Yevamot 48b — the Talmud in English

Rabbi Eliezer says:

“and she shall weep for”

her father —

her actual father.

And

her mother —

her actual mother.

Rabbi Akiva says: “her father and her mother” —

this is idolatry.

And so he says

in the Book of Jeremiah [chapter 2]]

“They say to wood: You are my father”.

And so on.

“A month of days” —

“a month”

is

thirty days.

Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says:

she weeps for her father and her mother

ninety days.

As it is stated: “And she shall weep for her father and her mother for a month of days, and afterward she shall come to her, and you shall possess her.”

“A month” —

it is

thirty

days.

“Days” —

they are

thirty

days.

And “afterward” —

they are

thirty

additional days, like the thirty days preceding them.

Ravina challenges it: Say

as follows:

“a month” —

thirty; “days” —

thirty; and “afterward” -

like these,

an additional measure of days like the previous measure, which is all sixty days preceding them, and altogether one hundred twenty days.

And we conclude:

It is difficult.

The Sages taught: One may retain slaves who do not undergo circumcision; these are the words of Rabbi Yishmael.

Rabbi Akiva says: One may not retain them.

For it is forbidden to retain them with him if they do not agree to undergo circumcision.

Rabbi Yishmael said to him: Behold, it says:

[Exodus 23]

“And the son of your maidservant shall rest”,

and it is demonstrated below that this verse speaks of an uncircumcised slave, and it implies that one may retain uncircumcised slaves!

He said to him

Rabbi Akiva: It is always forbidden to retain them. And

it speaks of one who purchases a slave between sunset and nightfall

at the onset of Shabbat,

and did not manage to circumcise him

before Shabbat;

the verse speaks

of him, for he is commanded concerning his rest.

And it is demonstrated from Rabbi Akiva’s answer that

according to everyone, at any rate,

in any event,

“And the son of your maidservant shall rest” —

is written concerning an uncircumcised slave.

From where is it inferred

that the verse speaks of an uncircumcised slave?

As it was taught: “And the son of your maidservant shall rest” —

the verse speaks of an uncircumcised slave.

You say that it is an uncircumcised slave; or perhaps it is only a circumcised slave?

When it says

[Deuteronomy 5]

“so that your slave and your maidservant may rest, like you” —

behold, a circumcised slave

already

is mentioned.

Then how do I realize “And the son of your maidservant shall rest”? —

It is an uncircumcised slave.

“And the stranger” —

this is a resident alien,

who accepted upon himself only not to worship idolatry, but he still eats carcasses. And he is commanded to rest on Shabbat, for one who desecrates Shabbat is like an idolater, and a resident alien is warned concerning idolatry.

You say: This is a resident alien, or perhaps it is only a righteous convert,

who accepted upon himself to become a complete Israelite?

When it says “and your stranger who is within your gates” —

behold, a righteous convert is mentioned.

Then how do I realize “and the stranger”? —

This is a resident alien.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: One who purchases a slave from an idolater and he does not wish to undergo circumcision —

he bears with him [

holds on to him and tries to persuade him to undergo circumcision]

until twelve months.

If he did not undergo circumcision —

he returns and sells him to idolaters.

The Sages said before Rav Pappa: In accordance with whom?

Not in accordance with Rabbi Akiva!

For if it is Rabbi Akiva, he said: One may not retain

an uncircumcised slave even for one day!

Rav Pappa said to them: You may even say that it is Rabbi Akiva

as well.

For

this matter applies

— that it is forbidden to retain him even for one day when he is uncircumcised —

where he did not terminate his matter,

that he did not accept upon himself to convert, and he continues in his gentile status.

But where he terminated his matter,

that at the time of his acquisition as a slave he agreed to convert, but afterward he changed his mind —

he terminated it.

Since at the time of his acquisition his gentile status was terminated, when he agreed to convert, they bear with him for twelve months, perhaps he will change his mind and agree to circumcise himself.

Rav Kahana said: I stated Rav Pappa’s teaching

that if he agreed to convert at the time of his acquisition and afterward changed his mind, he is delayed —

before Rav Zevid of Nehardea.

He said to me

Rav Zevid:

If so,

if so, that according to Rabbi Akiva as well there is a way in which an uncircumcised slave may be delayed for twelve months —

when Rabbi Akiva said

to Rabbi Yishmael, in answer to Rabbi Yishmael’s question, “Behold, it says, ‘And the son of your maidservant shall rest,’” that the verse

speaks of one who purchases a slave between sunset and nightfall,

who did not manage to circumcise him. And Rabbi Akiva established the possibility of delaying him for one day.

