מַתְנִי׳ הַנִּטְעָן עַל הַשִּׁפְחָה וְנִשְׁתַּחְרְרָה אוֹ עַל הַגּוֹיָה וְנִתְגַּיְּירָה הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא יִכְנוֹס וְאִם כָּנַס אֵין מוֹצִיאִין מִיָּדוֹ הַנִּטְעָן עַל אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ וְהוֹצִיאוּהָ מִתַּחַת יָדוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכָּנַס יוֹצִיא גְּמָ׳ הָא גִּיּוֹרֶת מִיהָא הָוְיָא וּרְמִינְהִי אֶחָד אִישׁ שֶׁנִּתְגַּיֵּיר לְשׁוּם אִשָּׁה וְאֶחָד אִשָּׁה שֶׁנִּתְגַּיְּירָה לְשׁוּם אִישׁ וְכֵן מִי שֶׁנִּתְגַּיֵּיר לְשׁוּם שׁוּלְחַן מְלָכִים לְשׁוּם עַבְדֵי שְׁלֹמֹה אֵינָן גֵּרִים דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה שֶׁהָיָה רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר אֶחָד גֵּירֵי אֲרָיוֹת וְאֶחָד גֵּירֵי חֲלוֹמוֹת וְאֶחָד גֵּירֵי מׇרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר אֵינָן גֵּרִים עַד שֶׁיִּתְגַּיְּירוּ בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ אֶלָּא אֵימָא כְּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה
MISHNA: One suspected by others of engaging in sexual relations with a Canaanite maidservant and she was later set free, or one suspected of relations with a gentile woman and she subsequently converted, may not marry that woman, since this will strengthen the suspicions against him. But if he did marry her, they, the judges of the court, do not remove her from him, i.e., they do not require him to divorce her. With regard to one who is suspected of illicit relations with a married woman and they, the judges of the court, removed her from her husband, i.e., required them to divorce due to this, even if the man suspected of the illicit relations subsequently married her, he must divorce her. GEMARA: The mishna teaches that one who is suspected of relations with a gentile woman who later converted may never marry her. This implies that she is, however, a convert, although it appears that she converted only in order that he might marry her. The Gemara raises a contradiction from a baraita: Both a man who converted for the sake of a woman and a woman who converted for the sake of a man, and similarly, one who converted for the sake of the king’s table, so that he could serve in a prestigious capacity, or for the sake of Solomon’s servants, who were also considered prestigious, in all of these cases they are not converts; this is the statement of Rabbi Neḥemya. As Rabbi Neḥemya would say: With regard to converts by lions, i.e., forced converts such as the Samaritans [Kutim] described in II Kings (17:24–25); and converts who convert based on their dreams; and converts of the time of Mordecai and Esther described in the verse, “And many from among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews was fallen upon them” (Esther 8:17); all of these are not converts until they are converted at this present time. The Gemara clarifies the meaning of the words: Could it enter your mind to say only at this present time? Since he mentioned the converts of Mordecai and Esther, who were deceased before Rabbi Neḥemya made this statement, he therefore cannot possibly mean this phrase literally. Rather, say: Like at this present time, when the Jewish people are in exile and there is no material benefit to conversion.
