Niddah 59

מכדי ימי טהרה כמה הוו שתין ושיתא דל שבוע ג' דאטבלינן לה פשו להו שתין נכי חדא שתין נכי חדא ותלתין וה' תשעין וד' הויין תשעין וחמש מאי עבידתייהו

Consider! How many<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the assumption that the birth was that of a female child. ');">¹</span>

אמר רב ירמיה מדפתי

are the days of cleanness?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That follow the fourteen days of uncleanness, and the last day of which might be presumed to coincide with any of the days under discussion. ');">²</span>

כגון שבאת לפנינו בין השמשות דיהבינן לה טבילה יתירתא

Sixty-six.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that during the presumed days of cleanness no more than sixty-six immersions can be expected owing to the presumption that each might possibly be the eightieth day. ');">³</span>

ולב"ה דאמרי טבולת יום ארוך לא בעי טבילה ל"ה מאי עבידתייהו

Deduct<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From these sixty-six days. ');">⁴</span>

עשרים ותמניא כדאמרן הך שבוע ה' מטבלינן כל ליליא וליליא אימר סוף נדה היא

the third week<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which comprises the first seven of these. ');">⁵</span>

י' שבועין למה לי

in which the woman was required to perform [nightly] immersions<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On account of the same possibility that each was the eightieth day (in addition to her daily immersions necessitated by the possibility of her bearing in the condition of zibah). ');">⁶</span>

בתמניא ופלגא סגי

there remain sixty minus one. Now, sixty minus one and thirty-five<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Seven during the first week and fourteen during the second as well as during the third week (7 + 2 X 14 = 7 + 28 = 35). ');">⁷</span>

איידי דתנא פלגא דשבוע מסיק ליה ואיידי דתנא שבוע טמא תנא נמי שבוע טהור

are ninety-four, how then is the number of ninety-five obtained?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'what is their doing'. ');">⁸</span>

והאיכא טבילת זבה

— R. Jeremiah of Difti replied: This is a case, for instance, where the woman<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On her return. ');">⁹</span>

דלפני תשמיש קחשיב דלאחר תשמיש לא קחשיב

made her appearance before us at twilight,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the day preceding the one from which the counting begins. As twilight is a time of doubtful day and doubtful night it cannot be definitely regarded as either. ');">¹⁰</span>

ולב"ש דחשיב דלאחר תשמיש ניחשוב נמי טבילת זבה

so that<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Owing to the doubt. ');">¹¹</span>

בלידה קמיירי בזיבה לא קמיירי

we impose upon her an additional immersion.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Immediately after her appearance. That day, however, owing to the doubtful nature of twilight (cf. prev. n. but one) cannot be counted among the days and nights under discussion. ');">¹²</span>

והאיכא יולדת בזוב

According to Beth Hillel, however, who maintain that one who performed immersion on a long day<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. p. 204, n. 10. ');">¹³</span>

יולדת בזוב קחשיב זיבה גרידתא לא קחשיב

requires no immersion [at the conclusion]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that in the third week (cf. supra 29b ad fin.) only seven immersions are to be performed, and these together with the fourteen of the second week and the seven of the first week only amount to twenty-eight. ');">¹⁴</span>

שבועתא קמא דאתיא לקמן ליטבלה ביומא דילמא כל יומא ויומא שלימו לה ספורים דידה

how is the number thirty-five obtained?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'what is their doing'. ');">⁸</span>

הא מני ר"ע היא דאמר

— Twenty-eight, as has been explained,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. prev. n. ');">¹⁵</span>

בעינן ספורים בפנינו

while during the fifth week we require the woman to undergo immersion every night, since<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Owing to her' 'daily discharge during the fourth week. ');">¹⁶</span>

סוף שבוע קמא ליטבלה

it might be assumed [that each day<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the fifth week. ');">¹⁷</span>

חד בשבוע לא קמיירי

is the] last of the days of her menstruation.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which may have begun on any of the days of the fourth week each of which might have been preceded by the last of the days of cleanness. ');">¹⁸</span>

יומא קמא דאתיא לקמן ליטבלה דילמא שומרת יום כנגד יום היא

What need was there for the mention of ten weeks<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supra 29b ab init. ');">¹⁹</span>

בזבה גדולה קמיירי בזבה קטנה לא קמיירי

seeing that eight and a half<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In addition to the three clean weeks. ');">²⁰</span>

ש"מ תלת ש"מ

would suffice?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To make up the number 80: 3 + 8 1/2 weeks = 11 1/2 weeks = 11 X 7 + 3 = 80 days. ');">²¹</span>

ר"ע היא דאמר

— Since he had to mention half a week he mentioned all of it, and since he had to mention an unclean week<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The ninth; the first of each pair of alternate weeks, commencing with the first, being assumed (cf. supra 29b ab init.) to be an unclean one. ');">²²</span>

בעינן ספורים בפנינו

he also mentioned a clean one.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The tenth; being second of the last pair. ');">²³</span>

וש"מ ר"ש היא דאמר

But are there [not also the additional] immersions<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Every day after the fourth week. ');">²⁴</span>

אבל אמרו חכמים אסור לעשות כן שמא תבא לידי ספק

due to the possibility of the woman's being a zabah?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' During the preceding unclean week. Only in the case of the fourth week which has been preceded by clean weeks could no such immersions be expected. ');">²⁵</span>

וש"מ

They<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Beth Hillel. Lit., 'he'. ');">²⁶</span>

טבילה בזמנה מצוה

only count the immersions before intercourse<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the night preceding the thirty-fifth day. ');">²⁷</span>

ורבי יוסי בר' יהודה אומר

but not those that follow. But according to Beth Shammai who<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Giving the number as ninety-five. ');">²⁸</span>

