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Yevamos 6:4-5

Yevamos 6:4

A Kohein Gadol (High Priest) is not permitted to marry a widow, whether she was widowed from betrothal or marriage. He may likewise not marry a bogeres (a girl of 12-and-a-half years of age), though Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon permit him to marry a bogeres. He may not marry a woman whose hymen was broken in an accident. If a kohein was betrothed to a widow (which is permitted) and he was subsequently appointed High Priest, he may marry her. An actual incident: Yehoshua ben Gamla was betrothed to Marta, daughter of Baitos, who was a widow. King Yannai appointed Yehoshua Kohein Gadol and he was still able to marry her. If a woman was waiting to perform yibum with a regular kohein and, in the interim, he was appointed Kohein Gadol, he may not marry her even if he already performed maamar. If a Kohein Gadol’s brother dies, he may only perform chalitzah, not yibum.

Yevamos 6:5

A kohein may not marry a woman who is congenitally incapable of having children unless he already has another wife and children. Rabbi Yehuda says that he may not do so even if he already has another wife and children because this is what the Torah means by the term “zonah.” The sages say that “zonah” only includes a female convert, a freed slavewoman and a woman who had sexual relations with a person of a prohibited relationship. [Please note: the term “zonah” is usually used to refer to a prostitute, or disparagingly as a slur. As with “mamzer,” the technical, halachic meaning of the word goes far beyond its popular misuse.]

Author: Rabbi Jack Abramowitz