Reish Lakish suggested that the Mishna quoted by Rabbi Yochanan could be explained as Rabbi Akiva’s opinion. But this is rejected as Rabbi Akiva holds that one can acquire things that are not yet in existence and the Mishna was based on the principle that things that are not yet in existence cannot be acquired. Some hold that Rabbi Akiva holds this way and others disagree. Rav Nachman brought a list of rabbis, including Rabbi Akiva, who all hold that one can acquire something that is not yet in existence. The Gemara then lists all of the sources in which we see each one’s opinion. Two versions are brought of a question that Rav Sheshet was asked. Either the question was – can one witness be accepted to permit a woman to marry a yabam. Or can one witness be accepted to permit a woman to marry someone other than the yabam (that the son died after the father)?
This month’s learning is sponsored by Jonathan Loring in honor of his wife, Leah Ackner and their children Zev and Meira. “From the first day I met my wife in Hebrew class at JTS to watching her show kindness when we volunteered together to help those in need and even when I had to wait 9 years for a first date, my wife has always been an inspiration to me and everyone she meets. Thank you for these 20 years and B’Ezrat Hashem to many more! I love you wifesy.”
This month’s learning is dedicated for a refuah shleima for Pesha Etel bat Sarah
This week’s learning is sponsored by Sarah Zahavi for the continued health and good outcome for Talia Nechama bat Chana.
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This month’s learning is sponsored by Jonathan Loring in honor of his wife, Leah Ackner and their children Zev and Meira. “From the first day I met my wife in Hebrew class at JTS to watching her show kindness when we volunteered together to help those in need and even when I had to wait 9 years for a first date, my wife has always been an inspiration to me and everyone she meets. Thank you for these 20 years and B’Ezrat Hashem to many more! I love you wifesy.”
This month’s learning is dedicated for a refuah shleima for Pesha Etel bat Sarah
This week’s learning is sponsored by Sarah Zahavi for the continued health and good outcome for Talia Nechama bat Chana.
Yevamot 93
קֻוֽנָּם שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹשָׂה לְפִיךָ — אֵין צָרִיךְ לְהָפֵר.
If a wife said: Konam, i.e., this is forbidden like consecrated property, in reference to anything that I will prepare for your mouth, that is, the payment for any work I perform shall be forbidden to you, he is not required to nullify the vow, as it is automatically void, since she was under a prior obligation to give him her earnings as part of their marriage agreement.
רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: יָפֵר, שֶׁמָּא תַּעֲדִיף עָלָיו יוֹתֵר מִן הָרָאוּי לוֹ.
Rabbi Akiva says: He should nullify the vow, lest she exceed more than is fitting for him. A husband is entitled only to a certain sum from his wife’s earnings (see Ketubot 64b). If she earns only the sum of money to which he is entitled, the vow certainly does not go into effect. However, she might earn more, in which case the vow would apply with regard to the additional amount. To avoid this scenario, it is preferable for the husband to nullify the vow. This shows that according to the opinion of Rabbi Akiva a vow applies even with regard to an entity that has not yet come into the world. In this case, the entity is the earnings for work she has yet to perform.
הָא אִיתְּמַר עֲלַהּ: אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: בְּאוֹמֶרֶת: ״יִקְדְּשׁוּ יָדַי לְעוֹשֵׂיהֶם״, דְּיָדַיִם אִיתַנְהוּ בְּעָלְמָא.
The Gemara refutes this proof: But wasn’t it stated with regard to that mishna that Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, said: This mishna is not referring to a woman who renders the earnings for work she has yet to perform forbidden, but to a wife who says: Let my hands be consecrated to their Maker. In other words, she declares that it is as though her hands were sanctified, which means that anything produced by them is forbidden. Since these hands are in the world, she has not attempted to acquire something that does not exist. Therefore, there is no proof from here with regard to Rabbi Akiva’s opinion on that issue.
וּפְלִיגָא דְּרַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק. דְּאָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: רַב הוּנָא כְּרַב, וְרַב כְּרַבִּי יַנַּאי, וְרַבִּי יַנַּאי כְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא, וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא כְּרַבִּי, וְרַבִּי כְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר, וְרַבִּי מֵאִיר כְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב, וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב כְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, דְּאָמַר: אָדָם מַקְנֶה דָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא בָּא לָעוֹלָם.
§ The Gemara comments: And this opinion, that Rabbi Akiva maintains that one cannot acquire an entity that has not yet come into the world, disagrees with the opinion of Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak, as Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Rav Huna agrees with the opinion of Rav, and Rav agrees with the opinion of Rabbi Yannai, and Rabbi Yannai with the opinion of Rabbi Ḥiyya, and Rabbi Ḥiyya with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, and Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi with the opinion of Rabbi Meir, and Rabbi Meir with the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov, and Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov with the opinion of Rabbi Akiva, who said: A person can transfer to another an entity that has not yet come into the world. This shows that Rabbi Akiva indeed maintains that one can acquire something that does not yet exist.
רַב הוּנָא מַאי הִיא? דְּאִיתְּמַר: הַמּוֹכֵר פֵּירוֹת דֶּקֶל לַחֲבֵרוֹ, אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: עַד שֶׁלֹּא בָּאוּ לָעוֹלָם — יָכוֹל לַחְזוֹר בּוֹ. מִשֶּׁבָּאוּ לָעוֹלָם — אֵין יָכוֹל לַחְזוֹר בּוֹ.
The Gemara specifies the particular contexts in which the aforementioned opinions, all of which concur, were issued: Rav Huna, what is the source for his ruling? As it was stated: With regard to one who sells the fruit of a palm tree to another before the fruit has grown, Rav Huna said: Until the fruit has come into the world, he can retract the sale, as it has yet to take effect. However, after the fruit has come into the world, he can no longer retract, despite the fact the fruit had not yet sprouted when he made the acquisition.
