Yevamot(Hebrew:יבמות,"Brother's Widow", also pronounced Yevamos, or Yavmus) is a tractate of theTalmudthat deals with, among other concepts, the laws ofYibbum(ייבום,loosely translated in English aslevirate marriage), and, briefly, withconversion to Judaism.This tractate is the first in the order ofNashim(נשים,"Women" ).

Yevamot
Tractateof theTalmud
Seder:Nashim
Number ofmishnahs:123
Chapters:16
Babylonian Talmudpages:122
Jerusalem Talmudpages:85
Toseftachapters:14

Yevamot, along withEruvinandNiddah,is considered one of the three most difficult tractates in theBabylonian Talmud.A Hebrew mnemonic for the three isעני(ani,meaning "poverty" ).[1]

Contents

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Yibbumis theTorahlaw (Deuteronomy 25:5–10) by which the brother of a man who died without children is allowed and expected to marry the widow. This law only applies to paternal brothers, i.e., brothers by the same father; whether they have the same mother or different mothers is irrelevant. The deceased's widow(s) is forbidden to marry anyone else while waiting for one of the brothers to marry her, or release to her by performing a ceremony known asHalizah.In any case where Yibbum applies, Halitsah may be performed as an alternative. There are numerous cases discussed in this tractate where Yibbum does not apply, and therefore Haliysah does not apply either. English translation for this type of union is “Levirate Marriage,” from the Latin “Levir,” which means brother in law.

Chapter headings

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  1. Chamesh Esreh Nashim חמש עשרה נשים
  2. Keytzad Eshet Achiv כיצד אשת אחיו
  3. (Arba'ah Achim) (ארבעה אחים)
  4. Hacholetz Livamto החולץ ליבמתו
  5. Rabban Gamli'elרבן גמליאל
  6. Habba Al Yevimto הבא על יבמתו
  7. Almanah Lekhohen Gadol אלמנה לכהן גדול
  8. He'arel הערל
  9. Yesh Muttarot יש מותרות
  10. (Ha'ishah Shehalakh Balah Limdinat Hayam) (האישה שהלך בעלה למדינת הים)
  11. Nose'in Al Ha'anusah נושאין על האנוסה
  12. Mitzvat Chalitzah מצות חליצה
  13. Beit ShamayOmrim Eyn Mema'anin בית שמאי אומרים אין ממאנין
  14. Cheresh Shennasa חרש שנשא
  15. Ha'ishah Shehalekhah Hi האשה שהלכה היא | Ha'ishah... Shalom האשה... שלום
  16. Ha'ishah Batra האשה בתרא | Ha'ishah Shehalekhah Balah Vetzaratah האשה שהלכה בעלה וצרתה

References

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  1. ^Jacob Emden,Mitpachat Sefarim4:174