[If] a deaf-mute man married a competent woman, or a competent man married a deaf-mute woman, if he wishes he may divorce her, and if he wishes he may retain her. Just as he marries by gesturing, so he may divorce by gesturing.  [If] a competent man married a competent woman, and she became a deaf-mute, [if he wishes he may divorce her, and if] he wishes he may retain her. [If] she became insane, he may not divorce her. [If] he became a deaf-mute or insane, he can never divorce her. R' Yochanan ben Nuri asked: Why is it that a wife who became a deaf-mute may be divorced, but a husband who became a deaf-mute may not divorce? They replied: A husband who divorces is not comparable to a wife who is divorced, since a wife may be divorced with or without her consent, while a husband cannot divorce except by his consent.

R' Yochanan ben Gudgedah testified that a deaf-mute who was given in marriage by her father may be released by a bill of divorce. They said to him: This one is also the same.

If] two deaf-mute brothers were married to two deaf-mute sisters, or to two competent sisters, or to two sisters, one a deaf-mute and one competent; or, [if] two deaf-mute sisters were married to two competent brothers, or to two deaf-mute brothers, or to two brothers, one a deaf-mute and one competent —- these [widows] are exempt from chalitzah and from yibum. If they were not related, they should marry, and if they [then] wish to divorce, they may.

[If] two brothers, one a deaf-mute and one a competent, were married to two competent sisters, [and] the deaf-mute husband of the competent [sister] died, what should the competent husband of the [other] competent [sister] do? [Nothing, because] she is released as his wife's sister. [If] the competent husband of the competent [sister] died, what should the deaf-mute husband of the [other] competent [sister] do? He must discharge his wife with a bill of divorce, and his brother's wife is perpetually forbidden.

[If] two competent brothers were married to two sisters, one a deaf-mute and one competent, and the competent husband of the deaf-mute [sister] died, what should the competent husband of the competent [sister] do? [Nothing, because] she is released as his wife's sister. [If] the competent husband of the competent [sister] died, what should the competent husband of the deaf-mute [sister] do? He must discharge his wife with a bill of divorce, and his brother's wife with chalitzah.

 [If] two brothers, one a deaf-mute and one competent, were married to two sisters, one a deaf-mute and one competent, and the deaf-mute husband of the deaf-mute [sister] died, what should the competent husband of the competent [sister] do? [Nothing, because] she is released as his wife's sister. [If] the competent husband of the competent [sister] died, what should the deaf-mute husband of the deaf-mute [sister] do? He must discharge his wife with a bill of divorce, and his brother's wife is perpetually forbidden.

 [If] two brothers, one a deaf-mute and one competent, were married to two unrelated competent women, and the deaf-mute husband of the competent [wife] died, what should the competent husband of the competent wife do? He [may] perform either chalitzah or yibum. [If] the competent husband of the competent [wife] died, what should the deaf-mute husband of the competent [wife] do? He should marry [her], and [he may] never divorce [her].

 [If] two competent brothers were married to two unrelated women, one competent and one a deaf-mute, and the competent husband of the deaf-mute [wife] died, what should the competent husband of the competent [wife] do? He should marry [her]. [If] he [then] wishes to divorce [her], he may. [If] the competent husband of the competent [wife] died, what should the competent husband of the deaf-mute [wife] do? He [may] perform either chalitzah or yibum.

 [If] two brothers, one a deaf-mute and one competent, were married to two unrelated women, one a deaf-mute and one competent, and the deaf-mute husband of the deaf-mute [wife] died, what should the competent husband of the competent [wife] do? He should marry [her]. [If] he [then] wishes to divorce [her], he may. [If] the competent husband of the competent [wife] died, what should the deaf-mute husband of the deaf-mute wife do? He should marry [her], and he can never divorce [her].

A woman who went with her husband overseas, [and] there was amity between him and her and peace in the world, and she came and said, “My husband died,” she may marry; [or, if she said,] “My husband died,” she may be taken in yibum. [If there was] amity between him and her but war in the world, [or if there was] a conflict between him and her and peace in the world, and she came and said, “My husband died,” she is not believed. R' Yehudah says: She is never believed unless she comes weeping and with her clothes torn. They said to him: In either case she may marry.

Beis Hillel said: We have not heard [this tradition] except [in the case] where she came from the harvest, and [from] the same country, as in the incident which occurred. Beis Shammai said to them: It is the same whether she came from harvesting grain, or [picking] olives, or picking grapes, or from one country to another -— the Sages mentioned the harvest only in recounting the actual incident. Beis Hillel recanted [and began] to rule like Beis Shammai.

Beis Shammai say: She may marry, and she receives her kesubah; [but] Beis Hillel say: She may marry, but she does not receive her kesubah. Beis Shammai said to them: You permitted the grave ervah [offense], but you will not permit the less grave money [offense]? Beis Hillel replied: We find that the brothers do not inherit the estate on her testimony. Beis Shammai replied: We can learn [this] from her kesubah document, in which he writes to her, “If you marry another you shall receive what is written to you.” Beis Hillel recanted [and began] to rule like Beis Shammai.

Everyone is believed to testify for her, except for her mother-in-law, her mother-in-law's daughter, her co-wife, her sister-in-law, and her husband's daughter. Why is there a difference between [testi- mony concerning] a bill of divorce and [testimony concerning] death? Because the document is proof.  [If] one witness said, “He died,” and she remarried, and then another came and said, “He did not die” —- she need not be discharged. [If] one witness said, “He died,” and two [witnesses] said, “He did not die” —- even if she remarried she must be discharged. [If] two [witnesses] said, “He died,” and one witness said, “He did not die” —- even if she had not remarried, she may do so.

[If] one [wife] said he died, and one said he did not die, the one who said he died may marry and collect her kesubah, while the one who said he did not die may not marry or collect her kesubah.  [If] one said, “He died,” and one said, “He was killed” —- R' Meir says: Since they contradict each other they may not remarry; R' Yehudah and R' Shimon say: Since both agree that he is deceased, they may remarry.  [If] one witness said, “He died,” and one witness said, “He did not die,” [or] a woman said, “He died,” and a woman said, “He did not die” —- she may not remarry.

[If] a woman went overseas with her husband and then she came and said, “My husband died,” she may remarry and collect her kesubah, but her co-wife is forbidden. [If] she was a Yisrael's daughter [married] to a Kohen, she may eat terumah; [these are] the words of R' Tarfon. R' Akiva says: This is not the way to deliver her from sin; [rather,] let her be forbidden from remarrying, and forbidden from eating terumah.

[If] she said, “My husband died and then may father-in-law died,” she may remarry and collect her kesubah, but her mother-in-law is forbidden. [If] she was a Yisrael's daughter [married] to a Kohen, she may eat terumah; [these are] the words of R' Tarfon. R' Akiva says: This is not the way to deliver her from sin; [rather,] let her be forbidden from remarrying and forbidden from eating terumah.  [If] someone betrothed one of five women, but does not know which one he betrothed, [and] each one says, “I am the one he betrothed” —- he should give a bill of divorce to each one, leave the kesubah [payment] between them, and withdraw; [these are] the words of R' Tarfon. R' Akiva says: This is not the way to deliver him from sin; [rather,] let him give a bill of divorce and the kesubah [payment] to each one.  If someone stole from one of five [people], but does not know from which one he stole, [and] each one says, “He stole from me,” he should leave the stolen amount between them, and withdraw; [these are] the words of R' Tarfon. R' Akiva says: This is not the way to deliver him from sin; [rather,] let him pay the stolen amount to each one.