Yevamot 65

קובעת לה וסת עד שתקבענה שלש פעמים ואין מטהרת מן הוסת עד שתעקר ממנה שלש פעמים ושור המועד דתנן אין השור נעשה מועד עד שיעידו בו שלשה פעמים

establish a set pattern of menstrual bleeding for herself, so that it can be assumed that she will start bleeding at a particular time, until she has established it three times. Similarly, she is not purified from her set pattern until it is uprooted from her three times, i.e., until she did not experience menstrual bleeding at the expected time according to her pattern on three occasions. And the case of a forewarned ox is as we learned in a mishna (Bava Kamma 23b): An ox does not become forewarned until witnesses testify that it has gored three times. Consequently, in the cases of set patterns and a forewarned ox, a legal presumption is created only after three occurrences, in accordance with the opinion of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel.

תנו רבנן ניסת לראשון ולא היו לה בנים לשני ולא היו לה בנים לשלישי לא תנשא אלא למי שיש לו בנים נישאת למי שאין לו בנים תצא בלא כתובה

The Sages taught: If a woman was married to her first husband and she did not have children, and then she was married to her second husband and she did not have children, she may not get married to a third husband unless it is to one who already has children and has fulfilled the mitzva to be fruitful and multiply, as it is presumed that she is unable to have children. If she got married to one who does not have children and he had been unaware of her presumptive status, she is divorced without receiving payment for her marriage contract, as he married her erroneously.

איבעיא להו נישאת לשלישי ולא היו לה בנים מהו דליתבעוה הנך קמאי מי מצו אמרי לה איגלאי מילתא דאת הוא דגרמת או דלמא מצית אמרה להו השתא הוא דכחשי מסתברא מצית אמרה להו השתא הוא דכחשי

A dilemma was raised before the Sages: If she was married to a third husband and she did not have children for ten years, what is the halakha with regard to whether those first husbands can demand the return of the money they paid for her marriage contracts? Can they say to her: It has been revealed retroactively that it was you who caused our inability to have children, and therefore we entered our marriages erroneously, or perhaps she can say to them: It is now that I am older that I have become weak, but in my youth I could have had children with a different husband. The Sages answer: It is reasonable that she can say to them: It is now that I have become weak.

איבעיא להו נישאת לרביעי והיו לה בנים מהו דתיתבעיה לשלישי אמרינן לה שתיקותיך יפה מדיבוריך דמצי אמר לה אנא אדעתא דהכי לא גרשתיך

Another dilemma was raised before the Sages: If she was married to a fourth husband and she had children with him, what is the halakha with regard to whether she can demand the payment of her marriage contract from her third husband by claiming that it is now evident that she was capable of having children? The Gemara answers: We say to her: Your silence is preferable to your speech, i.e., you are better off not making this claim, as he can say to her: I did not divorce you with this understanding, and now that I know you are capable of having children, I regret divorcing you. This would invalidate her divorce and, consequently, her marriage to her fourth husband, and would render her child a mamzer.

מתקיף לה רב פפא אי איהי שתקא אנן מי שתקינן נמצא גט בטל ובניה ממזרין אלא אמרינן השתא הוא דברייתא

Rav Pappa strongly objects to this: If she was silent do we remain silent? If there is room for concern that the divorce might be invalid, the concern exists regardless of her claim, and therefore the bill of divorce should be found invalid and her children from her fourth husband should be rendered mamzerin. Rather, we say that it is now that she has become healthy. In other words, she was previously incapable of bearing children, but she has since recovered from that disability.

הוא אמר מינה והיא אמרה מיניה אמר רבי אמי דברים שבינו לבינה נאמנת וטעמא מאי היא קיימא לה ביורה כחץ הוא לא קים ליה ביורה כחץ

§ The Gemara addresses a related case. If he said that the cause for their failure to have children is from her, i.e., it is she who is infertile, and she said it is from him, Rabbi Ami said: With regard to such matters between him and her, she is believed. The Gemara inquires: What is the reason for this ruling? She is certain whether his semen shoots like an arrow, whereas he is not certain whether his semen shoots like an arrow.

