## Ketubot Daf 22b

###### Ketubot 22b:1
[Ketubot 22b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ketubot/r/22b:1)

אַמַּתְלָא לִדְבָרֶיהָ — נֶאֱמֶנֶת. תְּנָא מִינֵּיהּ אַרְבָּעִים זִימְנִין, וַאֲפִילּוּ הָכִי לָא עֲבַד שְׁמוּאֵל עוֹבָדָא בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**rationale for her statement, she is deemed credible.** The Gemara relates: Shmuel **learned** this *halakha* **from him forty times** to ensure that he would not forget it, **and even so,** when confronted with a similar situation, **Shmuel did not** rely on that lenient ruling and did not **take action with regard to himself** and his wife.


###### Ketubot 22b:2
[Ketubot 22b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ketubot/r/22b:2)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: שְׁנַיִם אוֹמְרִים ״מֵת״, וּשְׁנַיִם אוֹמְרִים ״לֹא מֵת״. שְׁנַיִם אוֹמְרִים ״נִתְגָּרְשָׁה״, וּשְׁנַיִם אוֹמְרִים ״לֹא נִתְגָּרְשָׁה״ — הֲרֵי זוֹ לֹא תִּנָּשֵׂא, וְאִם נִשֵּׂאת — לֹא תֵּצֵא. רַבִּי מְנַחֵם בַּר יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: תֵּצֵא. אָמַר רַבִּי מְנַחֵם בַּר יוֹסֵי: אֵימָתַי אֲנִי אוֹמֵר תֵּצֵא, בִּזְמַן שֶׁבָּאוּ עֵדִים, וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִשֵּׂאת. אֲבָל נִשֵּׂאת וְאַחַר כָּךְ בָּאוּ עֵדִים — לֹא תֵּצֵא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught** that if **two** witnesses **say:** The husband **died, and two** witnesses **say: He did not die;** or if **two** witnesses **say:** This woman **was divorced, and two** witnesses **say: She was not divorced, this** woman **may not remarry** as there is no unequivocal testimony that she is unmarried. **And if she remarried,** she need **not leave** her husband. **Rabbi Menaḥem bar Yosei says:** She must **leave** her husband. And **Rabbi Menaḥem bar Yosei said: When do I say** that **she must leave** her husband? It is in a case **where witnesses came** to testify that she is still married **and she remarried thereafter. However, if she remarried and the witnesses came thereafter,** she need **not leave** her husband based on the uncertainty created by contradictory witnesses.


###### Ketubot 22b:3
[Ketubot 22b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ketubot/r/22b:3)

מִכְּדֵי תְּרֵי וּתְרֵי נִינְהוּ, הַבָּא עָלֶיהָ בְּאָשָׁם תָּלוּי קָאֵי! אָמַר רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: כְּגוֹן שֶׁנִּשֵּׂאת לְאֶחָד מֵעֵדֶיהָ. הִיא גּוּפַהּ בְּאָשָׁם תָּלוּי קָיְימָא! בְּאוֹמֶרֶת: ״בָּרִי לִי״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **After all, they are two** witnesses testifying that she is married **and two** witnesses testifying that she is not; how then can the ruling be that after remarrying she need not leave her husband? In that case, **one who engages in intercourse with her stands liable** to bring **a guilt-offering for uncertainty.** For any prohibition whose certain violation renders one liable to bring a sin-offering, its uncertain violation renders one liable to bring a guilt-offering for uncertainty. **Rav Sheshet said:** This is a case **where she married one of her witnesses** who testified that she is unmarried. As far as he is concerned, there is no uncertainty. The Gemara asks: **She herself stands liable** to bring **a guilt-offering for uncertainty,** as she has no independent knowledge whether her husband died. The Gemara answers that this is a case **where she says: It is clear to me** that he died.


###### Ketubot 22b:4
[Ketubot 22b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ketubot/r/22b:4)

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, שְׁנַיִם אוֹמְרִים: ״מֵת״, וּשְׁנַיִם אוֹמְרִים: ״לֹא מֵת״ — הֲרֵי זוֹ לֹא תִּנָּשֵׂא, וְאִם נִשֵּׂאת — לֹא תֵּצֵא. שְׁנַיִם אוֹמְרִים ״נִתְגָּרְשָׁה״, וּשְׁנַיִם אוֹמְרִים ״לֹא נִתְגָּרְשָׁה״ — הֲרֵי זוֹ לֹא תִּנָּשֵׂא, וְאִם נִשֵּׂאת — תֵּצֵא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rabbi Yoḥanan said** that if **two** witnesses **say:** The husband **died, and two** witnesses **say: He did not die, this** woman **may not remarry. And if she remarried** she need **not leave** her husband. If **two** witnesses **say:** This woman **was divorced, and two** witnesses **say: She was not divorced, this** woman **may not remarry. And if she remarried** she must **leave** her husband.


