Study Ketubot folio 75A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
״ולא הכום בני ישראל כי נשבעו להם נשיאי העדה״, וכמה רבים? רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר: שלשה. ימים — שנים, רבים — שלשה. רבי יצחק אמר: עשרה, ״עדה״ כתיב בהו.
“And the children of Israel did not smite them, for the princes of the assembly had sworn to them” (Joshua 9:18), and since this oath was uttered in the presence of many people, it could not be rescinded, although it was undertaken in error because the Gibeonites had deceived the people of Israel. The Talmud poses a question: And how many people are considered many for the purposes of this law? Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: 3, as can be learned from the laws of a woman who experiences a discharge of uterine blood after her menstrual period [zava]: “Days” indicates two, which is the minimal number justifying use of the plural noun. The term “many days” (Leviticus 15:25) therefore indicates a total of 3. R' Yitzḥak said: 10, as the term “assembly” is written in relation to the Gibeonites, and it is taught elsewhere that an assembly is comprised of at least 10 members.
רבי מאיר אומר: כל נדר שצריך חקירת חכם — לא יחזיר. רבי אלעזר אומר: לא אסרו צריך אלא מפני שאינו צריך. במאי קמיפלגי? רבי מאיר סבר: אדם רוצה שתתבזה אשתו בבית דין, רבי אלעזר סבר: אין אדם רוצה שתתבזה אשתו בבית דין.
The Mishnah teaches: R' Meir says: In the case of any vow that requires investigation by a halakhic authority, he may not remarry her. R' Elazar says: They prohibited remarrying a woman who was bound by a vow that requires investigation by a halakhic authority only due to a vow that does not require such investigation. The Talmud asks: With regard to what principle do they disagree? R' Meir holds that a man is willing for his wife to be degraded in court, by going to have her vow dissolved. There is concern that the husband might say that had he known the vow could be dissolved he would not have divorced his wife. Such a claim would cast doubt on the validity of the bill of divorce. R' Elazar maintains that a man is not willing for his wife to be degraded in court at all. Therefore, he cannot undermine the bill of divorce. The rabbis prohibited him from remarrying her only due to a case that does not need investigation, as the husband can claim he did not know the vow could be dissolved.