Yevamos - Daf 97
- Until when is one considered a minor if signs of puberty do not emerge?
The Gemara asks, וכי לא נולדו לו סימני סריס עד כמה – If the signs of a saris have not developed and the man has not yet sprouted pubic hairs, until when is he considered to be a minor and not yet a saris? A Baraisa was taught in the Beis Midrash of Rebbe Chiya: עד רוב שנותיו – until the majority of his years have passed. The Rashbam explains that since the passuk in Tehillim describes the average lifespan as seventy years, someone has lived the majority of his years when he reaches the age of thirty-six. At this point, he is definitely a saris, even if he lacks all of the other characteristics of a saris. The Gemara continues that when people used to reach the age of twenty without sprouting pubic hair, they would come to Rava and he would advise them. If they were thin, he would tell them, “Go gain weight,” and if they were overweight, he would tell them, “Go lose weight,” as being too lean or overweight can prevent the sprouting of pubic hair.
- The sources that only relatives of one’s married wife are forbidden, not of an אנוסה או מפותה
The opening Mishnah of the eleventh perek states: נושאין על האנוסה ועל המפותה – One may marry the relatives of a woman who was violated or seduced by him, but one who violates or seduces the relatives of his married wife is chayav. The Gemara asks for the source for this ruling and brings a Baraisa that states: בכולן נאמר שכיבה וכאן נאמר קיחה – In regard to all forbidden relations, which Rashi defines as the arayos, homosexuality, and bestiality, the Torah speaks of lying with them, whereas here regarding his wife’s relatives the Torah speaks of taking them, to teach us, דרך לקיחה אסרה תורה – the Torah forbade relations only in the manner of taking. This means that when the Torah says not take a woman and her daughter or not to take a woman and her sister, it is referring to a woman that was taken in marriage. It would not be forbidden to take the daughter or sister of a woman that was violated or seduced. When Rav Pappa said that this implies that when the passuk states that one should not take his sister, that it is only forbidden דרך קיחה but not דרך שכיבה, which does not make sense. Abaye answered that the word לקיחה has to be understood in context. הראוי לקיחה קיחה הראוי לשכיבה שכיבה – In the places that it is better understood as referring to taking in marriage, it refers to that, and in those places that it is better understood as lying, it is for lying.
- Proselyte brothers marrying the other’s widow
The Gemara relates that the sons of Yudan, the slavewoman, were freed, and Rav Acha bar Yaakov permitted them to marry each other’s wives, referring to their widow. Rava said to him that Rav Sheishess prohibited such a marriage. The Gemara explains that they both agree that it is permitted for them to marry when they are from the same father. On a Biblical level they are certainly permitted to marry since a convert is considered כקטן שנולד דמי – like a newborn baby, and these brothers are not considered related at all. The Rabbanon did not prohibit the marriage, since most people do not believe in the paternity of children conceived by pagan mothers who were considered licentious. They also agree that they are forbidden for them to marry if they are maternal brothers, since people might not make a distinction between proselyte brothers and ordinary brothers and come to think that marrying a brother’s widow is permitted. They disagreed when they were paternal and maternal brothers. Rav Acha bar Yaakov permits them because people look at them primarily as paternal brothers and call them sons of Mr. So-and-So, whereas Rav Sheishess says people also call them sons of Mrs. So-and-So.
