Yevamos 10:4-5

Yevamos 10:4

Let’s say that a man’s wife went overseas and witnesses came and reported that she died, so he married her sister but later the wife turned up alive. In such a case, his wife is permitted to return to him. He is permitted to marry the second woman’s relatives and she is permitted to marry his relatives, and if his wife dies for real, he is permitted to marry the sister legitimately. Let’s say that they originally reported that his wife died so he married her sister, then it was discovered that she had been alive at the time but subsequently died. In such a case, a child born before she died is a mamzer and one born after is not. Rabbi Yosi said that one who disqualifies a woman for others disqualifies her for himself and that one who does not disqualify a woman for others does not disqualify her for himself.

Yevamos 10:5

Let’s say that a man was told that his wife died so he married her half-sister on her father’s side, then he was told that wife #2 died and he married her half-sister on her mother’s side, then he was told that wife #3 died and he married her half-sister on her father’s side, and then he was told that wife #4 died and he married her half-sister on her mother’s side. In such a case, he is permitted to remain married to wives #1, #3 and #5 (who are not related to one another). In the case of yibum, the husband’s brother marrying any of these three women would exempt the other two. The husband is not permitted to remain married to wives #2 and #4, and if the brother performs yibum with one of them, it does not exempt the other. If wife #1 really did die before he married wife #2, then the husband may remain married to wives #2 and #4 and, in the event of yibum, one does exempt the other. In this case, the husband may not remain married to wives #3 and #5 and if the husband’s brother performs yibum with one of them, it does not exempt the other.