Julian Ungar-Sargon

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Daf Ditty

A wide-ranging commentary on the daily page of Talmud.

Yevamot 51: Redaction of Mishnah

jyungar April 27, 2022

For the source text click/tap here: Yevamot 51

To download, click/tap here: PDF

The fifth perek of Masechet Yevamot focuses on one main topic – the relationship between the various responses that the surviving brother (the yavam) can perform with the widow (the yevamah). There are four possible responses, two of them taught by the Torah and two suggested by the Sages of the Mishnah:

bi’ah (sexual relations), which would complete the process of yibum, so that the two would now be married

chalitzah, the ceremonial rejection of yibum, which would free the widow to marry anyone she wants

ma’amar, in which case the yavam offers a ring (or another object of value) to the yevamah, mimicking a marriage ceremony. In such a case they have fulfilled yibum on a Rabbinic level

get (a divorce document), which would preclude the possibility of fulfilling yibum. Even though on a biblical level a get has no meaning in this relationship, the Sages treat the divorce as having enough power to force the yavam and yevamah to choose the option of chalitzah.

We use this opportunity to study the redaction of the Mishnah through the eye of Moshe Klein , Yaakov Elman and graham Walfish.

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Julian Ungar-Sargon

This is Julian Ungar-Sargon's personal website. It contains poems, essays, and podcasts for the spiritual seeker and interdisciplinary aficionado.​