###### Ketubot 22b:5
[Ketubot 22b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ketubot/r/22b:5)

מַאי שְׁנָא רֵישָׁא וּמַאי שְׁנָא סֵיפָא? אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: תַּרְגְּמַהּ בְּעֵד אֶחָד. עֵד אֶחָד אוֹמֵר ״מֵת״, הֵימְנוּהוּ רַבָּנַן כְּבֵי תְרֵי, וְכִדְעוּלָּא. דְּאָמַר עוּלָּא: כׇּל מָקוֹם שֶׁהֶאֱמִינָה תּוֹרָה עֵד אֶחָד — הֲרֵי כָּאן שְׁנַיִם, וְהַאי דְּקָאָמַר ״לֹא מֵת״ — הָוֵה לֵיהּ חַד, וְאֵין דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל אֶחָד בִּמְקוֹם שְׁנַיִם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What is different** in **the first clause** of Rabbi Yoḥanan’s statement, where, if she remarried, she need not leave her husband, **and what is the different** in **the second clause,** where, if she remarried, she must leave her husband? **Abaye said: Interpret** Rabbi Yoḥanan’s statement **in** a case where each testimony was given by **one witness.** If **one witness says:** The husband **died, the Sages** instituted an ordinance and **accorded him credibility like** that of **two** witnesses in order to enable his wife to remarry. **And** that is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Ulla, as Ulla said: Wherever the Torah deemed one witness credible,** his legal status **there** is that of **two** witnesses. **And** the legal status of **that** second witness **who says: He did not die, is** that of **one** witness, **and the statement of one** witness has **no** validity **in a place** where there is the testimony of **two** witnesses. Therefore, she need not leave her husband.


###### Ketubot 22b:6
[Ketubot 22b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ketubot/r/22b:6)

אִי הָכִי, אֲפִילּוּ לְכַתְּחִלָּה נָמֵי! מִשּׁוּם דְּרַב אַסִּי. דְּאָמַר רַב אַסִּי: ״הָסֵר מִמְּךָ עִקְּשׁוּת פֶּה וּלְזוּת שְׂפָתַיִם הַרְחֵק מִמֶּךָּ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **If so,** that this is a case of the testimony of two witnesses against the testimony of one witness, it should be permitted for her to remarry **even *ab initio*.** The Gemara answers that she may not remarry *ab initio* **due to** the opinion of **Rav Asi, as Rav Asi said** that in any case of uncertainty, the verse **“Remove from you a crooked mouth, and perverse lips put far from you”** (Proverbs 4:24) applies. Although it is not a strictly prohibited action, it is, nevertheless, inappropriate.


###### Ketubot 22b:7
[Ketubot 22b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ketubot/r/22b:7)

סֵיפָא, עֵד אֶחָד אוֹמֵר ״נִתְגָּרְשָׁה״, וְעֵד אֶחָד אוֹמֵר ״לֹא נִתְגָּרְשָׁה״, תַּרְוַיְיהוּ בְּאֵשֶׁת אִישׁ קָמַסְהֲדִי. וְהַאי דְּקָאָמַר נִתְגָּרְשָׁה — הָוֵה לֵיהּ חַד, וְאֵין דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל אֶחָד בִּמְקוֹם שְׁנַיִם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
In **the latter clause** of Rabbi Yoḥanan’s statement, where **one witness says:** This woman **was divorced, and one witness says: She was not divorced, both of them are testifying** that she was **a married woman, and that** witness **who says: She was divorced, is one** witness, **and the statement of one** witness has **no** validity **in a place** where there is the testimony of **two** witnesses. Therefore, even if she remarried she must leave her husband.


