Niddah 121

כאילו הן ראויות

AS THOUGH THEY WERE LIKELY TO OBSERVE ONE.

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> שלש נשים שהיו ישנות במטה אחת ונמצא דם תחת האמצעית כולן טמאות

<b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. IF THREE WOMEN SLEPT IN ONE BED, AND BLOOD WAS FOUND UNDER THE MIDDLE ONE, THEY ARE ALL UNCLEAN. IF IT WAS FOUND UNDER THE INNER ONE,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The woman that was nearest to the wall. ');">¹</span>

תחת הפנימית שתים הפנימיות טמאות והחיצונה טהורה

THE TWO INNER ONES<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the one under whom the blood was found (cf. prev. n.) and the middle one. ');">²</span>

תחת החיצונה שתים החיצונות טמאות והפנימית טהורה

ARE UNCLEAN WHILE THE OUTER ONE IS CLEAN. IF IT WAS FOUND UNDER THE OUTER ONE,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The woman furthest from the wall. ');">³</span>

אימתי בזמן שעברו דרך מרגלות המטה אבל אם עברו דרך עליה כולן טמאות

THE TWO OUTER ONES<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The one mentioned and the middle one. ');">⁴</span>

בדקה אחת מהן ונמצאת טהורה היא טהורה ושתים טמאות

ARE UNCLEAN WHILE THE INNER ONE<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The woman that was nearest to the wall. ');">⁵</span>

בדקו שתים ומצאו טהורות הן טהורות ושלישית טמאה

IS CLEAN. WHEN<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sep. edd. of the Mishnah read, 'R. Judah said, When'. ');">⁶</span>

שלשתן ומצאו טהורות כולן טמאות

IS THIS THE CASE?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That IF IT WAS FOUND UNDER THE OUTER ONE… THE INNER ONE IS CLEAN. ');">⁷</span>

למה הדבר דומה לגל טמא שנתערב בין שני גלים טהורים ובדקו אחת מהן ומצאו טהור הוא טהור ושנים טמאים

WHEN THEY PASSED<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On entering the bed. ');">⁸</span>

שנים ומצאו טהורין הם טהורין ושלישי טמא

BY WAY OF THE FOOT OF THE BED,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that the inner one never passed the spot where the blood was found. ');">⁹</span>

שלשתן ומצאו טהורין כולן טמאים

BUT IF THEY PASSED ACROSS IT,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'the way over it'. The inner two thus passing over the place of the outer one. ');">¹⁰</span>

דברי ר"מ

THEY ARE ALL UNCLEAN.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even the middle and the inner one, since it is possible that either discharged the blood when she was passing over that spot. ');">¹¹</span>

שר"מ אומר

IF ONE OF THEM EXAMINED HERSELF AND WAS FOUND CLEAN, SHE REMAINS CLEAN WHILE THE TWO OTHERS ARE UNCLEAN. IF TWO, EXAMINED THEMSELVES AND WERE FOUND TO BE CLEAN THEY REMAIN CLEAN WHILE THE THIRD IS UNCLEAN. IF THE THREE EXAMINED THEMSELVES AND WERE FOUND TO BE CLEAN, THEY ARE ALL UNCLEAN. TO WHAT MAY THIS BE COMPARED? TO AN UNCLEAN HEAP<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One that contained a piece of corpse of the minimum size of an olive. ');">¹²</span>

כל דבר שהוא בחזקת טומאה לעולם הוא בטומאתו עד שיודע לך טומאה היכן היא

THAT WAS MIXED UP WITH TWO CLEAN HEAPS, WHERE, IF THEY EXAMINED ONE OF THEM AND FOUND IT TO BE CLEAN, IT IS CLEAN WHILE THE TWO OTHERS ARE UNCLEAN; IF THEY EXAMINED TWO OF THE HEAPS AND FOUND THEM TO BE CLEAN, THEY ARE CLEAN WHILE THE THIRD ONE IS UNCLEAN; AND IF THEY EXAMINED THE THREE AND THEY WERE FOUND TO BE CLEAN, THEY ARE ALL UNCLEAN; SO R. MEIR, FOR R. MEIR RULED: ANY OBJECT THAT IS IN A PRESUMPTIVE STATE OF UNCLEANNESS ALWAYS REMAINS UNCLEAN UNTIL IT IS KNOWN TO YOU WHERE THE UNCLEANNESS IS. BUT THE SAGES RULED: ONE CONTINUES THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEAP UNTIL ONE REACHES BEDROCK OR VIRGIN SOIL.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And if no uncleanness can be found even there, it may be presumed that the heap is clean. ');">¹³</span>

וחכמים אומרים

<b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. Why is it that in the first clause<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The previous Mishnah, supra 60b. ');">¹⁴</span>

