Yevamot 153

Chapter 153

א אקשי להו דואג כל הני קושייתא אישתיקו בעי לאכרוזי עליה מיד (שמואל ב יז, כה) ועמשא בן איש ושמו יתרא הישראלי אשר בא אל אביגיל בת נחש וכתיב (דברי הימים א ב, יז) יתר הישמעאלי אמר רבא מלמד שחגר חרבו כישמעאל ואמר כל מי שאינו שומע הלכה זו ידקר בחרב כך מקובלני מבית דינו של שמואל הרמתי עמוני ולא עמונית מואבי ולא מואבית

1 As, however, Doeg submitted to them all those objections1 and they eventually remained silent, he desired to make a public announcement against him.2 Presently [an incident occurred]: Now Amasa was the son of a man, whose name was Ithna the Israelite, that went in to Abigal3 the daughter of Nahash,4

ב ומי מהימן והאמר רבי אבא אמר רב כל תלמיד חכם שמורה הלכה ובא אם קודם מעשה אמרה שומעין לו ואם לאו אין שומעין לו שאני הכא דהא שמואל ובית דינו קיים

2 but elsewhere it is written, Jether the Ishmaelite!5 This teaches, Raba explained, that he girded on his sword like an Ishmaelite and exclaimed, 'Whosoever will not obey the following halachah will be stabbed with the sword; I have this tradition from the Beth din of Samuel the Ramathite: An Ammonite but not an Ammonitess; A Moabite, but not a Moabitess'!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 517, n. 17. [On the political issues involved in this controversy v. Aptowitzer, Parteipolitik der Hasmonaerzeit pp. 31ff. He regards the attack on the legitimacy of David as a movement inspired by the Sadducees to support the Hasmoneans' right to the throne against the challenge of their opponents. V. Kid. Sonc. ed. pp. 332ff]. ');">6 Could he, however, be trusted?7 Surely R. Abba stated in the name of Rab: Whenever a learned man gives directions8

ג מכל מקום קשיא הכא תרגמו (תהלים מה, יד) כל כבודה בת מלך פנימה במערבא אמרי ואיתימא ר' יצחק אמר קרא (בראשית יח, ט) ויאמרו אליו איה שרה אשתך וגו'

3 on a point of law, and such a point comes up [for a practical decision], he is obeyed if his statement was made9 before the event;10 but if it was not so made he is not obeyed! Here the case was different, since Samuel and his Beth din were still living.11 The difficulty,12

ד כתנאי עמוני ולא עמונית מואבי ולא מואבית דברי רבי יהודה רבי שמעון אומר (דברים כג, ה) על דבר אשר לא קדמו אתכם בלחם ובמים דרכו של איש לקדם וכו'

4 however, still remains! — The following13 interpretation was given: All glorious is the king's daughter within.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XLV, 14. Respectable women remain at home and do not go into the open road even to meet members of their own sex. No blame, therefore, is attached to the Ammonite and Moabite women for not meeting the Israelites with bread and with water. Cf. Deut. XXIII, 5. ');">14 In the West15 it was explained. others quote it in the name of R. Isaac: Scripture said, And they said unto him: 'Where is Sarah thy wife?' etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen XVIII, 9, and he answered, 'Behold in the tent'. Sarah remained indoors attending to the duties of her household, though there were visitors whom Abraham was entertaining in the open under the tree (ibid. 4). ');">16

ה דרש רבא מאי דכתיב (תהלים קטז, טז) פתחת למוסרי אמר דוד לפני הקב"ה רבונו של עולם שני מוסרות שהיו עלי פתחתם רות המואביה ונעמה העמונית

5 The question17 is a matter in dispute between Tannaim: An Ammonite,18 but not an Ammonitess; A Moabite,18 but not a Moabitess. So R. Judah. R. Simeon, however, said: Because they met you not with bread and with water;19

ו דרש רבא מאי דכתיב (תהלים מ, ו) רבות עשית אתה ה' אלהי נפלאותיך ומחשבותיך אלינו אלי לא נאמר אלא אלינו מלמד שהיה רחבעם יושב בחיקו של דוד אמר לו עלי ועליך נאמרו שתי מקראות הללו

6 it is customary for a man to meet etc.20 Raba made the following exposition: What was meant by, Thou hast loosed my bonds!21 David said to the Holy One, blessed be He, 'O Master of the world! Two bonds were fastened on me,22 and you loosed them: Ruth the Moabitess23

ז דרש רבא מאי דכתיב (תהלים מ, ח) אז אמרתי הנה באתי במגילת ספר כתוב עלי אמר דוד אני אמרתי עתה באתי ולא ידעתי שבמגילת ספר כתוב עלי התם כתיב (בראשית יט, טו) הנמצאות הכא כתיב (תהלים פט, כא) מצאתי דוד עבדי בשמן קדשי משחתיו

