## Yevamot Daf 121b

###### Yevamot 121b:1
[Yevamot 121b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:1)

שֶׁמָּא חַבָּר הוּא. וְתַנָּא קַמָּא, אַגַּב אִיצְצָא מַזְּקִי לֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
that **perhaps he is a charmer [*ḥabbar*]** of snakes and scorpions who knows magic or some stratagem to keep them from harming him. **And the first *tanna*** holds that we need not be concerned about this possibility, **as, due to the pressure** of his body falling on top of them, **they will harm him,** even if he could control them under other circumstances.


###### Yevamot 121b:2
[Yevamot 121b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:2)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: נָפַל לְתוֹךְ כִּבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ — מְעִידִין עָלָיו. לְיוֹרָה מְלֵאָה יַיִן וָשֶׁמֶן — מְעִידִין עָלָיו. מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי אַחָא אָמְרוּ: שֶׁל שֶׁמֶן — מְעִידִין עָלָיו, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מַבְעִיר. שֶׁל יַיִן — אֵין מְעִידִין עָלָיו, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מְכַבֶּה. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: תְּחִלָּתוֹ מְכַבֶּה וְסוֹפוֹ מַבְעִיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Sages taught:** If one **fell into a blazing furnace, one may testify about him** that he has died. If he fell **into** a boiling **cauldron filled** with **wine or oil, one may** also **testify about him** that he has died. **In the name of Rabbi Aḥa, they said:** If he fell into a cauldron **of oil, one may testify about him** that he has died, **because this ignites** the fire even more. Through the force of his fall, oil will splash into the fire and increase the heat of the cauldron. However, if he fell into a cauldron **of wine, one may not testify about him** that he has died, **because** when wine splashes into the fire **it extinguishes** the fire. **They said to him: At first it** partially **extinguishes** the fire **but eventually it ignites** it even more, and therefore it can be assumed that he has died.


###### Yevamot 121b:3
[Yevamot 121b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:3)

אָמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאֶחָד שֶׁנָּפַל לַבּוֹר הַגָּדוֹל וְכוּ׳. תַּנְיָא, אָמְרוּ לוֹ לְרַבִּי מֵאִיר: אֵין מַזְכִּירִין מַעֲשֵׂה נִסִּים. מַאי מַעֲשֵׂה נִסִּים? אִילֵּימָא דְּלָא אֲכַל וְלָא אִישְׁתִּי — וְהָכְתִיב: ״וְצוּמוּ עָלַי וְאַל תֹּאכְלוּ וְאַל תִּשְׁתּוּ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna stated that **Rabbi Meir said: An incident** occurred **involving a certain** individual **who fell into the Great Cistern** and emerged after three days. It **is taught** in a *baraita*: **They said to Rabbi Meir: One does not mention miraculous acts** to teach general *halakha*. The Gemara asks: **What** about that story defines it as an example of **miraculous acts? If we say** the fact **that he did not eat or drink** for three days and still survived is miraculous, **but isn’t it written: “Fast for me, and neither eat nor drink** three days, night or day” (Esther 4:16), demonstrating that one may survive this experience naturally?


###### Yevamot 121b:4
[Yevamot 121b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:4)

אֶלָּא דְּלָא נָיֵים. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שְׁבוּעָה שֶׁלֹּא אִישַׁן שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים — מַלְקִין אוֹתוֹ, וְיִישַׁן לְאַלְתַּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **Rather,** the miraculous element is **that he did not sleep** during those three days, **as Rabbi Yoḥanan said:** If one says: I hereby take on **an oath that I will not sleep for three days,** the court **flogs him** for taking an oath in vain, **and he may sleep immediately** because it is impossible to remain awake for three consecutive days.