בודק עד שמגיע לסלע או לבתולה

no distinction is made<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Between blood found under the middle, the inner or the outer woman. ');">¹⁵</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> מאי שנא רישא דלא מפליג ומאי שנא סיפא דקמפליג

while in the final clause<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Our Mishnah. ');">¹⁶</span>

אמר רבי אמי

a distinction is made? — R. Ammi replied: The former is a case where the women were interlocked.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As they were so close to each other it is quite possible for the blood of the one to be found under the other. ');">¹⁷</span>

במשולבות

IF ONE OF THEM EXAMINED HERSELF etc. What need was there for stating, 'TO WHAT MAY THIS BE COMPARED'? — It is this that R. Meir in effect said to the Rabbis: Why is it that in the case of blood you do not differ from me<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Agreeing that if the three women examined themselves and were found to be clean, they are all unclean. ');">¹⁸</span>

בדקה אחת [וכו']

while in that of a heap you differ?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Maintaining that, if the examination was continued down to bedrock or virgin soil and no trace of corpse was found, the heap may be regarded as clean despite the presumptive existence of a piece of corpse in one of the heaps. ');">¹⁹</span>

למה ליה למתני למה זה דומה

— And the Rabbis?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On what ground do they maintain their view? ');">²⁰</span>

הכי קאמר להו ר' מאיר לרבנן

— There [the heap may be regarded as clean] since it might well be assumed that a raven had carried away the piece of corpse, but here, whence<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If all the women are clean. ');">²¹</span>

מ"ש בדם דלא פליגיתו ומ"ש בגל דפליגיתו

could the blood have come?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence the ruling that they are all unclean. ');">²²</span>

ורבנן בשלמא התם אימא עורב נטלה אלא הכא האי דם מהיכא אתא

It was taught: R. Meir stated, It once happened that a sycamore tree at Kefar Saba, held to be in a presumptive state of uncleanness, was examined and no object of uncleanness was found. After a time the wind blew upon it and uprooted it when the skull of a corpse was found stuck in its root.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This, in the opinion of R. Meir, proves that an examination that revealed no unclean object is no evidence of cleanness. ');">²³</span>

תניא אמר ר"מ

They<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Rabbis who disagreed with him. ');">²⁴</span>

מעשה בשקמה של כפר סבא שהיו מחזיקין בה טומאה ובדקו ולא מצאו לימים נשבה בו הרוח ועקרתו ונמצא גולגולת של מת תחובה לו בעיקרו

answered him: 'Do you adduce proof from there? It might be suggested that the examination was not thorough enough'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'they did not examine all its requirement'. ');">²⁵</span>

אמרו לו

It was taught: R. Jose stated, It once happened that a cave at Shihin, held to be in a presumptive state of uncleanness, was examined until ground, that was as smooth as a finger nail<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. that was never cultivated. ');">²⁶</span>

משם ראיה

was reached, but no unclean object was found. After a time labourers entered it to shelter from<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'on account of'. ');">²⁷</span>

אימר לא בדקו כל צרכו

rain, and chopping with their axes found a mortar full of bones.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. supra p. 431, n. II mut. mut. ');">²⁸</span>

תניא א"ר יוסי

They<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Rabbis who disagreed with him. ');">²⁹</span>

מעשה במערה של שיחין שהיו מחזיקין בה טומאה ובדקו עד שהגיעו לקרקע שהיתה חלקה כצפורן ולא מצאו

answered him: 'Do you adduce proof from there? It might be suggested that the examination was not thorough enough'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'they did not examine all its requirement'. ');">³⁰</span>

לימים נכנסו בה פועלים מפני הגשמים

It was taught: Abba Saul stated, It once happened that a clod at Beth Horon was held in a presumptive state of uncleanness, and the Sages could not properly examine it because its area was extensive.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'much'. ');">³¹</span>

ונתזו בקרדומותיהן ומצאו מכתשת מלאה עצמות

But there was an old man in the place<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'there'. ');">³²</span>

אמרו לו

whose name was R. Joshua b. Hananiah and he said to them, 'Bring me some sheets'. They brought to him sheets and he soaked them in water and then spread them over the clod.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'them'. ');">³³</span>

משם ראיה

The clean area<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The soil of which had never been dug and was, therefore, hard and impervious to the moisture from the sheets. ');">³⁴</span>

אימר לא בדקו כל צרכו

remained dry while the unclean area<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which contained corpses and which, having been dug, consisted of loose earth that absorbed the moisture. ');">³⁵</span>

תניא אבא שאול אומר

became moist. And, having examined the latter, they found a large pit full of bones. One taught: That was the pit which Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had filled with slain bodies, as it is written, Now the pit wherein Ishmael cast all the dead bodies of the men whom he had slain by the hand<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.V., 'side'. ');">³⁶</span>

מעשה בסלע בית חורון שהיו מחזיקין בה טומאה ולא יכלו חכמים לבדוק מפני שהיתה מרובה

of Gedaliah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. XLI, 9. ');">³⁷</span>

והיה שם זקן אחד ורבי יהושע בן חנניא שמו אמר להן

But was it Gedaliah that killed them? Was it not in fact Ishmael that killed them?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Why then was it stated, 'By the hand of Gedaliah'? ');">³⁸</span>

הביאו לי סדינים

— But owing to the fact that he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gedaliah. ');">³⁹</span>

הביאו לו סדינים ושראן במים ופרסן עליהם

should have taken note of the advice of Johanan the son of Kareah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who told him that Simeon b. Nethaniah wished to kill him. V. Jer. XL, 13ff. ');">⁴⁰</span>

מקום טהרה יבש מקום טומאה לח

and did not do so Scripture regards him as though he had killed them.