###### Ketubot 22b:8
[Ketubot 22b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ketubot/r/22b:8)

רָבָא אָמַר: לְעוֹלָם תְּרֵי וּתְרֵי נִינְהוּ. וְרָאָה רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל רַבִּי מְנַחֵם בַּר יוֹסֵי בְּגֵרוּשִׁין, וְלֹא רָאָה בְּמִיתָה. מַאי טַעְמָא? מִיתָה — אֵינָהּ יְכוֹלָה מַכְחַשְׁתּוֹ, גֵּרוּשִׁין — יְכוֹלָה מַכְחַשְׁתּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava** explained the difference between the two cases in Rabbi Yoḥanan’s statement and **said: Actually** it is a case where **they are two** witnesses testifying that she is married **and two** testifying that she is not, **and Rabbi Yoḥanan saw the statement of Rabbi Menaḥem bar Yosei** as correct **in** the case of **divorce but did not see** it as correct **in** the case of **death. What is the reason** that he distinguishes between the two cases? In the case of **death,** if ultimately her husband returns alive, **she is unable to deny** that **he** is alive. Therefore, the woman’s decision to remarry is credible, as if she were not certain that he was dead, she would not have remarried. However, in the case of **divorce,** if her husband returns and claims that he did not divorce her, **she is able to deny his** claim. Therefore, her decision to remarry is suspect, and the Sages penalized her and established that she must leave her husband.


###### Ketubot 22b:9
[Ketubot 22b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ketubot/r/22b:9)

וּמִי חֲצִיפָה כּוּלֵּי הַאי? וְהָאָמַר רַב הַמְנוּנָא: הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁאָמְרָה לְבַעְלָהּ ״גֵּרַשְׁתַּנִי״ — נֶאֱמֶנֶת. חֲזָקָה אֵין אִשָּׁה מְעִיזָּה פָּנֶיהָ בִּפְנֵי בַּעְלָהּ! הָנֵי מִילֵּי הֵיכָא דְּלֵיכָּא עֵדִים דְּקָא מְסַיְּיעִי לַהּ, אֲבָל הֵיכָא דְּאִיכָּא עֵדִים דְּקָא מְסַיְּיעִי לַהּ — מְעִיזָּה וּמְעִיזָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And is** the woman **impudent** to **that extent,** that she would lie in the presence of her husband and claim that he divorced her? **But didn’t Rav Hamnuna say** with regard to **a woman who said to her husband: You divorced me, she is deemed credible,** as there is a **presumption that a woman is not insolent in the presence of her husband?** The Gemara answers: **This** statement that she is not insolent **applies only** in a case **where there are no witnesses who are supporting her; however,** in a case **where there are witnesses who are supporting her, she would certainly be insolent.**


###### Ketubot 22b:10
[Ketubot 22b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ketubot/r/22b:10)

רַב אַסִּי אָמַר: כְּגוֹן דְּאָמְרִי עֵדִים ״עַכְשָׁיו מֵת״, ״עַכְשָׁיו גֵּירְשָׁהּ״. מִיתָה לֵיכָּא לְבָרוּרַהּ. גֵּירוּשִׁין אִיכָּא לְבָרוּרַהּ, דְּאָמְרִינַן לָהּ: אִם אִיתָא דְּהָכִי הֲוָה, אַחֲזִי לַן גִּיטִּיךְ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Asi** explained the difference between the two cases in Rabbi Yoḥanan’s statement and **said** that it is a case **where the witnesses say: He died now,** or: **He divorced her now.** With regard to the husband’s **death, there is no** way **to** immediately **clarify** whether or not he is dead. With regard to **divorce there is** a way **to** immediately **clarify** whether or not he divorced her, **as we say to** the woman: **If it is so that this** is what happened, **show us your bill of divorce.** Since the testimony was that the divorce was now, it is not feasible that she lost the bill of divorce. If she fails to produce the bill of divorce, the witnesses that testify that she is divorced are apparently false witnesses. Therefore, even if she remarried she must leave her husband.


###### Ketubot 22b:11
[Ketubot 22b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ketubot/r/22b:11)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: שְׁנַיִם אוֹמְרִים ״נִתְקַדְּשָׁה״, וּשְׁנַיִם אוֹמְרִים ״לֹא נִתְקַדְּשָׁה״ — הֲרֵי זוֹ לֹא תִּנָּשֵׂא, וְאִם נִשֵּׂאת לֹא תֵּצֵא. שְׁנַיִם אוֹמְרִים ״נִתְגָּרְשָׁה״, וּשְׁנַיִם אוֹמְרִים ״לֹא נִתְגָּרְשָׁה״ — הֲרֵי זו לֹא תִּנָּשֵׂא, וְאִם נִשֵּׂאת — תֵּצֵא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught:** In a case where **two** witnesses **say:** This woman **was betrothed, and two** witnesses **say: She was not betrothed, this** woman **may not marry** another, **and if she remarried,** she need **not leave** her husband. In a case where **two** witnesses **say:** This woman **was divorced, and two** witnesses **say: She was not divorced, this** woman **may not remarry. And if she remarried,** she must **leave** her husband.