## Tosefta Yevamot Chapter 14

###### Tosefta Yevamot 14:1
[Tosefta Yevamot 14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tosefta%20Yevamot/r/14:1)

האשה שאמרה גרשני בעלי חלץ לי יבמי נתיבמתי ליבמי ומת הרי זו אינה נאמנת כל אלו שאינן נאמנות להעידן [אף היא אינה נאמנת להעידן].

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
A woman who said, "My husband divorced me," [or] "My yavam subjected me to chalitzah," [or] "My yavam performed yibbum on me and died": This one is not believed as to any of these [statements]. [As to] all those who are not believed to testify about her*, she is also not believed to testify about them.


###### Tosefta Yevamot 14:2
[Tosefta Yevamot 14:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tosefta%20Yevamot/r/14:2)

עד אומר מת ועד אומר לא מת אשה אומרת מת ואשה אומרת לא מת הרי זו לא תנשא ר' מנחם בר' יוסי אומר עד אומר מת ועד אומר לא מת ונשאת ובא אחר ואמר לא מת הרי זו לא תצא אבל בתחלה עד אומר מת ועד אומר לא מת אשה אומרת מת ואשה אומרת לא מת אע"פ שנשאת תצא אחת אומרת מת ושתים אומרות לא מת הרי שתי נשים כאיש אחד רבי נחמיה אומר כל מקום שהכשירו [חכמים עדות האשה כאיש אחד הכל הולכין אחר הדיעות] שתי נשים לאשה אחת כשני [עדים] לאיש אחד שנים אומרים מת ומאה אומרים לא מת הרי מאה כשני עדים.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
[If] one witness says, "He died," and one witness says, "He didn't die," [or] one woman says, "He died," and one woman says, "He didn't die," behold, [the man's wife] may not remarry. Rabbi Menachem b'Rabbi Yosei says, [if] one witness says, "He died," and one witness says, "He didn't die," and she remarried, and another witness came along and said, "He didn't die," behold, she is not sent out [from the subsequent marriage]*; however, if at the beginning one witness says, "He died," and one witness says, "He didn't die," [or] one woman says, "He died," and one woman says, "He didn't die," even though she [subsequently] remarried, she is sent out. [If] one [woman] says, "He died," and two [women] say, "He did not die," behold, two women are like one man. Rabbi Nehemiah says, wherever the Sages validated the testimony of a woman like that of a man, the same [evidentiary rules apply to both]. Everything follows after [the majority of*] the testimony. Two women against one woman is like two [male] witnesses against one man. [But if] two say, "He died," and one hundred say "He didn't die," behold, the one hundred are [considered] like two witnesses.


###### Tosefta Yevamot 14:3
[Tosefta Yevamot 14:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tosefta%20Yevamot/r/14:3)

קדש אחת מחמש נשים ואין ידוע איזו קדש וכל אחת ואחת אומרת אותי קדש לקח [מקח] מחמשה ואין ידוע מאיזה מהם לקח וכל אחד ואחד אומר ממני לקח [אמר] ר' שמעון בן אלעזר לא נחלקו ר' טרפון ור' עקיבה על שקידש אחת מחמש נשים ואינו ידוע איזו קדש שמניח דמי כתובה ביניהם ומסתלק על מה נחלקו על שבעל ולא [נחלקו] על שלקח מקח מחמשה ואין ידוע מאיזה מהם לקח שמניח דמי מקח ביניהם ומסתלק על מה נחלקו על שגזל מודה ר' טרפון באומר לשנים גזלתי את אחד מכם מנה ואין ידוע איזהו או אביו של אחד מכם הפקיד אצלי מנה ואין ידוע איזה נותן לזה מנה ולזה מנה שהודה מפי עצמו.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
[A man] betrothed one of five women, and he does not know which one he betrothed, and each and every one of them say, "He betrothed me" (Yevamot 15:7); [or] he purchased an item from [one of] five [sellers], and he does not know from which one he purchased it, and each and every one of them say, "He purchased it from me": Said Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar, Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiva did not disagree regarding one who betrothed one of five women and he does not know which one he betrothed, that he leaves the ketubah payment between them all and departs. About what did they disagree? About one who had intercourse. And they did not disagree about one who purchased an item from [one of] five [sellers] and he does not know from which one he purchased it, that he leaves the payment for the item between them and departs. About what did they disagree? About one who stole. Rabbi Tarfon concedes that one who says to two people, "I stole a maneh (100 zuz) from one of you, and I don't know which one it was," or "One of your fathers deposited a maneh with me, and I don't know which one it was," he gives this one a maneh and that one a maneh, since he himself has admitted liability (see B.M. 3:3).


