## Yevamot Daf 122a

###### Yevamot 122a:1
[Yevamot 122a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:1)

תְּלָתָא רִיגְלֵי. אֲמַר לַהּ רַב אַדָּא בַּר אַהֲבָה: זִיל לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב יוֹסֵף, דְּחָרִיף סַכִּינֵאּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
for **three** pilgrim **Festivals,** on which the Sages gather together to study, but he could not resolve this uncertainty on any of those occasions. **Rav Adda bar Ahava said to her: Go before Rav Yosef, whose knife is sharp,** i.e., he has keen insight into halakhic matters, and ask him to decide your case.


###### Yevamot 122a:2
[Yevamot 122a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:2)

אֲזַלָה קַמֵּיהּ. פְּשַׁט מֵהָא מַתְנִיתִין: גּוֹי שֶׁהָיָה מוֹכֵר פֵּירוֹת בַּשּׁוּק, וְאָמַר: ״פֵּירוֹת הַלָּלוּ שֶׁל עׇרְלָה הֵן״ ״שֶׁל עֲזֵיקָה הֵן״, ״שֶׁל נֶטַע רְבָעִי הֵן״ — לֹא אָמַר כְּלוּם, לֹא נִתְכַּוֵּון אֶלָּא לְהַשְׁבִּיחַ מִקָּחוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**She went before him** and **he resolved** the case **based on this *baraita*:** With regard to **a gentile who was selling fruit at the market and said: These fruits are from the first three years of the tree’s growth [*orla*];** or **they are from Azeka,** i.e., land tilled on the Sabbatical Year, the produce of which it is prohibited to eat; or they **are fourth-year produce,** which it is prohibited to eat outside of Jerusalem, **he** has **said nothing** of consequence. His statement is not deemed credible, since it is possible that **he intended only to enhance** the reputation of **his goods,** as he thought that his produce would fetch a higher price if he described it in that fashion. Rav Yosef derived from this *baraita* that in the case of the missing Jew, the gentile’s statement could not be relied upon, as he may have stated it only to promote his own agenda.


###### Yevamot 122a:3
[Yevamot 122a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:3)

אַבָּא יוּדָן אִישׁ צַיְידָן אָמַר: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹי שֶׁהָלְכוּ בַּדֶּרֶךְ, וּבָא גּוֹי וְאָמַר: ״חֲבָל עַל יְהוּדִי שֶׁהָיָה עִמִּי בַּדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁמֵּת בַּדֶּרֶךְ, וּקְבַרְתִּיו״, וְהִשִּׂיאוּ אִשְׁתּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Abba Yudan of Sidon said: An incident** occurred **involving a Jew and a gentile who traveled on the road, and** later **the gentile came and said: Alas for the Jew who was with me on the road, for he died, and I buried him. And** the Sages relied upon this statement and **allowed his wife to marry.**


###### Yevamot 122a:4
[Yevamot 122a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:4)

וְשׁוּב מַעֲשֶׂה בְּקוֹלָר שֶׁל בְּנֵי אָדָם, שֶׁהָיוּ מְהַלְּכִין לְאַנְטוֹכְיָא, וּבָא גּוֹי אֶחָד וְאָמַר: ״חֲבָל עַל קוֹלָר שֶׁל בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁמֵּתוּ, וּקְבַרְתִּים״, וְהִשִּׂיאוּ אֶת נְשׁוֹתֵיהֶם. וְשׁוּב מַעֲשֶׂה בְּשִׁשִּׁים בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁהָיוּ מְהַלְּכִין לְכַרְכּוֹם בֵּיתֵּר, וּבָא גּוֹי וְאָמַר: ״חֲבָל עַל שִׁשִּׁים בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁהָיוּ מְהַלְּכִין בְּדֶרֶךְ בֵּיתֵּר שֶׁמֵּתוּ, וּקְבַרְתִּים״ וְהִשִּׂיאוּ אֶת נְשׁוֹתֵיהֶם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** there was **another incident involving** a group of **people who** had been taken prisoner, each of whom was shackled **with a collar [*kolar*]** around his neck, and they **were walking to Antokhya. And** some time later **a certain gentile came and said: Alas for the** group of **collared people, for they died, and I buried them. And** the Sages **allowed their wives to marry. And** there was yet **another incident involving sixty people who were walking to the siege [*karkom*] of Beitar, and** later **a gentile came and said: Alas for those sixty people who were walking on the road** to **Beitar, for they died, and I buried them. And** the Sages **allowed their wives to marry.**


