Accessible Talmud - Example from Talmud Bavli, Yevamot Chapter 6 (54a)

Comparing the interface of Perseus (Greco-Roman texts) vs. Sefaria; Proof texts; Technical Halachic Terms, with hyperlinks to Hebrew Wikipedia; Technical Dialectic Terms; Outline of Sugya

Part of a series on Accessible Talmud. For an outline of previous installments, see “General Update” (October 24, 2023), section “Accessible Talmud”.

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1. תנ"ך (כמו תורה אור השלם)

2. משניות וברייתות - תנאים

3. מימרות - אמוראים

Comparing the interface of the new Open Greek and Latin on Perseus Digital Library, vs. Sefaria

Perseus "Scaife" Viewer:

Vs.

Sefaria:

Proof texts cited in the Sugya

Biblical texts cited (full texts, including what’s not in the sugya): 

Deuteronomy 25:5, 7:

כי־ישבו אחים יחדו, ומת אחד מהם, ובן אין־לו, לא־תהיה אשת־המת החוצה לאיש זר, יבמה יבא עליה, ולקחה לו לאשה ויבמה

[...]

ואם־לא יחפץ האיש לקחת את־יבמתו, ועלתה יבמתו השערה אל־הזקנים, ואמרה מאן יבמי להקים לאחיו שם בישראל, לא אבה יבמי

When brothers dwell together and one of them dies and leaves no offspring, the wife of the deceased shall not become that of another party, outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall unite with her: he shall take her as his wife and perform the levir’s duty […]

But if that party does not want to take his brother’s widow [to wife], his brother’s widow shall appear before the elders in the gate and declare, “My husband’s brother refuses to establish a name in Israel for his brother; he will not perform the duty of a levir.

Baraitot cited (the exact text cited, taken from the sugya): 

1. תנו רבנן: 

   1. ״יבמה יבא עליה״, מצוה. 

   2. דבר אחר: ״יבמה יבא עליה״ — בין בשוגג בין במזיד, בין באונס בין ברצון.

2. תניא אידך:

   1.  ״יבמה יבא עליה״, כדרכה. 

   2. ״ולקחה״ — שלא כדרכה. 

   3. ״ויבם״ — ביאה גומרת בה, ואין כסף ושטר גומרין בה.

   4.  ״ויבמה״ — בעל כרחה. 

   5. דבר אחר: ״יבמה יבא עליה״, בין בשוגג כו׳. 

Technical Halachic Terms, with hyperlinks to Hebrew Wikipedia

1. יבום וחליצה

2. מצוה

3. ביאה - כדרכה ושלא כדרכה

4. מעשה קניין - כסף ושטר

5. בעל כרחה

6. שוגג ; מזיד ; אונס ; רצון

Technical Dialectic Terms

1. מנא הני מילי? 

2. והא אפיקתיה ל X ? ל X מ Y וכי אתא קרא: Z 

3. תנו רבנן: 

4. דבר אחר:

5. תניא אידך:

Outline of Sugya

Compare also this good summary and overview at the OU.org website, also based on the Steinsaltz translation and commentary: Masechet Yevamot 50a-56b > section “Yevamot 54a-b”. Compared to mine, that summary is higher-level, and is not solely focused on the sugya in the Bavli (also discussing the Yerushalmi, and later halachic decisions).

The sugya is centered around the interpretation of certain verses in Deuteronomy 25:5-10, which describe the laws of Yibbum (levirate marriage - יבום). The focus is on understanding the conditions and intentions required for a Yibbum to be considered valid. Here's an outline of the sugya:

1. Question Regarding the Source of the Halakha:

   1. Inquiry: What is the source for the halakhot regarding the conditions under which Yibbum (יבום) is performed?

   2. Initial Interpretation: A verse from Deuteronomy ("Her brother-in-law will have intercourse with her" - יבמה יבא עליה) is understood in two ways:

      1. As a mitzvah (commandment - מצוה), suggesting that Yibbum is preferred over Chalitzah (the ceremony performed when the brother-in-law does not wish to marry the widow - חליצה).

      2. Indicating that the intention or circumstances of the intercourse (whether unwitting or intentional, coerced or willing - בין בשוגג בין במזיד, בין באונס בין ברצון) do not affect the validity of Yibbum.

2. Clarification and Resolution of the Apparent Contradiction:

   1. Question: How can the same phrase indicate both that Yibbum is a mitzvah and that the conditions of the act do not matter?

   2. Answer: Different verses provide the basis for these interpretations:

      1. The mitzvah aspect is derived from another verse (verse 7: "And if the man does not wish to take his yevama" - ואם לא יחפוץ האיש).

      2. The clause about the conditions of the act (unwitting/intentional, coerced/willing) is understood from the initial verse (verse 5).

3. Further Interpretation from Another Baraita:

   1. Additional Interpretations: Different aspects of the Yibbum process are explained through various phrases in the verse:

      1. "Her brother-in-law will have intercourse with her" is interpreted as requiring typical sexual intercourse (=missionary - כדרכה) for Yibbum.

