Niddah 60

הא קתני נדה

was not menstruant mentioned?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whose discharges of blood are invariably unclean whatever the day. ');">¹</span>

שאם תראה יום ל"ד ותחזור ותראה יום מ' ואחד תהא מקולקלת עד מ"ח

— In order that if the woman observed a discharge on the thirty-fourth day<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When she is held to be unclean on account of possible menstruation, though the day is only (34 — 7 = 27) the twenty-seventh of the thirty-three clean days prescribed for a male birth. ');">²</span>

וכן לענין נקבה שאם תראה יום ע"ד ותחזור ותראה יום פ"א תהא מקולקלת עד פ"ח

and then observed one on the forty-first day<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which is the eighth day after the discharge on the thirty-fourth. ');">³</span>

רבי ישמעאל אומר יום מ"א תשב לזכר ולנדה כו'

she<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Despite the previous assumption of menstruation on the thirty-fourth day, which would put the forty-first day outside the seven days of the menstruation period (when the observation of a discharge necessitates the waiting of no more than one single day). ');">⁴</span>

תניא רבי ישמעאל אומר

shall remain unclean<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'damaged'. ');">⁵</span>

טימא וטיהר בזכר וטימא וטיהר בנקבה מה כשטימא וטיהר בזכר יצירתו כיוצא בו אף כשטימא וטיהר בנקבה יצירתה כיוצא בה

until the forty-eighth day.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It being assumed that the miscarriage was a male and that the thirty-fourth day was therefore still within the thirty-three clean days prescribed for a male birth, so that the second discharge on the forty-first day was the first menstrual one after the completion of the thirty-three clean days in consequence of which she must wait another seven days to complete the menstruation period. Her ritual immersion, therefore, cannot take place before (41 + 7 = 48) the forty-eighth day. ');">⁶</span>

אמרו לו

And so also in respect [of the possible birth of] a female<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the restrictions on account of this possibility imposed in our Mishnah. ');">⁷</span>

אין למדין יצירה מטומאה

[the last word had to be mentioned] so that if she observed any blood on the seventy-fourth day and these again on the eighty-first day she shall remain unclean until the eighty-eighth day.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. prev. nn. mut. mut. ');">⁸</span>

אמרו לו לר' ישמעאל

R. ISHMAEL RULED: [IF SHE MISCARRIED ON] THE FORTY-FIRST DAY SHE CONTINUES [HER PERIODS OF UNCLEANNESS AND CLEANNESS AS] FOR A MALE AND AS FOR A MENSTRUANT etc. It was taught: R. Ishmael stated, Scripture prescribed uncleanness<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Seven days (Lev. XII, 2). ');">⁹</span>

מעשה בקליאופטרא מלכת אלכסנדרוס שנתחייבו שפחותיה הריגה למלכות ובדקן ומצאן זה וזה למ"א

and cleanness<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thirty-three days (ibid. 4). ');">¹⁰</span>

אמר להן

in respect of a male<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Making a total of forty days. ');">¹¹</span>

אני מביא לכם ראייה מן התורה ואתם מביאין לי ראייה מן השוטים

and it also prescribed uncleanness<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Fourteen days (Lev. XII, 5). ');">¹²</span>

מאי ראיה מן התורה

and cleanness<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sixty-six days (ibid.). ');">¹³</span>

אילימא טימא וטיהר בזכר וטימא וטיהר בנקבה כו' הא קאמרי ליה

in respect of a female,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A total of eighty days. ');">¹⁴</span>

אין דנין יצירה מטומאה

as in the case of the former<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'when it prescribed uncleanness and cleanness in respect of the male'. ');">¹⁵</span>

אמר קרא תלד הוסיף לה הכתוב לידה אחרת בנקבה

his fashioning period<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Forty days. ');">¹⁶</span>

ומאי ראיה מן השוטים

corresponds to his unclean and clean periods<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'similarly'. ');">¹⁷</span>

אימר

so also in the case of the latter<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. prev. n. but two mut. mut. ');">¹⁸</span>

נקבה קדים ואיעבור ארבעין יומין קמי זכר

her fashioning period<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Eighty days. ');">¹⁹</span>

ורבנן סמא דנפצא אשקינהו

corresponds to her unclean and clean periods.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'similarly'. ');">¹⁷</span>

ור' ישמעאל איכא גופא דלא מקבל סמא

They<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Rabbis at the schoolhouse. ');">²⁰</span>

אמר להם ר' ישמעאל

replied: The duration of the fashioning period cannot be derived from that of uncleanness. Furthermore, they said to R. Ishmael, A story is told of Cleopatra the queen of Alexandria<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cur. edd. 'Alexandrus' (cf. Jast.). The following incident may have its origin in a legend that Cleopatra (68-30 B.C.E.) before committing suicide attempted various forms of execution on her slaves (cf. Golds.). ');">²¹</span>

מעשה בקלפטרא מלכת יוונית שנתחייבו שפחותיה הריגה למלכות ובדקן ומצאן זכר לארבעים ואחד ונקבה לפ"א

that when her handmaids were sentenced to death by royal decree they<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Having forfeited their lives and being at her mercy. ');">²²</span>