###### Yevamot 121b:5
[Yevamot 121b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:5)

וְרַבִּי מֵאִיר מַאי טַעְמָא? אָמַר רַב כָּהֲנָא: כִּיפִּין עַל גַּב כִּיפִּין הֲווֹ. וְרַבָּנַן — דְּשֵׁישָׁא הֲווֹ. וְרַבִּי מֵאִיר: אִי אֶפְשָׁר דְּלָא מְסָרֵיךְ וְנָיֵים פּוּרְתָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And** according to **Rabbi Meir, what is the reason** this was not a miraculous incident? The Gemara answers that **Rav Kahana said: There were** several levels of **arches** built **on top of** other **arches** within the Great Cistern, and he supported himself on the arches and slept. **And the Rabbis** said that **they were** made **of marble** and it was impossible to hold onto them and sleep. **And Rabbi Meir** assumed that **it is inconceivable that he didn’t grasp** some part of an arch for a short time **and sleep a little,** and therefore this incident does not qualify as a miracle.


###### Yevamot 121b:6
[Yevamot 121b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:6)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּבִתּוֹ שֶׁל נְחוּנְיָא חוֹפֵר שִׁיחִין שֶׁנָּפְלָה לְבוֹר הַגָּדוֹל, וּבָאוּ וְהוֹדִיעוּ לְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן דּוֹסָא. שָׁעָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, אָמַר לָהֶם: שָׁלוֹם. שְׁנִיָּה, אָמַר לָהֶם: שָׁלוֹם. שְׁלִישִׁית, אָמַר לָהֶם: עָלְתָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Sages taught: An incident** occurred **involving the daughter of Neḥunya the well digger, who fell into the Great Cistern, and they came and notified Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa** and asked that he pray for her. After **the first hour, he said to them:** She is at **peace** and unharmed. After **the second** hour, **he said to them:** She is at **peace.** After **the third** hour **he said to them: She has ascended** from the cistern.


###### Yevamot 121b:7
[Yevamot 121b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:7)

אָמַר לָהּ: בִּתִּי, מִי הֶעֱלֵךְ? אָמְרָה לוֹ: זָכָר שֶׁל רְחֵלִים נִזְדַּמֵּן לִי, וְזָקֵן מַנְהִיגוֹ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: נָבִיא אַתָּה? אָמַר לָהֶם: ״לֹא נָבִיא אָנֹכִי וְלֹא בֶּן נָבִיא אָנֹכִי״, אֶלָּא: דָּבָר שֶׁהַצַּדִּיק מִתְעַסֵּק בּוֹ — יִכָּשֵׁל בּוֹ זַרְעוֹ?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
When she came to Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa, **he said to her: My daughter, who pulled you up** from the cistern? **She said to him: A male sheep,** i.e., a ram, **happened by** and sensed **me** in that cistern, **and** there was **an old man leading him** who pulled me out. **They said** to Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa: **Are you a prophet** with knowledge of what is happening far away? **He said to them,** using a figure of speech from the Bible: **“I am not a prophet, nor the son of a prophet am I”** (Amos 7:14). **Rather,** I reasoned as follows: Could it be that concerning **the endeavor that the righteous** Neḥunya **is engaged** in, i.e., digging for the benefit of the public, **his offspring would stumble upon** its fruits and thereby be killed? I therefore knew that God would certainly save her.


###### Yevamot 121b:8
[Yevamot 121b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:8)

אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא: אַף עַל פִּי כֵן מֵת בְּנוֹ בַּצָּמָא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּסְבִיבָיו נִשְׂעֲרָה מְאֹד״, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְדַקְדֵּק עִם סְבִיבָיו כְּחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר, מֵהָכָא: ״אֵל נַעֲרָץ בְּסוֹד קְדוֹשִׁים רַבָּה וְנוֹרָא עַל כׇּל סְבִיבָיו״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Abba said: Even so, the son** of Neḥunya the well digger **died of thirst,** and the merit of his father, who attended to the water supply, did not protect him, **as is stated: “And around Him it storms [*nisara*] mightily”** (Psalms 50:3), **which teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, is exacting with His surroundings,** i.e., the righteous who are close to Him, **up to a hairsbreadth [*sa’ara*],** so that even slight deviations can elicit severe punishment. **Rabbi Ḥanina said:** This idea is derived **from here: “A God dreaded in the great council of the holy ones, and feared by all that are about Him”** (Psalms 89:8). This indicates that God is most feared by those that are nearest to Him, i.e., the righteous, because He is more exacting of them.