וְרַב נַחְמָן אָמַר: אַף מִשֶּׁבָּאוּ לָעוֹלָם — יָכוֹל לַחְזוֹר בּוֹ. אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: מוֹדֵינָא דְּאִי שָׁמֵיט וְאָכֵיל — לָא מַפְּקִינַן מִינֵּיהּ.
And Rav Naḥman said: Even after they have come into the world he can retract, as the acquisition was defective from the outset. He maintains that one cannot transfer ownership of an entity that does not yet exist. Rav Naḥman said: Even so, I concede that if the buyer seizes the fruit and consumes it, the court does not remove them from him, because despite the faulty acquisition he was promised a sale of fruit.
רַב — דְּאָמַר רַב הוּנָא אָמַר רַב: הָאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ ״שָׂדֶה זוֹ שֶׁאֲנִי לוֹקֵחַ לִכְשֶׁאֶקָּחֶנָּה, קְנוּיָה לְךָ מֵעַכְשָׁיו״ — קָנָה.
The Gemara cites the proof that Rav also accepts the ruling that one can acquire an entity that does not yet exist, as Rav Huna said that Rav said: With regard to one who says to another: This field that I am about to buy, when I buy it, it is acquired by you from now, the addressee has acquired the field, despite the fact that it did not belong to the speaker at the time of his statement.
רַבִּי יַנַּאי כְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא — דְּרַבִּי יַנַּאי הֲוָה לֵיהּ אֲרִיסָא דַּהֲוָה מַיְיתֵי לֵיהּ כַּנְתָּא דְפֵירֵי כׇּל מַעֲלֵי שַׁבְּתָא. הָהוּא יוֹמָא נְגַהּ לֵיהּ וְלָא אֲתָא. שְׁקַל עַשַּׂר מִפֵּירֵי דְבֵיתֵיהּ עֲלַיְיהוּ. אֲתָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא,
Rabbi Yannai also agrees with the opinion of Rabbi Ḥiyya, as demonstrated by the following episode: Rabbi Yannai had a sharecropper working his land who would bring him a basket [kanta] of fruit every Shabbat eve. One day he was late and did not come. Rabbi Yannai took tithe from the fruit in his house for the fruit he expected to receive. He did this in case the fruit arrived near the beginning of Shabbat, as one may not tithe on Shabbat. However, Rabbi Yannai was uncertain whether it is indeed possible to separate tithes for an entity that has not yet reached one’s possession. He therefore came before Rabbi Ḥiyya to inquire whether his separation of tithes was effective.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שַׁפִּיר עֲבַדְתְּ. דְּתַנְיָא: ״לְמַעַן תִּלְמַד לְיִרְאָה אֶת ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ כׇּל הַיָּמִים״ — אֵלּוּ שַׁבָּתוֹת וְיָמִים טוֹבִים. לְמַאי הִלְכְתָא? אִילֵּימָא לְעַשּׂוֹרֵי וּמֵיכַל, אִיצְטְרִיךְ קְרָא לְמִישְׁרֵי טִלְטוּל דְּרַבָּנַן?!
Rabbi Ḥiyya said to him: You acted well, as it is taught in a baraita, with regard to a verse that discusses tithes: “And you shall eat before the Lord your God…in order that you should learn to fear the Lord your God all the days” (Deuteronomy 14:23). With regard to the emphasis of “all,” these are Shabbatot and Festivals. With regard to what halakha was this stated? If we say it was stated in regard to the issue of tithing and eating on Shabbat, this halakha is redundant. Was a verse necessary to permit the prohibition against moving objects, which applies by rabbinic law? Since the prohibition against moving objects is from the Sages, the Torah is certainly not referring to this halakha.
אֶלָּא לָאו, כִּי הַאי גַוְונָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וְהָא אַקְרְיוּן בְּחֶלְמָא ״קָנֶה רָצוּץ״, מַאי לָאו, הָכִי קָאָמְרִי לִי: ״הִנֵּה בָטַחְתָּ לְּךָ עַל מִשְׁעֶנֶת הַקָּנֶה הָרָצוּץ הַזֶּה״?
Rather, is it not referring to a case like this, of one who tithed an entity that was not yet in the world, in honor of Shabbat? Rabbi Yannai said to Rabbi Ḥiyya: But they read before me in a dream these two words: Bruised reed. What, is it not the case that they said to me as follows: “Behold you trust upon the staff of this bruised reed” (II Kings 18:21)? In other words, you rely on an unsubstantiated idea.
לָא, הָכִי קָאָמְרִי לָךְ: ״קָנֶה רָצוּץ לֹא יִשְׁבּוֹר וּפִשְׁתָּה כֵהָה לֹא יְכַבֶּנָּה״.
Rabbi Ḥiyya said to him: No; The dream referred to a different verse, one that deals with the Messiah, as they said to you as follows: “A bruised reed he shall not break and the dimly burning wick he shall not quench; according to truth he shall bring forth justice” (Isaiah 42:3). In other words, Rabbi Yannai acted correctly, in accordance with the ways of truth. This exchange shows that both Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yannai agree that an entity not in the world can be acquired.
רַבִּי — דְּתַנְיָא: ״לֹא תַסְגִּיר עֶבֶד אֶל אֲדוֹנָיו״, רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: בְּלוֹקֵחַ עֶבֶד עַל מְנָת לְשַׁחְרְרוֹ הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר. הֵיכִי דָּמֵי? אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: דִּכְתַב לֵיהּ לִכְשֶׁאֶקָּחֲךָ — הֲרֵי עַצְמְךָ קָנוּי לְךָ מֵעַכְשָׁיו.
