## Yevamot Daf 63a

###### Yevamot 63a:1
[Yevamot 63a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/63a:1)

וְהַמַּלְוֶה סֶלַע לְעָנִי בִּשְׁעַת דׇּחְקוֹ — עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר: ״אָז תִּקְרָא וַה׳ יַעֲנֶה תְּשַׁוַּע וְיֹאמַר הִנֵּנִי״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**and who lends a *sela* to a pauper at his time of need, about him the verse states: “Then shall you call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say: Here I am”** (Isaiah 58:9).


###### Yevamot 63a:2
[Yevamot 63a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/63a:2)

סִימָן: אִשָּׁה. וְקַרְקַע. עֵזֶר. זֹאת. שְׁתֵּי. הַבְרָכוֹת. תַּגָּרֵי. פָּחֲתִי. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כׇּל אָדָם שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אִשָּׁה — אֵינוֹ אָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בְּרָאָם וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמָם אָדָם״. וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כׇּל אָדָם שֶׁאֵין לוֹ קַרְקַע — אֵינוֹ אָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הַשָּׁמַיִם שָׁמַיִם לַה׳ וְהָאָרֶץ נָתַן לִבְנֵי אָדָם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara provides **a mnemonic** device for a series of statements cited in the name of Rabbi Elazar: **Woman; and land; helper; this; two; the blessings; merchants; lowly.** The Gemara presents these statements: **Rabbi Elazar said: Any man who does not have a wife is not a man, as it is stated: “Male and female He created them…and called their name Adam”** (Genesis 5:2). **And Rabbi Elazar said: Any man who does not have** his own **land is not a man, as it is stated: “The heavens are the heavens of the Lord; but the earth He has given to the children of men”** (Psalms 115:16).


###### Yevamot 63a:3
[Yevamot 63a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/63a:3)

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״אֶעֱשֶׂה לּוֹ עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ״: זָכָה — עוֹזַרְתּוֹ, לֹא זָכָה — כְּנֶגְדּוֹ. וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר רָמֵי, כְּתִיב ״כְּנַגְּדוֹ״, וְקָרֵינַן ״כְּנֶגְדּוֹ״. זָכָה — כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, לֹא זָכָה — מְנַגַּדְתּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabbi Elazar said: What is** the meaning of **that** which **is written: “I will make him a helpmate for him [*kenegdo*]”** (Genesis 2:18)? If one is **worthy** his wife **helps him;** if he is **not worthy** she is **against him. And some say** a slightly different version: **Rabbi Elazar raised a contradiction: It is written** in the Torah with a spelling that allows it to be read: **Striking him [*kenagdo*], and we read** it as though it said: **For him [*kenegdo*].** If he is **worthy** she is **for him** as his helpmate; if he is **not worthy** she **strikes him.**


###### Yevamot 63a:4
[Yevamot 63a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/63a:4)

אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי לְאֵלִיָּהוּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ, כְּתִיב: ״אֶעֱשֶׂה לוֹ עֵזֶר״, בַּמָּה אִשָּׁה עוֹזַרְתּוֹ לָאָדָם? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אָדָם מֵבִיא חִיטִּין — חִיטִּין כּוֹסֵס? פִּשְׁתָּן — פִּשְׁתָּן לוֹבֵשׁ? לֹא נִמְצֵאת מְאִירָה עֵינָיו וּמַעֲמִידָתוֹ עַל רַגְלָיו?!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates that **Rabbi Yosei encountered Elijah** the prophet and **said to him: It is written: I will make him a helpmate. In what** manner **does a woman help a man?** Elijah **said to him:** When **a man brings wheat** from the field, does he **chew** raw **wheat?** When he brings home **flax,** does he **wear** unprocessed **flax?** His wife turns the raw products into bread and clothing. Is his wife **not found** to be the one who **lights up his eyes and stands him on his feet?**