###### Yevamot 121b:9
[Yevamot 121b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:9)

**מַתְנִי׳** אֲפִילּוּ שָׁמַע מִן הַנָּשִׁים אוֹמְרוֹת ״מֵת אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי״ — דַּיּוֹ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: אֲפִילּוּ שָׁמַע מִן הַתִּינוֹקוֹת אוֹמְרִים ״הֲרֵי אָנוּ הוֹלְכִין לִסְפּוֹד וְלִקְבּוֹר אֶת אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי״. בֵּין שֶׁהוּא מִתְכַּוֵּין, וּבֵין שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִתְכַּוֵּין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** **Even** if one **heard from the women,** who were **saying: So-and-so died, this is sufficient** in order to testify to his death. **Rabbi Yehuda says: Even if one heard from the children,** who were **saying: We are going to eulogize and bury so-and-so,** that is also sufficient. Furthermore, one may rely upon someone mentioning that a man died, regardless of **whether** the speaker **intends** to testify and thereby allow the man’s wife to remarry **or whether he does not intend** to offer formal testimony.


###### Yevamot 121b:10
[Yevamot 121b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:10)

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בָּבָא אוֹמֵר: בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא מִתְכַּוֵּין, וּבְגוֹי אִם הָיָה מִתְכַּוֵּין — אֵין עֵדוּתוֹ עֵדוּת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava says: With regard to a Jew** who offers this information, it may be relied upon **even if he intends** for his statement to be considered formal testimony. However, **with regard to a gentile, if he intended** to testify, **his testimony is not** considered valid **testimony.** His statement is relied upon only when he does not intend to state it as formal testimony.


###### Yevamot 121b:11
[Yevamot 121b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:11)

**גְּמָ׳** וְדִלְמָא לָא אָזְלִי? אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל, דְּקָאָמְרִי: ״הָרֵינוּ בָּאִין מִלִּסְפּוֹד וּמִלִּקְבּוֹר אֶת אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** With regard to relying on what children said, that they are going to eulogize and bury so-and-so, the Gemara asks: **Perhaps they will not go;** perhaps they only assumed that the individual would die, but in the end he didn’t. The Gemara answers: **Rav Yehuda said** that **Shmuel said:** It is referring to a situation **where** the children **say: We are coming from eulogizing and burying so-and-so.**


###### Yevamot 121b:12
[Yevamot 121b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:12)

וְדִלְמָא קַמְצָא בְּעָלְמָא שְׁכֵיב לֵיהּ וְאַסִּיקוּ לֵיהּ עַל שְׁמֵיהּ! דְּקָאָמְרִי: כֵּן וְכֵן רַבָּנַן הֲווֹ הָתָם. כֵּן וְכֵן סַפְדָנֵי הֲווֹ הָתָם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: Since they are children, **perhaps it was merely a grasshopper** with which they played **that died, and they brought it out** as if to its funeral, calling it **by** the **name of** the individual suspected to be dead, and their statement should not be considered valid proof of his death. The Gemara answers: It is referring to a situation **where the children say: Such and such rabbis were there; such and such eulogizers were there,** so that it is clear that they were referring to an event that truly occurred.


###### Yevamot 121b:13
[Yevamot 121b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:13)

וּבְגוֹי, אִם הָיָה מִתְכַּוֵּין וְכוּ׳. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: לֹא שָׁנוּ אֶלָּא שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּין לְהַתִּיר, אֲבָל נִתְכַּוֵּין לְהָעִיד — עֵדוּתוֹ עֵדוּת. הֵיכִי יָדְעִינַן? אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: בָּא לְבֵית דִּין וְאָמַר: ״אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי מֵת, הַשִּׂיאוּ אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ״ — זֶהוּ נִתְכַּוֵּין לְהַתִּיר. ״מֵת״ סְתָם — זֶהוּ נִתְכַּוֵּין לְעֵדוּת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ It was taught in the mishna: **With regard to a gentile, if he intended** to testify, his testimony is not considered valid testimony. **Rav Yehuda said** that **Shmuel said: They taught** this **only** in a case **where he intended to permit** the woman to remarry through his testimony, **but** if **he** merely **intended to testify** about the man’s death, **his testimony is** considered **testimony.** The Gemara asks: **How do we know** the intention of the gentile? **Rav Yosef said:** If **he came to the court and said: So-and-so died, allow his wife to marry, this is** an instance of **intending to permit** her to remarry. If he said simply: **He died, this is** an instance of merely **intending to testify.**