With regard to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, his opinion is as it is taught in a baraita: The verse states: “You shall not deliver a slave to his master” (Deuteronomy 23:16). Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: The verse is speaking of one who buys a slave on the condition to free him. This owner may not keep his acquisition as a slave. The Gemara clarifies: What are the circumstances? Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: It is referring to a case where one wrote to a slave in the document of acquisition: When I acquire you as a slave, you are acquired by yourself from now. In this case, the buyer transfers ownership of an entity not yet in the world, as the slave did not yet belong to him.
רַבִּי מֵאִיר — דִּתְנַן, הָאוֹמֵר לְאִשָּׁה: ״הֲרֵי אַתְּ מְקוּדֶּשֶׁת לִי לְאַחַר שֶׁאֶתְגַּיֵּיר״, ״לְאַחַר שֶׁתִּתְגַּיְּירִי״, ״לְאַחַר שֶׁאֶשְׁתַּחְרֵר״, ״לְאַחַר שֶׁתִּשְׁתַּחְרְרִי״, ״לְאַחַר שֶׁיָּמוּת בַּעְלִיךְ״, ״לְאַחַר שֶׁתָּמוּת אֲחוֹתִיךְ״, ״לְאַחַר שֶׁיַּחְלוֹץ לִיךְ יְבָמִיךְ״ — אֵינָהּ מְקוּדֶּשֶׁת. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: מְקוּדֶּשֶׁת.
Rabbi Meir, his opinion is as we learned in a mishna (Bava Metzia 16b): One who says to a woman: You are hereby betrothed to me after I convert; after you convert; after I am freed; after you are freed; after your husband dies; after your sister dies; after your yavam performs ḥalitza with you, she is not betrothed. Rabbi Meir says she is betrothed, as the acquisition of a betrothal applies even to an entity not yet in the world, in this case, a woman available for betrothal.
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב — דְּתַנְיָא: יָתֵר עַל כֵּן אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב: אֲפִילּוּ אִם אָמַר ״פֵּירוֹת עֲרוּגָה זוֹ תְּלוּשִׁים יְהוּ תְּרוּמָה עַל פֵּירוֹת עֲרוּגָה מְחוּבָּרִים״, אוֹ ״פֵּירוֹת עֲרוּגָה מְחוּבָּרִים עַל פֵּירוֹת זוֹ תְּלוּשִׁין, לִכְשֶׁיָּבִיאוּ שְׁלִישׁ וְיִתָּלְשׁוּ״, וְהֵבִיאוּ שְׁלִישׁ וְנִתְלְשׁוּ — דְּבָרָיו קַיָּימִין.
Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov, his opinion is as it is taught in a baraita: Moreover, Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov said that even if one said: The detached fruit of this garden bed shall be teruma for the currently attached fruit of this garden bed when its fruit will be detached, or if he said: The attached fruit of this garden bed shall be teruma for the currently detached fruit of this garden bed when the fruit reach a third of their growth, i.e., a third of their ripeness, and are detached, and if they actually reached a third and were detached, then his words are upheld and the teruma takes effect, despite the fact that the stipulation was issued before the attached fruit had ripened and before the obligation of teruma applied to the detached fruit. This halakha shows that one can acquire an entity not yet in the world; in this case he acquires the fruit by applying the sanctity of teruma to it.
רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא — דִּתְנַן: ״קֻוֽנָּם שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹשָׂה לְפִיךָ״ — אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְהָפֵר. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: יָפֵר, שֶׁמָּא תַּעֲדִיף עָלָיו יֶתֶר מִן הָרָאוּי לוֹ.
Rabbi Akiva, his opinion is as we learned in the aforementioned mishna, that if a wife says: Konam that I will prepare for your mouth, the husband is not required to nullify the vow. Rabbi Akiva says: He should nullify the vow, lest she exceed more than is fitting for him, as he maintains that the vow applies even to entities not yet in the world.
בְּעוֹ מִינֵּיהּ מֵרַב שֵׁשֶׁת: עֵד אֶחָד בִּיבָמָה, מַהוּ? טַעְמָא דְּעֵד אֶחָד — מִשּׁוּם דְּמִילְּתָא דַּעֲבִידָא לְאִיגַּלּוֹיֵי לָא מְשַׁקַּר, וְהָכָא נָמֵי לָא מְשַׁקַּר. אוֹ דִלְמָא: טַעְמָא דְּעֵד אֶחָד מִשּׁוּם — דְּאִיהִי דָּיְיקָא וּמִינַּסְבָא. וְהָכָא, כֵּיוָן דְּזִימְנִין דְּרָחֲמָא לֵיהּ — לָא דָּיְיקָא וּמִינַּסְבָא.
§ They raised a dilemma before Rav Sheshet: In a case of one witness who testifies that a woman’s husband is dead, with regard to a yevama, what is the halakha? Can the court rely on this witness? The Gemara explains the sides of the dilemma: Is the reason that the testimony of one witness in the case of a missing husband is accepted because one does not lie about something that will be discovered, and here, too, he will not lie, in case the husband later arrives? Or, perhaps the reason for the eligibility of one witness is because the woman herself is exacting in her investigation before she marries again. But here, since she sometimes loves the yavam, as she already knew him beforehand, she is not exacting in her investigation before she marries again.
אֲמַר לְהוּ רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: תְּנֵיתוּהָ, אָמְרוּ לָהּ: מֵת בְּנֵךְ וְאַחַר כָּךְ מֵת בַּעְלִיךְ וְנִתְיַיבְּמָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָמְרוּ לָהּ חִילּוּף הַדְּבָרִים — תֵּצֵא, וְהַוָּלָד רִאשׁוֹן וְאַחֲרוֹן מַמְזֵר. הֵיכִי דָמֵי: אִילֵּימָא תְּרֵי וּתְרֵי — מַאי חָזֵית דְּסָמְכַתְּ אַהָנֵי, סְמוֹךְ אַהָנֵי!
