## Yevamot Daf 47a

###### Yevamot 47a:1
[Yevamot 47a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/47a:1)

אֵין לִי אֶלָּא בָּאָרֶץ, בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״אִתְּךָ״ — בְּכׇל מָקוֹם שֶׁאִתְּךָ. אִם כֵּן, מָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״בָּאָרֶץ״? בָּאָרֶץ — צָרִיךְ לְהָבִיא רְאָיָה, בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ — אֵין צָרִיךְ לְהָבִיא רְאָיָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: בֵּין בָּאָרֶץ בֵּין בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ — צָרִיךְ לְהָבִיא רְאָיָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**I have** derived **only** that a convert is accepted **in Eretz** Yisrael; **from where** do I derive that also **outside** of **Eretz** Yisrael he is to be accepted? **The verse states “with you,”** which indicates that **in any place that he is with you,** you should accept him. **If so, what** is the meaning when **the verse states: In the land?** This indicates that **in Eretz** Yisrael **he needs to bring evidence** that he is a convert, **but outside** of **Eretz** Yisrael **he does not need to bring evidence** that he is a convert; rather, his claim is accepted. This is **the statement of Rabbi Yehuda. And the Rabbis say: Whether** he is **in Eretz** Yisrael **or whether** he is **outside** of **Eretz** Yisrael, **he needs to bring evidence.**


###### Yevamot 47a:2
[Yevamot 47a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/47a:2)

בָּא הוּא וְעֵדָיו עִמּוֹ, קְרָא לְמָה לִי? אָמַר רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: דְּאָמְרִי: שָׁמַעְנוּ שֶׁנִּתְגַּיֵּיר בְּבֵית דִּין שֶׁל פְּלוֹנִי. סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ אָמֵינָא לָא לְיהֵמְנִייהוּ, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara analyzes the *baraita*: In the case when **he came and** brought **witnesses** to his conversion **with him, why do I** need **a verse** to teach that he is accepted? In all cases, the testimony of witnesses is fully relied upon. **Rav Sheshet said:** The case is **where they say: We heard that he converted in** the **court** of **so-and-so,** but they did not witness the actual conversion. And it is necessary to teach this because it could **enter your mind to say** that **they should not be relied upon;** therefore, the verse **teaches us** that they are relied upon.


###### Yevamot 47a:3
[Yevamot 47a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/47a:3)

״בָּאָרֶץ״ — אֵין לִי אֶלָּא בָּאָרֶץ. בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ מִנַּיִן — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״אִתְּךָ״, בְּכׇל מָקוֹם שֶׁאִתְּךָ. וְהָא אַפֵּיקְתֵּיהּ? חֲדָא מֵ״אִתְּךָ״ וַחֲדָא מֵ״עִמָּךְ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
As cited above, the latter clause of the *baraita* states: “With you **in** your **land”** (Leviticus 19:33). **I have** derived **only** that a convert is accepted **in Eretz** Yisrael; **from where** do I derive that also **outside** of **Eretz** Yisrael he is to be accepted? **The verse states: “With you,”** which indicates that **in any place that he is with you,** you should accept him. The Gemara asks: **But didn’t you** already **expound that** phrase in the first clause of the *baraita* to teach that one doesn’t accept the claims of an individual that he is a valid convert? The Gemara explains: **One** of these *halakhot* is derived from the phrase **“with you”** in the verse cited, **and** the other **one** is derived from the phrase **“with you”** in a subsequent verse (Leviticus 25:35).


###### Yevamot 47a:4
[Yevamot 47a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/47a:4)

וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: בֵּין בָּאָרֶץ בֵּין בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ צָרִיךְ לְהָבִיא רְאָיָה. וְאֶלָּא הָא כְּתִיב ״בָּאָרֶץ״!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *baraita* states: **And the Rabbis say: Whether** he is **in Eretz** Yisrael **or whether** he is **outside** of **Eretz** Yisrael, **he needs to bring evidence.** The Gemara asks: **But isn’t “in** your **land” written** in the verse? How can the Rabbis deny any distinction between the *halakha* inside and outside of Eretz Yisrael?