###### Yevamot 121b:14
[Yevamot 121b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:14)

אִיתְּמַר נָמֵי, אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: לֹא שָׁנוּ אֶלָּא שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּין לְהַתִּיר, אֲבָל נִתְכַּוֵּין לְהָעִיד — עֵדוּתוֹ עֵדוּת. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לֹא כָּךְ הָיָה מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאוֹשַׁעְיָא בְּרַבִּי, שֶׁהִתִּירָם עִם שְׁמֹנִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה זְקֵנִים. אָמַר לָהֶם: לֹא שָׁנוּ אֶלָּא שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּין לְהַתִּיר, אֲבָל נִתְכַּוֵּין לְהָעִיד — עֵדוּתוֹ עֵדוּת. וְלֹא הוֹדוּ לוֹ חֲכָמִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
This **was also stated** by other *amora’im*. **Reish Lakish said: They taught** this **only when one intended to permit** the woman to remarry, **but if he** merely **intended to testify** about the man’s death, **his testimony is** considered valid **testimony. Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: Didn’t such an incident occur involving** Rabbi **Oshaya the Distinguished, who permitted** women to marry based upon the testimony of gentiles while he was **with eighty-five Elders? He said to** the Elders: **They taught** that one may not rely upon a gentile’s testimony **only when he intended to permit** the woman to remarry, **but if he** merely **intended to testify** about the man’s death, **his testimony is** considered valid **testimony. But the Rabbis did not concur with him** on this, and they maintained that one may not rely upon the testimony of a gentile at all.


###### Yevamot 121b:15
[Yevamot 121b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:15)

אֶלָּא מַתְנִיתִין דְּקָתָנֵי: וּבְגוֹי, אִם הָיָה מִתְכַּוֵּין — אֵין עֵדוּתוֹ עֵדוּת, הֵיכִי מַשְׁכַּחַתְּ לַהּ? בְּמֵסִיחַ לְפִי תּוּמּוֹ. כִּי הָהוּא דַּהֲוָה קָאָמַר וְאָזֵיל: ״מַאן אִיכָּא בֵּי חִיוַּאי, מַאן אִיכָּא בֵּי חִיוַּאי, שְׁכֵיב חִיוַּאי״, וְאַנְסְבַהּ רַב יוֹסֵף לִדְבֵיתְהוּ. הָהוּא דַּהֲוָה קָאָמַר וְאָזֵיל: ״וַוי לֵיהּ לְפָרָשָׁא זְרִיזָא דַּהֲוָה בְּפוּמְבְּדִיתָא דִּשְׁכֵיב״, וְאַנְסְבַהּ רַב יוֹסֵף, וְאִיתֵּימָא רָבָא, לִדְבֵיתְהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But,** if that is so, what about **that** which **is taught** in **the mishna: With regard to a gentile, if he intended** to testify, **his testimony is not** considered valid **testimony,** which implies that if the gentile does not intend to testify, his statement may be relied upon? **How can you find** a case where one would rely on his statement? The Gemara answers: One may rely on a gentile’s statement **when he speaks offhandedly,** without any intention to testify. **Like that** gentile **who was going around saying: Who is** from **the house of Ḥivvai; who is** from **the house of Ḥivvai? Ḥivvai has died. And** based upon this report, **Rav Yosef allowed** Ḥivvai’s **wife to marry.** There was also **a certain** gentile **who was going around saying: Alas for the brave horseman who was in Pumbedita, for he is dead. And Rav Yosef, and some say Rava, allowed his wife to marry.**