###### Yevamot 63a:5
[Yevamot 63a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/63a:5)

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״זֹאת הַפַּעַם עֶצֶם מֵעֲצָמַי וּבָשָׂר מִבְּשָׂרִי״ — מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבָּא אָדָם עַל כׇּל בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה, וְלֹא נִתְקָרְרָה דַּעְתּוֹ עַד שֶׁבָּא עַל חַוָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabbi Elazar said: What is** the meaning of **that** which **is written: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh”** (Genesis 2:23)? This **teaches that Adam had intercourse with each animal and beast** in his search for his mate, **and his mind was not at ease,** in accordance with the verse: “And for Adam, there was not found a helpmate for him” (Genesis 2:20), **until he had intercourse with Eve.**


###### Yevamot 63a:6
[Yevamot 63a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/63a:6)

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה״, אֲמַר לֵיהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְאַבְרָהָם: שְׁתֵּי הַבְרָכוֹת טוֹבוֹת יֵשׁ לִי לְהַבְרִיךְ בְּךָ: רוּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּה, וְנַעֲמָה הָעַמּוֹנִית. ״כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָאֲדָמָה״ — אֲפִילּוּ מִשְׁפָּחוֹת הַדָּרוֹת בָּאֲדָמָה אֵין מִתְבָּרְכוֹת אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל. ״כׇּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ״ — אֲפִילּוּ סְפִינוֹת הַבָּאוֹת מִגַּלְיָא לְאַסְפַּמְיָא אֵינָן מִתְבָּרְכוֹת אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabbi Elazar said: What is** the meaning of **that** which **is written: “And in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed [*nivrekhu*]”** (Genesis 12:3)? **The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Abraham: I have two good shoots to graft** [***lehavrikh***] **onto you: Ruth the Moabite,** the ancestress of the house of David, **and Naamah the Ammonite,** whose marriage with Solomon led to the ensuing dynasty of the kings of Judea. **“All the families of the earth”** means: **Even families that live in the earth,** i.e., who have land of their own, **are blessed only due to the Jewish people.** Similarly, when the verse states: **“All the nations of the earth** shall be blessed in him” (Genesis 18:18), it indicates that **even ships that come from Galia to Hispania are blessed only due to the Jewish people.**


###### Yevamot 63a:7
[Yevamot 63a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/63a:7)

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: עֲתִידִים כׇּל בַּעֲלֵי אוּמָּנִיּוֹת שֶׁיַּעַמְדוּ עַל הַקַּרְקַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְיָרְדוּ מֵאֳנִיּוֹתֵיהֶם כֹּל תֹּפְשֵׂי מָשׁוֹט מַלָּחִים כֹּל חֹבְלֵי הַיָּם עַל הָאָרֶץ יַעֲמֹדוּ״. וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אֵין לְךָ אוּמָּנוּת פְּחוּתָה מִן הַקַּרְקַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְיָרְדוּ״. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר חַזְיַהּ לְהַהִיא אַרְעָא דְּשָׁדֵי בַּיהּ כְּרָבָא לְפוּתְיָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִי תִּשְׁדְּיֵיהּ לְאוּרְכָּיךְ — הַפּוֹכֵי בְּעִיסְקָא טָב מִינָּךְ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabbi Elazar said: All craftsmen are destined to stand upon** and work **the land, as it is stated: “And all that handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the sea, shall come down from their ships, they shall stand upon the land”** (Ezekiel 27:29). **And Rabbi Elazar said: There is no occupation lowlier than** working **the land, as it is stated: “And they shall come down,”** implying that one who works the land is of lower stature than even a sailor. The Gemara similarly relates: **Rabbi Elazar saw land that was plowed** across **its width. He said to it:** Even **if they plow you** once more **lengthwise,** for further improvement, **conducting business is better than** farming with **you,** as the potential profits gained by selling merchandise are far greater than those from working the land.


