Yerushalmi Yevamot 4:12 ירושלמי יבמות ד׳:י״ב

MISHNAH: If four brothers¹⁸⁸The text in the Halakhah, “four of the brothers”, is a better formulation since one speaks of a large group of brothers. were married to four women and died, if their oldest [brother] wants to marry all of them in levirate, he is permitted to do so. If somebody was married to two women and he died, intercourse or ḥalîṣah with one of them frees the co-wife. If one was acceptable and the other blemished¹⁸⁹One was eligible to marry a Cohen; the other (e. g., a divorcee) was blemished in this respect. Since a woman freed by ḥalîṣah is considered a divorcee for a Cohen, the chances of remarriage of the acceptable one should not be diminished. For levirate, he may take either one., if he performs ḥalîṣah, he performs it with the blemished; if he takes in levirate, he takes the acceptable one.

HALAKHAH: “Four of the brothers,” etc. Explanation: There were thirteen brothers, of whom twelve died childless. They [the widows] came and wanted to be married in levirate before Rebbi. He said to him, go and take in levirate. He said to him, it overtaxes my means. But each one of them said, I will support during my month. He said, and who will support during that intercalary month? Rebbi said, I shall support during that intercalary month. He prayed for them and they went from him. After three years they came, carrying 36 toddlers. They came and stood in front of Rebbi’s dwelling. [People] went in and told [Rebbi], outside are rural toddlers who want to greet you. Rebbi looked down from the window and saw them. He asked them, for what are you here? They said to him, we beg that you give us [support for] that intercalary month; he gave them [support for] that intercalary month.

It is written: “¹⁹⁰An inexact quote of 1Chr. 13:14, 2S. 6:10. The ark of the Eternal dwelt in the house of Obed Edom for three months, and the Eternal blessed,” etc. By what did he bless him? With sons. That is what is written: “¹⁹¹1Chr. 26:8. All these were from the sons of Obed Edom, they, their sons and relatives, strong men for the service, sixty” etc., because each one of them gave birth to two every month. How was that? She was impure for seven days¹⁹²Since all children were males, Lev. 12:2., pure for seven days, and gave birth, was impure for seven days, pure for seven days, and gave birth. Sixteen every month¹⁹³16 grandchildren since Obed Edom had 8 sons (1Chr. 26:4–5)., in three months 48. And he, six¹⁹⁴His own wife bore him six more sons. Together with the original 8, that makes 62 in all. In the Babli, Berakhot63b/64a, the wife and all her daughters-in-law each had one birth of sextuplets.. This makes 54 together. And those eight, sum total 62. That is what was written: “¹⁹¹1Chr. 26:8.62 for Obed Edom”.

Rebbi Abba bar Zavda said, it is written: “His house should be called in Israel the house of the shoe-stripped.” A house which was permitted by one stripping. The same is true for intercourse. Stripping frees and intercourse frees. What you say about stripping you say about intercourse¹⁹⁵This refers to the sentence in the Mishnah that action by one of the widows frees the others without more ceremony. The argument is based on the singular describing the shoe which was stripped from the levir. A similar but more involved argument in Babli 44b, based on the same verse..

May one apply a trick¹⁹⁶It is not clear what kind of trick is intended. From the context, it seems that the reference is to the last clause in the Mishnah, that in case of ḥalîṣah the one who cannot marry a Cohen should perform ḥalîṣah. If the older brother insists on having ḥalîṣah with the other widow, may one intervene to direct another brother to consent to the more desirable ḥalîṣah?? Did Rebbi Ṭarphon, the father of all of Israel, not apply a trick? He gave qiddushin to 300 women in times of famine to let them eat heave¹⁹⁷This must have been during the time of the Temple since later generations forbade any non-priestly woman marrying a Cohen to eat sacred food before the actual marriage (Mishnah Ketubot 5:3) and R. Ṭarphon formally acquired all 300 women but married none of them.! There, every one of them was able to eat heave. But here, is each one able to perform levirate? Rebbi Yudan the son of Rebbi Ismael: One deals with him is such a way¹⁹⁷This must have been during the time of the Temple since later generations forbade any non-priestly woman marrying a Cohen to eat sacred food before the actual marriage (Mishnah Ketubot 5:3) and R. Ṭarphon formally acquired all 300 women but married none of them..