###### Yevamot 47a:5
[Yevamot 47a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/47a:5)

הַהוּא מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ, דַּאֲפִילּוּ בָּאָרֶץ מְקַבְּלִים גֵּרִים. דְּסָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ אָמֵינָא: מִשּׁוּם טֵיבוּתָא דְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל קָמִגַּיְּירִי, וְהַשְׁתָּא נָמֵי דְּלֵיכָּא טֵיבוּתָא, אִיכָּא לֶקֶט שִׁכְחָה וּפֵאָה וּמַעְשַׂר עָנִי, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains: **That** phrase **is necessary** to teach **that even in Eretz** Yisrael, the Jewish people should **accept converts, as it could enter your mind to say** that it is only **for the sake of** benefiting from **the goodness of Eretz Yisrael,** and not for the sake of Heaven, that **they are converting,** and therefore they should not be accepted. **And** it could also enter your mind to say that even **nowadays, when** God’s blessing has ceased and **there is no** longer **the** original **goodness** from which to benefit, one should still suspect their purity of motives because **there are** the **gleanings,** the **forgotten sheaves, and** the **corners** of fields, **and the poor man’s tithe** from which they would benefit by converting. Therefore, the verse **teaches us** that they are accepted even in Eretz Yisrael.


###### Yevamot 47a:6
[Yevamot 47a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/47a:6)

אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: הֲלָכָה, בֵּין בָּאָרֶץ בֵּין בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ צָרִיךְ לְהָבִיא רְאָיָה. פְּשִׁיטָא, יָחִיד וְרַבִּים הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּים! מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא: מִסְתַּבַּר טַעְמָא דְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה, דְּקָמְסַיְּיעִי לֵיהּ קְרָאֵי, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan said:** The ***halakha*** is that **whether** a convert is **in Eretz** Yisrael **or whether** he is **outside of Eretz** Yisrael, **he needs to bring evidence.** The Gemara asks: **Isn’t** this **obvious;** in all disputes between **an individual** Sage **and many** Sages the ***halakha* is in accordance with** the opinion of the **many** Sages. The Gemara explains: It is necessary to state this **lest you say** that **Rabbi Yehuda’s reason** is more **logical, being that the verse supports him** when it states: “In your land.” Therefore, it is necessary for Rabbi Yoḥanan to **teach us** that the *halakha* is not in accordance with his opinion.


###### Yevamot 47a:7
[Yevamot 47a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/47a:7)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״וּשְׁפַטְתֶּם צֶדֶק בֵּין אִישׁ וּבֵין אָחִיו וּבֵין גֵּרוֹ״, מִכָּאן אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: גֵּר שֶׁנִּתְגַּיֵּיר בְּבֵית דִּין — הֲרֵי זֶה גֵּר, בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ — אֵינוֹ גֵּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Sages taught:** The verse states that Moses charged the judges of a court: **“And judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the convert with him”** (Deuteronomy 1:16). **From here,** based on the mention of a convert in the context of judgment in a court, **Rabbi Yehuda said:** A potential **convert who converts in a court is a** valid **convert.** However, if he converts **in private, he is not a convert.**


###### Yevamot 47a:8
[Yevamot 47a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/47a:8)

מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאֶחָד שֶׁבָּא לִפְנֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, וְאָמַר לוֹ: נִתְגַּיַּירְתִּי בֵּינִי לְבֵין עַצְמִי. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: יֵשׁ לְךָ עֵדִים? אָמַר לוֹ: לָאו. יֵשׁ לְךָ בָּנִים? אָמַר לוֹ: הֵן. אָמַר לוֹ: נֶאֱמָן אַתָּה לִפְסוֹל אֶת עַצְמְךָ, וְאִי אַתָּה נֶאֱמָן לִפְסוֹל אֶת בָּנֶיךָ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: There was **an incident involving one** who was presumed to be Jewish **who came before Rabbi Yehuda and said to him: I converted in private,** and therefore I am not actually Jewish. **Rabbi Yehuda said to him:** Do **you have witnesses** to support your claim? **He said to him: No.** Rabbi Yehuda asked: Do **you have children? He said to him: Yes.** Rabbi Yehuda **said to him: You are deemed credible** in order **to render yourself unfit** to marry a Jewish woman by claiming that you are a gentile, **but you are not deemed credible** in order **to render your children unfit.**


