Rabbi Kornfeld,

My edition of the Vilna Shas and most others I have seen have the phrase Hefker Beis Din Hayah Hefker. When I first saw this today I was surprised because in yeshiva we just said Hefker Beis Din Hefker. Anyway, then my chevrusa showed me his Oz V'Hadar edition of Yevamos and it read Hefker Beis Din Hefker - without the word Hayah. In fact, the Tosfos D"H (in his edition) also left out the word Hayah. Are you aware of different manuscripts that would explain this? If the phrase should have the word Hayah in it, is there a (good) reason why the velt leaves it out and just says Hefker Beis Din Hefker?

Sincerely,

Mordechai Cohen