Julian Ungar-Sargon

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Daf Ditty

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

The Meeting of Tamar and Judah, by Jacopo

Yevamot 55: Definition of Coitus

jyungar May 1, 2022

For the source text click/tap here: Yevamot 55

To download, click/tap here: PDF

The need to define the act of bi’ah (sexual intercourse) is essential in order to know when that significant act has taken place in a number of halakhic settings.

Our daf suggests that in the vast majority of cases, the definition is ha’arah – a simple act of touching (in Shmuel’s words, “a kiss”). Although the focus of the Gemara is on the male organ, it appears that the conclusion is clear: penetration – of even miniscule proportions – of the man into the woman.

We explore these notions of coitus and its definition in antiquity with the work of Brodsky and Boyarin.

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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.​