###### Yevamot 47a:9
[Yevamot 47a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/47a:9)

[וּמִי] אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אַבָּנִים לָא מְהֵימַן? וְהָתַנְיָא: ״יַכִּיר״ — יַכִּירֶנּוּ לַאֲחֵרִים. מִכָּאן אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: נֶאֱמָן אָדָם לוֹמַר ״זֶה בְּנִי בְּכוֹר״, וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁנֶּאֱמָן לוֹמַר ״זֶה בְּנִי בְּכוֹר״, כָּךְ נֶאֱמָן לוֹמַר: ״בְּנִי זֶה בֶּן גְּרוּשָׁה הוּא״, אוֹ ״בֶּן חֲלוּצָה הוּא״. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: אֵינוֹ נֶאֱמָן!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But did Rabbi Yehuda** actually **say** that **with regard to** his **children he is not deemed credible? But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita*: The verse states: **“He shall acknowledge [*yakir*]** the firstborn, the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he has” (Deuteronomy 21:17). The phrase “he shall acknowledge” is apparently superfluous. It is therefore expounded to teach that the father is deemed credible so that **he can identify him [*yakirenu*] to others. From here Rabbi Yehuda said: A man is deemed credible to say: This is my firstborn son, and just as he is deemed credible to say: This is my firstborn son, so** too, a priest **is deemed credible to say: This son of mine is a son of a divorced woman** and myself, **or** to say: He is **a son of a *ḥalutza*** and myself, and therefore he is disqualified due to flawed lineage [*ḥalal*]. **And the Rabbis say: He is not deemed credible.** If Rabbi Yehuda holds that a father is deemed credible to render his children unfit, why did he rule otherwise in the case of the convert?


###### Yevamot 47a:10
[Yevamot 47a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/47a:10)

אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק, הָכִי קָאָמַר לֵיהּ: לִדְבָרֶיךָ גּוֹי אַתָּה, וְאֵין עֵדוּת לְגוֹי. רָבִינָא אָמַר, הָכִי קָאָמַר לֵיהּ: יֵשׁ לְךָ בָּנִים? הֵן. יֵשׁ לְךָ בְּנֵי בָנִים? הֵן. אָמַר לוֹ: נֶאֱמָן אַתָּה לִפְסוֹל בָּנֶיךָ, וְאִי אַתָּה נֶאֱמָן לִפְסוֹל בְּנֵי בָנֶיךָ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said** that **this is what** Rabbi Yehuda **said to him: According to your statement you are a gentile, and there is no testimony for a gentile,** as a gentile is a disqualified witness. Consequently, you cannot testify about the status of your children and render them unfit. **Ravina said** that **this is what** Rabbi Yehuda **said to him:** Do **you have children? He said: Yes. He said to him:** Do **you have grandchildren?** He said: **Yes. He said to him: You are deemed credible** in order **to render your children unfit,** based on the phrase “he shall acknowledge,” **but you are not deemed credible** in order **to render your grandchildren unfit,** as the verse affords a father credibility only with respect to his children.


###### Yevamot 47a:11
[Yevamot 47a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/47a:11)

תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: נֶאֱמָן אָדָם לוֹמַר עַל בְּנוֹ קָטָן, וְאֵין נֶאֱמָן עַל בְּנוֹ גָּדוֹל. וְאָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לֹא קָטָן קָטָן מַמָּשׁ, וְלֹא גָּדוֹל גָּדוֹל מַמָּשׁ. אֶלָּא, קָטָן וְיֵשׁ לוֹ בָּנִים — זֶהוּ גָּדוֹל. גָּדוֹל וְאֵין לוֹ בָּנִים — זֶהוּ קָטָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**This** opinion of Ravina **is also taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi Yehuda says: A man is deemed credible to say about his minor son** that he is unfit, **but he is not deemed credible to say about his adult son** that he is unfit. **And** in explanation of the *baraita*, **Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan said:** The reference to **a minor** son does **not** mean one who is **literally a minor,** who has not yet reached majority, **and** the reference to **an adult** son does **not** mean one who is **literally an adult,** who has reached majority; **rather, a minor who has children, this is** what the *baraita* is referring to as **an adult,** and **an adult who does not have children, this is** what the *baraita* is referring to as **a minor.**


###### Yevamot 47a:12
[Yevamot 47a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/47a:12)

וְהִלְכְתָא כְּווֹתֵיהּ דְּרַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק. וְהָתַנְיָא כְּווֹתֵיהּ דְּרָבִינָא! הָהוּא, לְעִנְיַן ״יַכִּיר״ אִיתְּמַר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara concludes: **And the *halakha* is in accordance with** the opinion of **Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak.** The Gemara asks: **But isn’t it taught** in the *baraita* **in accordance with** the opinion **of Ravina?** If there is a *baraita* that supports his opinion, the *halakha* should be in accordance with his opinion. The Gemara explains: **That** *baraita* **was stated concerning the matter of “he shall acknowledge,”** that a father is deemed credible to render his son unfit; however, if one claims he is a gentile, he is not deemed credible to say the same about his son.