Rav Sheshet said to him: You learned the answer to this question in the mishna: If they said to her: Your child died and afterward your husband died, and she entered into levirate marriage, and afterward they said to her that the matters were reversed, she must leave her husband, and the first child and the last one are each a mamzer. Rav Sheshet analyzes this case: What are the circumstances? If we say they are two and two, i.e., two witnesses came first and said one account, followed by two other witnesses who claimed the reverse, what did you see to make you rely on these second witnesses when you can equally rely on the first pair? The first witnesses do not lose their credibility merely due to the testimony of the second pair, so why should she have to leave the yavam?
וְעוֹד, מַמְזֵר? סְפֵק מַמְזֵר הוּא. וְכִי תֵּימָא לָא דָּק, וְהָא מִדְּקָתָנֵי סֵיפָא: הָרִאשׁוֹן מַמְזֵר וְהָאַחֲרוֹן אֵינוֹ מַמְזֵר, שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ דַּוְקָא קָתָנֵי.
And furthermore, why should the child be a definite mamzer? At worst he is an individual whose status as a mamzer is uncertain, as there are two conflicting sets of testimonies. And if you would say that the tanna of the mishna was not precise in his failure to distinguish between a definite mamzer and one of uncertain status, but from the fact that it teaches in the latter clause of the mishna: The first is a mamzer and the last is not a mamzer, one can learn from here that the mishna was taught specifically in this manner, i.e., the mamzer the tanna referred to is a definite mamzer.
אֶלָּא לָאו שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ: חַד. וְטַעְמָא דַּאֲתוֹ בֵּי תְרֵי אַכְחֲשׁוּהּ, הָא לָאו הָכִי — מְהֵימַן.
Rather, isn’t it correct to conclude from here that only one witness testified at first, and the reason for the halakha is that two people came and contradicted him, as the testimony of two witnesses certainly overrules that of a single witness? It may be inferred from this that if it were not so, the lone witness is deemed credible. This shows that the court will accept the testimony of one witness even to allow a woman to enter into levirate marriage.
וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמַר: הָא לָא תִּיבְּעֵי לָךְ דַּאֲפִילּוּ אִיהִי נָמֵי מְהֵימְנָא, דִּתְנַן: הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁאָמְרָה מֵת בַּעְלִי — תִּנָּשֵׂא. מֵת בַּעְלִי — תִּתְיַיבֵּם. כִּי תִּיבְּעֵי לָךְ לְמִישְׁרֵי יְבָמָה לְעָלְמָא:
The Gemara provides an alternative version of the discussion. And some Sages maintain another version that says: Let the dilemma not be raised, as even a wife herself is also deemed credible when she says her husband is dead, as we learned in a mishna (114b): With regard to a woman who said: My husband is dead, she may marry. Likewise, if she claimed: My husband is dead, she should enter into levirate marriage. If so, one witness is certainly deemed credible when he says her husband has died. The case where you could raise the dilemma is with regard to permitting a yevama to all other men, if a witness claims that the yavam is dead.
מַאי טַעְמָא דְּעֵד אֶחָד — מִשּׁוּם דְּמִילְּתָא דַּעֲבִידָא לְאִיגַּלּוֹיֵי לָא מְשַׁקַּר, הָכָא נָמֵי לָא מְשַׁקַּר. אוֹ דִלְמָא: טַעְמָא דְּעֵד אֶחָד, מִשּׁוּם דְּאִיהִי דָּיְיקָא וּמִינַּסְבָא, וְהָא לָא דָּיְיקָא וּמִינַּסְבָא — דְּמִיסְנָא הוּא
In this case as well, the Gemara clarifies the sides of this dilemma: What is the reason that one witness is deemed credible? Is it because one does not lie about something that will be discovered, and therefore here too he would not lie? Or, perhaps the reason for accepting the testimony of one witness is because the wife is exacting in her investigation before she marries again, but this yevama is not exacting in her investigation before she marries again. Why not? Because she
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My curiosity was peaked after seeing posts about the end of the last cycle. I am always looking for opportunities to increase my Jewish literacy & I am someone that is drawn to habit and consistency. Dinnertime includes a “Guess what I learned on the daf” segment for my husband and 18 year old twins. I also love the feelings of connection with my colleagues who are also learning.
Tampa, United States
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Far Rockaway, United States
After reading the book, “ If All The Seas Were Ink “ by Ileana Kurshan I started studying Talmud. I searched and studied with several teachers until I found Michelle Farber. I have been studying with her for two years. I look forward every day to learn from her.
Virginia, United States
I tried Daf Yomi in the middle of the last cycle after realizing I could listen to Michelle’s shiurim online. It lasted all of 2 days! Then the new cycle started just days before my father’s first yahrzeit and my youngest daughter’s bat mitzvah. It seemed the right time for a new beginning. My family, friends, colleagues are immensely supportive!
Zichron Yaakov, Israel
I had dreamed of doing daf yomi since I had my first serious Talmud class 18 years ago at Pardes with Rahel Berkovitz, and then a couple of summers with Leah Rosenthal. There is no way I would be able to do it without another wonderful teacher, Michelle, and the Hadran organization. I wake up and am excited to start each day with the next daf.
Irvine, United States
I heard about the syium in January 2020 & I was excited to start learning then the pandemic started. Learning Daf became something to focus on but also something stressful. As the world changed around me & my family I had to adjust my expectations for myself & the world. Daf Yomi & the Hadran podcast has been something I look forward to every day. It gives me a moment of centering & Judaism daily.
Denver, United States
I learned Mishnayot more than twenty years ago and started with Gemara much later in life. Although I never managed to learn Daf Yomi consistently, I am learning since some years Gemara in depth and with much joy. Since last year I am studying at the International Halakha Scholars Program at the WIHL. I often listen to Rabbanit Farbers Gemara shiurim to understand better a specific sugyiah. I am grateful for the help and inspiration!