###### Tosefta Yevamot 14:4
[Tosefta Yevamot 14:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tosefta%20Yevamot/r/14:4)

האשה שהלך בעלה למדינת הים ובאו ואמרו לה מת בעליך והיה לו אח ויבמה ומת ואחר כך בא בעלה אסור בה ומותר בצרתה אסור בה ומותר באשת אחיו.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
A woman whose husband traveled to lands overseas, and they came and said to her, "Your husband is dead," and he had a brother, and [the brother] performed yibbum on her, and died, and afterwards her husband returned: He is forbidden to her but permitted to her rival wives; he is forbidden to her but permitted to his brother's wife.


###### Tosefta Yevamot 14:5
[Tosefta Yevamot 14:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tosefta%20Yevamot/r/14:5)

[האשה שהלכה היא ובעלה למדינת הים ובאה ואמרה מת בעלי היא מותרת וצרתה אסורה ר"א אומר הואיל והותרו ליבמין הותרו לכל אדם].

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
A woman who traveled with her husband to lands overseas, and she came back and said, "My husband is dead": She is permitted and her rival wife is forbidden. Rabbi Elazar* says, since they were [previously] permitted to their yavams, they are [subsequently] permitted to any man.*


###### Tosefta Yevamot 14:6
[Tosefta Yevamot 14:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tosefta%20Yevamot/r/14:6)

שתי נשים לזו עדים ובנים ולזו [אין] עדים ובנים שתיהן מותרות נפל לבור אריות אין מעידין עליו לתוך כבשן האש מעידין עליו [רשב"א אומר יכול הוא ליכוות ולחיות].

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
[If a man had] two wives, one of whom had witnesses [to the death of her husband] and children, and the other of whom had neither witnesses nor children: Both of them are permitted [to marry]. § [A man who] fell into a pit of lions: They may not testify about him (i.e., his presumed death). Inside a fiery furnace, they may testify about him. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says, he could have cauterized [his wounds] and survived.*


###### Tosefta Yevamot 14:7
[Tosefta Yevamot 14:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tosefta%20Yevamot/r/14:7)

נפל [לבור שמלא נחשים ועקרבים] מעידין עליו ר' יהודה בן בתירה אומר [חוששין שמא חבר הוא נפל ליורה של שמן ושל יין] מעידין עליו ר' אחא [אומר] של שמן מעידין עליו ושל יין אין מעידין עליו אליעזר בן מהבאי אומר מעידין על השומא מת פלוני אבד פלוני נהרג פלוני אין פלוני בעולם אין ממנו כלום [תנשא אשתו] אין מעידין עליו.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
[If] he fell into a pit that was full of snakes and scorpions [and does not emerge], they may testify about him. Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira says, they should be concerned lest he was a snake-charmer. [If] he fell into a vat of boiling oil or wine, they may testify about him. Rabbi Aha says, of oil, they may testify; but of wine, they may not testify about him. Eliezer ben Mahavai says, they may testify based on [identification by] a mole (i.e., a distinguishing mark on the skin). § [If the witness testifies,] "So-and-so is dead," "So-and-so has perished," "So-and-so has been killed," "So-and-so is no longer in this world," [or] "There is nothing left of him," his wife may remarry. --?-- they may not so testify about him.*


###### Tosefta Yevamot 14:8
[Tosefta Yevamot 14:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tosefta%20Yevamot/r/14:8)

נפל למים בין שיש להם סוף בין שאין להם סוף אשתו אסורה [דברי ר' מאיר וחכ"א מים שיש להם סוף אשתו מותרת מים שאין להם סוף אשתו אסורה] שמא גל טורד אותו ומעלה אותו ליבשה א"ר עקיבה כשהייתי בא בים ראיתי ספינה שטבעה בים והייתי מצטער על תלמיד חכם שבתוכה וכשבאתי למדינות קפוטקיא [ראיתיו יושב ושואל] לפני בהלכה נמתי לו בני היאך עלית מן הים גם לי טרדני גל לחבירו וחבירו לחבירו עד שהגעתי ליבשה אמרתי כמה גדולים דברי חכמים [שהיו אומרים] מים שיש להם סוף אשתו מותרת מים שאין להם סוף אשתו אסורה.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
[If] he fell into [a body of] water, whether it has an end (i.e., a visible shoreline) or whether it does not have an end, his wife is forbidden, the words of Rabbi Meir.* Mishnah. And the Sages say, water that has an end, his wife is permitted, [and] water that has no end, his wife is forbidden, lest a wave have carried him and brought him up to dry land. Said Rabbi Akiva, once when I was traveling by sea, I saw a ship that sank in the sea, and I was in distress over a Torah scholar that was inside of it. And when I arrived at the country of Cappadocia, I saw him sit down and inquire before me regarding halacha. I said to him, "My son, how did you emerge from the sea?" He said to me*, "A wave carried me to its fellow, and that one to its fellow, and that one to its fellow, until I reached dry land." I said, "How great are the words of the Sages, who used to say, 'Water that has an end, his wife is permitted, [and] water that has no end, his wife is forbidden.'"


