Niddah 48

Chapter 48

א ושמואל מתרץ לטעמיה בן ארבעה לדקה בן שמנה לגסה הימנו ולמטה אסור במה דברים אמורים בשלא כלו לו חדשיו אבל כלו לו חדשיו מותר יצא מי שיש לו ב' גבין וב' שדראות דאע"ג דכלו לו חדשיו אם יצא לאויר העולם אסור במעי אמו שרי

1 Samuel also 'explains it in accordance with his view', thus: A four monthly embryo among small cattle, and an eight monthly one among large cattle, and one that is younger is equally forbidden. This, however, applies only to one whose period of pregnancy1 had not ended, but if the period has ended it is permitted; and from this is excluded one who had two backs and two spinal columns which, even though its period of pregnancy had ended, it is forbidden if it saw the light2 but permitted when still in its dam's body.3 A Tanna recited before Rab: As it might have been assumed that if an abortion was a creature with a shapeless body or with a shapeless head its mother is unclean by reason of its birth, it was explicitly stated in Scripture, If a woman be delivered, and bear a man-child etc.4

ב תני תנא קמיה דרב המפלת בריית גוף שאינו חתוך ובריית ראש שאינו חתוך יכול תהא אמו טמאה לידה ת"ל (ויקרא יב, ב) אשה כי תזריע וילדה זכר וגו' וביום השמיני ימול וגו'

2 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised etc.,5 thus implying6

ג מי שראוי לברית שמנה יצאו אלו שאינן ראויין לברית שמנה א"ל רב וסיים בה הכי ושיש לו שני גבין ושני שדראות

3 that only a child that is fit for the covenant of the eight days7 [causes uncleanness to his mother] but these8

ד רבי ירמיה בר אבא סבר למעבד עובדא כוותיה דשמואל אמר ליה רב הונא מאי דעתיך לחומרא חומרא דאתי לידי קולא הוא דקיהבת לה דמי טוהר עביד מיהא כותיה דרב דקיימא לן הלכתא כרב באיסורי בין לקולא בין לחומרא

4 are excluded, since they are not fit for the covenant of the eight days. 'And', said Rab to him, 'conclude your statement thus:9 And one who had two backs and two spinal columns'. R. Jeremiah b. Abba intended to give a practical decision10 in agreement with the view of Samuel,11 but R. Huna said to him: 'What have you in your mind? To impose a restriction?12

ה אמר רבא הרי אמרו אשה יולדת לתשעה ויולדת לשבעה בהמה גסה יולדת לתשעה יולדת לשבעה או לא ילדה

5 But this is a restriction that results in a relaxation, since you must in consequence13 allow her also a period of clean blood.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From the seventh to the fortieth day for a male, and from the fourteenth to the eightieth day for a female. Should there be a discharge of blood within these periods respectively the woman could not be subjected to menstrual uncleanness. ');">14

ו אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק ת"ש הימנו ולמטה אסור מאי לאו אגסה לא אדקה

6 Act rather in accordance with the view of Rab, since we have an established rule that in ritual matters the law is in agreement with Rab irrespective of whether this leads to a relaxation or a restriction. Raba said: It has been stated that a woman may bear15 at nine months16

ז האי מאי אי אמרת בשלמא אגסה אצטריך סלקא דעתך אמינא הואיל ובאשה חיי בבהמה נמי חיי קמ"ל דלא חיי

7 and also at seven months.16 Can [then] large cattle who bear17 at nine months also bear17

ח אלא אי אמרת אדקה איתמר פשיטא בת תלתא ירחי מי קא חיי

8 at seven months or not? — R. Nahman b. Isaac replied, Come and hear: 'One that is younger is equally forbidden'.18 Does not this also refer to the large cattle?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Mentioned earlier in the Baraitha (supra 24a) immediately after the 'small cattle', and in whose case an 'eight monthly' was spoken of. 'One that is younger' would consequently include a seven monthly abortion also who would thus be 'equally forbidden'. ');">19

ט אצטריך סד"א כל בציר תרי ירחי חיי קמ"ל

9 — No, it may only refer to the small cattle.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In whose case (cf. prev. n.) only a 'four monthly' abortion was spoken of. The question of a seven monthly abortion cannot, therefore, be solved from this Baraitha. ');">20 What an argument this is! If you grant that the reference21

י אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל המפלת דמות לילית אמו טמאה לידה ולד הוא אלא שיש לו כנפים תנ"ה א"ר יוסי מעשה בסימוני באחת שהפילה דמות לילית ובא מעשה לפני חכמים ואמרו ולד הוא אלא שיש לו כנפים

10 was to the large cattle also, one can well see the necessity for it. For it might have been presumed that since [a seven monthly] is viable in the case of a woman it is also viable in that of cattle, we were informed that it is not viable; but if you maintain that reference was made to small cattle only, this would be obvious, for can a three monthly abortion live?22 — It23 was necessary: As it might have been presumed that anyone [born within] less than two months [before the conclusion of the normal conception] can survive,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. as in the case of man and large cattle one born at seven months after conception (two months before the normal period of nine months) is viable (though one born at eight months is not viable) so also in the case of small cattle (though one born at four months is not viable) one born at three months after conception (also two months before the normal period of five months) is viable. ');">24 hence we were informed that it25 was not viable.

יא המפלת דמות נחש הורה חנינא בן אחיו של רבי יהושע אמו טמאה לידה הלך ר' יוסף וספר דברים לפני ר"ג שלח לו רבי יהושע הנהג בן אחיך ובא

11 Rab Judah citing Samuel ruled: If an abortion had the likeness of Lilith26 its mother is unclean by reason of the birth, for it is a child, but it has wings. So it was also taught: R. Jose stated, It once happened at Simoni27 that a woman aborted the likeness of Lilith, and when the case came up for a decision before the Sages they ruled that it was a child but that it also had wings. If an abortion had the likeness of a serpent, Hanina the son of R. Joshua's brother ruled: Its mother is unclean by reason of the birth. R. Joseph proceeded to report the ruling to R. Gamaliel when the latter sent word [to]28 R. Joshua, 'Take charge of29

יב בהליכתן יצתה כלת (ר') חנינא לקראתו אמרה לו רבי המפלת כמין נחש מהו אמר לה אמו טהורה אמרה לו והלא משמך אמרה לי חמותי אמו טמאה ואמר לה מאיזה טעם הואיל וגלגל עינו עגול כשל אדם מתוך דבריה נזכר רבי יהושע שלח לו לרבן גמליאל מפי הורה חנינא

12 your nephew and come with him to me'. As they were going, Hanina's30 daughterin-law came out to meet R. Joshua.31 'Master', she said to him, 'what is your ruling where an abortion had the likeness of a serpent?' 'Its mother', he replied, 'is clean'. 'But', she retorted, 'was it not in your name that my mother-in-law told me that its mother was unclean?' 'And', he asked her, 'on what ground?' 'Since [she told him] its eye-ball is round like that of a human being'. As a result of her statements R. Joshua recollected his ruling and sent the following message to R. Gamaliel: 'Hanina gave his ruling on my authority'.32 Abaye observed: From this incident it may be learnt that when a scholar gives a ruling he should also indicate his reason so that when he is ever reminded of it he would recollect it. MISHNAH. IF A WOMAN ABORTED A SAC FULL OF WATER, FULL OF BLOOD, OR FULL OF MATTER OF VARIOUS COLOURS, SHE NEED NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE POSSIBILITY OF ITS BEING A VALID BIRTH; BUT IF ITS LIMBS WERE FASHIONED SHE MUST CONTINUE [IN UNCLEANNESS AND SUBSEQUENT CLEANNESS FOR THE PERIODS PRESCRIBED] FOR BOTH MALE AND FEMALE.33 IF SHE ABORTED A SANDAL OR A PLACENTA SHE MUST ALSO CONTINUE [IN UNCLEANNESS AND CLEANNESS AS] FOR BOTH MALE AND FEMALE.33 GEMARA. One can well understand why BLOOD or WATER34 [constitutes no valid birth, since in this respect] it is of no consequence;35 but as regards MATTER OF VARIOUS COLOURS,36

יג אמר אביי ש"מ צורבא מרבנן דאמר מילתא לימא בה טעמא דכי מדכרו ליה מדכר

13 why should not the possibility be taken into consideration that it had originally been a child that was now squashed? — Abaye replied: How much of undiluted wine must the mother of this thing have drunk that her embryo should be squashed within her bowels!37 Raba replied: We have learnt, FULL OF, and if it were the case that the embryo had been squashed something would have been missing.38

