## Nedarim Daf 74a

###### Nedarim 74a:1
[Nedarim 74a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nedarim/r/74a:1)

**מַתְנִי׳** שׁוֹמֶרֶת יָבָם, בֵּין לְיָבָם אֶחָד, בֵּין לִשְׁנֵי יְבָמִין. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: יָפֵר. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר: לְאֶחָד, אֲבָל לֹא לִשְׁנַיִם. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: לֹא לְאֶחָד וְלֹא לִשְׁנַיִם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** With regard to **a widow waiting for her *yavam*** to perform levirate marriage, **whether** she is waiting **for one *yavam*,** if her late husband had only one brother, or **whether** she is waiting **for two** or more ***yevamin*,** if he had several brothers, **Rabbi Eliezer says:** A *yavam* **can nullify** her vows. **Rabbi Yehoshua says:** If she is waiting **for one** *yavam*, he can nullify her vows, **but not** if she is waiting **for two. Rabbi Akiva says:** A *yavam* **cannot** nullify her vows, regardless of whether she is waiting **for one** *yavam* **or for two** or more.


###### Nedarim 74a:2
[Nedarim 74a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nedarim/r/74a:2)

אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר: מָה אִם אִשָּׁה שֶׁקָּנָה הוּא לְעַצְמוֹ — הֲרֵי הוּא מֵיפֵר נְדָרֶיהָ, אִשָּׁה שֶׁהִקְנוּ לוֹ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם — אֵינוֹ דִּין שֶׁיָּפֵר נְדָרֶיהָ?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The mishna then elaborates: **Rabbi Eliezer said: Just as** with regard to **a woman he acquired for himself** through betrothal, **he nullifies her vows,** so too with regard to **a woman acquired for him from Heaven,** i.e., the *yevama*, **isn’t it logical that he should** be able to **nullify her vows?**


###### Nedarim 74a:3
[Nedarim 74a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nedarim/r/74a:3)

אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: לֹא, אִם אָמַרְתָּ בְּאִשָּׁה שֶׁקָּנָה הוּא לְעַצְמוֹ — שֶׁאֵין לַאֲחֵרִים בָּהּ רְשׁוּת, תֹּאמַר בְּאִשָּׁה שֶׁהִקְנוּ לוֹ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לַאֲחֵרִים בָּהּ רְשׁוּת?!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Akiva said to him: No, if you say** that a husband can nullify the vows of **a woman he acquired for himself, over whom others have no authority, shall you** also **say** that this is the case with regard to **a woman acquired for him from Heaven, over whom others have authority?** If there are two *yevamin*, each *yavam* has equal authority with regard to her vows.


###### Nedarim 74a:4
[Nedarim 74a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nedarim/r/74a:4)

אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: עֲקִיבָא, דְּבָרֶיךָ בִּשְׁנֵי יְבָמִין, מָה אַתָּה מֵשִׁיב עַל יָבָם אֶחָד? אָמַר לוֹ: אֵין הַיְּבָמָה גְּמוּרָה לַיָּבָם כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהָאֲרוּסָה גְּמוּרָה לְאִישָׁהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: Akiva, your statement applies** in a situation **with two *yevamin*,** but **how do you reply** to Rabbi Eliezer **in** the case of **one *yavam*?** Rabbi Akiva **said to him: A *yevama* is not the full-fledged** wife **of the *yavam* in the way that a betrothed woman** is **her husband’s full-fledged** wife, and the *yavam* is not empowered to nullify vows at all.


###### Nedarim 74a:5
[Nedarim 74a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nedarim/r/74a:5)

**גְּמָ׳** בִּשְׁלָמָא רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא סָבַר אֵין זִיקָה, וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ סָבַר יֵשׁ זִיקָה. אֶלָּא רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, מַאי טַעְמֵיהּ? אִי יֵשׁ זִיקָה, אֵין בְּרֵירָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The latter two opinions in the mishna **make sense: Rabbi Akiva holds** that the levirate **bond is not substantial.** Since the obligation of levirate marriage does not create a marriage-like bond between the *yavam* and the *yevama*, a *yavam* cannot nullify the vows of the *yevama*. **And Rabbi Yehoshua holds** that the levirate **bond is substantial,** so that if there is only one *yavam*, the *yevama* is considered his wife, allowing him to nullify her vows. **However,** with regard to **Rabbi Eliezer, what is his reason?** Even **if** he holds that the levirate **bond is substantial, there is,** nevertheless, **no** retroactive **designation.** Since it has not yet been established which of them will be her husband, how can either of them nullify her vows?