      2. "And take her" is seen to include even atypical sexual intercourse (=anal - שלא כדרכה).

      3. "And consummate the levirate marriage" indicates that intercourse (ביאה ), not money (כסף ) or a marriage document (שטר ), completes the acquisition, 

      4. this can happen even against the woman's will (בעל כרחה).

   2. Alternative Interpretation: Again, the verse is understood as indicating that the validity of Yibbum does not depend on the intentions or circumstances of the act.

4. Resolution of Another Apparent Contradiction:

   1. Question: How can the phrase indicate both the requirement for typical sexual intercourse and the irrelevance of the intentions or circumstances?

   2. Answer: The requirement for typical intercourse is derived from a different verse ("To establish a name for his brother"), suggesting that intercourse must be of a nature that could lead to childbirth. The original verse is then understood to emphasize the irrelevance of the intentions or circumstances.

Full Text of Yevamot 54a, sections #3-6 - Talmudic Text with Steinzaltz translation and commentary

See link above. The only adjustment I made is splitting it into additional paragraphs, for clarity.

This sugya demonstrates the Talmudic method of textual analysis, where verses are closely examined and various interpretations are considered to elucidate the halakha. (See my recent piece on the interpretive method of the Talmud: “Ancient Interpretations: Talmudic Hermeneutics and Drashot Revisited“ [November 15, 2023].)

There happens to be no names of Tannaim/Amoraim mentioned in this sugya. And no amoraic memrot. 

מנא הני מילי? 

דתנו רבנן: ״יבמה יבא עליה״, מצוה. דבר אחר: ״יבמה יבא עליה״ — בין בשוגג בין במזיד, בין באונס בין ברצון.

§ The Gemara inquires as to the source of these halakhot: From where are these matters derived? 

As the Sages taught with regard to the verse “Her brother-in-law will have intercourse with her” (Deuteronomy 25:5), that this indicates that the act of intercourse in this circumstance is a mitzva, i.e., it is preferable to the alternative, which is ḥalitza. Alternatively, the verse “Her brother-in-law will have intercourse with her,” indicates that it does not matter how he had intercourse with her, whether unwittingly or intentionally, whether due to coercion or willingly. 

והא אפיקתיה למצוה? 

למצוה מ״ואם לא יחפוץ האיש״ נפקא, הא חפץ — יבם, וכי אתא קרא: בין בשוגג בין במזיד, בין באונס בין ברצון. 

The Gemara asks: Didn’t you derive from this phrase that the act of intercourse in this case is a mitzva? How can the same phrase also indicate that it does not matter what the intentions of the two parties were during the act of intercourse? 

The Gemara answers: The fact that it is a mitzva is derived from the verse: “And if the man does not wish to take his yevama” (Deuteronomy 25:7), which indicates that if he wishes, he performs levirate marriage, which is preferable to ḥalitza. Therefore, when the verse cited above came, it indicated that levirate marriage has occurred whether the parties acted unwittingly or intentionally, whether due to coercion or willingly. 

תניא אידך: ״יבמה יבא עליה״, כדרכה. ״ולקחה״ — שלא ״כדרכה״. ״ויבם״ — ביאה גומרת בה, ואין כסף ושטר גומרין בה. ״ויבמה״ — בעל כרחה. דבר אחר: ״יבמה יבא עליה״, בין בשוגג כו׳. 

It is taught in another baraita that the phrase: “Her brother-in-law will have intercourse with her” indicates that levirate marriage has been performed if they engage in typical sexual intercourse. The next phrase, “and take her,” includes even atypical, i.e., anal, sexual intercourse. The concluding phrase of the verse, “and consummate the levirate marriage,” indicates that sexual intercourse completes her acquisition, but money and a marriage document do not complete her acquisition to him as his fully betrothed wife, in contrast to the regular halakhot of marriage. By emphasizing “and consummate the levirate marriage with her,” the verse teaches that he acquires her even if he acted against her will. Alternatively: “Her brother-in-law will have intercourse with her” indicates that levirate marriage has occurred whether the parties acted unwittingly or intentionally, whether due to coercion or willingly. 

והא אפיקתיה לכדרכה! 

ההוא — מ״להקים לאחיו שם״ נפקא, במקום שמקים שם. וכי אתא קרא, בין בשוגג בין במזיד, בין באונס בין ברצון. 

The Gemara asks: Didn’t you derive from this phrase that levirate marriage has been performed if they engage in typical sexual intercourse? How can it also indicate that it does not matter what the intentions of the two parties were during the act of intercourse? 

The Gemara answers: That halakha is derived from a different verse: “To establish a name for his brother” (Deuteronomy 25:7), which indicates that intercourse must occur in the place where he establishes a name, i.e., where it can lead to childbirth. Therefore, when the verse cited above came, it indicated that levirate marriage has occurred whether the parties acted unwittingly or intentionally, whether due to coercion or willingly.