Daf Yomi for Women - Hadran

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Yevamot 122a - Part 1 - July 7, 8 Tamuz Jul 07, 2022

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Today's daf is sponsored by Elisheva Gray. "Todah rabah, Rabbanit Michelle, for so patiently guiding us through this challenging masechet, and to everyone on the Hadran team for providing so many resources to help us along the way. Mazal tov to all of my fellow learners! We made it!"

Today's daf is sponsored by Caroline Ben-Ari in appreciation of Julie Landau. "When I was ill recently and needed to be hospitalized, Julie was there for me with practical help and emotional support, including going with me on two different days to the ER and advocating for me when I no longer had the energy to advocate for myself. I am blessed to have a friend like Julie."

If a gentile mentions in conversation that someone has died, we can allow his wife to marry, but only if we don't have a reason to think he is lying. The Gemara brings several cases and explains whether or not they relied in each case on the gentile's words or not. The Mishna lists some other leniencies regarding testimonies that generally are not accepted, but are in the case of allowing women to marry, such as one who saw the man dead by the light of the moon or candlelight or heard a voice stating he was dead. A few actual cases are also quoted where they relied on weaker testimonies. How can we insure that the voice is not coming from an evil spirit? Or perhaps it was the woman's rival wife who is not to be trusted? The Mishna quotes Rabbi Akiva who describes historically who first permitted allowing one witness to testify about a man's death in order to permit her wife to marry and how was his opinion later accepted by the rabbis. The Mishna lists the opinions that held otherwise before there was a decision made by all of them to permit it.

Yevamot 121 - July 6, 7 Tamuz Jul 06, 2022

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Today's daf is sponsored in honor of Judy Tydor Schwartz's birthday with love from her daughters! "Your care and devotion to our family, daily acts of chesed and endless learning are a true inspiration."

Today's daf is dedicated by Becki Goldstein on behalf of her new grandson. "With gratitude to the Almighty for our new grandson Shmuel. Like Shmuel Hanavi ze Shmuel hakaton Shmuel hagadol yihiye, with blessings of chochma, yirat shamayim, anava, love of Torah and ahavat habriot in good health and simcha and nachat to his whole family."

Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava understood that each situation is unique in terms of being able to identify a person after their death and did not accept the other opinion that within three days, one can be identified but not after that. Was he being more stringent or more lenient? If one fell into body of water and we cannot find them, can we presume they are dead and let their wife marry? Do we distinguish between water that "has an end to them" (we can see land on all sides) and water that "has no end to them"? This is a debate between Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yosi (and the rabbis). If it was water that has no visible end, but a leg was found, can he be presumed dead? Rav wanted to excommunicate Rav Shila for permitting a woman whose husband had drowned in a lake. Shmuel convinces him to ask first about the details of the case. Upon questioning him, they realize that Rav Shila made a mistake about the nature of the water of the lake and therefore ruled incorrectly. Rav is pleased that Shmuel preventing him from making a mistake in excommunicating Rav Shila. A story is brought of a man who was presumed dead but ended up being saved in a cave containing a pond of fish. If a person who is well known (a Torah scholar) falls into a body of water that has no visible end, Rav Ashi ruled that their wife can remarry as we can assume that if they got out, we would know about it. However, the Gemara rejects this. stories are told of Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Meir who were traveling by boat and almost drowned, but managed to survive. What is the law regarding one who entered a lion's den, a pit full of snakes and scorpions, a fiery furnace? Is there a difference between one who fell into a vat full of burning oil or one full of wine? Whose testimony is accepted to be able to determine that one has died - children? Gentiles? On what does it depend?

Yevamot 120 - July 5, 6 Tamuz Jul 05, 2022

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This week's learning is sponsored by Terri Krivosha for the refuah shleima of her cousin Shlomo ben Rivka and Shimon.

Today's daf is sponsored by Sharon Russ for a speedy refuah shleima for Chaya Esther bat Barbara, a young mother in serious condition. "Please have her in mind in your learning and prayers."