###### Yevamot 63a:8
[Yevamot 63a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/63a:8)

רַב עָל לְבֵינֵי שֻׁיבְלֵי, חֲזַנְהוּ דְּקָא נָיְיפָן, אֲמַר לְהוּ: אִי נָיְיפַתְּ — אִיתְנוֹפֵי. הַפּוֹכֵי בְּעִיסְקָא טָב מִינָּךְ. אָמַר רָבָא: מְאָה זוּזֵי בְּעִיסְקָא — כֹּל יוֹמָא בִּשְׂרָא וְחַמְרָא, מְאָה זוּזֵי בְּאַרְעָא — מִילְחָא וַחֲפוּרָה. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא מַגְנְיָא לֵיהּ אַאַרְעָא, וּמַרְמְיָא לֵיהּ תִּיגְרֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates a similar incident: **Rav entered between the sheaves** in a field and **saw them waving** in the wind. **He said to them: If you** want to **wave** go ahead and **wave,** but **conducting business is better than** farming with **you. Rava** similarly **said:** One who has **a hundred dinars** that are invested **in** a **business** is able to eat **meat and wine every day,** whereas he who has **a hundred dinars** worth **of land** eats only **salt and vegetables. And what is more,** working the land **causes him to lie on the ground** at night in order to guard it, **and** it **draws quarrels upon him** with other people.


###### Yevamot 63a:9
[Yevamot 63a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/63a:9)

אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: זְרַע וְלָא תִּזְבֹּין. אַף עַל גַּב דְּכִי הֲדָדֵי נִינְהוּ, הָנֵי מִבָּרְכָן. זַבֵּין וְלָא תִּיזּוֹל. הָנֵי מִילֵּי בִּיסְתַּרְקֵי, אֲבָל גְּלִימָא — לָא מִיתְרַמְיָא לֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Pappa said: Sow** your own produce **and do not buy** it. **Even though they are equal to each other** in value, **these** that you sow **will be blessed.** Conversely, **buy** your clothes **rather than weave [*teizul*]** them yourself. The Gemara comments: **This applies** only to **mats [*bistarkei*], but** with regard to the **cloak** one wears, perhaps **he will not find it** precisely to his liking, and therefore he should make his own cloak, which fits his measurements.


###### Yevamot 63a:10
[Yevamot 63a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/63a:10)

טוּם וְלָא תְּשַׁפֵּיץ. שַׁפֵּיץ וְלָא תִּיבְנֵי. שֶׁכׇּל הָעוֹסֵק בְּבִנְיָן — מִתְמַסְכֵּן. קְפוֹץ זְבֹין אַרְעָא, מְתוֹן נְסֵיב אִיתְּתָא. נְחֵית דַּרְגָּא נְסֵיב אִיתְּתָא. סַק דַּרְגָּא בְּחַר שׁוֹשְׁבִינָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rav Pappa further advised: If there is a hole in your house, **close** it **up and do not** enlarge it and then **plaster** it, or at least **plaster** it **and do not** knock it down and **build** it again. **As, whoever engages in construction becomes poor. Hurry** to **buy land** so that you do not lose the opportunity. Be **patient and marry a woman** who is suitable for you. **Descend a level** to **marry a woman** of lower social status, and **ascend a level** to **choose a friend [*shushevina*].**


###### Yevamot 63a:11
[Yevamot 63a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/63a:11)

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר אֲבִינָא: אֵין פּוּרְעָנוּת בָּאָה לָעוֹלָם אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הִכְרַתִּי גוֹיִם נָשַׁמּוּ פִּנּוֹתָם הֶחֱרַבְתִּי חוּצוֹתָם״, וּכְתִיב: ״אָמַרְתִּי אַךְ תִּירְאִי אוֹתִי תִּקְחִי מוּסָר״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Elazar bar Avina said: Calamity befalls the world only due to** the sins of **the Jewish people, as it is stated: “I have cut off nations, their corners are desolate; I have made their streets waste”** (Zephaniah 3:6), **and it is written: “I said: Surely you will fear Me, you will receive correction”** (Zephaniah 3:7). This indicates that other nations were punished so that the Jewish people would mend their ways.