###### Yevamot 122a:5
[Yevamot 122a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:5)

**מַתְנִי׳** מְעִידִין לְאוֹר הַנֵּר וּלְאוֹר הַלְּבָנָה, וּמַשִּׂיאִין עַל פִּי בַּת קוֹל. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאֶחָד שֶׁעָמַד עַל רֹאשׁ הָהָר וְאָמַר: ״אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי בֶּן פְּלוֹנִי מִמָּקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי מֵת״. הָלְכוּ וְלֹא מָצְאוּ שָׁם אָדָם, וְהִשִּׂיאוּ אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** Witnesses **may testify** that an individual died even if they saw his corpse only **by candlelight or by moonlight. And** the court **may allow** a woman **to marry based on** the statement of **a disembodied voice** proclaiming that her husband died. There was **an incident with regard to a certain** individual **who stood at the top of a mountain and said: So-and-so, son of so-and-so, from such and such a place died. They went and found no person there, but** even so **they** relied upon the statement and **allowed the wife of** the individual declared dead **to marry.**


###### Yevamot 122a:6
[Yevamot 122a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:6)

וְשׁוּב מַעֲשֶׂה בְּצַלְמוֹן, בְּאֶחָד שֶׁאָמַר: ״אֲנִי אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי בֶּן אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי, נְשָׁכַנִי נָחָשׁ וַהֲרֵי אֲנִי מֵת״. וְהָלְכוּ וְלֹא הִכִּירוּהוּ, וְהָלְכוּ וְהִשִּׂיאוּ אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
And there was **another incident in Tzalmon,** a city in the Galilee, **where a particular** man **said: I am so-and-so, son of so-and-so. A snake bit me and I am dying. And they went** and found his corpse **but could not recognize him,** yet **they went** ahead **and allowed his wife to marry** based on what he said in his dying moments.


###### Yevamot 122a:7
[Yevamot 122a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:7)

**גְּמָ׳** אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר שְׁמוּאֵל: תָּנָא, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: אֵין מַשִּׂיאִין עַל פִּי בַּת קוֹל. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: מַשִּׂיאִין עַל פִּי בַּת קוֹל. מַאי קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן, מַתְנִיתִין הִיא! הָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן דְּאִי מַשְׁכַּחַתְּ סְתָמָא דְּאֵין מַשִּׂיאִין — בֵּית שַׁמַּאי הִיא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** **Rabba bar Shmuel said:** It was **taught** in a *baraita* that **Beit Shammai say:** The judges of a court **may not allow** a woman **to marry based on** the statement of **a disembodied voice;** they require actual testimony. **And Beit Hillel say:** The judges **may allow** a woman **to marry based on** the statement of **a disembodied voice.** The Gemara asks: **What is** Rabba bar Shmuel **teaching us** here? **This is** simply **our mishna,** since the decisive ruling follows Beit Hillel’s opinion. The Gemara answers that he **teaches us this: That if an anonymous** mishna or *baraita* **is found** that states **that** the judges **may not allow** a woman **to marry** under such circumstances, **it is** simply the opinion of **Beit Shammai,** and is not the accepted ruling.


###### Yevamot 122a:8
[Yevamot 122a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:8)

וְהָלְכוּ וְלֹא מָצְאוּ. וְדִלְמָא שֵׁד הֲוָה? אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: שֶׁרָאוּ לוֹ דְּמוּת אָדָם. אִינְהוּ נָמֵי דָּמוּ! דַּחֲזוֹ לֵיהּ בָּבוּאָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to the incident where **they** heard a disembodied voice but **went and found no** person there, which is mentioned in the mishna, the Gemara asks: **Perhaps it was a demon. Rav Yehuda said** that **Rav said: They saw that he had the form of a person,** so they knew it was not a demon. The Gemara asks: **They,** i.e., demons, **also appear similar** to people. The Gemara answers: **They saw that he had a shadow.**


###### Yevamot 122a:9
[Yevamot 122a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:9)

וְאִינְהוּ נָמֵי אִית לְהוּ בָּבוּאָה! דַּחֲזוֹ לֵיהּ בָּבוּאָה דְבָבוּאָה. וְדִלְמָא לְדִידְהוּ אִית לְהוּ בָּבוּאָה דְבָבוּאָה. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, אָמַר לִי יוֹנָתָן שֵׁידָא: בָּבוּאָה — אִית לְהוּ, בָּבוּאָה דְבָבוּאָה — לֵית לְהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But they also have a shadow.** The Gemara answers: It was a case **where they saw that he had a shadow of a shadow.** The Gemara asks: **But perhaps they also have a shadow of a shadow? Rabbi Ḥanina said: Yonatan the demon** expert **said to me: They have a shadow,** but **they do not have a shadow of a shadow.**


