If one had two sets of daughters from two wives, and he said: "I betrothed my big daughter, and I do not know whether it was the oldest of the elder or the oldest of the younger, or the youngest of the elder, who is older than the oldest of the younger" — they are all forbidden, except the youngest of the younger. These are the words of R. Meir. R. Yossi says: They are all permitted, except the eldest of the older. (If he said:) "I betrothed my little daughter, and I do not know whether it was the youngest of the younger or the youngest of the elder, or the oldest of the younger, who is younger than the youngest of the elder" — they are all forbidden, except the oldest of the elder. These are the words of R. Meir. R. Yossi says: "They are all permitted, except the youngest of the younger. [The tanna must apprise us of the difference between R. Meir and R. Yossi (both) in respect to "I betrothed my big daughter" and "I betrothed my little daughter." For if we were taught only the former, we might think that it is only in this regard that R. Meir says what he does. For since there is a younger daughter he calls this one "big," for it is prestigious to a man to call his daughter "big," even though she is young, so long as there is another younger than she. But with "my little daughter," perhaps he would concur with R. Yossi that if he could call her "big," he would not call her "little." And if we were taught only the latter ("I betrothed my little daughter"), we might think that it is only in this regard that R. Yossi says what he does, but in the other instance ("I betrothed my big daughter"), perhaps he would concur with R. Meir. Therefore, we must be apprised of both. The halachah is in accordance with R. Yossi in both instances.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Kiddushin
קדשתי את בתי גדולה – it was necessary for the Tanna [of our Mishnah] to teach us of the dispute of Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yosi in the case of: “I betrothed the eldest” and “I betrothed the youngest.” For had [the Mishnah] only taught us regarding “I betrothed the eldest,” I would think that on this which Rabbi Meir is commenting upon, and since there is a younger [daughter] than her, it is to this one, “the elder” that he calls her, for it is praiseworthy for a person to call his daughter with the language of “older” even though she is “younger,” when there is younger sister younger than her. But, regarding a minor, I would say that he (i.e., Rabbi Meir) would agree with Rabbi Yosi, that all the while that he can call her “elder,” he would not call her “younger.” But if [the Mishnah only taught] that alone (i.e., the statement of Rabbi Meir), it is on that alone which Rabbi Meir is commenting upon but on this one (“I betrothed the younger”), I would say that Rabbi Yosi agrees with Rabbi Meir. Therefore, it was necessary to teach both of them. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yosi in both cases.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Kiddushin
Introduction
This mishnah continues to discuss a father who betroths one of his daughters but does not remember which one he betrothed. Specifically, the mishnah refers to a situation where a man has two sets of daughters with two different wives and one set of daughters is older than the other set (i.e. all of the daughters of one wife are older than the eldest daughter of the other wives.)
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Kiddushin
If one has two groups of daughters by two wives, and he declares, “I have given in betrothal my eldest daughter, but I do not know whether the eldest of the seniors or the eldest of the juniors, or the youngest of the seniors who is older than the eldest of the juniors,” all are forbidden [to marry other men], except the youngest of the juniors, the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yose says: they are all permitted, except the eldest of the seniors. The father says he has given in betrothal his “eldest daughter” to a man, and he has forgotten who that man is, and the question is who his “eldest daughter” is? Once we figure out whom the eldest daughter is that daughter will be forbidden to marry any other man, and his other daughters will be permitted. Again, the man has two sets of daughters; one set is a group of “seniors” in that they are all older than the other set which are “juniors.” According to Rabbi Meir, any daughter who has a younger sister may be called the “eldest daughter” since she is older than another daughter. The only daughter who cannot possibly be called the “eldest daughter” is the youngest daughter of the youngest set. Rabbi Yose rules that only the eldest daughter of the seniors is called the “eldest daughter” and therefore only she is prohibited.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Kiddushin
“I have betrothed my youngest daughter, but I do not know whether the youngest of the juniors or the youngest of the seniors, or the eldest of the juniors who is younger than the youngest of the seniors,” they are all forbidden, except the eldest of the seniors, the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yose says: they are all permitted, except the youngest of the juniors. This section is basically the same as the previous section, except that in this section the father claims that he gave his “youngest daughter” in betrothal. The opinions of Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yose are consistent with those above.
