Yevamot

since, if she wished, she could have said that there was peace in the world;  or, perhaps. since a war was established [by her] she speaks  from conjecture.  and the argument. 'What motive could she have for telling a lie'  cannot come and impair an established principle? — Come and hear: [If a woman states]. 'They  set our house on fire',  or 'They filled the cave wherein we sheltered  with smoke, and he  died while I escaped'. she is not believed!  There it is different since she can be told,  'As a miracle happened to you. so may a miracle have happened to him  also'. Come and hear: [If a woman states]. 'ldolaters fell upon us', or, 'robbers fell upon us,  and he  died while I escaped'. she is believed! — There  [her statement is believed] in accordance with the view of R. Idi. For R. Idi stated: A woman [carries] her weapons about her. There was once a man whose bridal chamber caught fire at the close of his wedding feast, and his wife cried, 'Look at my husband, look at my husband!' When they came near they saw a charred body  that was prostrate [on the ground] and the hand [of a man]  lying [by it]. R. Hiyya b. Abin intended to give his decision [that the law in this case] is the same as [that where a woman stated]. 'They set our house on fire', or 'they filled the cave wherein we sheltered with smoke'. Raba, however, said: Are [the two cases at all] similar? There, she did not say. 'Look at my husband, look at my husband'!  while  here [those present actually saw] the charred body that was prostrate [on the ground] and the hand that was lying by it. And R. Hiyya b. Abin?  — As to the charred body  that was prostrate [on the ground]. it may be suggested that a stranger  came to the rescue of [the burning man] and was himself burned,  while the hand which was lying [nearby, might be that of the bridegroom who] having been caught by the fire was mutilated;  and  in order [to hide his] shame he may have left the place and fled into the wide world. A question was raised: What is the law in respect of one witness  In time of war?  Is the reason why one witness is [elsewhere]  believed because no one would tell a lie which is likely to be exposed  and, consequently. here also [the witness] would not tell a lie;  or is it possible that the reason why one witness [is believed]  is because [the woman] herself makes careful enquiries and [only then] marries again. here. therefore.  [he would not be believed since a woman]  does not make sufficient enquiries before she marries again? Rami b. Hama replied. Come and hear: R. Akiba stated: When I went down to Nehardea to intercalate the year. I met Nehemiah of Beth Deli who said to me, 'I heard that in the Land of Israel  no one with the exception of R. Judah b. Baba permits a [married] woman to marry again on the evidence of one witness'. 'That is so', I told him' 'Tell them', he said to me. 'in my name: You know that this country is infested  with raiders; I have this tradition from R. Gamaliel the Elder: That a [married] woman may be allowed to marry again on the evidence of one witness'.  Now, what was meant by 'This country is infested with raiders'? Obviously that  'although this country is in a state of confusion.  I have this tradition: That a [married woman] may be allowed to marry again on the evidence of one witness'! Thus it is evident that one witness is believed.  Said Raba: If so,  why should 'this country  be different?  He should [have said]. 'Wherever raiders exist'!-Rather, said Raba, it is this that was meant: 'You know that this country is infested  with raiders and it is impossible for me to leave my family and to come before the Rabbis; I have this tradition from R. Gamaliel: That a [married] woman may be allowed to marry again on the evidence of one witness Come and hear: Two learned men  once travelled with Abba Jose b. Simai on board a ship, which sank. And on the evidence of women, Rabbi  allowed their wives to marry again. [Now, evidence of death by] water is, surely, like [that of death in] war, and women, even a hundred of them, are legally equal to one witness,  and yet it was stated [that Rabbi] 'Allowed … to marry'!  — And do you understand this?  Those  were waters without [a visible] end,  and [when a man is drowned in] waters without [a visible] end his wife is forbidden [to marry again]!  How, then, is this to be understood? [Obviously] that they  stated, '[The drowned men] were cast up in our presence