## Yevamot Daf 15b

###### Yevamot 15b:1
[Yevamot 15b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/15b:1)

הָרוֹאֶה אוֹמֵר: לְאַפּוֹשֵׁי מַיָּא הוּא דְּקָא עָבֵיד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
anyone **watching** would **say** that **he did** it **to increase the water** flow, and he did not intend to change the *halakha*. Rather, they would think that he widened the water trough only because there was not enough water flow.


###### Yevamot 15b:2
[Yevamot 15b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/15b:2)

תָּא שְׁמַע, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר צָדוֹק: כְּשֶׁהָיִיתִי לוֹמֵד תּוֹרָה אֵצֶל רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן הַחוֹרָנִי, רָאִיתִי שֶׁהָיָה אוֹכֵל פַּת חֲרֵיבָה בְּמֶלַח בִּשְׁנֵי בַצּוֹרֶת. בָּאתִי וְהוֹדַעְתִּי אֶת אַבָּא, אָמַר לִי: הוֹלֵךְ לוֹ זֵיתִים, וְהוֹלַכְתִּי לוֹ. רָאָה אוֹתָן שֶׁהֵן לַחִין, אָמַר לִי: אֵין אֲנִי אוֹכֵל זֵיתִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara cites another relevant source. **Come** and **hear, as Rabbi Elazar bar Tzadok said: When I studied Torah with Rabbi Yoḥanan the Ḥorani,** who was a disciple of Beit Shammai, **I saw that he would eat dry bread in salt in years of drought. I went and informed** my **father** of his meager meal, and **he said to me: Take olives** for **him, and I took** for **him** some olives. Rabbi Yoḥanan **saw that they were moist** with the liquid that oozes from olives, which renders them susceptible to ritual impurity. Concerned that they had already become ritually impure, **he said to me: I do not eat olives.** He spoke politely and stated that he did not eat olives because he did not wish to embarrass his benefactor by disclosing that he feared they had become ritually impure.


###### Yevamot 15b:3
[Yevamot 15b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/15b:3)

בָּאתִי וְהוֹדַעְתִּי אֶת אַבָּא. אָמַר לִי: לֵךְ וֶאֱמוֹר לוֹ, חָבִית נְקוּבָה הָיְתָה אֶלָּא שֶׁסְּתָמוּהָ שְׁמָרִים. וּתְנַן: חָבִית שֶׁל זֵיתִים מְגוּלְגָּלִים, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: אֵין צְרִיכָה לִנָּקֵב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rabbi Elazar bar Tzadok continued his account. **I went and informed** my **father. He said to me: Go and say to him** that the **barrel** containing the olives **was perforated, but it was clogged by sediments** in the oil and therefore some moisture remained inside. However, due to the presence of the hole, the olives were not rendered susceptible to ritual impurity. **And we learned** this in a mishna: With regard to **a barrel of preserved olives, Beit Shammai say it does not need to be perforated,** as the juice issuing from the olives does not render them susceptible to ritual impurity.


###### Yevamot 15b:4
[Yevamot 15b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/15b:4)

וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: צְרִיכָה לִנָּקֵב. וּמוֹדִים שֶׁאִם נִיקְּבָה וּסְתָמוּהָ שְׁמָרִים — שֶׁהִיא טְהוֹרָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Beit Hillel say** that **it does need to be perforated,** as they maintain that the juice of olives is considered oil and it therefore renders the olives susceptible to ritual impurity. **And** Beit Hillel **concede that if** the barrel **was perforated and** subsequently **clogged by sediments it is ritually pure,** despite the moisture on the olives. Since liquids render food susceptible to ritual impurity only if they were placed on them intentionally, the hole in the barrel clearly shows that one did not intend for the juice to be there. By boring a hole in the barrel he has rendered it obvious that he did not desire the presence of the olive juices, and therefore it does not matter that the hole became blocked.


###### Yevamot 15b:5
[Yevamot 15b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/15b:5)

וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁתַּלְמִיד שַׁמַּאי הָיָה, כׇּל מַעֲשָׂיו לֹא עָשָׂה אֶלָּא כְּדִבְרֵי בֵּית הִלֵּל. אִי אָמְרַתְּ בִּשְׁלָמָא עָשׂוּ — הַיְינוּ רְבוּתֵיהּ. אֶלָּא אִי אָמְרַתְּ לֹא עָשׂוּ — מַאי רְבוּתֵיהּ?!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *baraita* adds: **And although** Rabbi Yoḥanan the Ḥorani **was a disciple of Shammai, he always acted only in accordance with the statements of Beit Hillel.** The Gemara infers: **Granted, if you say** that Beit Shammai **acted** in accordance with their opinions, **this is** Rabbi Yoḥanan the Ḥorani’s **greatness,** i.e., he is praised for acting in accordance with the opinion of Beit Hillel. **However, if you say** that Beit Shammai **did not act** in accordance with their own rulings, **what is the greatness** and uniqueness **of** Rabbi Yoḥanan the Ḥorani? From here it can be inferred that Beit Shammai generally did act in accordance with their opinions.