דיה לטבילה באחרונה ולא אמרינן טבילה בזמנה מצוה

count also the immersions that follow intercourse, why was no mention made of the immersions that are due to the possibility of the woman's being a zabah? — They<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Beth Shammai. ');">²⁹</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> המפלת ליום מ' אינה חוששת לולד ליום מ"א תשב לזכר ולנקבה ולנדה

only deal with immersions that are occasioned by childbirth but do not discuss those that are due to <i>zibah</i>. Is there then [no mention of the possibility that the woman might have] given birth to a child while she was in a condition of <i>zibah</i>?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of course there is. How then could it be maintained that immersions due to zibah are not discussed? ');">³⁰</span>

רבי ישמעאל אומר

— They do take note of the 'possibility of a birth in a condition of <i>zibah</i>, but no note is taken of <i>zibah</i> alone. Why should not the woman perform immersion in the day-time of each of the days of the first week after she appeared before us, seeing that it is possible that her counting<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the seven days of menstruation. ');">³¹</span>

יום מ"א תשב לזכר ולנדה יום פ"א תשב לזכר ולנקבה ולנדה שהזכר נגמר למ"א והנקבה לפ"א

ended on that day?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Why then was it stated (supra 29b ad fin.) that she performs immersion in the nights only? ');">³²</span>

וחכ"א

— This is in agreement with<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'this whose?' ');">³³</span>

אחד בריית הזכר ואחד בריית הנקבה זה וזה מ"א

R. Akiba who ruled: It is required that the counting<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the seven days of menstruation. ');">³¹</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> למה הוזכר זכר

shall take place within our cognizance.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' No valid counting, therefore, is possible before a week had passed from the date of her return. ');">³⁴</span>

אי לימי טומאה הא קתני נקבה ואי לימי טהרה

But why should she not perform immersion at the end of the first week?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The seventh day after her return, when the counting did take place within our cognizance. ');">³⁵</span> — They do not discuss one day of a week. But why should she not perform immersion on the first day she comes to us, seeing that it is possible that she is awaiting a day for a day?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A clean day for an unclean one, sc. she might be within the period of the eleven days of zibah that intervene between the menstrual periods, during which she must perform immersion on the clean day following the one on which she experienced a discharge. ');">³⁶</span> — They deal with a major zabah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The result of discharges on three consecutive days within the eleven days period (cf. prev. n.). ');">³⁷</span> but not with a minor one.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Due to a discharge on one or two days only. ');">³⁸</span> Three rulings may thus be inferred: It may be inferred that it was R. Akiba who ruled that the counting<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the seven days of menstruation. ');">³⁹</span> must take place within our cognizance; and it may be inferred that it was R. Simeon who stated, 'The Sages have truly laid down that it is forbidden to do so since thereby she might be involved in a doubtful uncleanness';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supra 29b ad fin. q. v. notes. ');">⁴⁰</span> and it may also be inferred that it is a religious duty to perform immersion at the proper time.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., at the earliest possible moment. ');">⁴¹</span> R. Jose son of R. Judah, however, ruled: It suffices if one immersion is performed after the final [period of uncleanness], and we do not uphold the view that it is a religious act to perform immersion at the proper time.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., at the earliest possible moment. ');">⁴¹</span> <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. IF A WOMAN MISCARRIED ON THE FORTIETH DAY,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After presumed conception. ');">⁴²</span> SHE NEED NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE POSSIBILITY OF A VALID CHILDBIRTH; BUT IF ON THE FORTY-FIRST DAY,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After presumed conception. ');">⁴²</span> SHE MUST CONTINUE [HER PERIODS OF UNCLEANNESS AND CLEANNESS AS] FOR BOTH A MALE AND A FEMALE<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., since it is possible that the abortion was the embryo of a child either male or female, the restrictions of both are imposed upon her but none of the relaxations of either. ');">⁴³</span> AND AS FOR A MENSTRUANT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It being possible that the embryo was neither male nor female so that there was no valid childbirth. ');">⁴⁴</span> R. ISHMAEL RULED: [IF SHE MISCARRIED ON] THE FORTY-FIRST DAY<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After presumed conception. ');">⁴²</span> SHE CONTINUES [HER PERIODS OF UNCLEANNESS AND CLEANNESS AS] FOR A MALE<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., seven days of uncleanness even if there was no bleeding at the miscarriage. ');">⁴⁵</span> AND AS FOR A MENSTRUANT, BUT IF ON THE EIGHTY-FIRST DAY SHE MUST CONTINUE [THESE PERIODS AS] FOR A MALE AND A FEMALE AND A MENSTRUANT; BECAUSE A MALE IS FULLY FASHIONED<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'finished'. ');">⁴⁶</span> ON THE FORTY-FIRST DAY AND A FEMALE ON THE EIGHTY-FIRST DAY. THE SAGES, HOWEVER, MAINTAIN THAT BOTH THE FASHIONING<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'creation'. ');">⁴⁷</span> OF THE MALE AND THE FASHIONING<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'creation'. ');">⁴⁷</span> OF THE FEMALE TAKE THE SAME COURSE, EACH LASTING FORTY-ONE DAYS. <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. Why was MALE mentioned?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the ruling, FOR BOTH A MALE AND A FEMALE AND AS FOR A MENSTRUANT. ');">⁴⁸</span> If in respect of the days of uncleanness, FEMALE was mentioned;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whose fourteen days of uncleanness obviously absorb the seven unclean days of a male birth. ');">⁴⁹</span> and if in respect of the days of cleanness,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. that she is only entitled to the thirty-three clean days of the male and not to the sixty-six days of the female. ');">⁵⁰</span>