Sisters-in-law who could both fall to yibum to each other's husbands are not believed regarding each other. In a case where there are only two brothers and each of their wives claims that their husband has died - we only believe each woman about her own testimony and therefore each cannot remarry as from her perspective, the yabam may still be alive. However if there were more brothers and the wives performed yibum with them, and the yabam died, they would each be allowed to remarry, according to Rabbi Elazar. Is it because he trusts sisters-in-law who could potentially be rival wives, as he trusts rival wives as well to testify for each other. Or is it because he holds that a woman wouldn't mess herself up in the process of trying to ruin things for someone else and therefore, since they already did yibum in this case,e, based on their testimony, they must not be lying? They attempt to derive the answer from the language in our Mishna and from another braita, but the proofs are inconclusive. If one testifies to the death of another, they need to see from their nose and up in order to identify the body and not other simanim on the body. They need to see them actually dead and not on their way to dying. Do they need to identify the body within three days of death, as the body changes form and may not be identifiable after that or does it depend on the situation? Can one infer from the Mishna that simanim are not valid proof from the Torah? If so, that contradicts another source that seems to indicate they are! Abaye claims it is a tannaitic debate as can be seen from another source. Rava explains the taanitic debate as rooted in something else. Several versions of Rava's answer are brought - each of which explains that there is a more internal debate between the two, but it is not regarding whether or not simanim are by Torah/rabbinic law. If Rava thinks that all hold that simanim are by Torah law, how can our Mishna be explained? Why can't we rely on simanim to determine one's death? The Mishna had stated that one cannot determine one's death if they saw one in various situations where they would likely die but hadn't yet. How does the case of one cut open make sense in light of the Mishna is Ohalot 1:6 which seems to indicate in the same situation, we can assume the person will die? Abaye and Rava each provide answers.

Yevamot 119 - July 4, 5 Tamuz Jul 04, 2022

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Today's daf is sponsored by Shelley and Jerry Gornish in loving memory of their dear grandson, Oz Wilchek, on his sixth yahrzeit.

Today's daf is sponsored by Harriet Hartman in loving memory of Moshe Hartman. "In life, you expanded my horizons beyond all expectations. In your honor, I now feel my life expanding beyond all expectations through Hadran's Daf Yomi. Thank you, and thanks to Rabbanit Michelle and Hadran for all the inspiration and insight."

Today's daf is sponsored by Gitta Jaroslawicz-Neufeld in loving memory of her father, Philip Jaroslawicz יוסף בן מנחם מענדל ופעשי ע"ה. "My father raised us to love learning and live Torah. While he may have said "no" when we asked for a new game, he never said "no" when we asked for books. His love of learning and passion for chessed are stamped strongly in the spiritual DNA of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren."

Today's daf is sponsored by Adina Hagege in honor of Miriam Kerzner's birthday. "Your late-night dedication to learning the Daf Yomi with Hadran and Rabbanit Michelle, intellectually immersing yourself in a whole new world of Talmud, is an ongoing testament to the inspiration you've been for us all your life. We wish you many more years of learning and spiritual growth. With lots of love from your brother and sister, Barry and Elayne Greenstone, and all your nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and nephews, and great-grand nieces and nephews".

Today's daf is dedicated to Geelit Sommer by her children. "We wish our dear Ima a very happy birthday and a big שכויח for learning Masechet Yevamot. We are very proud of your dedication to learning and your openness to taking on this challenge, and we are inspired by you. עלי והצליחי!"

If one's husband went abroad with a rival wife and witnesses said that he died, the wife needs to wait until she finds out that his wife did not give birth to a child. She cannot do yibum or marry anyone else. Rabbi Yehoshua disagrees and permit her to marry. According to the rabbis, why don't we follow the majority and assume she got pregnant and had a child? A distinction is made between a majority of items in front of us. like "nine stores" and a statistical majority. Or is it because the Mishna holds like Rabbi Meir who is concerned for minority possibilities? The difficulty of saying the Mishna holds like Rabbi Meir is that the second case in the Mishna does not seem concerned with minority possibilities. How can this be explained? How long does the woman need to wait to see if the rival wife had a child? Why can't we allow her to perform chalitza out of doubt? Sisters-in-law who could both fall to yibum to each other's husbands are not believed regarding each other. What happens in a case where there are only two brothers and each of their wives claims that their husband has died - if we believe each one, there are no brothers left to do yibum, in which case they should be allowed to marry anyone else. What is the law? The Mishna brings a number of different scenarios within this case.

