמעון בן גמליאל

or also when he fell off a palm-tree and died.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Here the source cannot have been the cause and the deaths can only be attributed to ill luck. According to the former view, therefore, no presumption would thereby be constituted. ');">⁵²</span> SAID R. JOSEPH SON OF RABA to Raba: I enquired of R. Joseph whether the <i>halachah</i> is in agreement with Rabbi, and he replied in the affirmative. [I asked] whether the <i>halachah</i> is in agreement with R. Simeon b. Gamaliel, and he again replied in the affirmative. Was he thereby merely ridiculing me?' — The other replied: No; there are several anonymous statements [in the Mishnah] and he informed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'solved', 'made clear'. ');">⁵³</span> you [that in the matter of] marriage and flogging [the anonymous Mishnah]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The halachah is always in agreement with the anonymous Mishnah. ');">⁵⁴</span>

נישואין הא דאמרן מלקיות דתנן מי שלקה ושנה ב"ד כונסין אותו לכיפה ומאכילין אותו שעורים עד שתהא כריסו נבקעת וסתות דתנן אין האשה

agrees with Rabbi, and that in the matter of menstrual periods and the ox [whose owner has been] fore-warned<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Mu'ad ([H]) v. Glos. ');">⁵⁵</span> [the anonymous Mishnah] agrees with R. Simeon b. Gamaliel. As to marriage, there is the statement just discussed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supra. Since our Mishnah permits the woman to marry a second husband but not a third, it must obviously represent the view of Rabbi. ');">⁵⁶</span> 'Flogging'? — As we learned: A man upon whom the penalty of flogging had been repeatedly inflicted is to be placed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If he commits an offence for the third time. ');">⁵⁷</span> under confinement<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'they bring him into a vaulted chamber'. ');">⁵⁸</span> and fed on barley, until his stomach bursts.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sanh. 81b. ');">⁵⁹</span> 'The menstrual periods'? — As we learned: A woman may not