###### Yevamot 63a:12
[Yevamot 63a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/63a:12)

רַב הֲוָה מִיפְּטַר מֵרַבִּי חִיָּיא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: רַחֲמָנָא לַיצְּלָךְ מִמִּידֵּי דְּקָשֵׁה מִמּוֹתָא. וּמִי אִיכָּא מִידֵּי דְּקָשֵׁה מִמּוֹתָא? נְפַק, דָּק וְאַשְׁכַּח: ״וּמוֹצֶא אֲנִי מַר מִמָּוֶת אֶת הָאִשָּׁה וְגוֹ׳״. רַב הֲוָה קָא מְצַעֲרָא לֵיהּ דְּבֵיתְהוּ, כִּי אָמַר לַהּ ״עֲבִידִי לִי טְלוֹפְחֵי״, עָבְדָא לֵיהּ חִימְצֵי. ״חִימְצֵי״, עָבְדָא לֵיהּ טְלוֹפְחֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara cites more statements with regard to wives. When **Rav was taking leave of** his uncle and teacher, **Rabbi Ḥiyya,** upon his return from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, Rabbi Ḥiyya **said to him: May the Merciful One save you from something that is worse than death.** Rav was perplexed: **Is there anything that is worse than death? He went, examined** the sources, **and found** the following verse: **“And I find more bitter than death the woman, etc.”** (Ecclesiastes 7:26). Rabbi Ḥiyya was hinting at this verse, and indeed, **Rav’s wife would** constantly **aggravate him. When he would say to her: Prepare me lentils, she would prepare him peas;** if he asked her for **peas, she would prepare him lentils.**


###### Yevamot 63a:13
[Yevamot 63a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/63a:13)

כִּי גְדַל חִיָּיא בְּרֵיהּ, אֲפֵיךְ לַהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִיעַלַּיָא לָךְ אִמָּךְ! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֲנָא הוּא דְּקָא אָפֵיכְנָא לַהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הַיְינוּ דְּקָא אָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: דְּנָפֵיק מִינָּךְ, טַעְמָא מַלְּפָךְ. אַתְּ לָא תַּעֲבֵיד הָכִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לִמְּדוּ לְשׁוֹנָם דַּבֶּר שֶׁקֶר הַעֲוֵה וְגוֹ׳״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**When Ḥiyya, his son, grew up, he would reverse** the requests Rav asked him to convey **to her,** so that Rav would get what he wanted. Rav **said to** his son Ḥiyya: **Your mother has improved** now that **you** convey my requests. **He said to** Rav: **It is I who reverse** your request **to her.** Rav **said to him: This is** an example of the well-known adage **that people say:** He **who comes from you shall teach you wisdom;** I should have thought of that idea myself. **You,** however, **should not do so,** i.e., reverse my request, **as it is stated: “They have taught their tongue to speak lies, they** weary themselves to **commit iniquity, etc.”** (Jeremiah 9:4). If you attribute such a request to me, you will have uttered a falsehood.


###### Yevamot 63a:14
[Yevamot 63a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Yevamot/r/63a:14)

רַבִּי חִיָּיא הֲוָה קָא מְצַעֲרָא לֵיהּ דְּבֵיתְהוּ. כִּי הֲוָה מַשְׁכַּח מִידֵּי, צָיַיר לֵיהּ בְּסוּדָרֵיהּ וּמַיְיתֵי נִיהֲלַהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב: וְהָא קָא מְצַעֲרָא לֵיהּ לְמָר? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דַּיֵּינוּ שֶׁמְּגַדְּלוֹת בָּנֵינוּ, וּמַצִּילוֹת אוֹתָנוּ

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates a similar story. **Rabbi Ḥiyya’s wife would** constantly **aggravate him.** Nevertheless, **when he would find something** she would appreciate, **he would wrap it in his shawl and bring** it **to her. Rav said to him: Doesn’t she** constantly **aggravate you?** Why do you bring her things? Rabbi Ḥiyya **said to him: It is enough for us** that our wives **raise our children and save us**