###### Yevamot 47a:13
[Yevamot 47a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/47a:13)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: גֵּר שֶׁבָּא לְהִתְגַּיֵּיר בִּזְמַן הַזֶּה, אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: מָה רָאִיתָ שֶׁבָּאתָ לְהִתְגַּיֵּיר? אִי אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל בִּזְמַן הַזֶּה דְּווּיִים, דְּחוּפִים, סְחוּפִים וּמְטוֹרָפִין, וְיִסּוּרִין בָּאִין עֲלֵיהֶם? אִם אוֹמֵר: יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי, וְאֵינִי כְּדַאי — מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתוֹ מִיָּד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught** in a *baraita*: With regard to a potential **convert who comes to** a court in order to **convert, at the present time,** when the Jews are in exile, the judges of the court **say to him: What did you see that** motivated **you** to **come to convert? Don’t you know that the Jewish people at the present time are anguished, suppressed, despised, and harassed, and hardships are** frequently **visited upon them? If he says: I know, and** although **I am unworthy** of joining the Jewish people and sharing in their sorrow, I nevertheless desire to do so, then the court **accepts him immediately** to begin the conversion process.


###### Yevamot 47a:14
[Yevamot 47a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/47a:14)

וּמוֹדִיעִין אוֹתוֹ מִקְצָת מִצְוֹת קַלּוֹת וּמִקְצָת מִצְוֹת חֲמוּרוֹת, וּמוֹדִיעִין אוֹתוֹ עֲוֹן לֶקֶט שִׁכְחָה וּפֵאָה וּמַעְשַׂר עָנִי. וּמוֹדִיעִין אוֹתוֹ עׇנְשָׁן שֶׁל מִצְוֹת. אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: הֱוֵי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁעַד שֶׁלֹּא בָּאתָ לְמִדָּה זוֹ, אָכַלְתָּ חֵלֶב — אִי אַתָּה עָנוּשׁ כָּרֵת. חִלַּלְתָּ שַׁבָּת — אִי אַתָּה עָנוּשׁ סְקִילָה. וְעַכְשָׁיו, אָכַלְתָּ חֵלֶב — עָנוּשׁ כָּרֵת, חִלַּלְתָּ שַׁבָּת — עָנוּשׁ סְקִילָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** the judges of the court **inform him** of **some of the lenient mitzvot and some of the stringent mitzvot, and they inform him** of **the sin** of neglecting the mitzva to allow the poor to take **gleanings, forgotten sheaves, and** produce in the **corner** of one’s field, **and** about the **poor man’s tithe. And they inform him** of **the punishment for** transgressing **the mitzvot,** as follows: **They say to him: Be aware that before you came to this status** and converted, **had you eaten forbidden fat, you would not be punished by *karet*,** and **had you profaned Shabbat, you would not be punished by stoning,** since these prohibitions do not apply to gentiles. **But now,** once converted, if **you have eaten forbidden fat you are punished by *karet*,** and if **you have profaned Shabbat, you are punished by stoning.**


###### Yevamot 47a:15
[Yevamot 47a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/47a:15)

וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁמּוֹדִיעִין אוֹתוֹ עׇנְשָׁן שֶׁל מִצְוֹת, כָּךְ מוֹדִיעִין אוֹתוֹ מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן. אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: הֱוֵי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא אֵינוֹ עָשׂוּי אֶלָּא לְצַדִּיקִים, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּזְמַן הַזֶּה אֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לְקַבֵּל

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And just as they inform him** about the **punishment for** transgressing the **mitzvot, so** too, **they inform him** about the **reward granted for** fulfilling **them. They say to him: Be aware that the World-to-Come is made only for the righteous,** and if you observe the mitzvot you will merit it, **and** be aware that **the Jewish people, at the present time, are unable to receive** their full reward in this world;