###### Yevamot 121b:16
[Yevamot 121b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:16)

הָהוּא דַּהֲוָה קָאָמַר וְאָזֵיל: ״מַאן אִיכָּא בֵּי חָסָא, טְבַע חָסָא״. אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: הָאֱלֹקִים! אֲכַלוּ כְּווֹרֵי לְחָסָא מִדִּיבּוּרֵיהּ דְּרַב נַחְמָן. אֲזַלָא דְּבֵיתְהוּ דְחָסָא וְאִינַּסְבָא, וְלָא אֲמַרוּ לָהּ וְלָא מִידֵּי. אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ, הָא דַּאֲמוּר רַבָּנַן מַיִם שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם סוֹף אִשְׁתּוֹ אֲסוּרָה, הָנֵי מִילֵּי לְכַתְּחִלָּה, אֲבָל אִי נָסֵיב — לָא מַפְּקִינַן לַהּ מִינֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ There was also **a certain** gentile **who was going around saying: Who is** from **the house of Ḥasa? Ḥasa has drowned. Rav Naḥman said: By God! The fish have eaten Ḥasa.** The Gemara relates: **Due to Rav Naḥman’s statement,** although he did not issue a court ruling permitting it, **Ḥasa’s wife went and married, and no one said anything to her** to protest this action. **Rav Ashi said: Learn** the following **from this** incident: **That which the Sages said,** that if a man fell into **an endless body of water, his wife is prohibited** from remarrying, **this applies** only ***ab initio*, but if** someone **married** her, **we do not take her away from him.**


###### Yevamot 121b:17
[Yevamot 121b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:17)

אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי, אַנְסְבַהּ רַב נַחְמָן לִדְבֵיתְהוּ, אֲמַר: חָסָא גַּבְרָא רַבָּה אִיתֵיהּ, אִם אִיתָא דִּסְלֵיק — קָלָא אִית לֵיהּ לְמִילְּתָא. וְלָא הִיא: לָא שְׁנָא גַּבְרָא רַבָּה, לָא שְׁנָא לָאו גַּבְרָא רַבָּה — דִּיעֲבַד אִין, לְכַתְּחִלָּה לָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**There are** those **who say** that **Rav Naḥman** actually issued a ruling and **allowed his wife to marry. He said: Ḥasa is a great man; if it was so that he emerged** from the water **the incident would have generated publicity.** Since nothing was heard from Ḥasa in a long while, it can be assumed that he died. The Gemara comments: **That is not so. It is not different** if he is **a great man** and it **is not different** if he is **not a great man.** If a woman remarried based on testimony that her husband drowned in an endless body of water, **after the fact, yes,** she may remain married, but she may **not** remarry ***ab initio*.**


###### Yevamot 121b:18
[Yevamot 121b:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/121b:18)

הָהוּא גּוֹי דַּהֲוָה קָאָמַר לֵיהּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: קְטוֹל אַסְפַּסְתָּא וּשְׁדִי לְחֵיוָ[תַ]אי בְּשַׁבְּתָא, וְאִי לָא — קָטֵילְנָא לָךְ כְּדִקְטֵילְנָא לִפְלוֹנִי בַּר יִשְׂרָאֵל, דַּאֲמַרִי לֵיהּ: בַּשֵּׁיל לִי קְדֵירָה בְּשַׁבָּת, וְלָא בַּשֵּׁיל לִי, וּקְטֵילְתֵּיהּ. שְׁמַעָה דְּבֵיתְהוּ, וַאֲתַאי לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּאַבָּיֵי. (שְׁהֵיתָא)

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates that **a certain gentile said to a Jew: Harvest the fodder and give it to my animals on Shabbat, and if not, I will kill you like I killed so-and-so the Jew, for I said to him: Cook me a pot** of food **on Shabbat, and he didn’t cook** it **for me, so I killed him. The wife** of the missing Jew **heard** the gentile say that he killed her husband, **and** she **came before Abaye** to ask if she was permitted to remarry. **He deferred** the ruling in **her** case