אמר איהו איזיל אינסיב איתתא ואיבדוק נפשאי אמר רבי אמי אף בזו יוציא ויתן כתובה שאני אומר כל הנושא אשה על אשתו יוציא ויתן כתובה רבא אמר נושא אדם כמה נשים על אשתו והוא דאית ליה למיזיינינהי

If he says: I will go and marry a different woman and examine myself to see if I am indeed the cause, Rabbi Ami said: Even in this case he must divorce his first wife and give her the payment for her marriage contract, as I say that whoever marries a woman in addition to his first wife must divorce his first wife and give her the payment for her marriage contract. Conversely, Rava said that a man may marry several women in addition to his first wife, and there is nothing wrong with this practice as long as he has enough to support them all.

הוא אמר אפלת בגו עשר והיא אמרה לא אפלית אמר רבי אמי אף בזו היא נאמנת דאם איתא דהפילה נפשה בעקרתה לא מחזקה

The Gemara addresses another case in which the court forces a man to divorce his wife who has not had children after ten years. If he said: You miscarried within the ten years of our marriage, and since less than ten years have elapsed since that time he should not have to divorce her, and she said: I did not miscarry, Rabbi Ami said: Even in this case she is believed, because if it is so that she miscarried she would not establish herself as barren through denying his claim.

הפילה וחזרה והפילה וחזרה והפילה הוחזקה לנפלים הוא אמר אפילה תרי והיא אמרה תלת אמר רבי יצחק בן אלעזר עובדא הוה בי מדרשא ואמרו היא מהימנא דאם איתא דלא אפלה נפשה בניפלי לא מחזקה

If she miscarried, and then miscarried again, and miscarried again, she has been established to be a woman who is prone to miscarriages, and her husband must divorce her so that he can have children with another woman. If he said she miscarried twice, and she said it occurred three times, Rabbi Yitzḥak ben Elazar said: There was an incident of this kind that was adjudicated in the study hall and they said that she is believed, because if it is so that she had not miscarried a third time she would not establish herself as one who is prone to miscarriages.

מתני׳ האיש מצווה על פריה ורביה אבל לא האשה רבי יוחנן בן ברוקה אומר על שניהם הוא אומר ויברך אותם אלהים ויאמר להם [אלהים] פרו ורבו

MISHNA: A man is commanded with regard to the mitzva to be fruitful and multiply, but not a woman. Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Beroka says that a woman is also commanded, as the verse states with regard to both of them: “And God blessed them, and God said to them: Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28).

גמ׳ מנא הני מילי אמר רבי אילעא משום רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון אמר קרא ומלאו את הארץ וכבשוה איש דרכו לכבש ואין אשה דרכה לכבש

GEMARA: From where are these matters derived, that a woman is not obligated in the mitzva to be fruitful and multiply? Rabbi Ile’a said in the name of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon: The verse states: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the land and conquer it” (Genesis 1:28). It is the manner of a man to conquer and it is not the manner of a woman to conquer. Consequently, it is evident that the entire command, including the mitzva to be fruitful and multiply, was given only to men and not to women.

אדרבה וכבשוה תרתי משמע אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק וכבשה כתיב רב יוסף אמר מהכא אני אל שדי פרה ורבה ולא קאמר פרו ורבו

The Gemara raises a difficulty. On the contrary, the plural term: “And conquer it [vekhivshuha],” indicates that the two of them are included. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: It is written in the Torah without the letter vav, so that it can be read: And conquer it [vekhivsha], in the singular. Rav Yosef said: The proof is from here: “And God said to him: I am God Almighty, be fruitful and multiply [perei urvei]” (Genesis 35:11), which is in singular, and it does not state: Be fruitful and multiply [peru urvu] in the plural.

