Yevamot 65 - May 11, 10 Iyar

If a woman was married twice to two different men, each for ten years, and did not bear children, she should not marry a third (if he does not have children), as she is presumed to not be able to bear children. And if she does, he can divorce her without having to give her the money from her ketuba. If she married a third and did not have children, can the first two husbands claim that they want the ketuba money back - is it clear now that it was she who couldn't bear children and not the first husbands? No, as one can always claim that she got weaker now and previously was able to conceive. If she married a fourth and gave birth to children, can she claim her ketuba money from the third? No, because if she makes an issue, the third can claim they were never divorced as he divorced her under false pretenses (he thought she could not conceive) and that would make her child a mamzer. Rav Papa suggests that the court should intervene and cancel the previous get, however, they explain that perhaps she was cured in the meantime but actually couldn't conceive at the time she was married. If the wife claims the husband is infertile and the husband claims the wife is infertile, she is believed - why? If the husband wishes to marry another wife to prove that he is not the one who is infertile, can he do that? And if so, if he proves her wrong, he can then divorce her without having to pay the ketuba money. Other cases of opposite or different claims made by each side (husband and wife) are brought - who is believed and why? There is a tannaitic debate about whether or not a woman is obligated to have children. What is the source for each approach? As one of the sources was brought by Rabbi Elazar b'Rabbi Shimon, other statements of his on other topics are brought as well regarding the mitzva of reproaching one who won't accept it and lying for the sake of keeping peace. Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi disagreed regarding which opinion to hold by regarding women and the mitzva to have children. They try to determine who held which opinion. They are able to prove it from one story, but they attempt to bring a second proof, but it is rejected. Relating to the rejection of the second proof, several stories are brought regarding women who want to divorce their husbands on grounds that they were unable to conceive with that husband, and in each case the woman makes a claim that she needs children, despite the fact that she has no obligation. Her claim is accepted and the court issues a ruling to force the husband to divorce her. A final story is told of the wife of Rabbi Chiya who struggled in labor with twins and disguised herself before her husband to ask if she was obligated to have children as she did not want to go through labor again. When he told her she was not obligated, she drank a substance that made her infertile. When he heard, he was disappointed that she wasn't able to bring him more children.