Let him state to him

a resolution by which he can delay him for twelve months, such as

this

of Rav Pappa, that at the time of his acquisition the slave agreed to undergo circumcision, and afterward changed his mind.

And the Gemara answers according to Rav Pappa’s statement: Rabbi Akiva indeed could have answered him in this way. Rather,

one of two reasons

one resolution from among two resolutions,

he stated

to him, Rabbi Akiva.

Ravin sent in the name of Rabbi Ila’i, and all my teachers told me

this

in his name

of Rabbi Ila’i:

Which is an uncircumcised slave whom it is permitted to retain? —

This is one whom his master acquired on the condition not to circumcise him.

Since he stipulated with him not to circumcise him, he is not a Canaanite slave, but merely a hired laborer, and therefore it is permitted to retain him.

The Sages said before Rav Pappa: In accordance with whom? —

Not in accordance with Rabbi Akiva.

For if it is Rabbi Akiva, he said: One may not retain

an uncircumcised slave!

Rav Pappa said to them: You may even say that it is Rabbi Akiva.

This matter applies where he did not stipulate with him,

that at the time of acquisition he did not stipulate with him that he would agree not to be circumcised, and he acquired him as a Canaanite slave.

But where he stipulated

with him not to be circumcised — this

is a stipulation

with him that he is not within the category of a Canaanite slave, and he is not obligated to undergo circumcision, and there is no prohibition against delaying him while he is uncircumcised.

Rav Kahana said: I stated Rav Pappa’s teaching

of Rav Pappa

before Rav Zevid of Nehardea.

And he said to me: If so, when Rabbi Akiva said to him

to Rabbi Yishmael:

“It speaks of one who purchases a slave between sunset and nightfall and did not manage to circumcise him”

the verse speaks —

let him state to him

Rabbi Akiva to Rabbi Yishmael

this

of Rav Pappa, that he stipulated with him not to be circumcised.

And according to your reasoning, let him state this to him!

Rather, one of two or three reasons

one resolution from among two or three resolutions,

he stated

Rabbi Akiva.

Rabbi Hanina bar Pappi, Rabbi Ami, and Rabbi Yitzhak Nappaha were sitting at the entrance

of

Rabbi Yitzhak Nappaha.

And they were sitting and saying: There was one city in the Land of Israel, and its slaves did not wish to undergo circumcision, and they bore with them for twelve months, and afterward returned and sold them to idolaters.

In accordance with whom? —

In accordance with this tanna:

As it was taught: One who purchases a slave from an idolater and he does not wish to undergo circumcision —

he bears with him until twelve months.

If he did not undergo circumcision —

he returns and sells him to idolaters.

Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says: One may not delay him in the Land of Israel, because of the loss of pure things.

For he renders terumot impure, since the Sages decreed concerning an idolater that he shall be impure like one afflicted with a flux in all his matters.

And in a city adjacent to the border,

near the boundary,

one may not delay him at all, lest he hear something and go and tell his fellow idolater

beyond the border.

It was taught: Rabbi Hananiah, son of Rabban Gamaliel, says: Why are converts at this time afflicted, and suffering comes upon them?

Because they did not fulfill the seven commandments of the descendants of Noah

in their gentile status. And when they were gentiles, they were not punished immediately; rather, their punishment was concealed for the future, for in the future the punishment would be greater. But once they converted, they are punished immediately, so that their debt may now be erased and not remain for the future.

Rabbi Yose says:

Converts are not punished for sins that they committed in their gentile status, because

a convert who converted —

is considered like a newborn child!

Rather, why are they afflicted? —

Because

the converts

are not expert in the precise details of the mitzvot like Israelites,

and they stumble in them.

Abba Hanan says in the name of Rabbi Elazar: Because they do not perform

the mitzvot

out of love

of the Most High

but out of fear

of the punishment of Gehinnom and calamity.

Others say: Because they delayed themselves from entering under the wings of the Divine Presence.

Rabbi Abbahu said, and some say Rabbi Hanina: What is the verse

that they are punished for delaying their conversion?

As it is stated in the Scroll of Ruth [chapter 2]

“May the Lord repay your deed, and may your reward be complete from the Lord, God of Israel, under whose protection you have come”,

and so on.

For you hastened and did not delay converting.