Yevamot 2 - March 9, 6 Adar 2

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Masechet Yevamot is sponsored by Ahava Leibtag and family in memory of her grandparents, Leo and Esther Aaron. "They always stressed the importance of a Torah life, mesorah and family. May their memory always be a blessing for their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren."

This week's learning is sponsored by Suri Davis-Stern in honor of her son’s engagement and daughter's wedding. “Hakarat hatov to Hkbh on the engagement of my son, Yosef Stern to Rivka Cohen and the forthcoming wedding of my daughter, Esther Stern to Shai Goldman."

Today’s daf is sponsored by Harriet Hartman in loving memory of Professor Dianne Ashton “She was taken from us suddenly in January of this year. A strong woman who beat all odds for her years and strongly advocated for woman's achievements and spirituality and modeled them herself.”

Today’s daf is sponsored by Naomi Ferziger and Debbie Gevir in loving memory of their friend Ruti Greenberg. “Ruti was our wonderful, vivacious and beautiful friend who died on Pesach 8 years ago. Ruti's chessed, which is exemplified in her name "Rut", was just one of her special characteristics. Her optimism and strength coupled with her joie de vivre, wit and beauty continue to live in our hearts. Ruti, we miss you so much and think of you often. Yehi zichra baruch.”

If a married man died without having children, his wife would be designated to enter into a levirate marriage with his brother in order to fulfill the name of the dead brother (continue his legacy). However, if he has one brother and that brother happens to be forbidden to the wife due to one of 15 forbidden relationships described in the Mishna, she would be exempt from levirate marriage and would be permitted to marry anyone else. Not only is she permitted without levirate marriage, but if he had other wives, they would be permitted as well. If there was a third brother to whom the wife was not related to in a forbidden manner, and the second wife (tzara) entering into a levirate marriage with him and then he died without children, the first wife, the second wife (the one who is now married to the third brother, and if the third brother had another wife, they would all be exempt from levirate marriage with the other brother (the one to whom the first wife was forbidden to in the first place). However, if the first wife were to die before the husband, then the forbidden relationship is no longer in existence and the other wives would be permitted (and therefore obligated) to enter into a levirate marriage with the brother. All these laws are derived from the case of "his wife's sister" - if so, why does the Mishna start with "his daughter" and not that case?