The AFB sit edition, an audio series of the Talmud Bavli, Daf Samech Alef, Yebamot, has been dedicated and sponsored by our dear friend Mr. Isaac Jamal and his wife in honor of his family and their success and well-being in all their endeavors. May he be zoche to raise his children in the ways of the Torah, they should give him much nachat, and he should have many more children with health and happiness, grace and kindness in the eyes of Hashem and of men, and he should have blessing in all aspects of life, amen. Today's Daf is being studied le'iluy nishmat Avraham ben Esther, may the soul of the Holy One rest in Gan Eden, amen. We begin today's Daf on Samech Amud Bet, and we are on the bottom line.
We open with a statement from the Tanya, where we find a Beraita: Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said, "A Kohen is allowed to marry a Giyoret that is less than three years old." Since we are quoting Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, the Gemara continues to quote another of his statements: "The graves of Goyim do not cause tumah, they do not transmit impurity in a tent." This means that if a person is under the same roof as a corpse of a Goy or if he covers the grave of a Goy, according to Rabbi Shimon, they do not have the ability to exude tumah.
The Gemara cites a verse from Yechezkel: "And I gave you the sheep of My pasture, you are called Adam." The verse indicates that the Jewish people are called Adam, while the Goyim are not. Thus, the Gemara derives a teaching: "You are called Adam, but the Goyim are not called Adam." When it comes to the verse that discusses tumat ohel, it states, "If a man dies in a tent." Therefore, since the Goyim are not called Adam, the laws of tumah do not apply to them.
Rashi explains that the verse "You are called Adam" is relevant to tumat ohel, which specifies "If a man dies in a tent." Consequently, the laws of tumah do not apply to the Goyim. The Gemara then presents a challenge: "But the verse states, 'And the soul of man was sixteen thousand.'" This refers to when the Jewish people returned from the war against Midyan, where they brought back captives, and it states they were called Adam, even though they were Goyim. The Gemara responds that this is in comparison to animals; in relation to animals, the Goyim are called Adam, but regarding the Jewish people, they are not.
The Gemara then quotes another verse from the Book of Yonah: "There are more than twelve thousand who do not know their right hand from their left." This verse refers to the inhabitants of Nineveh, who were considered Goyim, yet they are referred to as Adam. The Gemara again responds that this is in relation to animals, indicating that they are called Adam in comparison to animals.
Next, the Gemara states: "Anyone who kills a soul or touches a corpse must purify themselves." In the war against Midyan, the soldiers had to purify themselves. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, how could you say that the graves of idol worshippers do not cause tumah? The Gemara clarifies that the context of the war against Midyan implies that perhaps a Jew died, causing the soldiers to come into contact with a corpse, thus requiring purification.
The Gemara continues to explore this topic, stating that the Rabbis hold that the graves of idol worshippers do cause tumah. The Gemara explains that when it says "no man died," it means that there were no deaths among the Jewish soldiers, indicating that the tumah must have come from the Goyim. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai interprets "no man died" to mean "no man died due to sin," suggesting that even if there were casualties, no one was led to sin.
Thus, the first position of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai asserts that the graves of idol worshippers do not cause tumah in a tent. Ravina offers a different interpretation, stating that while the Torah only mentions the word Adam in relation to tumat ohel, it does not apply to other forms of tumah such as touching or carrying. Therefore, in the war against Midyan, the soldiers could have come into contact with a corpse of a Jew, which would necessitate purification.
We now face the question of the halacha lema'aseh regarding a Kohen entering a non-Jewish cemetery. The Rambam rules like Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai according to Ravina's understanding, permitting a Kohen to enter the cemetery as long as he does not come into contact with a corpse. Tosafot, citing Rabbi Yitzchak, rules in accordance with Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai's first interpretation, stating that they are forbidden. The Shulchan Aruch and the Rema recommend caution, suggesting that a Kohen should avoid entering a cemetery altogether, even against Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai's view.
Next, the Mishnah discusses a Kohen Gadol who betrothed a widow and subsequently became a Kohen Gadol. A Kohen Gadol is forbidden to marry a widow, yet if he has betrothed her, he may consummate the marriage. The Mishnah recounts a story about Yehoshua ben Gamla, who betrothed Marta bat Baitos, a widow, and was appointed as Kohen Gadol. The Mishnah asserts that a woman who falls to Yibum before a Kohen Hedyot and then he is appointed as Kohen Gadol, he cannot consummate the marriage even if he had already performed a Ma'amar with her. The Gemara will clarify the distinction between these two cases.
The Gemara begins by questioning the basis for the ruling regarding the Kohen Gadol and the widow. The verse states that he may take a wife, and the extra words imply that even if he betrothed a widow, he can consummate the marriage. The Gemara challenges this by questioning why a Shomeret Yavam (a woman awaiting Yibum) is treated differently. The Gemara concludes that the verse refers to a wife but not to a Yavam, indicating a distinction between the two cases.
As the Gemara continues, it recounts the story of Yehoshua ben Gamla, emphasizing that he was appointed by the king and not by the Sanhedrin, suggesting a potential conspiracy. The Mishnah then addresses the case of a Kohen Gadol who dies; his brother is permitted to perform Chalitzah but not Yibum. The Gemara explains that this is due to the widow being a widow, which prohibits Yibum.
In summary, the discussion in this Daf revolves around the complexities of tumah, the status of Goyim, and the halachic implications of marriage and Yibum for Kohanim. The distinctions made by the Tanaim and the subsequent rulings highlight the importance of understanding the nuances of each case, ensuring that the halacha is applied correctly in practice.