יד <big>מתני׳</big> המפלת שפיר מלא מים מלא דם מלא גנונים אינה חוששת לולד ואם היה מרוקם תשב לזכר ולנקבה המפלת סנדל או שליא תשב לזכר ולנקבה

14 R. Adda b. Ahaba replied: We have learnt, MATTER OF VARIOUS COLOURS, and if it were the case that an embryo had been squashed it would all have been reduced to the same colour. It was taught: Abba Saul stated, I was once a grave-digger39

טו <big>גמ׳</big> בשלמא דם ומים לא כלום היא אלא גנונים ניחוש שמא ולד הוה ונימוח אמר אביי כמה יין חי שתת אמו של זה שנמוח עוברה בתוך מעיה

15 when I made a practice of carefully observing the bones of the dead. The bones of one who drinks undiluted wine are burned; those of one who drinks wine excessively diluted are dry;40 and those of one who drinks wine properly mixed are full of marrow.41 The bones of a person whose drinking exceeds his eating are burned; those of one whose eating exceeds his drinking are dry,40

טז רבא אמר מלא תנן ואם איתא דאתמוחי אתמח מחסר חסר רב אדא בר אהבה אמר גוונים תנן ואם איתא דאתמוחי אתמח כולה בחד גוונא הוי קאי

16 and those of one who eats and drinks in a proper manner are full of marrow.41 It was taught: Abba Saul (or, as some say, R. Johanan stated): I was once a grave-digger.39 On one occasion, when pursuing a deer, I entered the thigh-bone of a corpse, and pursued it for three parasangs but did neither reach the deer nor the end of the thigh-bone.42 When I returned I was told that it was the thigh-bone of Og, King of Bashan.43

יז תניא אבא שאול אומר קובר מתים הייתי והייתי מסתכל בעצמות של מתים השותה יין חי עצמותיו שרופין מזוג עצמותיו סכויין כראוי עצמותיו משוחין וכל מי ששתייתו מרובה מאכילתו עצמותיו שרופין אכילתו מרובה משתייתו עצמותיו סכויין כראוי עצמותיו משוחין

17 It was taught: Abba Saul stated, I was once a grave-digger39 and on one occasion there was opened a cave under me and I stood in the eye-ball of a corpse up to my nose. When I returned I was told that it was the eye of Absalom. And should you suggest that Abba Saul was a dwarf [it may be mentioned that] Abba Saul was the tallest man in his generation, and R. Tarfon reached to his shoulder and that R. Tarfon was the tallest man in his generation and R. Meir reached to his shoulder. R. Meir was the tallest man in his generation and Rabbi reached to his shoulder. Rabbi was the tallest man in his generation and R. Hiyya reached to his shoulder, and R. Hiyya was the tallest in his generation and Rab reached to his shoulder. Rab was the tallest man in his generation and Rab Judah reached to his shoulder, and Rab Judah was the tallest man in his generation and his waiter Adda reached to his shoulder.

יח תניא אבא שאול אומר ואיתימא רבי יוחנן קובר מתים הייתי פעם אחת רצתי אחר צבי ונכנסתי בקולית של מת ורצתי אחריו שלש פרסאות וצבי לא הגעתי וקולית לא כלתה כשחזרתי לאחורי אמרו לי של עוג מלך הבשן היתה

יט תניא אבא שאול אומר קובר מתים הייתי פעם אחת נפתחה מערה תחתי ועמדתי בגלגל עינו של מת עד חוטמי כשחזרתי לאחורי אמרו עין של אבשלום היתה

כ ושמא תאמר אבא שאול ננס הוה אבא שאול ארוך בדורו הוה ורבי טרפון מגיע לכתפו ור' טרפון ארוך בדורו הוה ור"מ מגיע לכתפו רבי מאיר ארוך בדורו הוה ורבי מגיע לכתפו רבי ארוך בדורו הוה

כא ורבי חייא מגיע לכתפו ורבי חייא ארוך בדורו הוה ורב מגיע לכתפו רב ארוך בדורו הוה ורב יהודה מגיע לכתפו ורב יהודה ארוך בדורו הוה ואדא דיילא מגיע לכתפו

Previous Chapter Next Chapter