###### Yevamot 122a:10
[Yevamot 122a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:10)

וְדִלְמָא צָרָה הֲוַאי? תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: בִּשְׁעַת הַסַּכָּנָה כּוֹתְבִין וְנוֹתְנִין, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין מַכִּירִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And perhaps it was a rival** wife, or some other enemy of that man’s wife, who cried out that her husband was dead and then fled, in order to trick her into disgracing herself by remarrying while her husband was still alive? The Gemara answers: **The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: During a period of danger, one may write and give** a bill of divorce to a woman, **although** the witnesses **do not know** the husband, because we do not raise many suspicions at such a time. This case was similar to a period of danger in that they did not find witnesses that her husband died, and therefore the court did not require further clarification.


###### Yevamot 122a:11
[Yevamot 122a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:11)

**מַתְנִי׳** אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: כְּשֶׁיָּרַדְתִּי לִנְהַרְדְּעָא לְעַבֵּר הַשָּׁנָה, מְצָאַנִי נְחֶמְיָה אִישׁ בֵּית דְּלִי, אָמַר לִי: שָׁמַעְתִּי שֶׁאֵין מַשִּׂיאִין אֶת הָאִשָּׁה בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל פִּי עֵד אֶחָד אֶלָּא יְהוּדָה בֶּן בָּבָא. וְנוּמֵּיתִי לוֹ: כֵּן הַדְּבָרִים. אָמַר לִי, אֱמוֹר לָהֶם מִשְּׁמִי: אַתֶּם יוֹדְעִים שֶׁהַמְּדִינָה מְשׁוּבֶּשֶׁת בִּגְיָיסוֹת, מְקוּבְּלַנִי מֵרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל הַזָּקֵן שֶׁמַּשִּׂיאִין אֶת הָאִשָּׁה עַל פִּי עֵד אֶחָד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** **Rabbi Akiva said: When I descended to Neharde’a,** in Babylonia, **to intercalate the year, I found** the Sage **Neḥemya of Beit D’li. He said to me: I heard that** the Sages **in Eretz Yisrael do not allow a woman to remarry based on** the testimony of **a single witness, except for Yehuda ben Bava. And I told him: That is so. He said to me: Tell** the Sages **in my name: You know that the country is confounded by** army **troops,** and I cannot come myself. I declare that **I received this tradition from Rabban Gamliel the Elder, that** the court **may allow a woman to remarry based on** the testimony of **a single witness.**


###### Yevamot 122a:12
[Yevamot 122a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:12)

וּכְשֶׁבָּאתִי וְהִרְצֵיתִי הַדְּבָרִים לִפְנֵי רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, שָׂמַח לִדְבָרַי, וְאָמַר: מָצָאנוּ חָבֵר לְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בָּבָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rabbi Akiva continues: **And when I came and presented the matter before Rabban Gamliel** of Yavne, the grandson of Rabban Gamliel the Elder, **he rejoiced at my words and said: We have found a companion** who agrees **with Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava,** and since his lenient opinion is no longer the opinion of a lone Sage, it may now be relied upon.


###### Yevamot 122a:13
[Yevamot 122a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:13)

מִתּוֹךְ הַדָּבָר, נִזְכַּר רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל שֶׁנֶּהֶרְגוּ הֲרוּגִים בְּתֵל אַרְזָא, וְהִשִּׂיא רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל נְשׁוֹתֵיהֶן עַל פִּי עֵד אֶחָד. וְהוּחְזְקוּ לִהְיוֹת מַשִּׂיאִין עֵד מִפִּי עֵד, מִפִּי עֶבֶד, מִפִּי אִשָּׁה, מִפִּי שִׁפְחָה. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמְרִים: אֵין מַשִּׂיאִין אֶת הָאִשָּׁה עַל פִּי עֵד אֶחָד. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: לֹא עַל פִּי אִשָּׁה, וְלֹא עַל פִּי עֶבֶד, וְלֹא עַל פִּי שִׁפְחָה, וְלֹא עַל פִּי קְרוֹבִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**As a result of this event, Rabban Gamliel remembered that people were murdered in Tel Arza, and Rabban Gamliel** then **allowed their wives to remarry based on** only **one witness. And** from then onward **they established** as protocol **to allow** a woman **to remarry based on hearsay testimony, a slave’s testimony, a woman’s testimony,** or **a maidservant’s testimony. Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua say:** The court **may not allow a woman to remarry based on** only **one witness. Rabbi Akiva says:** The court may **not** allow a woman to marry **based on** the testimony of **a woman, nor based on** the testimony of **a slave, nor based on** the testimony of **a maidservant, nor based on** the testimony of **close relatives.**


