Niddah 138

Chapter 138

א ותמני לזיבה אתאי קמן בלילותא יהבינן לה תמני לנדה ושב לזיבה

1 and eight in respect of zibah;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because each of the eight days might be the last of the seven clean days that followed a zibah discharge that had extended over three days. No immersion is necessary on the ninth day because even if the very day of the woman's arrival had been the last of the three days on which her zibah discharge had been making its appearance seven clean days have elapsed since that day. ');">1

ב זיבה תמני בעיא אלא אידי ואידי שב לנדה ותמני לזיבה

2 and if she appeared before us at night we allow her eight in respect of menstruation<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the first night of her arrival and on the following six nights immersion is necessary because each might be the night following the seventh day, while on the eighth immersion is required on account of the possibility of the discharge having appeared on the very night of her arrival which caused the day following to be regarded as the first of the prescribed seven days of menstruation. ');">2

ג בלילותא תמני לנדה בעי

ד זיבה דפסיקא ליה דלא שנא כי אתיא קמן ביממא לא שנא כי אתיא קמן בליליא חשיב לה נדה דלא פסיקא ליה דכי אתיא קמן בלילותא בעי תמני ביממא לא קבעי תמני לא קחשיב לה

4 and seven in respect of zibah.3 But does not menstruation require eight days?4

ה ואי ס"ד ספורין לפנינו בעינן כל הני טבילות למה לי תספור ז' והדר תטבול אלא לאו שמע מינה רבנן היא דאמרי לא בעינן ספורין לפנינו

5 — Rather say: In either case5 seven in respect of menstruation and eight in respect of zibah. But if she appeared at night, does she not require4 eight in respect of menstruation?6

ו אמר ליה רב אחא בריה דרב יוסף לרב אשי לאו תרוצי קמתרצינן לה תריץ ואימא הכי ספרתי ואיני יודעת כמה ספרתי אם בימי נדה ספרתי ואם בימי זיבה ספרתי מטבילין אותה ט"ו טבילות

6 — In respect of zibah where the number of immersions is fixed, since it does not vary whether she appeared before us in the day time or at night, [the eighth immersion] was counted, but in respect of menstruation where the number is not fixed, for only where she appeared before us at night does she require eight immersions while if she appeared before us in the day time she does not require eight [the eighth immersion] was not counted. Now, if it could be entertained that it is necessary for all the counting to take place in our presence, what need is there7 for all these immersions?8 Should she not rather count the seven days and then undergo immersion?9

ז ספרתי ואיני יודעת כמה ספרתי חד יומא מיהא אי אפשר דלא ספרה חסרה לה טבילה

7 Consequently it may be inferred from here that10

ח אלא אימא איני יודעת אם ספרתי אם לא ספרתי

8 it is the Rabbis11 who hold that it is not necessary for the counting to take place in our presence.12

ט <big>מתני׳</big> הזב והזבה והנדה והיולדת והמצורע שמתו מטמאין במשא עד שימוק הבשר עובד כוכבים שמת טהור מלטמא

9 Said R. Aha son of R. Joseph to R. Ashi, Have we not had recourse to explanations of this ruling?13 Explain it then in the following manner and read thus: If a woman states, 'I counted14

י בית שמאי אומרים כל הנשים מתות נדות וב"ה אומרים אין נדה אלא שמתה נדה

10 and know not how many days I counted and whether I counted them during the period of menstruation or during that of zibah', she is to undergo fifteen immersions.15 But if she stated, 'I counted and know not how many days I counted', it is at any rate impossible that she should not have counted one day, at least, is she then not short of one immersion?16 Rather read: If she states, 'I know not whether I did or did not count'.17 MISHNAH. IF A ZAB, A ZABAH, A MENSTRUANT, A WOMAN AFTER CHILDBIRTH OR A LEPER HAVE DIED [THEIR CORPSES] CONVEY UNCLEANNESS BY CARRIAGE18