Yevamot 119 - July 4, 5 Tamuz Jul 04, 2022

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Today's daf is sponsored by Shelley and Jerry Gornish in loving memory of their dear grandson, Oz Wilchek, on his sixth yahrzeit.

Yevamot 118 - July 3, 4 Tamuz Jul 03, 2022

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This week's learning is sponsored by Judy Tydor Schwartz in honor of her birthday. "With love and gratitude for my incredible daughters Beki and Rina who are learning Daf Yomi with Hadran, and in memory of my unforgettable mother, Shirley K. Tydor, who would have loved Hadran!"

In what cases do we accept the testimony of a rival wife to contradict the other wife's testimony that her husband has died? In which cases do Rabbi Meir and Rabbis Yehuda and Shimon disagree regarding this issue? If a woman testified about herself and her mother-in-law that both their husbands have died or about herself and she had a rival wife, she is only believed about herself. Can her mother-in-law/rival wife continue to eat truma, if she was married to a kohen? Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiva disagree. If one betrothed a woman and it is unclear which woman (one of a few possible options), does he need to marry/divorce all of them? Does he need to give a ketuba to all of them? Or if one stole from someone and it is one of a possible number of people? Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiva disagree. According to whose opinion is the Mishna stated (as there is a disagreement as to exactly which cases they disagree about). The Mishna lists various cases where a couple left town and they either didn't have a child or the husband didn't have a brother and the wife came and said there was a son (or brother) and both the husband and the son/brother died, do we believe her and permit her to do yibum or marry someone else based on her testimony? What if the son/brother was born before they left and he went with them? If one gives a get to someone else to accept it on behalf of his wife, can she be exempt from yibum? Is a get "good for the woman" and therefore effective or "bad for the woman" and therefore not effective? What if it was a case where it was known they had been fighting? The Gemara learns from Reish Lakish's statement that women would always prefer to be married, even if the marriage is not necessarily a good one.

Yevamot 117 - Shabbat July 2, 3 Tamuz Jul 01, 2022

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A woman is believed to say that her husband died in order to remarry. But can she also get her ketuba money? On what does it depend? There are certain female relatives that are not trusted to testify about the death of one's husband as there is enmity between them and they may testify falsely in order to ensure she will have to get divorced from her husband. Is there more than just the one listed in the Mishna? And if so, why are they not listed? The Mishna lists a number of cases where contradictory testimony came in regarding the death of the husband. In which cases do we allow her to marry? In which cases do we make her get divorced if she married based on the first testimony that was later contradicted?

Yevamot 116 - July 1, 2 Tamuz Jul 01, 2022

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Today's daf is sponsored by Sara Berelowitz in honor of her granddaughter Avishag Sterman on her Bat Mitzvah!

Today's daf is sponsored by Susannah & Bernie Goldstein in honor of their children Eliana & Benny who went back to Camp Ramah in the Poconos this week, for the summer. "We're so proud of you! Wishing you & all the tzevet and chanichim a fun, safe, & healthy summer.

Does one need to be concerned that there are two people with the same name when accepting testimony that one has died. Rava and Abaye disagree. Rava's proof was from a case of collecting money from a promissory note. Abaye explains why Rava's proof is irrelevant as the cases are not comparable. A case is brought regarding a get in which both Rava and Abaye rule in an opposite manner to what they held about the case of testimony regarding death - why? It seems that Rava is concerned in a case where it is known that there are two people with the same name; when it is not known, one need not be concerned. The Mishna had stated that a woman is not believed to testify that her husband died when it is known that there was a disagreement between them. What is considered 'a disagreement'? If they have a disagreement, is one witness believed to say he has died? Rabbi Yehuda disagreed with the rabbis and believed a woman's testimony about her husband's death only if she showed outward signs of mourning, such as crying, rending her garments. The rabbis explain why they think Rabbi Yehuda's opinion is incorrect. What was the case that on account of that case the rabbis realized that they needed to institute a law to accept a woman's testimony about her own husband's death? Based on that case, in what situations did they permit it (debate between Beit Shamai and Beit Hillel)? There is a similar debate regarding a rabbinic decree about moving red heifer waters and ashes on a boat that was instituted after a particular event. Is that debate the same as here?

Yevamot 116 - July 1, 2 Tamuz Jul 01, 2022

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Today's daf is sponsored by Sara Berelowitz in honor of her granddaughter Avishag Sterman on her Bat Mitzvah!