Niddah 122

בודקו שכונות שכונות

One must examine it in small sections.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The size of each section is given presently. ');">¹</span>

אבדה בו שכבת זרע חדש בודקו במחט שחוק בודקו בחמה

If semen was lost in it, when new it should be examined with a needle,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Dried up semen offers some resistance to its penetration. ');">²</span>

תנא

and when worn out it should be examined in sunlight.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When holding up the garment to the light the place of the semen appears darker than the rest of it. A new garment, however, whose texture is close would not show up such a stain even in front of the light. ');">³</span>

אין שכונה פחותה משלש אצבעות

One taught: No section need be smaller than three fingerbreadths.

ת"ר

Our Rabbis taught: A garment in which kil'ayim<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos. ');">⁴</span>

בגד שאבד בו כלאים הרי זה לא ימכרנו לעובד כוכבים ולא יעשנו מרדעת לחמור

was lost<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. it was known that a thread of wool had been woven into a garment of flax or a thread of flax into a garment of wool but the thread could not be traced so as to be extracted. ');">⁵</span>

אבל עושה ממנו תכריכין למת

may not be sold to an idolater,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since he might re-sell it to an Israelite. ');">⁶</span>

אמר רב יוסף

nor may one make of it a packsaddle for an ass, but it may be made into<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'makes of it'. ');">⁷</span>

זאת אומרת מצות בטלות לעתיד לבא

a shroud for a corpse. R. Joseph observed: This<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The permissibility to use kil'ayim for a shroud. ');">⁸</span>

א"ל אביי ואי תימא רב דימי

implies that the commandments will be abolished in the Hereafter.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At the resurrection. Had they remained in force the revived dead (cf. prev. n) would he transgressing the law of kil'ayim. ');">⁹</span>

והא א"ר מני א"ר ינאי לא שנו אלא לספדו אבל לקוברו אסור

Said Abaye (or as some say R. Dimi) to him: But did not R. Manni<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Var. lec., Ammi. ');">¹⁰</span>

א"ל

in the name of R. Jannai state, 'This<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The permissibility to use kil'ayim for a shroud. ');">⁸</span>

לאו איתמר עלה א"ר יוחנן אפילו לקוברו

was learnt only in regard to the time of the lamentations<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'to lament for him'. ');">¹¹</span>

ור' יוחנן לטעמיה דא"ר יוחנן

but for burial<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'to bury him'. ');">¹²</span>

מאי דכתיב (תהלים פח, ו) במתים חפשי כיון שמת אדם נעשה חפשי מן המצות

this is forbidden'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' How then can R. Joseph derive from this ruling that 'the commandments will be abolished in the Hereafter'? ');">¹³</span>

אמר רפרם בר פפא אמר רב חסדא

— The other replied: But was it not stated in connection with it, 'R. Johanan ruled: Even for burial'? And thereby R. Johanan followed his previously expressed view, for R. Johanan stated: 'What is the purport of the Scriptural text, Free<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.V., 'set apart'. ');">¹⁴</span>

בגד שאבד בו כלאים צובעו ומותר

among the dead?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LXXXVIII, 6. ');">¹⁵</span>

א"ל רבא לרפרם בר פפא

As soon as a man dies he is free from the commandments'.

מנא ליה לסבא הא

Rafram b. Papa citing R. Hisda ruled: A garment in which kil'ayim was lost may be dyed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As the colour effect of dye on wool is different from that on flax the one could be distinguished and separated from the other. ');">¹⁶</span>

א"ל

and<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the same shade of colour is shown throughout. ');">¹⁷</span>

מתני' היא דתנן בודק עד שמגיע לסלע ואי ליכא אימר עורב נטלה

it is then permitted to be worn.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The assumption being that the threads of the other kind have somehow dropped out of the texture. ');">¹⁸</span>

הכי נמי

Said Raba to Rafram b. Papa: Whence does the old man derive this?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. prev. n. ');">¹⁹</span>

