Daf Yomi for Women - Hadran

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Yevamot 105 - June 20, 21 Sivan Jun 20, 2022

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This week's learning is sponsored by Judy and Zev Berman for the refuah shleima of our sister-in-law, Phyllis Hecht. Please say tehilim for גיטל פעשא בת מאשה רחל. May she have a complete recovery and may we all share b'sorot tovot.

The statement made to Shmuel's father that a woman who spits at her yabam only, forbids all the brothers from performing yibum, can be understood also according to Rabbi Akiva's opinion. How? If Rabbi Akiva doesn't think spitting is an essential part of the ceremony, why does he distinguish then between reading and spitting regarding disqualifying the brothers from yibum? A different version is brought regarding the halacha that was sent to Shmuel's father - that if a yevama spit but didn't do chalitza, she should do chalitza and does not need to spit again. A situation like that happened and she did not spit a second time. What is the harm done in spitting a second time? Levi was asked three questions by people in the villages but he did not know the answers and went to the beit midrash to find out the answers. Two were about chalitza and one was about "writings of truth" mentioned in a verse in Daniel 10:21. From the writings of truth, the Gemara gets into a discussion regarding teshuva and what kind of decrees can be undone and which ones cannot. Even though Eli's family (in Samuel 1) were punished and God swore that they will not be atoned for with sacrifices, they can atone by learning Torah or doing acts of chessed. What is the difference between the power of the individual and the power of the community regarding prayers that can overturn a decree? What is the unique nature of the ten days of teshuva between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur? Another halacha sent to Shmuel's father was also relating to the question they asked Levi, if a yevama spat blood, it is effective as blood is mixed with saliva. A source is brought to contradict but it is resolved as there are different ways in which someone bleeds in one's mouth. There is a debate regarding the validity of a chalitza with a woman who is a minor. From where does each derive his opinion? In order to show that the tana kama's opinion is that of Rabbi Yosi, a story is brought which includes some tension between Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yosi, and Avdan. The story ends with a number of punishments to Avdan for insulting Rabbi Yishmael. Why was it necessary to state both that the halacha is not like the pair of rabbis who said that chalitza can be performed in front of two people and that chalitza needs to be performed in front of three people? Some questions are asked regarding the case the Mishna had quoted of the chalitza in the jail. Is it possible no one witnessed it - don't we need testimony to confirm that it in fact took place? Was Rabbi Akiva in the prison or the couple themselves?

Yevamot 104 - June 19, 20 Sivan Jun 19, 2022

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This week's learning is sponsored by Rebecca Koenigsberg "in honor of my Daf Yomi Buddies in New Haven Connecticut whose companionship has helped me through the more difficult moments in Daf Yomi."

This week's learning is sponsored by Rachel Recht in loving memory of her father, Shalom Elimelech ben Efraim Fishel Yehoshua and Esther Weinreb.

Today's daf is sponsored "in honor of our father and grandfather, Mark Goldstein. Happy father's day! - From your children and grandchildren."

Rava rules on a number of different types of shoes and whether they can be sued for chalitza. There is a debate regarding whether or not the chalitza is good if it is done on the left foot or at nighttime. What is the root of the debate regarding the night? Raba bar Chiya performed a chalitza at night with a slipper not made of leather and on his own, rather than in front of two or three people. Shmuel was upset when he heard this. What issue was he upset about? Two different possibilities are suggested. What is the root of the debate regarding the left foot? There are three main elements to the chalitza ceremony - taking off the shoe, spitting and reciting a text (found in the Torah). Which elements are absolutely necessary and which are not? There is a debate regarding the spitting. What is the law for a deaf-mute performing chalitza, or a minor? There is a tannaitic debate regarding chalitza performed in front of less than three people. Rava says that if the recitation is not critical, one can infer that a mute can perform chalitza. How does this fit with our Mishna that disqualifies the chalitza of a deaf-mute? Due to the difficulty, Rava's statement is changed to read the opposite (or perhaps the opposite statement was made by someone else). It was taught that if the yevama spit before one of the brothers, it disqualifies her from performing yibum with one of the brothers? According to whose opinion is this law stated?

Yevamot 103 - Shabbat June 18, 19 Sivan Jun 17, 2022

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What types of shoes can be used for chalitza? What are the different opinions? In what situations with a defect in one's feet/legs can a person not do chalitza? The laws for going to the Temple on the holidays seem to be different than the laws here – why? Why does the halacha distinguish between a leg cut off by the thigh and one cut off by the shin? Several verses in the Torah are brought to show that legs could also refer to the upper part of the leg, however, they are mostly understood to be used as euphemisms and therefore not relevant to the discussion. The verse relating to Yael's seduction of Sisra is mentioned and a question is asked about her actions. One can use a shoe that isn't his own – but it is not ideal. What is the best way to do it? Two versions are brought about Rava's opinion regarding a leprous shoe – if it is used for chalitza, it is valid?