Berlin, Germany
In January 2020, my teaching partner at IDC suggested we do daf yomi. Thanks to her challenge, I started learning daily from Rabbanit Michelle. It’s a joy to be part of the Hadran community. (It’s also a tikkun: in 7th grade, my best friend and I tied for first place in a citywide gemara exam, but we weren’t invited to the celebration because girls weren’t supposed to be learning gemara).
Jerusalem, Israel
תמיד רציתי. למדתי גמרא בבית ספר בטורונטו קנדה. עליתי ארצה ולמדתי שזה לא מקובל. הופתעתי.
יצאתי לגימלאות לפני שנתיים וזה מאפשר את המחוייבות לדף יומי.
עבורי ההתמדה בלימוד מעגן אותי בקשר שלי ליהדות. אני תמיד מחפשת ותמיד. מוצאת מקור לקשר. ללימוד חדש ומחדש. קשר עם נשים לומדות מעמיק את החוויה ומשמעותית מאוד.
מיתר, ישראל
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בית שמש, Israel
I started learning at the beginning of this cycle more than 2 years ago, and I have not missed a day or a daf. It’s been challenging and enlightening and even mind-numbing at times, but the learning and the shared experience have all been worth it. If you are open to it, there’s no telling what might come into your life.
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
I started learning Daf Yomi inspired by תָּפַסְתָּ מְרוּבֶּה לֹא תָּפַסְתָּ, תָּפַסְתָּ מוּעָט תָּפַסְתָּ. I thought I’d start the first page, and then see. I was swept up into the enthusiasm of the Hadran Siyum, and from there the momentum kept building. Rabbanit Michelle’s shiur gives me an anchor, a connection to an incredible virtual community, and an energy to face whatever the day brings.
בית שמש, Israel
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Jerusalem, Israel
Michelle has been an inspiration for years, but I only really started this cycle after the moving and uplifting siyum in Jerusalem. It’s been an wonderful to learn and relearn the tenets of our religion and to understand how the extraordinary efforts of a band of people to preserve Judaism after the fall of the beit hamikdash is still bearing fruits today. I’m proud to be part of the chain!
Raanana, Israel
A few years back, after reading Ilana Kurshan’s book, “If All The Seas Were Ink,” I began pondering the crazy, outlandish idea of beginning the Daf Yomi cycle. Beginning in December, 2019, a month before the previous cycle ended, I “auditioned” 30 different podcasts in 30 days, and ultimately chose to take the plunge with Hadran and Rabbanit Michelle. Such joy!
HUNTINGTON, United States
Jerusalem, Israel
Philadelphia, United States
In January 2020, my teaching partner at IDC suggested we do daf yomi. Thanks to her challenge, I started learning daily from Rabbanit Michelle. It’s a joy to be part of the Hadran community. (It’s also a tikkun: in 7th grade, my best friend and I tied for first place in a citywide gemara exam, but we weren’t invited to the celebration because girls weren’t supposed to be learning gemara).
Jerusalem, Israel
It happened without intent (so am I yotzei?!) – I watched the women’s siyum live and was so moved by it that the next morning, I tuned in to Rabbanit Michelle’s shiur, and here I am, still learning every day, over 2 years later. Some days it all goes over my head, but others I grasp onto an idea or a story, and I ‘get it’ and that’s the best feeling in the world. So proud to be a Hadran learner.
Zichron Yaakov, Israel
It’s hard to believe it has been over two years. Daf yomi has changed my life in so many ways and has been sustaining during this global sea change. Each day means learning something new, digging a little deeper, adding another lens, seeing worlds with new eyes. Daf has also fostered new friendships and deepened childhood connections, as long time friends have unexpectedly become havruta.
Northwest Washington, United States
Yevamot 93
קֻוֽנָּם שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹשָׂה לְפִיךָ — אֵין צָרִיךְ לְהָפֵר.
If a wife said: Konam, i.e., this is forbidden like consecrated property, in reference to anything that I will prepare for your mouth, that is, the payment for any work I perform shall be forbidden to you, he is not required to nullify the vow, as it is automatically void, since she was under a prior obligation to give him her earnings as part of their marriage agreement.
רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: יָפֵר, שֶׁמָּא תַּעֲדִיף עָלָיו יוֹתֵר מִן הָרָאוּי לוֹ.
Rabbi Akiva says: He should nullify the vow, lest she exceed more than is fitting for him. A husband is entitled only to a certain sum from his wife’s earnings (see Ketubot 64b). If she earns only the sum of money to which he is entitled, the vow certainly does not go into effect. However, she might earn more, in which case the vow would apply with regard to the additional amount. To avoid this scenario, it is preferable for the husband to nullify the vow. This shows that according to the opinion of Rabbi Akiva a vow applies even with regard to an entity that has not yet come into the world. In this case, the entity is the earnings for work she has yet to perform.
הָא אִיתְּמַר עֲלַהּ: אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: בְּאוֹמֶרֶת: ״יִקְדְּשׁוּ יָדַי לְעוֹשֵׂיהֶם״, דְּיָדַיִם אִיתַנְהוּ בְּעָלְמָא.
The Gemara refutes this proof: But wasn’t it stated with regard to that mishna that Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, said: This mishna is not referring to a woman who renders the earnings for work she has yet to perform forbidden, but to a wife who says: Let my hands be consecrated to their Maker. In other words, she declares that it is as though her hands were sanctified, which means that anything produced by them is forbidden. Since these hands are in the world, she has not attempted to acquire something that does not exist. Therefore, there is no proof from here with regard to Rabbi Akiva’s opinion on that issue.