###### Yevamot 15b:6
[Yevamot 15b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/15b:6)

תָּא שְׁמַע: שָׁאֲלוּ אֶת רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, צָרַת הַבַּת מַהוּ? אָמַר לָהֶם: מַחְלוֹקֶת בֵּית שַׁמַּאי וּבֵית הִלֵּל. וַהֲלָכָה כְּדִבְרֵי מִי? אָמַר לָהֶם: מִפְּנֵי מָה אַתֶּם מַכְנִיסִין רֹאשִׁי בֵּין שְׁנֵי הָרִים גְּדוֹלִים, בֵּין שְׁתֵּי מַחְלוֹקוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת, בֵּין בֵּית שַׁמַּאי וּבֵין בֵּית הִלֵּל. מִתְיָירֵא אֲנִי שֶׁמָּא יָרוֹצּוּ גֻּלְגׇּלְתִּי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara adds: **Come** and **hear** a different proof. **They asked Rabbi Yehoshua: What is** the *halakha* with regard to the **rival wife of a daughter? He said to them:** It is a matter of **dispute between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel.** They continued to ask him: **And in accordance with whose statement is the *halakha*? He said to them: Why are you inserting my head between two great mountains,** i.e., **between two great disputing** opinions, **between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel? I fear lest** these two mountains **break my skull.**


###### Yevamot 15b:7
[Yevamot 15b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/15b:7)

אֲבָל אֲנִי מֵעִיד לָכֶם עַל שְׁתֵּי מִשְׁפָּחוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, מִשְׁפַּחַת בֵּית צְבוֹעִים מִבֶּן עַכְמַאי, וּמִשְׁפַּחַת בֵּית קוֹפַאי מִבֶּן מְקוֹשֵׁשׁ, שֶׁהֵם בְּנֵי צָרוֹת, וּמֵהֶם כֹּהֲנִים גְּדוֹלִים, וְשִׁמְּשׁוּ עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**However, I shall testify to you about two great families that were in Jerusalem, the Beit Tzevo’im family** who came **from** the town of **Ben Akhmai, and the Beit Kofai family from** the town of **Ben Mekoshesh: They were the descendants of rival wives** who married others, in accordance with the opinion of Beit Hillel, **and from them** came **High Priests who served on the altar.** Accordingly, I can testify that this was the accepted halakhic practice throughout the generations.


###### Yevamot 15b:8
[Yevamot 15b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/15b:8)

אִי אָמְרַתְּ בִּשְׁלָמָא עָשׂוּ — הַיְינוּ דְּקָאָמַר מִתְיָירֵא אֲנִי. אֶלָּא אִי אָמְרַתְּ לֹא עָשׂוּ, אַמַּאי קָאָמַר מִתְיָירֵא אֲנִי? וּנְהִי נָמֵי דְּעָשׂוּ, מַאי מִתְיָירֵא אֲנִי?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara infers from this statement: **Granted, if you say** that Beit Shammai **acted** in accordance with their opinions, **this is why** Rabbi Yehoshua **said: I fear,** since a conclusive halakhic ruling would mean that certain children are *mamzerim*, and the descendants of that family might take vengeance upon him. **However, if you say** that **they did not act** in accordance with their opinions, **why did he say: I fear?** The Gemara retorts: **And even** if Beit Shammai **did act** in accordance with their rulings, **what is** the reason that he said: **I fear?**


###### Yevamot 15b:9
[Yevamot 15b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/15b:9)

הָא אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: אֵין מַמְזֵר אֶלָּא מֵחַיָּיבֵי מִיתוֹת בֵּית דִּין! נְהִי נָמֵי דְּמַמְזֵר לָא הָוֵי, פָּגוּם מִיהָא הָוֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Didn’t Rabbi Yehoshua say** that in his opinion **a *mamzer* is only** someone born **from** a union **of those liable to** receive **the court-imposed capital punishments,** not from those liable to receive *karet*. If so, in the opinion of Rabbi Yehoshua, the children of rival wives who entered into levirate marriage would not be *mamzerim* at all, and therefore he had no reason to fear reprisals. The Gemara answers: **Even if** this is the case, nevertheless, he had something to fear, as, although the child of a rival wife would **not be a *mamzer*,** he would **nevertheless be** of **flawed** lineage and disqualified from the priesthood.


