Study Yevamot folio 23A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
ואימא: פרט לחייבי לאוין! אמר רב פפא: חייבי לאוין תפשי בהו קדושין,
The Talmud raises a challenge: And say that the verse: “The daughter of your father’s wife” comes to exclude women who were forbidden, as they are liable for violating prohibitions but were nevertheless married to his father, such as a mamzeret. If so, his sister from such a union would not be considered his sister. Rav Pappa said: Betrothal comes into effect with women who are forbidden, and one would be liable for violating prohibitions despite the fact that union with them is forbidden, and so she is called the wife of your father.
דכתיב: ״כי תהיין לאיש שתי נשים האחת אהובה והאחת שנואה״, וכי יש אהובה לפני המקום ויש שנואה לפני המקום? אלא: ״אהובה״ — אהובה בנישואיה, ״שנואה״ — שנואה בנישואיה, ואמר רחמנא: ״כי תהיין״.
This is derived from the verse in which it is written: “If a man has two wives, the one beloved, and the other hated” (Deuteronomy 21:15). Is there one who is loved by God and one who is hated by God? Rather, “beloved” means her marriage is beloved, as it was permitted for her to be married, in accordance with halakha, and “hated” means her marriage is hated because it was not permitted for her to be married, according to halakha. And God states: “If a man has two wives,” meaning that both are considered to be married.
ואימא: פרט לחייבי כריתות! אמר רבא, אמר קרא: ״ערות אחותך בת אביך או בת אמך מולדת בית או מולדת חוץ״, בין שאומרים לו לאביך קיים, בין שאומרים לו לאביך הוצא, ואמר רחמנא: ״אחותך היא״.
The Talmud asks: Say that this verse comes to exclude a union between one’s father and a woman that is forbidden to him as they are liable to receive karet, and that since betrothal does not come into effect with her there is no marriage bond. Perhaps a sister born of such a woman would not be prohibited as the daughter of one’s father’s wife. Rava said that the verse states: “The nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or born outside” (Leviticus 18:9). This includes all daughters, whether from a woman for whom the rabbis tell your father: Maintain her within your home, or whether the rabbis tell your father she is a woman who is forbidden to him and therefore: Send her out of your home. And God states that nevertheless: “She is your sister.” Even the daughter of a woman who was forbidden to your father such that both parties are liable to receive karet is called your sister.