Yevamot 121 - July 6, 7 Tamuz

Today's daf is sponsored in honor of Judy Tydor Schwartz's birthday with love from her daughters! "Your care and devotion to our family, daily acts of chesed and endless learning are a true inspiration." Today's daf is dedicated by Becki Goldstein on behalf of her new grandson. "With gratitude to the Almighty for our new grandson Shmuel. Like Shmuel Hanavi ze Shmuel hakaton Shmuel hagadol yihiye, with blessings of chochma, yirat shamayim, anava, love of Torah and ahavat habriot in good health and simcha and nachat to his whole family." Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava understood that each situation is unique in terms of being able to identify a person after their death and did not accept the other opinion that within three days, one can be identified but not after that. Was he being more stringent or more lenient? If one fell into body of water and we cannot find them, can we presume they are dead and let their wife marry? Do we distinguish between water that "has an end to them" (we can see land on all sides) and water that "has no end to them"? This is a debate between Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yosi (and the rabbis). If it was water that has no visible end, but a leg was found, can he be presumed dead? Rav wanted to excommunicate Rav Shila for permitting a woman whose husband had drowned in a lake. Shmuel convinces him to ask first about the details of the case. Upon questioning him, they realize that Rav Shila made a mistake about the nature of the water of the lake and therefore ruled incorrectly. Rav is pleased that Shmuel preventing him from making a mistake in excommunicating Rav Shila. A story is brought of a man who was presumed dead but ended up being saved in a cave containing a pond of fish. If a person who is well known (a Torah scholar) falls into a body of water that has no visible end, Rav Ashi ruled that their wife can remarry as we can assume that if they got out, we would know about it. However, the Gemara rejects this. stories are told of Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Meir who were traveling by boat and almost drowned, but managed to survive. What is the law regarding one who entered a lion's den, a pit full of snakes and scorpions, a fiery furnace? Is there a difference between one who fell into a vat full of burning oil or one full of wine? Whose testimony is accepted to be able to determine that one has died - children? Gentiles? On what does it depend?