Talking Talmud

More on how people received their terumah. Specifically, the different categories of people who can eat terumah, but can't get it in the standard way - something in their status holds each of these people back... Also, a long mishnah: What if a woman doesn't wait 3 months after the death/divorce from a previous husband to remarry, and she conceives and delivers. Which raises questions whether the baby is from the first or second husband, which raises questions as to who this baby's siblings are, questions of inheritance, matters of the kehunah, and so on. The doubt is only between these two men, but the mishnah eventually takes it farther in terms of unknown paternity: "sh'tuki."

Chalitzah, "just in case" - when it's not clear that everyone's relationship is what it appears to have been. Also, a long mishnah: the cases of the "mixed-up children" - which is makes it really difficult to know who needs yibum and who is prohibited from doing yibum. Plus, who got to pick up their terumah at the threshing floor.

A child born to non-Jews is understood halakhically to be not related to his father. To the extent that identical twins are not considered related. Plus, the story of Niftayim the convert, who didn't have to be concerned about the illicit sexual familial relations. Among several proofs that make the same point. Plus, 2 statements by R. Akiva, including one point about converts and one about Jonah the prophet. Also, a mishnah of the mixed up cases of which child belongs to whom. What are the implications for yibum?

First, a story about R. Yochanan, about attribution in his name. A concern that goes back, as it were, to King David and Psalms. Also, a new chapter, with its opening mishnah: a man who rapes or seduces a woman is not knocked out of the running of marrying her relatives. Was this leniency a good thing? Plus, riddles (mind benders).

3 mishnayot on the daf... Mishnah 1: Complicated scenarios to explore the parameters of testimony on a spouse's death that is determined to be incorrect. Including multiple marriages, and multiple reported deaths. Plus, the case of a woman who needs yibum and a 9-year-old brother sleeps with her (ahem) before other (older brothers), and he negates his brothers as possible yavamim. Mishnah 2: More on the 9 year old and a yevamah. Mishnah 3: Other cases of a minor in the context of yibum.

A dispute between R. Yehudah and R. Yosei on a dispute between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai over cases of a husband who believes his wife to be dead, and sleeps with either the mother-in-law or the sister-in-law, and how those scenarios would impact his marriage, in the event that the wife turns up alive, after all. Plus, the rationales for the approach to permit the couple to return to each other. Also, R. Yosei. On a case of two couples, where the wives are sisters, and the testimony on disappearance that is found to be mistaken. What are the implications for the couples to be able to return to each other? And who is disqualified from being with whom? Note how complicated and ambiguous the mishnah that this Gemara works off of to interpret is.

A serious challenge to the validity of one witness - but not because it's only one person, but because of who it is. Also, the opposite case - where the wife travels, is testified to have died, he marries her sister, and then she comes back. What do they do? Because he's not allowed to marry his wife's sister!

First, a brief comment on Daf 91: the reading of the woman's get. Next: Establishing a vow or acquiring something that is not yet in existence in the world, which seems like R. Akiva's position. Except that R. Nachman bar Yitzchak presents a contradictory opinion in the name of R. Akiva himself (after a long chain of names of Tannaim). Which leads to other examples of treating that which does not yet exist as if it exists - where the halakhah is upheld. Which leads to a dream, as an explainer. Really. Also, when it comes to one witness to the death of a woman's husband that she's allowed to remarry - is that because the likelihood of lying in such a situation is unlikely or to enable her to marry... Plus, she'll investigate carefully because of the implications for herself. In which case, what would that testimony do for yibum? What if she especially likes her brother-in-law? Can we still assume there's no lie here?

The Gemara addresses what it means for the court to have an opinion - for example, if the court stipulates that the woman who has one witness testifying that her husband has died can remarry. A comparable example is brought with regard to the time that Shabbat ends, based on the darkness of the day - which might be the fault of clouds. In both cases, as it turns out, the court's ruling is in error, but are they the same? Also, a new mishnah: a case where a woman's husband and son travel overseas, and the husband died and then the son dies. Or the reverse. When does yibum kick in? What if it turns out that the testimony is backwards? What about a betrothal to a new man, and then the husband turns up alive? She goes back to the first husband, and the get from the man who betrothed her isn't a full divorce.

In the case of the woman who has remarried after the testimony that her first husband has died, but not with the consent of the court - she can go back to her first husband, once it is determined that he is alive. Which leads to a debate about the way to talk about the halakhah, and how one should not appropriate another's opinion without naming him. Plus, a comparison to rape that sounds difficult to modern ears, but actually leads to rendering a decision in the woman's favor. Also, the question of establishing fact on the basis of two witnesses - what, really, could she have done?! Except the Gemara brings 6 challenges to that same premise. The case of divorce being a sharp question here, including an example where the women getting divorced is criticized for not checking the text of the get, apparently herself. Plus, a "bald get."