About this episode
Today's daf is sponsored by Judi Felber in loving memory of her mother, Jan Abramson, Yocheved Bat Sara and Tzvi, on her 1st yahrzeit. "Women playing a significant role in Judaism was always important to her." Today's daf is sponsored by the Tannenbaum family in loving memory of Miriam's mother Ruth Zemsky, Razel bat Yehoshua v'Chaya Keyla z"l, on her 6th yahrzeit. "Her example of avodat Hashem continues to inspire us in the days leading up to Yamim Noraim and throughout the year. Yehi zichra baruch." There is a contradiction between two braitot regarding a stipulation about the woman not having vows – what if she annuls the vow with a chacham ? In one source they rule, the marriage is valid, in the other, it is not. The Gemara resolves the contradiction in two ways. The first one is to say it is a dispute between Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Elazar as explained by a Mishna that mentioned their opinions. The second resolution is that one is talking about an important woman and the other is not. If she is an important woman, he made the stipulation to ensure that if there were an issue, there would be no marriage so as not to forbid him to her relatives. If so, why does it appear after that case that if the condition is that there were no vows on him, and he annulled them, the marriage is valid – wouldn't we assume she would want the marriage dissolved to be free to marry his relatives? It's because women prefer to be married than to not be married. The Gemara cites several sayings to the effect that women prefer to be married. What are disqualifying blemishes in a woman? A braita says that there are blemishes that do not disqualify kohanim but are considered blemishes for women. Which? Are they really not blemishes for kohanim? The Gemara brings a contradiction from Mishna and resolves it in two ways. There are several other defects that are especially considered to be blemishes for women. If a woman is found with blemishes after the betrothal while still in her father's house, the burden of proof lies on her father to prove that the blemishes happened after the betrothal and the husband cannot claim it was a mekach tau't – mistaken betrothal. But without this proof, the husband has the upper hand. If they find a blemish in the woman from the time of marriage while she is in the house of the husband, the husband must prove that it is from before the engagement. But without this proof, the father has the upper hand. There is a contradiction between the two parts of the Mishna. The Gemara provides two resolutions.