וּפְלִיגָא דְּרַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק. דְּאָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: רַב הוּנָא כְּרַב, וְרַב כְּרַבִּי יַנַּאי, וְרַבִּי יַנַּאי כְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא, וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא כְּרַבִּי, וְרַבִּי כְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר, וְרַבִּי מֵאִיר כְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב, וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב כְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, דְּאָמַר: אָדָם מַקְנֶה דָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא בָּא לָעוֹלָם.
§ The Gemara comments: And this opinion, that Rabbi Akiva maintains that one cannot acquire an entity that has not yet come into the world, disagrees with the opinion of Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak, as Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Rav Huna agrees with the opinion of Rav, and Rav agrees with the opinion of Rabbi Yannai, and Rabbi Yannai with the opinion of Rabbi Ḥiyya, and Rabbi Ḥiyya with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, and Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi with the opinion of Rabbi Meir, and Rabbi Meir with the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov, and Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov with the opinion of Rabbi Akiva, who said: A person can transfer to another an entity that has not yet come into the world. This shows that Rabbi Akiva indeed maintains that one can acquire something that does not yet exist.
רַב הוּנָא מַאי הִיא? דְּאִיתְּמַר: הַמּוֹכֵר פֵּירוֹת דֶּקֶל לַחֲבֵרוֹ, אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: עַד שֶׁלֹּא בָּאוּ לָעוֹלָם — יָכוֹל לַחְזוֹר בּוֹ. מִשֶּׁבָּאוּ לָעוֹלָם — אֵין יָכוֹל לַחְזוֹר בּוֹ.
The Gemara specifies the particular contexts in which the aforementioned opinions, all of which concur, were issued: Rav Huna, what is the source for his ruling? As it was stated: With regard to one who sells the fruit of a palm tree to another before the fruit has grown, Rav Huna said: Until the fruit has come into the world, he can retract the sale, as it has yet to take effect. However, after the fruit has come into the world, he can no longer retract, despite the fact the fruit had not yet sprouted when he made the acquisition.
וְרַב נַחְמָן אָמַר: אַף מִשֶּׁבָּאוּ לָעוֹלָם — יָכוֹל לַחְזוֹר בּוֹ. אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: מוֹדֵינָא דְּאִי שָׁמֵיט וְאָכֵיל — לָא מַפְּקִינַן מִינֵּיהּ.
And Rav Naḥman said: Even after they have come into the world he can retract, as the acquisition was defective from the outset. He maintains that one cannot transfer ownership of an entity that does not yet exist. Rav Naḥman said: Even so, I concede that if the buyer seizes the fruit and consumes it, the court does not remove them from him, because despite the faulty acquisition he was promised a sale of fruit.
רַב — דְּאָמַר רַב הוּנָא אָמַר רַב: הָאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ ״שָׂדֶה זוֹ שֶׁאֲנִי לוֹקֵחַ לִכְשֶׁאֶקָּחֶנָּה, קְנוּיָה לְךָ מֵעַכְשָׁיו״ — קָנָה.
The Gemara cites the proof that Rav also accepts the ruling that one can acquire an entity that does not yet exist, as Rav Huna said that Rav said: With regard to one who says to another: This field that I am about to buy, when I buy it, it is acquired by you from now, the addressee has acquired the field, despite the fact that it did not belong to the speaker at the time of his statement.
רַבִּי יַנַּאי כְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא — דְּרַבִּי יַנַּאי הֲוָה לֵיהּ אֲרִיסָא דַּהֲוָה מַיְיתֵי לֵיהּ כַּנְתָּא דְפֵירֵי כׇּל מַעֲלֵי שַׁבְּתָא. הָהוּא יוֹמָא נְגַהּ לֵיהּ וְלָא אֲתָא. שְׁקַל עַשַּׂר מִפֵּירֵי דְבֵיתֵיהּ עֲלַיְיהוּ. אֲתָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא,
Rabbi Yannai also agrees with the opinion of Rabbi Ḥiyya, as demonstrated by the following episode: Rabbi Yannai had a sharecropper working his land who would bring him a basket [kanta] of fruit every Shabbat eve. One day he was late and did not come. Rabbi Yannai took tithe from the fruit in his house for the fruit he expected to receive. He did this in case the fruit arrived near the beginning of Shabbat, as one may not tithe on Shabbat. However, Rabbi Yannai was uncertain whether it is indeed possible to separate tithes for an entity that has not yet reached one’s possession. He therefore came before Rabbi Ḥiyya to inquire whether his separation of tithes was effective.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שַׁפִּיר עֲבַדְתְּ. דְּתַנְיָא: ״לְמַעַן תִּלְמַד לְיִרְאָה אֶת ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ כׇּל הַיָּמִים״ — אֵלּוּ שַׁבָּתוֹת וְיָמִים טוֹבִים. לְמַאי הִלְכְתָא? אִילֵּימָא לְעַשּׂוֹרֵי וּמֵיכַל, אִיצְטְרִיךְ קְרָא לְמִישְׁרֵי טִלְטוּל דְּרַבָּנַן?!
Rabbi Ḥiyya said to him: You acted well, as it is taught in a baraita, with regard to a verse that discusses tithes: “And you shall eat before the Lord your God…in order that you should learn to fear the Lord your God all the days” (Deuteronomy 14:23). With regard to the emphasis of “all,” these are Shabbatot and Festivals. With regard to what halakha was this stated? If we say it was stated in regard to the issue of tithing and eating on Shabbat, this halakha is redundant. Was a verse necessary to permit the prohibition against moving objects, which applies by rabbinic law? Since the prohibition against moving objects is from the Sages, the Torah is certainly not referring to this halakha.
אֶלָּא לָאו, כִּי הַאי גַוְונָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וְהָא אַקְרְיוּן בְּחֶלְמָא ״קָנֶה רָצוּץ״, מַאי לָאו, הָכִי קָאָמְרִי לִי: ״הִנֵּה בָטַחְתָּ לְּךָ עַל מִשְׁעֶנֶת הַקָּנֶה הָרָצוּץ הַזֶּה״?