עמרא וכיתנא בהדדי לא סליק להו צבעא וכיון דלא ידיע אימר מנתר נתר

The other replied: It is in our Mishnah, for we have learnt, ONE CONTINUES THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEAP UNTIL ONE REACHES BEDROCK; and if it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The unclean object. ');">²⁰</span>

אמר רב אחא בריה דרב ייבא משמיה דמר זוטרא

is not there, it is obviously assumed that a raven had carried it away. Here too, dye does not have the same effect on wool and flax and, since no [difference could be] discerned,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even after the dye had been applied. ');">²¹</span>

האי מאן דרמי חוטא דכיתנא בגלימיה דעמרא ונתקיה ולא ידע אי נתיק אי לא נתיק שפיר דמי

it may well be assumed [that the compromising threads] had dropped out.

מ"ט מדאורייתא שעטנז כתיב עד שיהיה שוע טווי ונוז ורבנן הוא דגזרו ביה

R. Aha son of R. Yeba citing Mar Zutra ruled: If a man inserted flaxen threads in his woollen garment and then pulled them out but is not sure whether he pulled them [all] out or not, it is quite proper [for him to wear the garment]. What is the reason? — Pentateuchally, since it is written sha'atnez<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXII, 11. E.V., 'mingled stuff'. ');">²²</span>

וכיון דלא ידע אי נתקיה שרי

the prohibition does not apply unless the material was hackled, spun and woven,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Shu'a, tawui and nuz, three words Rabbinically assumed to make up the word sha'atnez. ');">²³</span>

מתקיף לה רב אשי

but it is only the Rabbis who imposed a prohibition on it,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On a material that does not satisfy all the three requirements. ');">²⁴</span>

אימר או שוע או טווי או נוז

and since the man is not quite sure about the pulling out of the threads the garment is permitted. R. Ashi demurred: Might it not be suggested that it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A material that is to be forbidden as Kil'ayim. ');">²⁵</span>

והלכתא כמר זוטרא מדאפקינהו רחמנא בחדא לישנא

must be either hackled or spun or woven? — The law, however, is in agreement with Mar Zutra, because the All Merciful expressed them in one word.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Shu'a, tawui and nuz, three words Rabbinically assumed to make up the word sha'atnez. ');">²³</span>

ת"ר

Our Rabbis taught: A dyed garment is susceptible to the uncleanness of a bloodstain. R. Nathan b. Joseph ruled: It is not susceptible to the uncleanness of a stain, for dyed garments were ordained for women only in order to relax the law in regard to their bloodstains. 'Were ordained'! Who<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'what'. ');">²⁶</span>

בגד צבוע מטמא משום כתם רבי נתן בר יוסף אומר

ordained them? — Rather read: For dyed garments were permitted to women only in order to relax the law in regard to their bloodstains. 'Were permitted'! Does this then imply that they were once forbidden? — Yes, for we have learnt: At the time of the Vespasian invasion they<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Rabbis. ');">²⁷</span>

אינו מטמא משום כתם שלא תקנו בגדי צבעונין לאשה אלא להקל על כתמיהן

prohibited the wearing of garlands by bridegrooms and the beating of drums at weddings. They also desired to prohibit dyed garments, but felt that it was better not to do so,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'they said that was better'. ');">²⁸</span>

תקנו

in order to relax the law in regard to their bloodstains.

מאי תקנינהו

<b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. SEVEN SUBSTANCES MUST BE APPLIED TO A STAIN:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If it is desired to ascertain whether it is blood or dye. ');">²⁹</span>

אלא שלא הותרו בגדי צבעונין לאשה אלא להקל על כתמיהן

TASTELESS SPITTLE,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is explained presently. ');">³⁰</span>

הותרו מכלל דאסירי

THE LIQUID OF CRUSHED BEANS, URINE, NATRON, LYE,

אין דתנן

בפולמוס של אספסינוס גזרו על עטרות חתנים ועל האירוס

בקשו לגזור על בגדי צבעונין אמרי

הא עדיפא כדי להקל על כתמיהן

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