Yevamot 5 - Shabbat March 12, 9 Adar 2

Today’s daf is sponsored by Rachel Lopatin in honor of Cara Lopatin. “With lots of love, Eema and Abba.”

 From where do we learn that a positive commandment override s a negative commandment, according to the rabbis who disagree with Rabbi Yishmael and hold that the words “wool and linen” in the verse next to the verse about tzitzit is necessary for itself and not free to learn this principle? The Gemara suggests three other answers – first, from a leper who is commanded to shave all his hair on his head, even though the Torah states a man can’t shave his peot, the corners of his head. This answer is rejected as the negative commandment is one that is limited only to men and therefore not as strong as a regular negative commandment. The second attempt is from a kohen who is a leper who also shaves all of his head, including his whole bread, even though there is a commandment for kohanim not to shave the corners of their beards. Even though this too is limited, the Gemara thinks it was added to teach us also about all cases (as one could have learned from the previous case about the positive commandment overriding a negative one in limited prohibitions, therefore, this much teach something additional). But that too is rejected as it is still limited only to men (and kohanim) and can’t be learned from the previous case as kohanim have many extra prohibitions so one may have thought to be strict here. The next attempt is from a nazir who is a leper and is commanded to cut his hair, despite the fact that a nazir is commanded not to cut his hair. However, that too is rejected as a nazir can undo his promise and not be a nazir if he wants and will be permitted to cut his hair. That weakens the negative commandment and therefore we cannot learn from there to other cases. The Gemara goes back to the verses about tzitzit and shaatnez and tries to derive it from certain words that may be unnecessary, until they finally conclude that it is derived from the word shaatnez, as that word is not necessary and can therefore be used to teach that a positive commandment can override a negative one. Next, the Gemara wants to prove that this principle applies as well to negative commandments that are punishable by karet. They try to learn it from brit milah, the Paschal sacrifice, daily Tamid sacrifice, a combination of some of the previous ones, and honoring one’s parents, but all attempts are rejected.