דְּלָאו כְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּתַנְיָא רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר נָשָׂא אָדָם אִשָּׁה בְּיַלְדוּתוֹ יִשָּׂא אִשָּׁה בְּזִקְנוּתוֹ הָיוּ לוֹ בָּנִים בְּיַלְדוּתוֹ יִהְיוּ לוֹ בָּנִים בְּזִקְנוּתוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּבֹּקֶר זְרַע אֶת זַרְעֶךָ וְלָעֶרֶב אַל תַּנַּח יָדֶךָ כִּי אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ אֵי זֶה יִכְשָׁר הֲזֶה אוֹ זֶה וְאִם שְׁנֵיהֶם כְּאֶחָד טוֹבִים רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר לָמַד תּוֹרָה בְּיַלְדוּתוֹ יִלְמוֹד תּוֹרָה בְּזִקְנוּתוֹ הָיוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידִים בְּיַלְדוּתוֹ יִהְיוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידִים בְּזִקְנוּתוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּבֹּקֶר זְרַע אֶת זַרְעֶךָ וְגוֹ׳ אָמְרוּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אָלֶף זוּגִים תַּלְמִידִים הָיוּ לוֹ לְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מִגְּבָת עַד אַנְטִיפְרַס וְכוּלָּן מֵתוּ בְּפֶרֶק אֶחָד מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא נָהֲגוּ כָּבוֹד זֶה לָזֶה וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם שָׁמֵם עַד שֶׁבָּא רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אֵצֶל רַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁבַּדָּרוֹם וּשְׁנָאָהּ לָהֶם רַבִּי מֵאִיר וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן שַׁמּוּעַ וְהֵם הֵם הֶעֱמִידוּ תּוֹרָה אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה תָּנָא כּוּלָּם מֵתוּ מִפֶּסַח וְעַד עֲצֶרֶת אָמַר רַב חָמָא בַּר אַבָּא וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אָבִין כּוּלָּם מֵתוּ מִיתָה רָעָה מַאי הִיא אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן אַסְכָּרָה
§ The Gemara comments: The mishna is not in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehoshua. As it is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehoshua says: If a man married a woman in his youth, and she passed away, he should marry another woman in his old age. If he had children in his youth, he should have more children in his old age, as it is stated: “In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both alike shall be good” (Ecclesiastes 11:6). This verse indicates that a man should continue having children even after he has fulfilled the mitzva to be fruitful and multiply. Rabbi Akiva says that the verse should be understood as follows: If one studied Torah in his youth he should study more Torah in his old age; if he had students in his youth he should have additional students in his old age, as it is stated: “In the morning sow your seed, etc.” They said by way of example that Rabbi Akiva had twelve thousand pairs of students in an area of land that stretched from Gevat to Antipatris in Judea, and they all died in one period of time, because they did not treat each other with respect. And the world was desolate of Torah until Rabbi Akiva came to our Rabbis in the South and taught his Torah to them. This second group of disciples consisted of Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yosei, Rabbi Shimon, and Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua. And these are the very ones who upheld the study of Torah at that time. Although Rabbi Akiva’s earlier students did not survive, his later disciples were able to transmit the Torah to future generations. With regard to the twelve thousand pairs of Rabbi Akiva’s students, the Gemara adds: It is taught that all of them died in the period from Passover until Shavuot. Rav Ḥama bar Abba said, and some say it was Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Avin: They all died a bad death. The Gemara inquires: What is it that is called a bad death? Rav Naḥman said: Diphtheria.