יא <big>גמ׳</big> מאי במשא אילימא במשא ממש אטו כל מת מי לא מטמא במשא

11 UNTIL THE FLESH HAS DECAYED. IF AN IDOLATER HAS DIED HE CONVEYS NO UNCLEANNESS.19 BETH SHAMMAI RULED: ALL WOMEN DIE AS MENSTRUANTS;18

יב אלא מאי במשא באבן מסמא

12 BUT BETH HILLEL RULED: A WOMAN20 CANNOT BE REGARDED AS A MENSTRUANT UNLESS SHE DIED WHILE SHE WAS IN MENSTRUATION. GEMARA. What is the meaning of BY CARRIAGE? If it be suggested: By actual carriage, [the objection would arise:] Does not in fact every corpse convey uncleanness by carriage?21

יג דכתיב (דניאל ו, יח) והיתית אבן חדא ושומת על פום גובא

13 — Rather say that BY CARRIAGE means22

יד מאי טעמא אמר רב גזרה שמא יתעלפה

14 through a heavy23 stone,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One used for closing up a pit. If the corpse lay on such a heavy stone, and certain objects rested under it, the latter contract the uncleanness though the weight of the corpse can hardly be perceptible. ');">24 for25

טו תנא משום ר' אליעזר אמרו עד שיבקע כריסו

15 it is written, And a stone was brought, and laid26 upon the mouth of the den.27

טז עובד כוכבים שמת [כו'] תניא אמר רבי מפני מה אמרו עובד כוכבים שמת טהור מלטמא במשא לפי שאין טומאתו מחיים מדברי תורה אלא מדברי סופרים

16 What is the reason?28 — Rab replied: This29 is a preventive measure against the case where they30

יז ת"ר שנים עשר דברים שאלו אנשי אלכסנדריא את רבי יהושע בן חיננא ג' דברי חכמה ג' דברי הגדה ג' דברי בורות ג' דברי דרך ארץ

17 swoon.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As such persons when alive, if they sit on such a stone, convey uncleanness to objects under it, in accordance with Pentateuchal law, a Rabbinic enactment has imposed a similar restriction when they are dead in case they might be merely in a swoon and mistaken for a corpse. Were the objects to be deemed clean in 'the case of a corpse they might erroneously be deemed clean even when the person is alive. ');">31 One taught: In the name of R. Eliezer it was stated, This possibility must be taken into consideration until his stomach bursts. IF AN IDOLATER HAS DIED etc. It was taught: Rabbi stated, On what ground did they rule that if an idolater has died he conveys no uncleanness by carriage? Because his uncleanness when alive32

יח ג' דברי חכמה הזב והזבה והנדה והיולדת והמצורע שמתו עד מתי מטמאין במשא אמר להן עד שימוק הבשר

18 is not Pentateuchal, but Rabbinical. Our Rabbis taught: Twelve questions did the Alexandrians address to R. Joshua b. Hananiah.33 Three were of a scientific nature,34 three were matters of aggada, three were mere nonsense and three were matters of conduct.35

יט בת משולחת מה היא לכהן

19 'Three were of a scientific nature': If a zab, a zabah, a menstruant, a woman after childbirth or a leper have died, how long do their corpses convey uncleanness by carriage? He replied: Until the flesh has decayed. Is the daughter of a woman that was divorced and remarried by her first husband36

כ מי אמרינן קל וחומר ומה אלמנה לכ"ג שאין איסורה שוה בכל בנה פגום זו שאיסורה שוה בכל אינו דין שבנה פגום או דילמא מה לאלמנה לכהן גדול שהיא עצמה מתחללת

20 allowed to marry a priest? Do we say that this might be inferred a minori ad majus: If the son of a widow who was married to a High priest, who is not forbidden to all,37 is nevertheless tainted,38 how much more so the offspring of her39 who is forbidden to all;40

כא אמר להן

21 or is it possible to refute the argument, thus: The case of a widow married to a High Priest is different because she herself is profaned?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the High Priest to whom she was unlawfully married dies she may not marry even a common priest, and if she was a priest's daughter she is henceforth forbidden to eat terumah. No such restrictions are imposed on the woman who was remarried after her divorcement. ');">41 He replied:

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