###### Yevamot 15b:10
[Yevamot 15b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/15b:10)

מִקַּל וָחוֹמֶר מֵאַלְמָנָה: מָה אַלְמָנָה, שֶׁאֵין אִיסּוּרָהּ נוֹהֵג בַּכֹּל — בְּנָהּ פָּגוּם, זוֹ, שֶׁאִיסּוּרָהּ שָׁוֶה בַּכֹּל כּוּ׳.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara adds that this can be derived **by an *a fortiori*** inference **from** the case of **a widow: Just as** in the case of **a widow, whose prohibition does not apply to all,** as she is forbidden in marriage only to a High Priest and not to any other man, **and** yet the lineage of **her son is flawed,** as he is disqualified from the priesthood, the son of **this** rival wife should certainly be disqualified from the priesthood, as **her prohibition applies equally to all,** even regular Israelites.


###### Yevamot 15b:11
[Yevamot 15b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/15b:11)

קָבְעוּ מִינֵּיהּ צָרוֹת, וְקָפָשֵׁיט לֵיהּ בְּנֵי צָרוֹת! תַּרְתֵּי קָא בָּעֵי מִינֵּיהּ: צָרוֹת מַאי? וְאִם תִּמְצֵי לוֹמַר צָרוֹת כְּבֵית הִלֵּל, בְּנֵי צָרוֹת דְּבֵית הִלֵּל — לְבֵית שַׁמַּאי מַהוּ?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ Incidentally, the Gemara notes a problem with the above discussion: **They asked** Rabbi Yehoshua about **rival wives, and he answered them** about **the children of rival wives.** He did not refer to the rival wives themselves. The Gemara explains: **They asked him** questions on **two** matters: First, **what is** the *halakha* with regard to **rival wives? And if you say** that the *halakha* in the case of **rival wives** is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Beit Hillel** and they are exempt, **what is** the *halakha* **according to Beit Shammai** in the case of **the children of rival wives** who, following **Beit Hillel,** married others without *ḥalitza*?


###### Yevamot 15b:12
[Yevamot 15b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/15b:12)

לְמַאי נָפְקָא מִינַּהּ? לְמִיפְשַׁט וְלַד מַחֲזִיר גְּרוּשָׁתוֹ לְבֵית הִלֵּל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What difference** does this question make? Since Rabbi Yehoshua maintains that the *halakha* is in accordance with the ruling of Beit Hillel, why even discuss Beit Shammai’s opinion on this matter? The Gemara explains: His answer enables one **to resolve** a different issue, the case of a **child of one who remarries his divorcée according to** the opinion of **Beit Hillel.** Is the child of a divorcée who remarried her previous husband after she had been married to another man fit or disqualified from the priesthood?


###### Yevamot 15b:13
[Yevamot 15b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/15b:13)

מִי קָאָמְרִינַן קַל וָחוֹמֶר: וּמָה אַלְמָנָה לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל שֶׁאֵין אִיסּוּרָהּ שָׁוֶה בַּכֹּל — בְּנָהּ פָּגוּם. זוֹ, שֶׁאִיסּוּרָהּ שָׁוֶה בַּכֹּל — אֵינוֹ דִּין שֶׁבְּנָהּ פָּגוּם?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara elaborates: **Do we say** the following **an *a fortiori*** inference: **And just as** with regard to **a widow** married **to a High Priest, whose prohibition does not apply to all,** as she is prohibited in marriage only to a High Priest, **and** yet the lineage of **her son is flawed** as he is disqualified from the priesthood, so too, in the case of **this** rival wife, **whose prohibition applies equally to all** men, **is it not right that her son** should be of **flawed** lineage?


###### Yevamot 15b:14
[Yevamot 15b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/15b:14)

אוֹ דִלְמָא אִיכָּא לְמִיפְרַךְ: מָה לְאַלְמָנָה שֶׁהִיא עַצְמָהּ מִתְחַלֶּלֶת. וַאֲמַר לְהוּ: צָרוֹת מִתְיָירֵא אֲנִי,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Or perhaps** this comparison **can be refuted: What** about the fact **that a widow** is different, **as she herself is disqualified** from marrying a priest, i.e., if a High Priest has intercourse with her she is disqualified from marrying any member of the entire priesthood, including common priests, whereas a remarried divorcée herself is not disqualified from marrying into the priesthood? **And** Rabbi Yehoshua **said to them: I fear** that if I issue a decisive ruling concerning **rival wives** this might lead to a conflict,