About this episode
Presentation in PDF format This week's learning is sponsored by the congregation of Keneseth Israel, located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in honor of the retirement of Rabbi Seth Phillips. This week's learning is sponsored by Joy Benatar in loving memory of her mother, Miriam Quint David, Malkah bat Michael v'Esther, on her sixth yahrzeit, a day before Shavuot. "A beloved wife, mother and grandmother. A passionate Jewish educator. We praise her and the works of her hands." This week's learning is sponsored by my parents, Bob and Paula Cohen in memory of my maternal grandfather Chaim Avraham ben Alter Gershon HaKohen. If a man was married to a minor and a deaf-mute, and died childless, yibum with one doesn't exempt the other. So what is his brother supposed to do to enable the women to remarry? Rav Chisda quoted Rav as saying that he should marry the deaf-mute and divorce her, then wait for the minor to reach maturity and do chalitza. Rav Chisda inferred from Rav's ruling that the deaf-mute is considered partially married and the minor is considered a case of doubt - either fully married or not married at all. How is that inferred and how does Rav Sheshet further prove this understanding from a different braita? They try to reject his proof by suggesting that perhaps the braita follows a minority opinion, however, this suggestion is rejected. The Mishna brings more cases where a man was married to two women who were minor or both deaf-mutes or of different unequal statuses like a minor and a mature woman, a deaf-mute and a woman who is not a deaf-mute. What is the yabam to do in these situations and is the woman permitted to remarry? Rabbi Elazar holds that when there is a minor and mature woman, we encourage the minor to do mi'un . The Gemara quotes amoraim who ruled like Rabbi Elazar. What if both the man and woman who were meant to do yibum are minors? The Mishna rules that if they have intercourse (and fulfill the mitzva of yibum), if they intend to divorce, they need to wait until they reach the age of maturity. The same holds if only the yabam is a minor. Is this Mishna not in accordance with Rabbi Meir who rules that a minor cannot do yibum as they need to be concerned that perhaps they are a saris or aylonit and therefore incapable of performing the mitzva of yibum? If the yabam claims he had intercourse with the yevama and she claims he did not, who is believed. On what does it depend?