###### Tosefta Yevamot 14:9
[Tosefta Yevamot 14:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tosefta%20Yevamot/r/14:9)

א"ר מעשה [בשנים שהיו מכמרים מכמורות] בירדן ונכנס אחד מהם למחילה של דגים ושהה חבירו [עליו] כדי שתצא נפשו ובא [וסח] בתוך ביתו לשחרית זרחה חמה והכיר פתחה של [מערה] ובא ומצא הספד קשור בתוך ביתו אמר ר"מ מעשה באחד שנפל לבור [הגדול] ועלה לאחר שלשה ימים אמרו לו אין מזכירין מעשה ניסים.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
Said Rebbi, it so happened that there were two people who were laying nets in the Jordan, and one of them entered an underground cavern of fish*, and his friend waited for him [to emerge] long enough for his soul to have departed. Then he went to his [friend's] house and announced [his death]. In the morning, the sun rose, and [the friend] recognized the opening of the cave and he came and found vigorous eulogizing [taking place] inside his house. Said Rabbi Meir, it so happened that there was someone who fell inside the great cistern and he emerged after three days. They said to him, we do not recount miraculous events [for purposes of establishing halacha].


###### Tosefta Yevamot 14:10
[Tosefta Yevamot 14:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tosefta%20Yevamot/r/14:10)

אפילו שמע קול מקוננת שמזכרתו בין המתים אין עדות גדולה מזו שמע ב"ד של ישראל שהיו אומרים פלוני בן פלוני מת או נהרג תנשא אשתו שמע בקונטרסין של מלכים שהיו [אומר] פלוני בן פלוני מת או נהרג לא תנשא אשתו [ומשיאין] ע"פ בת קול מעשה שעמד אחד על ראש ההר ואמר איש פלוני בן פלוני נשכו נחש ומת הלכו [ומצאוהו] שתפחו עיניו והשיאו את אשתו ובעובד כוכבים אם היה מתכוון להעיד אין עדותו עדות אבא יודן איש צידון אומר מעשה [בעובד כוכבים וישראל אחד] שהיו מהלכין בדרך [אמר אותו עובד כוכבים הוי וחבל על ישראל אחד שמת כאן וספדתיו וקברתיו ובא מעשה לפני חכמים] והשיאו את אשתו אמר רשב"ג מעשה בקולר של בני אדם שהלכו לאנטוכיא ובחזירתן אמרו נהרג ממנו איש פלוני יהודי ובא מעשה לפני חכמים והשיאו את אשתו ושוב מעשה בששים [בני אדם] שירדו לכרכום ביתר ולא עלה אחד מהם ובא מעשה לפני חכמים והשיאו את נשיהם.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
Even if one heard a [woman's] voice lamenting, recounting his memory among the dead, there is no testimony greater than that. [If] one heard a Jewish court saying, "So-and-so son of so-and-so died" or "...was killed," his wife may remarry. [If] one heard from the king's *kontrasin* ("one who makes out a list of prisoners" (Guggenheimer)), who was saying, "So-and-so son of so-and-so died" or "...was killed," his wife may not remarry. And we let her marry on the basis of an echo (bat kol). It so happened that there was someone standing on top of a mountain, and he said, "Mr. So-and-So son of so-and-so was bitten by a snake and he has died." They went and found him, that his eyes had swelled up, and they let his wife remarry.* And regarding an idolater, if he intended to testify, his testimony is not [valid] testimony. Abba Yudan of Tzidon says, it so happened with an idolater and a certain Israelite who were walking down the road. The idolater said to him, "Alack and alas about this one Israelite, who died right here, and I eulogized and buried him." And the incident came before the Sages and they let his wife remarry. Said Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel, it so happened that there was a party of men traveling to Antiochia, and when they returned they said, "One of our number was killed -- Mr. So-and-So, a Jew." And the incident came before the Sages and they let his wife remarry. And there were sixty men who went down to the siege of Beitar (circa 135 CE), and not a single one of them came back up. And the incident came before the Sages and they let their wives remarry.


