Study Kiddushin folio 63B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
על מנת שישתוק אבא. אימא סיפא: מת הבן – מלמדין את האב לומר שאינו רוצה. אמאי? והא שתיק! אלא אמר לה ״על מנת שלא ימחה אבא״.
the phrase: On the condition that my father wants this betrothal, means: On the condition that my father will remain silent and will not object when he hears of the betrothal. But if this is the case, say the last clause of the Mishnah: If the son died, one instructs the father to say that he does not want the betrothal. Why should this matter? After all, he remained silent when he first heard about it. Clearly his mere silence does not constitute agreement. Rather, one must say that the phrase: On the condition that my father wants this betrothal, means that he said to her: On the condition that my father will not object to this betrothal at any point in time.
רישא בחד טעמא ומציעתא וסיפא בחד טעמא! אמר רבי ינאי: אין. אמר ריש לקיש: שמע מינה לדרבי ינאי דחקינן ומוקמינן מתניתין בתרי טעמי ואליבא דחד תנא ולא מוקמינן בתרי תנאי ובחד טעמא.
The Talmud asks: Wouldn’t this mean that the first clause of the Mishnah describes one reason, i.e., one set of circumstances, and the middle clause and last clause describe one other reason? R' Yannai said: Yes, this is so. Reish Lakish said: Conclude from his statement that according to the opinion of R' Yannai one forces a Mishnah to be explained as following two reasons, and in accordance with the opinion of one tanna, rather than establishing a Mishnah as following the opinions of two tanna’im and one reason. In other words, an interpretation that maintains the unified attribution of one Mishnah is preferable, even if one is thereby forced to say that it addresses different situations.
רב יוסף בר אמי אמר: לעולם חד טעמא הוא, ומאי ״על מנת שירצה אבא״ – על מנת שלא ימחה אבא מכאן ועד שלשים יום.
Rav Yosef bar Ami said: Actually, the entire Mishnah is addressing one reason, i.e., one case, and what is the meaning of: On the condition that my father wants the betrothal? It means: On the condition that my father will not object from now and until 30 days have elapsed. His silence for 30 days indicates his acceptance of the betrothal.