Rather, is it not referring to a case like this, of one who tithed an entity that was not yet in the world, in honor of Shabbat? Rabbi Yannai said to Rabbi Ḥiyya: But they read before me in a dream these two words: Bruised reed. What, is it not the case that they said to me as follows: “Behold you trust upon the staff of this bruised reed” (II Kings 18:21)? In other words, you rely on an unsubstantiated idea.
לָא, הָכִי קָאָמְרִי לָךְ: ״קָנֶה רָצוּץ לֹא יִשְׁבּוֹר וּפִשְׁתָּה כֵהָה לֹא יְכַבֶּנָּה״.
Rabbi Ḥiyya said to him: No; The dream referred to a different verse, one that deals with the Messiah, as they said to you as follows: “A bruised reed he shall not break and the dimly burning wick he shall not quench; according to truth he shall bring forth justice” (Isaiah 42:3). In other words, Rabbi Yannai acted correctly, in accordance with the ways of truth. This exchange shows that both Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yannai agree that an entity not in the world can be acquired.
רַבִּי — דְּתַנְיָא: ״לֹא תַסְגִּיר עֶבֶד אֶל אֲדוֹנָיו״, רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: בְּלוֹקֵחַ עֶבֶד עַל מְנָת לְשַׁחְרְרוֹ הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר. הֵיכִי דָּמֵי? אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: דִּכְתַב לֵיהּ לִכְשֶׁאֶקָּחֲךָ — הֲרֵי עַצְמְךָ קָנוּי לְךָ מֵעַכְשָׁיו.
With regard to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, his opinion is as it is taught in a baraita: The verse states: “You shall not deliver a slave to his master” (Deuteronomy 23:16). Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: The verse is speaking of one who buys a slave on the condition to free him. This owner may not keep his acquisition as a slave. The Gemara clarifies: What are the circumstances? Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: It is referring to a case where one wrote to a slave in the document of acquisition: When I acquire you as a slave, you are acquired by yourself from now. In this case, the buyer transfers ownership of an entity not yet in the world, as the slave did not yet belong to him.
רַבִּי מֵאִיר — דִּתְנַן, הָאוֹמֵר לְאִשָּׁה: ״הֲרֵי אַתְּ מְקוּדֶּשֶׁת לִי לְאַחַר שֶׁאֶתְגַּיֵּיר״, ״לְאַחַר שֶׁתִּתְגַּיְּירִי״, ״לְאַחַר שֶׁאֶשְׁתַּחְרֵר״, ״לְאַחַר שֶׁתִּשְׁתַּחְרְרִי״, ״לְאַחַר שֶׁיָּמוּת בַּעְלִיךְ״, ״לְאַחַר שֶׁתָּמוּת אֲחוֹתִיךְ״, ״לְאַחַר שֶׁיַּחְלוֹץ לִיךְ יְבָמִיךְ״ — אֵינָהּ מְקוּדֶּשֶׁת. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: מְקוּדֶּשֶׁת.
Rabbi Meir, his opinion is as we learned in a mishna (Bava Metzia 16b): One who says to a woman: You are hereby betrothed to me after I convert; after you convert; after I am freed; after you are freed; after your husband dies; after your sister dies; after your yavam performs ḥalitza with you, she is not betrothed. Rabbi Meir says she is betrothed, as the acquisition of a betrothal applies even to an entity not yet in the world, in this case, a woman available for betrothal.
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב — דְּתַנְיָא: יָתֵר עַל כֵּן אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב: אֲפִילּוּ אִם אָמַר ״פֵּירוֹת עֲרוּגָה זוֹ תְּלוּשִׁים יְהוּ תְּרוּמָה עַל פֵּירוֹת עֲרוּגָה מְחוּבָּרִים״, אוֹ ״פֵּירוֹת עֲרוּגָה מְחוּבָּרִים עַל פֵּירוֹת זוֹ תְּלוּשִׁין, לִכְשֶׁיָּבִיאוּ שְׁלִישׁ וְיִתָּלְשׁוּ״, וְהֵבִיאוּ שְׁלִישׁ וְנִתְלְשׁוּ — דְּבָרָיו קַיָּימִין.
Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov, his opinion is as it is taught in a baraita: Moreover, Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov said that even if one said: The detached fruit of this garden bed shall be teruma for the currently attached fruit of this garden bed when its fruit will be detached, or if he said: The attached fruit of this garden bed shall be teruma for the currently detached fruit of this garden bed when the fruit reach a third of their growth, i.e., a third of their ripeness, and are detached, and if they actually reached a third and were detached, then his words are upheld and the teruma takes effect, despite the fact that the stipulation was issued before the attached fruit had ripened and before the obligation of teruma applied to the detached fruit. This halakha shows that one can acquire an entity not yet in the world; in this case he acquires the fruit by applying the sanctity of teruma to it.
רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא — דִּתְנַן: ״קֻוֽנָּם שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹשָׂה לְפִיךָ״ — אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְהָפֵר. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: יָפֵר, שֶׁמָּא תַּעֲדִיף עָלָיו יֶתֶר מִן הָרָאוּי לוֹ.
Rabbi Akiva, his opinion is as we learned in the aforementioned mishna, that if a wife says: Konam that I will prepare for your mouth, the husband is not required to nullify the vow. Rabbi Akiva says: He should nullify the vow, lest she exceed more than is fitting for him, as he maintains that the vow applies even to entities not yet in the world.