Yevamot 102 - June 17, 18 Sivan Jun 17, 2022

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Today's daf is sponsored in honor of the inimitable Phyllis Hecht, whose spirit of determination, through challenges, inspires us all. Stay well, dear friend. With love from the Hadran Zoom Family.

In what situations can a convert serve as a judge? Can one use a shoe for chalitza ideally or is it less than ideal as ideally, a sandal should be used? It is a subject of debate among tannaim and amoraim. The reason for those who hold that a shoe is less ideal is because of concern that it may be torn (as shoes were made of soft leather and sandals made of hard leather) or because some shoes do not cover the majority of the foot, as is required in chalitza. A strap is used to fasten the sandal more firmly so that it won't fall off, but will be removed by the yevama. It is required for the yevama to untie the laces, remove the shoe it must be taken off most of the heel. Several unanswered questions are raised about the exact requirement of removing the shoe. There needs to be intent for chalitza by both the yevama and the yabam to perform the mitzva. The shoe must be made of leather - from where is this derived? The strap can be made of goat's hair, as it is also from an animal. Rav Kahane proves from a verse that the root ch.l.tz refers to removal; therefore, we learn that chalitza means removing the shoe. However other verses are quoted which indicate that the root ch.l.tz means to strengthen and perhaps the yevama needs to put the shoe on the yabam. This suggestion is rejected by extrapolating the verse that explains how chalitza is to be performed. A heretic brought a verse that indicates the God performed chalitza on the Jewish people and therefore they are no longer God's nation. Rabban Gamliel responds by proving him wrong. Can a soft shoe made a cloth (anpalia) be used? Is it considered a shoe? A contradiction is brought between a source regarding shoes in the Temple and shoes on Yom Kippur regarding the anpalia and whether or not it is considered a shoe. Rava and Abaye resolve the contradiction differently.

Yevamot 101 - June 16, 17 Sivan Jun 16, 2022

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If a child was born to a woman who was married to two different men within three months and it is unclear who the father is, if the child cursed or hit both fathers, would he/she be liable? There is a debate whether it matters if he/she cursed them both at the same time or one after the other. If both fathers are kohanim, he must work in the Temple on the week that each father is supposed to work so as not to have people suspect that there is an issue with the kehuna in that family. He is only allowed to get a share of the sacrificial items of that week if both fathers were in the same rotation that week and within the same Beit Av, whose job would be to work in the Temple on the exact same day. How many judges are needed for chalitza? With what kind of shoe? Can you use someone else's shoe? What if one had a prostetic leg? Does the shoe need to fit properly? If you don't have judges but three regular people, they can be used, but they need to know how to read. The Gemara shows how Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yehuda extrapolate the verses differently to show whether three or five judges are needed. What does each do with the verses that the other uses to prove their point? In the end, they conclude that even Rabbi Yehuda, who require three judges, changed his mind and required only three. By mi'un we seem to hold differently and only require two judges, even though the tana kama there holds three just as in chalitza. Why do we distinguish between chalitza and mi'un? The judges also need to designate a place for the chalitza. After deciding that three judges are needed for chalitza, the Gemara brings actual situations where the rabbi required five judges. This was done to ensure people would know about it. From the situations that were brought, the issue is raised regarding a convert serving as a judge.

Yevamot 101 - June 16, 17 Sivan Jun 16, 2022

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Yevamot 100 - June 15, 16 Sivan Jun 15, 2022

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Today's daf is sponsored by Meryll Page in loving memory of her father, George Levine, Yosef Michael HaLevi on his yahrzeit. "I'm grateful for his enthusiastic support of my Jewish learning. Dad was an expert in creative tzedakah. He was a mensch to emulate and a loving dad."