7 and Naamah the Ammonitess.24 Raba made the following exposition: What was meant by the Scriptural text, Many things hast Thou done, O Lord my God, even Thy wondrous works, and Thy thoughts toward us?25 It is not written, 'toward me', but toward us. This teaches that Rehoboam26 sat on the lap of David when the latter said to him. 'Those two Scriptural verses27

ח אמר עולא א"ר יוחנן בת גר עמוני כשרה לכהונה א"ל רבא בר עולא לעולא כמאן אי כר' יהודה הא אמר בת גר זכר כבת חלל זכר ואי כרבי יוסי פשיטא הא אמר אף גר שנשא גיורת בתו כשרה לכהונה

8 were said concerning me and you.'28 Raba made the following exposition: What was meant by the Scriptural text, Then said I: 'Lo, I am come with the roll of a book which is prescribed for me'?29 David said,30 'I thought I have come31

ט וכ"ת בהנך דראוין לבא בקהל אבל האי דאין ראוי לבא בקהל לא מנא ליה

9 only now; but I did not know that in the Roll of the Book32 it was already33 written about me'. For there it is written, That are found,34 and here it is written. I have found35

י דיליף מכ"ג באלמנה מה לכ"ג באלמנה שכן ביאתו בעבירה

10 David My servant; with My holy oil have I anointed him.36 'Ulla said in the name of R. Johanan: The daughter of an Ammonite proselyte37 is eligible to marry a priest. Said Raba b. 'Ulla to 'Ulla: In accordance with [whose view is your statement made]? If in accordance with that of R. Judah, he surely had stated that the daughter of a male proselyte is like the daughter of a male halal!38 And if in accordance with the view of R. Jose, your statement is self-evident, for surely he had stated: Even where a male proselyte had married a female proselyte his daughter is eligible to marry a priest!39

יא חלל יוכיח מה לחלל שכן יצירתו בעבירה

11 And were you to reply that this40 applies to such as are fit to enter the assembly41 but not to this man who42 is not fit to enter the assembly43

יב כ"ג יוכיח וחזר הדין

12 whence [it may he asked] is this distinction<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Between an Ammonite's daughter who, as a female, is not included in the prohibition, and the daughter of any other people. What proof is there that a father's status deprives a daughter of her rights? ');">44 [inferred]! — It is inferred from the case of a High Priest who married a widow.45 [But it may be objected] the marriage between a High Priest and a widow is different, since his cohabitation constitutes a transgression!46 — [Then the case of the] halal proves it?47

יג לא ראי זה כראי זה ולא ראי זה כראי זה הצד השוה שבהן שאינו ברוב קהל ובתו פסולה אף כאן שאינו ברוב קהל ובתו פסולה

13 [But it may be objected that] a halal is different since his formation was in sin!48 — [Then the case of the] High Priest49 proves it; and thus the argument will go round;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If objection is raised against the case of the High Priest. that of the halal will be adduced as proof; and if objection is raised against that of the halal, the case of the High Priest will be adduced as proof. ');">50 though the aspect of the one is unlike that of the other and the aspect of the other is unlike that of the first, their common characteristic is that either of them is unlike the majority of the assembly51

יד מה להצד השוה שבהן שכן יש בהן צד עבירה

14 and his daughter52 is ineligible,53 so here also since he54 is unlike the majority of the assembly,55

טו דלמא ודאי בעמוני שנשא בת ישראל קאמרת אע"ג דביאתו בעבירה בתו כשרה א"ל אין

15 his daughter should be ineligible.53 [But it may again be objected] their common characteristic56 is different, since it also involves an aspect of sin!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The daughter of the High Priest was born in sin, since the marriage of her parents was a forbidden one, and in the case of the daughter of the halal, the birth of the father was in sin. In the case of the Ammonite proselyte, however, neither the daughter nor her father was born in sin. How, then, could this case be inferred from the two former? And thus the question remains, what need was there for R. Johanan to teach the evident case of the daughter of an Ammonite proselyte? ');">57 Did you possibly58

טז דכי אתא רבין א"ר יוחנן בת גר עמוני ובת מצרי שני רבי יוחנן אמר כשרה ור"ל אמר פסולה ר"ל אמר פסולה דיליף לה מכ"ג באלמנה ר' יוחנן אמר כשרה

16 speak of an Ammonite who married the daughter of an Israelite,59 [informing us that], though his cohabitation is an act of transgression, his daughter is nevertheless eligible? — The other replied: Yes; for when Rabin came60 he reported in the name of R. Johanan on the daughter of an Ammonite proselyte61 and the daughter of an Egyptian of the second generation61 that R. Johanan declared her eligible62 while Resh Lakish maintained that she was ineligible.62 'Resh Lakish maintained that she was ineligible', for he infers this case from that of a High Priest who married a widow. 'R. Johanan declared her eligible'.

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