בְּנֵי סִימוֹנִייָא אָתוֹן לְגַבֵּי רִבִּי. אָֽמְרִין לֵיהּ. בְּעָא תִתֵּן לָן חַד בַּר נַשׁ דָּרִישׁ דַּייָן וַחַזָּן סַפָּר מַתְנַייָן וַעֲבַד לָן כָּל־צָרְכִינָן. וִיהַב לוֹן לֵוִי בַּר סִיסִי. עָשׂוּ לוֹ בֵימָה גְדוֹלָה וְהוֹשִׁיבוּהוּ עָלֶיהָ. אָתוֹן וְשָָׁאֲלוֹן לֵיהּ. הַגִּידֶּמֶת בְּמַה הִיא חוֹלֶצֶת. וְלֹא אַגִיבוֹן. רָקָה דָם. וְלֹא אַגִיבוֹן. אָֽמְרִין. דִּילְמָא דְּלֵית הוּא מָרֵי אוּלְפָּן. נִישְׁאוֹל לֵיהּ שָׁאֲלוֹן לֵיהּ דַּאֲגָדָה. אָתוֹן וְשָׁאֲלוֹן לֵיהּ. מַהוּ הָדֵין דִּכְתִיב אֲבָל אַגִּיד לְךָ אֶת הָרָשׁוּם בִּכְתַב אֱמֶת. אִם אֱמֶת לָמָּה רָשּׁוּם. וְאִם רָשּׁוּם לָמָּה אֱמֶת. וְלֹא אַגִיבוֹן. אָתוֹן לְגַבֵּי דְרִבִּי. אָֽמְרוּן לֵיהּ. הָדֵין פַּיְיסוּנָא דְּפַייְסַנְתָּךְ. אָמַר לוֹן. חַייֵכוֹן. בַּר נַשׁ דִּכְװָתִי יְהָבִית לְכוֹן. שָּׁלַח אַייְתִיתֵיהּ וּשְׁאַל לֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ. רָקָה דָם מַהוּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ. אִם יֵשׁ בּוֹ צַחְצוּחִית שֶׁלְּרוֹק כָּשֵּׁר. הַגִּידֶּמֶת בְּמַה הִיא חוֹלֶצֶת. אָמַר לֵיהּ. בְּשִׁינֶּיהָ. אָמַר לֵיהּ. מַהוּ הָדֵין דִּכְתִיב אֲבָל אַגִּיד לְךָ אֶת הָרָשׁוּם בִּכְתַב אֱמֶת. אִם אֱמֶת לָמָּה רָשּׁוּם. וְאִם רָשּׁוּם לָמָּה אֱמֶת. אָמַר לֵיהּ. עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִתְחַתֵּם גְּזַר דִּין רָשׁוּם. מִשֶּׁנִּתְחַתֵּם גְּזַר דִין אֱמֶת. אָמַר לֵיהּ. וְלָמָּה לֹא אַגִּיבְתִּינוֹן. אָמַר לֵיהּ. עָשׂוּ לִי בֵימָה גְדוֹלָה וְהוֹשִׁיבוּ אוֹתִי עָלֶיהָ וְטָפַח רוּחִי עָלַי. וְקָרָא עָלָיו אִם נָבַלְתָּ בְהִתְנַשֵּׂא וְאִם זַמּוֹתָ יַד לְפֶה. מִי גָרַם לְךָ לְהִתְנַבֵּל בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה. עַל שֶׁנִּשֵּׂאתָה בָהֶן עַצְמְךָ.
The people of Simonia came to Rebbi and told him, please give us a man who preaches, judges, runs the synagogue, teaches reading, teaches Mishnah, and looks after all our needs. He gave them Levi bar Sisi. They made him a big platform and sat him on it. They came and asked him, how does the handless [woman] perform ḥalîṣah? He did not respond. If she spat blood” He did not respond. They said, maybe he is not competent in studies, let us ask him in homiletics. They came and asked him, what is that which is written: “Truly, I shall tell you what is traced in writing, it is true.” If it is true, why is it traced, and if traced, why is it true? He did not respond. They came to Rebbi and told him, that required one we asked you for? He told them, by your lives, I gave you one who is my equal! He sent to bring him and examined him. He asked him, what if she spat blood. He said, if it contains some fluid of spittle it is valid. How does the handless [woman] perform ḥalîṣah? He said, with her teeth. What is that which is written: “Truly, I shall tell you what is traced in writing, it is true.” If it is true, why is it traced, and if traced, why is it true? He said, until the decision of the court is sealed, it is traced. After it has been sealed, it is true. He asked him, and why did you not give any answers? He said to him, they made me a big platform and sat me on it; by that my spirit became bloated. He quoted about him: “If you became subject to contempt when you rose, if you planned, hand to mouth”; why did you become contemptible in the words of the Torah? That you used them to aggrandize yourself.
לֵוִי נְפַק לְקִרְיָיתָא בְּעוֹ מִינֵּהּ גִּידֶּמֶת מַהוּ שֶׁתַּחְלוֹץ יְבָמָה שֶׁרָקְקָה דָּם מַהוּ אֲבָל אַגִּיד לְךָ אֶת הָרָשׁוּם בִּכְתָב אֱמֶת מִכְּלָל דְּאִיכָּא כְּתָב שֶׁאֵינוֹ אֱמֶת לָא הֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ אֲתָא שַׁאֵיל בֵּי מִדְרְשָׁא אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ מִי כְּתִיב וְחָלְצָה בַּיָּד וּמִי כְּתִיב וְיָרְקָה רוֹק
Apropos adherence to instructions given in the Torah, the Gemara relates a story. Levi went out to the villages to teach people Torah. They asked him several questions: Firstly, what is the halakha for an armless woman, may she perform ḥalitza with her teeth? Secondly, what is the halakha if a yevama spat blood instead of saliva, is the ḥalitza valid? Furthermore, they asked with regard to the verse: “But I will declare to you that which is inscribed in the writing of truth” (Daniel 10:21), if by inference, there is writing in Heaven that is not truth. He did not have an answer at hand to these questions, so he came and asked at the house of study. They said to him in response to the first question: Does it say in the Torah: And she shall remove the shoe by hand? Clearly, she may remove the shoe in any manner and there is no reason to disqualify an armless woman. With regard to the second question, they said: And does it say in the verse: And she shall spit saliva? It merely states: “And she shall spit,” indicating that even if she spits blood the ḥalitza is valid.