###### Nedarim 74a:6
[Nedarim 74a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nedarim/r/74a:6)

אָמַר רַבִּי אַמֵּי: כְּגוֹן שֶׁעָשָׂה בָּהּ מַאֲמָר. וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר סָבַר לַהּ כְּבֵית שַׁמַּאי, דְּאָמְרִי: מַאֲמָר קוֹנֶה קִנְיָן גָּמוּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ami said:** It is a case **where** one *yavam* has already **performed levirate betrothal with her.** According to Beit Hillel, levirate betrothal does not have the full force of a regular betrothal, **but Rabbi Eliezer holds like Beit Shammai, who say: Levirate betrothal effects a full-fledged acquisition** just like a regular betrothal.


###### Nedarim 74a:7
[Nedarim 74a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nedarim/r/74a:7)

וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר לְךָ: הָנֵי מִילֵּי בְּחַד יָבָם, אֲבָל בִּשְׁנֵי יְבָמִין — לָא. מִי אִיכָּא מִידֵּי דְּכִי אָתֵי אֲחוּהִי אָסַר עֲלֵיהּ בְּבִיאָה, אוֹ בְּגִיטָּא וּמֵפֵר? וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא סָבַר: אֵין זִיקָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**But Rabbi Yehoshua** would **say to you,** Rabbi Eliezer, in response: **That** statement, that **levirate** betrothal effects a full-fledged acquisition, **applies** only to a case **with one *yavam*, but with two *yevamin*** it is **not** so. The Gemara explains why it cannot be a full-fledged acquisition where there is more than one *yavam*: **Is there anything** like this sort of betrothal that **when his brother comes,** he **can render** the betrothed woman **forbidden to** the one who performed levirate betrothal **by** engaging in **sexual intercourse** with the *yevama*, thereby performing levirate marriage, **or by** giving her **a bill of divorce,** thereby disqualifying her from levirate marriage, **and** nevertheless the betrothed **can** still **nullify** her vows? Since this betrothal can in essence be nullified, it cannot be viewed as betrothal with regard to nullification of vows. Rabbi Ami completes his analysis: **And Rabbi Akiva holds** that the levirate **bond is not substantial** at all, and there is no marital bond between a *yevama* and her *yavam* until the levirate marriage is consummated.


###### Nedarim 74a:8
[Nedarim 74a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nedarim/r/74a:8)

וּלְרַבִּי (אֱלִיעֶזֶר) [אֶלְעָזָר], דְּאָמַר: מַאֲמָר לְבֵית שַׁמַּאי אֵין קוֹנֶה אֶלָּא לִדְחוֹת בַּצָּרָה. מַאי אִיכָּא לְמֵימַר?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges Rabbi Ami’s interpretation of the dispute: **And according to** the *amora* **Rabbi Elazar, who said** that **levirate betrothal, according to Beit Shammai, does not effect** a full-fledged **acquisition except** in that it **removes a rival wife** from being considered substantially bound to the *yavam* while she is a *yevama*, **what can be said?** Only the relatives of the betrothed *yevama* are then forbidden to the *yavam*.


###### Nedarim 74a:9
[Nedarim 74a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nedarim/r/74a:9)

הָכָא בְּמַאי עָסְקִינַן — כְּגוֹן שֶׁעָמַד בַּדִּין, וְאִיתְחַיֵּיב לָהּ מְזוֹנוֹת, וְכִדְרַב פִּנְחָס מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרָבָא: דְּאָמַר כׇּל הַנּוֹדֶרֶת — עַל דַּעַת בַּעְלָהּ הִיא נוֹדֶרֶת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **Here we are dealing with** a case **where** the *yavam* **stood** in court **in judgment** after the woman demanded that he marry her **and he was obligated** by the court to provide **her sustenance. And** this is **in accordance with** that which **Rav Pineḥas** stated **in the name of Rava, who said: Any** woman **who vows,** that which **she vows** is contingent **upon her husband’s consent.** Since under these circumstances the *yavam* must provide for the *yevama* he betrothed, he is authorized to nullify her vows.