ואמר רבי אילעא משום רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון כשם שמצוה על אדם לומר דבר הנשמע כך מצוה על אדם שלא לומר דבר שאינו נשמע רבי אבא אומר חובה שנאמר אל תוכח לץ פן ישנאך הוכח לחכם ויאהבך

The Gemara cites other statements made by Rabbi Ile’a in the name of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon. And Rabbi Ile’a said in the name of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon: Just as it is a mitzva for a person to say that which will be heeded, so is it a mitzva for a person not to say that which will not be heeded. One should not rebuke those who will be unreceptive to his message. Rabbi Abba says: It is obligatory for him to refrain from speaking, as it is stated: “Do not reprove a scorner lest he hate you; reprove a wise man and he will love you” (Proverbs 9:8).

ואמר רבי אילעא משום רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון מותר לו לאדם לשנות בדבר השלום שנאמר אביך צוה וגו׳ כה תאמרו ליוסף אנא שא נא וגו׳

And Rabbi Ile’a further said in the name of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon: It is permitted for a person to depart from the truth in a matter that will bring peace, as it is stated: “Your father commanded before he died, saying: So you shall say to Joseph: Please pardon your brothers’ crime, etc.” (Genesis 50:16–17). Jacob never issued this command, but his sons falsely attributed this statement to him in order to preserve peace between them and Joseph.

רבי נתן אומר מצוה שנאמר ויאמר שמואל איך אלך ושמע שאול והרגני וגו׳

Rabbi Natan says: It is a mitzva to depart from the truth in order to preserve peace, as it is stated: “And Samuel said: How can I go, and Saul will hear and kill me” (I Samuel 16:2). God responded in the next verse that Samuel should say he went to sacrifice an offering, indicating that God commands one to lie in order to preserve peace.

דבי רבי ישמעאל תנא גדול השלום שאף הקדוש ברוך הוא שינה בו דמעיקרא כתיב ואדוני זקן ולבסוף כתיב ואני זקנתי

It was taught in the school of Rabbi Yishmael: Great is peace, as even the Holy One, Blessed be He, departed from the truth for it. As, initially it is written that Sarah said of Abraham: “And my lord is old” (Genesis 18:12), and in the end it is written that God told Abraham that Sarah said: “And I am old” (Genesis 18:13). God adjusted Sarah’s words in order to spare Abraham hurt feelings that might lead Abraham and Sarah to quarrel.

רבי יוחנן בן ברוקה אומר אתמר רבי יוחנן ורבי יהושע בן לוי חד אמר הלכה כרבי יוחנן בן ברוקה וחד אמר אין הלכה כרבי יוחנן בן ברוקה

§ It is taught in the mishna that Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Beroka says that women are also included in the mitzva to be fruitful and multiply. It was stated that two amora’im, Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, disagreed concerning this matter. One said that the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Beroka, and one said that the halakha is not in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Beroka.

תסתיים דרבי יוחנן הוא דאמר אין הלכה דיתיב רבי אבהו וקאמר משמיה דרבי יוחנן הלכה ואהדרינהו רבי אמי ורבי אסי לאפייהו

The Gemara comments: Conclude that it was Rabbi Yoḥanan who said that the halakha is not in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Beroka, as Rabbi Abbahu sat and said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan that the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Beroka, and Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi, who were sitting across from him, turned their faces as an indication that they disagreed with this report of Rabbi Yoḥanan’s opinion, but did not want to explicitly contradict Rabbi Abbahu’s statement out of respect for him.

ואיכא דאמרי רבי חייא בר אבא אמר ואהדרינהו רבי אמי ורבי אסי לאפייהו אמר רב פפא בשלמא למאן דאמר רבי אבהו אמרה משום כבוד בי קיסר לא אמרו ליה ולא מידי אלא למאן דאמר רבי חייא בר אבא אמרה לימרו ליה לא אמר רבי יוחנן הכי

And some say a different version of the incident, that it was Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba who said this statement, and Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi turned their faces. Rav Pappa said: Granted, according to the one who said that Rabbi Abbahu said it, it makes sense that due to the honor of Caesar’s court, where Rabbi Abbahu maintained close ties, Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi did not say anything to him and merely hinted at their disagreement. However, according to the one who said that Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said it, let them say to him explicitly: Rabbi Yoḥanan did not say this. In any event, it is clear that according to Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi, Rabbi Yoḥanan disagreed with the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Beroka.

