Commentary for Niddah 137:52

אתאי קמן ביממא יהבינן לה שב לנדה

woman stated, "I observed some uncleanness on a certain day",<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But she is unable to say whether it happened on the same, or on any other day, or whether that day was one of the days of her menstruation or of her zibah. ');">⁴⁰</span> she<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In order to perform the precept of immersion at the proper time and at the earliest possible moment. ');">⁴¹</span> is expected to undergo nine immersions, seven<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the following seven nights, if she arrived in the day time. ');">⁴²</span> in respect of menstruation<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 482, n. 12. ');">⁴³</span> and two<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the day time. ');">⁴⁴</span> in respect of <i>zibah</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the first day of her arrival she must undergo immersion since it is possible that the previous day was one of her zibah period and her discharge appeared that day (a woman who experienced a discharge on one of the days of her zibah period awaits one day, viz., the following one, and on that day she undergoes immersion in the day time). On the second day of her arrival she again undergoes immersion for a similar reason, since it is possible that the day on which her discharge had appeared was not the previous one but the day of her arrival. On the third day no immersion is necessary since it is certain that on the second there was no discharge. ');">⁴⁵</span> If she states, "I observed some uncleanness at twilight", she is to undergo eleven immersions'. 'Eleven'! For what purpose?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. why should more immersions be required in this case, where she states that her discharge took place at twilight, than in the former where she does not specify the time of day. ');">⁴⁶</span> — R. Jeremiah of Difti replied: This is a case, for instance, where the woman<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who did not merely state during the day that her discharge took place at twilight. ');">⁴⁷</span> actually appeared before us at twilight,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And stated that her discharge occurred either earlier or possibly at that very moment when it is doubtful whether it was day or night. ');">⁴⁸</span> so that provision has to be made for<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'and they are'. ');">⁴⁹</span> eight immersions in respect of menstruation<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In addition to the seven immersions as in the former case (beginning on the night that followed the twilight at which she arrived) there must be one on the eighth night because it is possible that her discharge took place actually at the twilight of her arrival which was part of the following night, so that the menstruation period did not terminate until the seven following days have passed and her cleanness is attained by her immersion on the last, which is the eighth night after her arrival. ');">⁵⁰</span> and for three in respect of <i>zibah</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' She performs the first two immersions for the same reason as in the former case, since it is possible that her discharge in zibah took place on the day prior to her arrival (so that immersion must be performed immediately at the twilight when she arrived) or on that day (so that immersion has to be performed on the following day). She must also undergo immersion on the third day since it is possible that the discharge occurred at the twilight at which she arrived and that that time was a part of the night, so that she was unclean on the day following, and having waited the second day she becomes clean on the third when the immersion is performed. ');">⁵¹</span> 'If she states, "I observed no discharge whatsoever", she is to undergo fifteen immersions'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is discussed presently. ');">⁵²</span> Raba observed: 'This kind of law that is a negation of all reason<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'this law that is no law'. ');">⁵³</span> is in vogue at Galhi where there is a law that one who owns a bull must feed the town's cattle one day while one who owns no bull must feed them on two days. Once they had occasion to deal with<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'it happened to them'. ');">⁵⁴</span> an orphan the son of a widow. Having been entrusted with the bulls [to feed] he proceeded to kill them, saying to the people, "He who owned a bull shall receive one hide and he who owned no bull shall receive two hides". "What", they said to him, "is this that you say?" "The conclusion of this process", he answered them, "follows the same principle as the beginning of the process. Was it not the case with the beginning of this process that one who owned nothing was better off? Well, at the conclusion of the process too, one who owned nothing is better off". Here also: If where a woman states, "I observed a discharge", it suffices for her to undergo either nine immersions or eleven immersions,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As explained supra. ');">⁵⁵</span> should it be necessary for her, where she states, "I observed no discharge whatsoever", to undergo fifteen immersions?' — Rather read thus: If she states, 'I observed a discharge and I do not know how long it continued<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. whether it appeared on one day only or on three days. ');">⁵⁶</span> and whether I observed it during a menstruation period or a <i>zibah</i> one', she is to undergo fifteen immersions. For if she appeared before us in the day-time we allow her seven days in respect of menstruation<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As explained supra. ');">⁵⁵</span>

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