###### Tosefta Yevamot 14:11
[Tosefta Yevamot 14:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tosefta%20Yevamot/r/14:11)

אין מעידין עליו עד שיהיו מזכירין שמו ושם אביו שמו ושם עירו אבל אמר אחד יצא מעיר פלוני מפשפשין באותה העיר אם לא יצא משם אלא הוא תנשא אשתו מעשה בשנים שהיו רצים אחר העובד כוכבים ונתלה אחד בזית ופשחו ורדף את העובד כוכבים ואמר לו חבירו יישר כוחך [אריה] א"ל מנין אתה מכיר בי [שאני אריה] כך אני נקרא בעירי יוחנן בן יונתן [אריה] דמכפר [שיחרא לאחר שלשה ימים] חלה ומת [והשיאו] את אשתו.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
They may not testify about him (i.e., the husband's death) unless they can recount his name and the name of his father, [or] his name and the name of his town, but if someone said, "He came out from such-and-such a town," an investigation is held in that town. If no one but him came out from there, his wife may remarry. It so happened that there were two people who were fleeing after [being attacked by] ravaging troops*, and one of them suspended himself from [the branch of] an olive tree and broke it off, and chased after the ravaging troops [with it] and returned"*. His fellow said to him, "May your strength be true (*yishar kokhacha*), lion!" He said to him, "How did you know that is how I'm known, that I am a 'lion'? That is what I am called in my town: Yochanan ben Yonatan, the Lion of K'far Shikhra!" After three days he fell ill and died, and they let his wife remarry [on account of that testimony].


###### Tosefta Yevamot 14:12
[Tosefta Yevamot 14:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tosefta%20Yevamot/r/14:12)

אין בודקין [לעדי] נשים בדרישה ובחקירה [רבי טרפון ור"ע אומרים] בודקין [לעידי נשים בדרישה ובחקירה] מעשה באחד שבא לפני ר' טרפון [להעיד לאשה שתנשא אמר] בני היאך אתה יודע [לאשה זו] עדות אמר לו [רבי עמנו היה בשיירה ונפלו עלינו עובדי כוכבים ונתלה הוא ביחור של תאנה ופשחו והחזיר את העובד כוכבים לאחוריו] אמרתי לו משבחך אני [אריה] אמר לי יפה [אמרת] כוונת לשמי [כך אני נקרא] בעירי יוחנן בן יונתן [אריה דמכפר שחרא] אמר לי לאו רבי יונתן בן יוחנן אריה דמכפר שחרא אלא יוחנן בן יונתן [אריה דמכפר שחרא] בדק ר' טרפון לעדותו שלשה פעמים [ונמצאת] מכוונת והשיא את [האשה על פיו] מכאן ואילך הנהיגו שיהו בודקים לעידי [נשים] בדרישה [ובחקירה] אמר להם ר"ע לכשתהא פונדקית תהא נאמנת.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
We do not cross-examine the witnesses of women (i.e., those testifying about their husbands' deaths) by inquiry and interrogation. Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiva say, we do cross-examine the witnesses of women by inquiry and interrogation. It so happened that there was one who came before Rabbi Tarfon to testify on behalf of a woman, for her to be able to remarry. He said, "My son, how do you come to have testimony regarding this woman?" He said to him, "Rabbi, he (i.e., her husband) was with us in a caravan when ravaging troops* fell upon us, and he suspended himself from the shoot of a fig tree and broke it off, and forced the ravaging troops who were after him to turn back around. I said to him, 'I praise you, lion!' He said to me, 'You have spoken well, in reference to my name. Thus I am called in my town: Yochanan ben Yonatan, the Lion of K'far Shikhra.'" * Rabbi Tarfon said to him, "You have spoken well, my son, [regarding] Yonatan ben Yochanan, the Lion of K'far Shikhra." He said to him, "No, Rabbi, not so. Rather, it is *Yochanan* ben *Yonatan*, the Lion of K'far Shikhra." Rabbi Tarfon said to him, "Isn't that what I said, my son? Yonatan ben Yochanan of K'far Shikhra, the Lion?" He [again] said to him, "No, Rabbi, not so. Rather, it is *Yochanan* ben *Yonatan* of K'far Shikhra." [In this way,] Rabbi Tarfon investigated his testimony three times, and found him to be consistent, and allowed the wife to remarry on the basis of his testimony. From that point onward, they became accustomed to cross-examining witnesses of women by inquiry and interrogation.
[In connection with the incident recounted in Yevamot 16:7,] Rabbi Akiva said, "When she (i.e., a priest's wife) shall give [such evidence] as did the inn's proprietress, she will be believed [to the same extent]."