There are ten types of people who can't collect teruma from the granary - why? Many of them can get the teruma brought to them in their house, other than some - why? Even though women were included in that list, a braita mentions that they are places where women were permitted to collect in the granary, and in those places, the women would be given first. The Gemara explains that they must be referring to the poor man's tithe and not teruma. They were given first so it would not be demeaning for them to wait on the line - "ladies first." When Rava would hold court, he would take the men first, so that they could be let out first to go fulfill their obligation in mitzvot, but when hearing this law, he changed his mind and let the women be judged first. In the case of the Mishna where the kohen was mixed up with a slave, the Gemara understands that when the Mishna mentioned what would happen if they free each other, this is seen as an imperative, in order to allow them each to marry. How would they bring a mincha offering - as a kohen or as a yisrael, as the way it is brought is different (the kohen's is burned entirely and in the yisrael's, a kmitza is burned and the rest if given to a kohen? Two possibilities are brought. If a woman got married within three months of being married to her previous husband and gave birth to a child whose lineage is now questionable (from the first husband of the second?) what are laws of yibum for that child? If one husband was a kohen and the other a yisrael, the child must keep the stringencies of both. But regarding financial issues, or punishments we are lenient. If both father's were kohanim, how does that change matter? Shmuel stated that if ten kohanim were together and one left the group and impregnated a woman, the offspring is a shtuki. They understand this to mean that he cannot work in the Temple as a kohen, even though it is clear he is a kohen. Why? They penalize him because of znut. A question is raised from our Mishna as they prove that the case of not waiting three months must have been after a relationship outside of marriage (znut) and the Mishna states that he can work in the Temple. In the end, the Gemara explains that one can understand the Mishna to be a case where the woman was a minor and was married off by her brother or mother and did mi'un, refusal. However, this possibility is rejected as well, as one young enough to do mi'un, would not be able to get pregnant as found in a Tosefta regarding women who are permitted to use birth control. An alternative explanation is that she was betrothed and married to the first husband but the betrothal was found to be a mistake (perhaps an unfulfilled condition).

Yevamot 99 - June 14, 15 Sivan Jun 14, 2022

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Today's daf is dedicated by Dvoranit Shwartz in honor of the successful fundraising campaign for Shirat HaTamar shul in Efrat and with deep appreciation for the Rabbanit of the kehilla, Shira Merili Mirvis.

A braita lists several cases where one could potentially have to do chalitza for one's mother, sister or daughter out of doubt. Under what circumstances would this happen? Other unique situations are described in another braita - where a couple could have five children, each having a different status - convert, gentile, slave, mamzer and Israelite. How? Another riddle - one could have to sell his father, who is a slave, to pay back his mother's ketuba. How? What does this teach you about the status of slaves and can they be mortgaged for a ketuba? The Mishna described more situations in which two children are mixed up at birth, one is the nephew of the other. What are laws of yibum/chalitza for them and their brothers? If the son of a woman married to a kohen got mixed up with the son of a maidservant in his household, what is that son allowed/not allowed to do? He is considered a kohen out of doubt so he needs to be strict regarding stringencies of kohanim, however, with regard to monetary issues we are lenient based on the principle "hamotzi m'chavero alav hareaya", the burden of proof lies on the one trying to claim the money. Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Yehuda disagree about whether a slave can collect teruma from the granary. The concern is that people will see him and think he is a kohen and marry him off, not realizing he is a gentile slave who cannot marry a Jew. Rabbi Yosi permits as in his town, they don't allow people to marry based on seeing them on the line to collect teruma. Rabbi Yehuda forbids as they permit testimony from the teruma line for marriage purposes. Who else is not allowed to collect teruma from the granary?

Yevamot 98 - June 13, 14 Sivan Jun 13, 2022

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The Gemara brings more sources to try to prove whether Rav Sheshet or Rav Acha were correct regarding their debate about a convert being able to marry his brother's wife. If a person was conceived before his mother converted but was born after his mother's conversion, which relative is he permitted/forbidden to marry? If five women's children got mixed at birth, and they all marry and then die without children, and all have brothers through their fathers but are unsure who is the brother of each one, how is the mitzva of yibum fulfilled?

Yevamot 97 - June 12, 13 Sivan Jun 12, 2022

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This week's learning is sponsored by Robert and Paula Cohen in loving memory of Helen Cohen, Hennah bat Yitchak Nechemia.

This week's learning is sponsored by Shalom and Tina Lamm to commemorate the 2nd yahrzeit of their beloved father and father-in-law, Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm, zecher tzadik l'vracha, Harav Nachum ben Meir Shmuel v'Perel. "We are grateful to Hashem that our family was finally zocheh to fulfill your final wish and bring you and our wonderful matriarch, Mrs. Mindy Lamm, a'h, home to artzeinu hakedosha." Today's daf is sponsored by Moshe and Nitzan Shiloni for the refuah shleima of Chanoch ben Sara.

Why was Rabbi Yochanan so upset at Rabbi Elazar when he didn't quote the halacha in Rabbi Yochanan's name? There is a debate regarding the relatives of a woman who engaged in relations with a man out of wedlock - is she forbidden to his son? All agree that she is permitted to his father. The Gemara brings several riddles regarding hypothetical cases of people who are related to each other in a number of different ways. Are brothers who converted obligated in yibum for each other's wives? Are regular laws of forbidden relationships applicable to them, i.e. can they marry each other's wives if their brother died/divorced her?

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