ובדקו ומצאו בור גדול מלא עצמות

Raba observed: As to slander, though one should not believe<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'accept'. ');">⁴¹</span>

תנא

it one should nevertheless take note of it. There were certain Galileans about whom a rumour was spread that they killed a person. They came to R. Tarfon and said to him, 'Will the Master hide us?' 'How', he replied, 'should I act? Should I not hide you, they<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The avengers of the blood. ');">⁴²</span>

הוא הבור שמילא ישמעאל בן נתניה חללים דכתיב

would see you.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And execute vengeance. ');">⁴³</span>

(ירמיהו מא, ט) והבור אשר השליך שם ישמעאל את כל פגרי אנשים אשר הכה ביד גדליה

Should I hide you, I would be acting contrary to the statement of the Rabbis,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'surely the Rabbis said'. ');">⁴⁴</span>

וכי גדליה הרגן

"As to slander, though one should not believe<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'accept'. ');">⁴⁵</span>

והלא ישמעאל הרגן

it, one should take note of it".<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And in case the report about you is true, I have no right to shield you. ');">⁴⁶</span>

אלא מתוך שהיה לו לחוש לעצת יוחנן בן קרח ולא חש מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו הרגן

Go you and hide yourselves'.

אמר רבא

And the Lord said unto Moses: Fear him not'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXI, 34. ');">⁴⁷</span>

האי לישנא בישא אע"פ דלקבולי לא מבעי מיחש ליה מבעי

Consider: Sihon and Og were brothers, for a Master stated, 'Sihon and Og were the sons of Ahijah the son of Shamhazai',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One of the fallen angels referred to in Gen. VI, 2, 4 as 'sons of God' or 'Nephilim'. ');">⁴⁸</span>

הנהו בני גלילא דנפק עלייהו קלא דקטול נפשא אתו לקמיה דרבי טרפון אמרו ליה

then why was it that he feared Og while he did not fear Sihon? R. Johanan citing R. Simeon b. Yohai replied: From the answer that was given<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By God. ');">⁴⁹</span>

לטמרינן מר

to<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'of'. ');">⁵⁰</span>

אמר להו

that righteous man<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Moses. ');">⁵¹</span>

היכי נעביד

you may understand what was in his mind.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'heart'. ');">⁵²</span>

אי לא אטמרינכו חזו יתייכו אטמרינכו הא אמור רבנן האי לישנא בישא אע"ג דלקבולי לא מבעי מיחש ליה מבעי זילו אתון טמרו נפשייכו

He thought: Peradventure the merit of our father Abraham will stand him<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Og. ');">⁵³</span>

(במדבר כא, לד) ויאמר ה' אל משה אל תירא מכדי סיחון ועוג אחי הוו דאמר מר

by, for it is said, And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XIV, 13. ');">⁵⁴</span>

סיחון ועוג בני אחיה בר שמחזאי הוו

in connection with which R. Johanan explained: This refers to Og who escaped the fate of the generation of the flood.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Zeb. 113b. ');">⁵⁵</span>

מאי שנא מעוג דקמסתפי ומאי שנא מסיחון דלא קמסתפי

Our Rabbis taught:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The following Baraithas have been suggested to the compiler by the law supra concerning heaps in which an unclean object had been lost beyond recovery. ');">⁵⁶</span>

א"ר יוחנן אר"ש בן יוחי

If a [woman's] bloodstain was lost in a garment<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By falling, for instance, into water or was soiled with the blood of an animal. ');">⁵⁷</span>

מתשובתו של אותו צדיק אתה יודע מה היה בלבו אמר

one must apply to it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., causes to pass'. ');">⁵⁸</span>

שמא תעמוד לו זכות של אברהם אבינו שנאמר (בראשית יד, יג) ויבא הפליט ויגד לאברם העברי ואמר רבי יוחנן

seven substances<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Enumerated in next Mishnah. ');">⁵⁹</span>

זה עוג שפלט מדור המבול

and thus neutralize it. R. Simeon b. Eleazar ruled:

תנו רבנן

בגד שאבד בו כתם מעביר עליו שבעה סממנין ומבטלו רבי שמעון בן אלעזר אומר