###### Yevamot 122a:14
[Yevamot 122a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:14)

**גְּמָ׳** וְסָבַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא עַל פִּי אִשָּׁה לָא? וְהָתַנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: אִשָּׁה נֶאֱמֶנֶת לְהָבִיא גִּיטָּהּ מִקַּל וָחוֹמֶר; וּמָה נָשִׁים שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים אֵין נֶאֱמָנוֹת לוֹמַר ״מֵת בַּעְלָהּ״ — נֶאֱמָנוֹת לְהָבִיא גִּיטֵּיהֶן, זוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמֶנֶת לוֹמַר ״מֵת בַּעְלָהּ״ — אֵינוֹ דִּין שֶׁנֶּאֱמֶנֶת לְהָבִיא גִּיטָּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The Gemara asks: **Does Rabbi Akiva hold** that the court may **not** allow a woman to remarry **based on** another **woman’s testimony? But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says in the name of Rabbi Akiva: A woman is trusted to bring her** own **bill of divorce** and affirm in court that it was written and signed properly, and that trust is **based on** the following ***a fortiori*** inference: **If women,** e.g., a rival wife, **whom the Sages said are not deemed credible to say** that another woman’s **husband died, are** nevertheless **trusted to bring** their **bills of divorce,** then **is it not logical that this** woman herself, **who is deemed credible to say** that **her husband died, should be trusted to bring her** own **bill of divorce?**


###### Yevamot 122a:15
[Yevamot 122a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:15)

נָשִׁים שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים הוּא דְּלָא מְהֵימְנִי, אִשָּׁה בְּעָלְמָא — מְהֵימְנָא. לָא קַשְׁיָא: כָּאן קוֹדֶם שֶׁהֶחֱזִיקוּ, כָּאן לְאַחַר שֶׁהֶחֱזִיקוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
This statement indicates that according to Rabbi Akiva, **it is** specifically **the women who the Sages mentioned who are not deemed credible. In general, a woman is deemed credible,** and another woman is permitted to remarry on the basis of her testimony. The Gemara answers: **This** is **not difficult. Here,** where Rabbi Akiva disqualified the testimony of a woman, it was **before they established** the protocol that a woman may be permitted to remarry on the basis of another woman’s testimony. **There,** where he allowed it, it was **after they established** that protocol.


###### Yevamot 122a:16
[Yevamot 122a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:16)

**מַתְנִי׳** אָמְרוּ לוֹ: מַעֲשֶׂה בִּבְנֵי לֵוִי שֶׁהָלְכוּ לְצוֹעַר עִיר הַתְּמָרִים, וְחָלָה אֶחָד מֵהֶם, וֶהֱבִיאוּהוּ בְּפוּנְדָּק. וּבַחֲזָרָתָם אָמְרוּ לַפּוּנְדָּקִית: ״אַיֵּה חֲבֵרֵנוּ?״ נוּמֵּית לָהֶם: ״מֵת, וּקְבַרְתִּיו״, וְהִשִּׂיאוּ אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ. וְלֹא תְּהֵא כֹּהֶנֶת כְּפוּנְדָּקִית?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** **They said to** Rabbi Akiva: Do we not rely upon a woman’s testimony? After all, **an incident occurred involving Levites who traveled to Tzoar, the city of date palms. And one of them became ill, and they brought him to an inn [*pundak*]** to rest, while they continued on their travels. **Upon their return** to the inn **they said to the innkeeper,** who was a woman: **Where is our friend? She told them: He died, and I buried him. And** based on her testimony **they allowed his wife to remarry. And shouldn’t a priestess,** or any Jewish woman who testifies that a man died, **be** deemed as credible **as an innkeeper?**


###### Yevamot 122a:17
[Yevamot 122a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/122a:17)

אֲמַר לְהוּ: לִכְשֶׁתְּהֵא כְּפוּנְדָּקִית — נֶאֱמֶנֶת. הַפּוּנְדָּקִית הוֹצִיאָה לָהֶם מַקְלוֹ וְתַרְמִילוֹ וְסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה שֶׁהָיָה בְּיָדוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rabbi Akiva **said to them: When** a woman **will be as** convincing as **the innkeeper,** then **she shall** also **be deemed credible. The innkeeper brought them his staff, and his bag, and the Torah scroll that was in his possession,** thereby providing supporting evidence to reinforce her claim.