Niddah 46

Chapter 46

א אף אנן נמי תנינא המפלת כמין בהמה חיה ועוף (ולד מעליא הוא) דברי ר"מ וחכ"א עד שיהא בו מצורת אדם

1 We also learnt the same thing:1 An abortion in the shape of a beast, wild animal or bird [is regarded as a valid birth];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In regard to the birthright. If a son is born after such an abortion, though he is entitled to a double share in his father's estate (as a firstborn son, since the abortion is not viable) he (unlike an actual firstborn son) need not be redeemed from the priest. The words in square brackets are wanting in the Mishnah Bek. 46a and appear in cur. edd. here in parenthesis. ');">2 so R. Meir. And the Sages ruled: [It is no valid birth]3 unless it has the features of a human being. But if the abortion was a sandal,4

ב והמפלת סנדל או שליא או שפיר מרוקם והיוצא מחותך הבא אחריו בכור לנחלה ואינו בכור לכהן ואי ס"ד דחיי הבא אחריו בכור לנחלה מי הוי

2 a placenta or a foetus with some articulated shape, or if a child issued cut up in pieces, the son born after it is regarded as the firstborn in respect of inheritance but he is no firstborn as far as the priest is concerned.5 Now if one could imagine that such an abortion is viable, would the son born after it be regarded as the firstborn in regard to inheritance?6

ג אמר רבא לעולם דחיי ושאני התם דאמר קרא {דברים כח } ראשית אונו מי שלבו דוה עליו יצא זה שאין לבו דוה עליו

3 Said Raba: It may well be maintained that it is viable but the case there7 is different [from what might have been expected]8

ד בעא מיניה רב אדא בר אהבה מאביי לרבי מאיר דאמר בהמה במעי אשה ולד מעליא הוא אדם במעי בהמה מאי למאי נפקא מיניה לאשתרויי באכילה

4 since Scripture said, The first of his mourning9 which refers to the one for whom10 his11

ה ותפשוט ליה מהא דר' יוחנן דא"ר יוחנן השוחט את הבהמה ומצא בה דמות יונה אסורה באכילה

5 heart aches, and thus excludes an abortion for which12 his heart does not ache.13

ו הכי השתא התם לא פרסות איכא ולא פרסה איכא הכא נהי דפרסות ליכא פרסה מיהא איכא

6 R. Adda b. Ahaba enquired of Abaye: According to R. Meir who ruled that a beast that was in the bowels of a woman is a valid birth, what is the ruling where a human child was in the bowels of a beast?14 — In what respect does this matter? — In that of permitting it to be eaten.15

ז וחכ"א כל שאין בו כו' אמר רב ירמיה בר אבא אמר רב הכל מודים גופו תייש ופניו אדם אדם גופו אדם ופניו תייש ולא כלום

7 But why can you not solve this question from the following ruling of R. Johanan; for R. Johanan ruled: If one slaughtered a beast and found in it an object of the shape of a dove it16 is forbidden to be eaten?17 — What a comparison! In that case16

ח לא נחלקו אלא שפניו אדם ונברא בעין אחת כבהמה שרבי מאיר אומר מצורת אדם וחכ"א כל צורת אדם

8 there are neither cloven feet nor hoofs, but in this case, granted that there are no cloven feet, there is at least some thing like a hoof.18 THE SAGES, HOWEVER, RULED: ANYTHING THAT HAS NOT etc. R. Jeremiah b. Abba citing Rab stated: All19 agree that if its body was that of a he-goat and its face that of a human being it is regarded as a human child;20 if its body was that of a human being and its face that of a he-goat it is no valid birth.20

ט אמר לו לרב ירמיה בר אבא והא איפכא תניא ר"מ אומר כל צורת וחכ"א מצורת אמר להו אי תניא תניא

9 They19 differ only where it had the face of a human being but was so created that one of its eyes was like that of a beast, since R. Meir holds that it21 need only have some of the features of a human face22 while the Sages hold that it21 must have all the features of a human face. They23 said to R. Jeremiah b. Abba, Was not the reverse taught: R. Meir said, 'It must have all the features of a human face'24

י אמר ר' ירמיה בר אבא אמר רבי יוחנן מצח והגבינים והעינים והלסתות וגבות הזקן עד שיהו כולם כאחד רבא אמר חסא מצח והגבן והעין והלסת וגבת הזקן עד שיהו כולם כאחת

10 while the Sages said, 'It need only have some of the features of a human face'?24 — He answered them: If this was taught so you may well rely on it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'it was taught', sc. while he was certain that what he reported had behind it the weighty authority of Rab, it was quite legitimate for them, since they had a tradition to the contrary, to follow their own tradition. ');">25 R. Jeremiah b. Abba citing R. Johanan ruled:26 The forehead, the eyebrows, the eyes, the cheeks and the chin must all be present at the same time.27

יא ולא פליגי הא כמ"ד כל צורת הא כמ"ד מצורת

11 Raba, however, citing Hasa ruled:26

יב מיתיבי צורת פנים שאמרו אפילו פרצוף אחד מן הפרצופין חוץ מן האוזן למימרא דמחד נמי סגי

12 The forehead, the eyebrow, the eye, the cheek and the chin must all be present at the same time.27 These, however,28 do not differ in principle from one another, since the former ruled according to him who said that27

יג אמר אביי כי תניא ההיא לעכב תניא וכמ"ד כל צורת ואיבעית אימא לעולם כמ"ד מצורת ומאי אחד אחד אחד

13 'it must have all the features of a human face'. while the latter ruled according to him who stated, 'it need only have some of the features of a human face'. An objection was raised: By the 'shape of the face' of which the Sages spoke29 was meant the presence of even only one of the features of the face,30 except the ear.31

יד אמר רבא נברא בעין אחת ובירך אחד מן הצד אמו טמאה באמצע אמו טהורה

14 This shows, does it not, that a single feature suffices?32 — Abaye replied: That33

טו אמר רבא ושטו נקוב אמו טמאה ושטו אטום אמו טהורה

15 was taught only to indicate what constitutes a hindrance,34 and it33

טז ת"ר המפלת גוף אטום אין אמו טמאה לידה ואיזהו גוף אטום רבי אומר כדי שינטל מן החי וימות

16 is in agreement with him who stated [that the reading]35 was 'it must have all the features of a human face'. And if you prefer I might say: It33 is in fact in agreement with him who stated that the reading35 was it need only have one of the features of a human face' but36 the meaning37

יז וכמה ינטל מן החי וימות רבי זכאי אומר

17 of 'one'38 is one of each.39 Raba ruled: If a foetus was created with one eye and one thigh, the woman who gives birth to it40 is unclean41 if these were on the side,42 but if they were in the middle43 she is clean.44 Raba further ruled: If a child's gullet is perforated45 his mother is unclean,46 but if his gullet is closed up47 she is clean.48 Our Rabbis taught: If a woman aborted a stumped body she is not unclean by reason of such a birth. And what is meant by a stumped body? — Rabbi replied: One short of a part which if taken from a live person would cause him to die. And what is the extent of the part that if taken from a live person would cause him to die? — R. Zakkai replied:

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