מאי הוה עלה תא שמע דאמר רבי אחא בר חנינא אמר רבי אבהו אמר רבי אסי עובדא הוה קמיה דרבי יוחנן בכנישתא דקיסרי ואמר יוציא ויתן כתובה ואי סלקא דעתך לא מפקדה כתובה מאי עבידתה

The Gemara asks: What conclusion was reached about this issue? The Gemara suggests: Come and hear, as Rabbi Aḥa bar Ḥanina said that Rabbi Abbahu said that Rabbi Asi said: There was an incident that came before Rabbi Yoḥanan in the synagogue of Caesarea involving a woman who wanted a divorce from her husband after ten years of childless marriage, and he said that the husband must divorce her and give her the payment for her marriage contract. If it enters your mind to say that she is not commanded to be fruitful and multiply, what is payment for a marriage contract doing here? Why does she have a right to demand to be divorced and to receive the payment for her marriage contract?

דלמא בבאה מחמת טענה

The Gemara responds: Perhaps that was in a case when she came to demand a divorce due to another claim, i.e., she wanted children for a reason other than the fulfillment of the mitzva to be fruitful and multiply. Since this claim has merit, her husband must divorce her and pay her marriage contract.

כי ההיא דאתאי לקמיה דרבי אמי אמרה ליה הב לי כתובה אמר לה זיל לא מיפקדת אמרה ליה מסיבו דילה מאי תיהוי עלה דהך אתתא אמר כי הא ודאי כפינן

This is like the case of a certain woman who came before Rabbi Ami and requested a divorce due to her husband’s inability to father children. She said to him: Give me the payment for my marriage contract. He said to her: Go away, as you are not commanded to be fruitful and multiply and have no right to demand a divorce. She said to him: In her old age, what will be with this woman, i.e., if I have no children, who will take care of me when I grow old? Rabbi Ami said: In a situation such as this, we certainly force the husband to divorce and her and pay her marriage contract.

ההיא דאתאי לקמיה דרב נחמן אמר לה לא מיפקדת אמרה ליה לא בעיא הך אתתא חוטרא לידה ומרה לקבורה אמר כי הא ודאי כפינן

The Gemara relates a similar incident: A certain woman came before Rav Naḥman and requested a divorce due to her husband’s inability to father children. He said to her: You are not commanded to be fruitful and multiply. She said to him: Does this woman not require a staff for her hand and a hoe for her burial? In other words, the woman said that she wanted children so that they could care for her in her old age and bury her when she would die. Rav Naḥman said: In a case such as this, we certainly force the husband to divorce her.

יהודה וחזקיה תאומים היו אחד נגמרה צורתו לסוף תשעה ואחד נגמרה צורתו לתחלת שבעה יהודית דביתהו דרבי חייא הוה לה צער לידה שנאי מנא ואתיא לקמיה דרבי חייא אמרה אתתא מפקדא אפריה ורביה אמר לה לא אזלא אשתיא סמא דעקרתא

The Gemara relates that Rabbi Ḥiyya’s sons, Yehuda and Ḥizkiyya, were twins, but one of them was fully developed after nine months of pregnancy and one was fully developed at the beginning of the seventh month, and they were born two months apart. Yehudit, the wife of Rabbi Ḥiyya, had acute birthing pain from these unusual deliveries. She changed her clothes to prevent Rabbi Ḥiyya from recognizing her and came before Rabbi Ḥiyya to ask him a halakhic question. She said: Is a woman commanded to be fruitful and multiply? He said to her: No. She went and drank an infertility potion.

לסוף איגלאי מילתא אמר לה איכו ילדת לי חדא כרסא אחריתא דאמר מר יהודה וחזקיה אחי פזי וטוי

Eventually the matter was revealed, and Rabbi Ḥiyya found out about what Yehudit had done. He said to her: If only you had given birth to one more belly for me, i.e., another set of twins. As the Master said: Yehuda and Ḥizkiyya were twin brothers and became prominent Torah scholars, and Pazi and Tavi, Rabbi Ḥiyya’s daughters,