Study Yevamot folio 47A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
אין לי אלא בארץ, בחוץ לארץ מנין? תלמוד לומר: ״אתך״ — בכל מקום שאתך. אם כן, מה תלמוד לומר ״בארץ״? בארץ — צריך להביא ראיה, בחוץ לארץ — אין צריך להביא ראיה, דברי רבי יהודה. וחכמים אומרים: בין בארץ בין בחוצה לארץ — צריך להביא ראיה.
I have derived only that a convert is accepted in Eretz Yisrael; from where do I derive that also outside of Eretz Yisrael he is to be accepted? The verse states “with you,” which indicates that in any place that he is with you, you should accept him. If so, what is the meaning when the verse states: In the land? This indicates that in Eretz Yisrael he needs to bring evidence that he is a convert, but outside of Eretz Yisrael he does not need to bring evidence that he is a convert; rather, his claim is accepted. This is the statement of R' Yehuda. And the Rabbis say: Whether he is in Eretz Yisrael or whether he is outside of Eretz Yisrael, he needs to bring evidence.
בא הוא ועדיו עמו, קרא למה לי? אמר רב ששת: דאמרי: שמענו שנתגייר בבית דין של פלוני. סלקא דעתך אמינא לא ליהמנייהו, קא משמע לן.
The Talmud analyzes the baraita: In the case when he came and brought witnesses to his conversion with him, why do I need a verse to teach that he is accepted? In all cases, the testimony of witnesses is fully relied upon. Rav Sheshet said: The case is where they say: We heard that he converted in the court of so-and-so, but they did not witness the actual conversion. And it is necessary to teach this because it could enter your mind to say that they should not be relied upon; therefore, the verse teaches us that they are relied upon.
״בארץ״ — אין לי אלא בארץ. בחוצה לארץ מנין — תלמוד לומר: ״אתך״, בכל מקום שאתך. והא אפיקתיה? חדא מ״אתך״ וחדא מ״עמך״.
As cited above, the latter clause of the baraita states: “With you in your land” (Leviticus 19:33). I have derived only that a convert is accepted in Eretz Yisrael; from where do I derive that also outside of Eretz Yisrael he is to be accepted? The verse states: “With you,” which indicates that in any place that he is with you, you should accept him. The Talmud asks: But didn’t you already expound that phrase in the first clause of the baraita to teach that one doesn’t accept the claims of an individual that he is a valid convert? The Talmud explains: One of these halakhot is derived from the phrase “with you” in the verse cited, and the other one is derived from the phrase “with you” in a subsequent verse (Leviticus 25:35).