בְּעוֹ מִינֵּיהּ מֵרַב שֵׁשֶׁת: עֵד אֶחָד בִּיבָמָה, מַהוּ? טַעְמָא דְּעֵד אֶחָד — מִשּׁוּם דְּמִילְּתָא דַּעֲבִידָא לְאִיגַּלּוֹיֵי לָא מְשַׁקַּר, וְהָכָא נָמֵי לָא מְשַׁקַּר. אוֹ דִלְמָא: טַעְמָא דְּעֵד אֶחָד מִשּׁוּם — דְּאִיהִי דָּיְיקָא וּמִינַּסְבָא. וְהָכָא, כֵּיוָן דְּזִימְנִין דְּרָחֲמָא לֵיהּ — לָא דָּיְיקָא וּמִינַּסְבָא.
§ They raised a dilemma before Rav Sheshet: In a case of one witness who testifies that a woman’s husband is dead, with regard to a yevama, what is the halakha? Can the court rely on this witness? The Gemara explains the sides of the dilemma: Is the reason that the testimony of one witness in the case of a missing husband is accepted because one does not lie about something that will be discovered, and here, too, he will not lie, in case the husband later arrives? Or, perhaps the reason for the eligibility of one witness is because the woman herself is exacting in her investigation before she marries again. But here, since she sometimes loves the yavam, as she already knew him beforehand, she is not exacting in her investigation before she marries again.
אֲמַר לְהוּ רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: תְּנֵיתוּהָ, אָמְרוּ לָהּ: מֵת בְּנֵךְ וְאַחַר כָּךְ מֵת בַּעְלִיךְ וְנִתְיַיבְּמָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָמְרוּ לָהּ חִילּוּף הַדְּבָרִים — תֵּצֵא, וְהַוָּלָד רִאשׁוֹן וְאַחֲרוֹן מַמְזֵר. הֵיכִי דָמֵי: אִילֵּימָא תְּרֵי וּתְרֵי — מַאי חָזֵית דְּסָמְכַתְּ אַהָנֵי, סְמוֹךְ אַהָנֵי!
Rav Sheshet said to him: You learned the answer to this question in the mishna: If they said to her: Your child died and afterward your husband died, and she entered into levirate marriage, and afterward they said to her that the matters were reversed, she must leave her husband, and the first child and the last one are each a mamzer. Rav Sheshet analyzes this case: What are the circumstances? If we say they are two and two, i.e., two witnesses came first and said one account, followed by two other witnesses who claimed the reverse, what did you see to make you rely on these second witnesses when you can equally rely on the first pair? The first witnesses do not lose their credibility merely due to the testimony of the second pair, so why should she have to leave the yavam?
וְעוֹד, מַמְזֵר? סְפֵק מַמְזֵר הוּא. וְכִי תֵּימָא לָא דָּק, וְהָא מִדְּקָתָנֵי סֵיפָא: הָרִאשׁוֹן מַמְזֵר וְהָאַחֲרוֹן אֵינוֹ מַמְזֵר, שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ דַּוְקָא קָתָנֵי.
And furthermore, why should the child be a definite mamzer? At worst he is an individual whose status as a mamzer is uncertain, as there are two conflicting sets of testimonies. And if you would say that the tanna of the mishna was not precise in his failure to distinguish between a definite mamzer and one of uncertain status, but from the fact that it teaches in the latter clause of the mishna: The first is a mamzer and the last is not a mamzer, one can learn from here that the mishna was taught specifically in this manner, i.e., the mamzer the tanna referred to is a definite mamzer.
אֶלָּא לָאו שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ: חַד. וְטַעְמָא דַּאֲתוֹ בֵּי תְרֵי אַכְחֲשׁוּהּ, הָא לָאו הָכִי — מְהֵימַן.
Rather, isn’t it correct to conclude from here that only one witness testified at first, and the reason for the halakha is that two people came and contradicted him, as the testimony of two witnesses certainly overrules that of a single witness? It may be inferred from this that if it were not so, the lone witness is deemed credible. This shows that the court will accept the testimony of one witness even to allow a woman to enter into levirate marriage.
וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמַר: הָא לָא תִּיבְּעֵי לָךְ דַּאֲפִילּוּ אִיהִי נָמֵי מְהֵימְנָא, דִּתְנַן: הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁאָמְרָה מֵת בַּעְלִי — תִּנָּשֵׂא. מֵת בַּעְלִי — תִּתְיַיבֵּם. כִּי תִּיבְּעֵי לָךְ לְמִישְׁרֵי יְבָמָה לְעָלְמָא:
The Gemara provides an alternative version of the discussion. And some Sages maintain another version that says: Let the dilemma not be raised, as even a wife herself is also deemed credible when she says her husband is dead, as we learned in a mishna (114b): With regard to a woman who said: My husband is dead, she may marry. Likewise, if she claimed: My husband is dead, she should enter into levirate marriage. If so, one witness is certainly deemed credible when he says her husband has died. The case where you could raise the dilemma is with regard to permitting a yevama to all other men, if a witness claims that the yavam is dead.
מַאי טַעְמָא דְּעֵד אֶחָד — מִשּׁוּם דְּמִילְּתָא דַּעֲבִידָא לְאִיגַּלּוֹיֵי לָא מְשַׁקַּר, הָכָא נָמֵי לָא מְשַׁקַּר. אוֹ דִלְמָא: טַעְמָא דְּעֵד אֶחָד, מִשּׁוּם דְּאִיהִי דָּיְיקָא וּמִינַּסְבָא, וְהָא לָא דָּיְיקָא וּמִינַּסְבָא — דְּמִיסְנָא הוּא
In this case as well, the Gemara clarifies the sides of this dilemma: What is the reason that one witness is deemed credible? Is it because one does not lie about something that will be discovered, and therefore here too he would not lie? Or, perhaps the reason for accepting the testimony of one witness is because the wife is exacting in her investigation before she marries again, but this yevama is not exacting in her investigation before she marries again. Why not? Because she