אמרו לו

were subjected to a test<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Fertilization and subsequent operation. ');">²³</span>

אין מביאין ראיה מן השוטים

and it was found that both [a male and a female embryo] were fully fashioned on the forty-first day. He replied: I bring you proof from the Torah and you bring proof from some fools! But what was his 'proof from the Torah'? If it was the argument, 'Scripture prescribed uncleanness and cleanness in respect of a male and it also prescribed uncleanness and cleanness in respect of a female etc.', have they not already replied, 'The duration of the fashioning period cannot be derived from that of uncleanness'? — The Scriptural text says, She bear,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XII, 5. ');">²⁴</span>

מאי טעמא

Scripture thus<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By the superfluous expression of 'she bear' the omission of which could in no way have affected the sense of the text. ');">²⁵</span>

הך דנקבה אייתרה ארבעין יומין והדר איעבר

doubles the ante-natal period<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In which the embryo is fashioned. Lit., 'added to her&nbsp;… another birth', sc. forty days in addition to the forty days during which a male embryo is fashioned. ');">²⁶</span>

ורבי ישמעאל לשומר מסרינהו ורבנן אין אפוטרופוס לעריות אימא שומר גופיה בא עליה

in the case of a female.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which proves that the fashioning period of a female embryo is (40 + 40 =) 80 days. ');">²⁷</span>

ודילמא אי קרעוהו להך דנקבה בארבעין וחד הוה משתכחא כזכר

But why [should the test spoken of by the Rabbis be described as] 'proof from some fools'? — It might be suggested that the conception of the female preceded that of the male by forty days.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And that this was the reason why in the Cleopatra test both were found to be fully fashioned. ');">²⁸</span>

אמר אביי

And the Rabbis?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' How could they rely upon such inconclusive evidence? ');">²⁹</span>

בסימניהון שוין

— They<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cleopatra's handmaids. ');">³⁰</span>

וחכ"א

were made to drink<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Before they were experimented on. ');">³¹</span>

אחד בריית זכר ואחד בריית נקבה וכו'

a scattering drug<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., destroying the semen in the womb. ');">³²</span>

חכמים היינו ת"ק

And R. Ishmael?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' What objection then could he have put forward against the proof of the Rabbis? ');">³³</span>

וכי תימא

— Some constitution is insusceptible<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'does not receive'. ');">³⁴</span>

למסתמא רישא כרבנן ויחיד ורבים הלכה כרבים פשיטא

to a drug.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It was quite possible, therefore, that despite the drug the conception of the female took place forty days prior to that of the male. ');">³⁵</span>

מהו דתימא

Then said R. Ishmael to them:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Rabbis. ');">³⁶</span>

מסתברא טעמא דרבי ישמעאל דקמסייע ליה קראי קמ"ל

A story is told of Cleopatra the Grecian<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Egypt in Cleopatra's reign was under the influence of Greek institutions and Greek culture. ');">³⁷</span>

דרש רבי שמלאי

queen that when her handmaids were sentenced to death under a government order they were subjected to a test and it was found that a male embryo was fully fashioned on the forty-first day<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After conception. ');">³⁸</span>

למה הולד דומה במעי אמו לפנקס שמקופל ומונח

and a female embryo on the eighty-first day. They replied: No one adduces proof from fools. What is the reason?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Why the incident cited should not be accepted as proof. MS.M. reads: 'What is the reason why no proof is adduced from fools?' ');">³⁹</span>

ידיו על שתי צדעיו שתי אציליו על ב' ארכובותיו וב' עקביו על ב' עגבותיו וראשו מונח לו בין ברכיו ופיו סתום וטבורו פתוח ואוכל ממה שאמו אוכלת ושותה ממה שאמו שותה ואינו מוציא רעי שמא יהרוג את אמו

— It is possible that the handmaid with the female delayed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. BaH. ');">⁴⁰</span>

וכיון שיצא לאויר העולם נפתח הסתום ונסתם הפתוח שאלמלא כן אינו יכול לחיות אפילו שעה אחת

[intercourse] for forty days and that it was only then that conception occurred.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The 'eighty-first day' was, therefore, in reality the forty-first one. ');">⁴¹</span>

ונר דלוק לו על ראשו וצופה ומביט מסוף העולם ועד סופו שנאמר

And R. Ishmael?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' How in view of this possibility can he maintain that the incident provides the required proof? ');">⁴²</span>

(איוב כט, ג) בהלו נרו עלי ראשי לאורו אלך חשך

— They were placed in the charge of a warden.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whose duty it was to prevent all intercourse except on one particular day. ');">⁴³</span>

ואל תתמה שהרי אדם ישן כאן ורואה חלום באספמיא

And the Rabbis?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' How in view of this safeguard could it be suggested that the conception of the female was delayed for forty days? ');">⁴⁴</span>

ואין לך ימים שאדם שרוי בטובה יותר מאותן הימים שנאמר

— There is no guardian against unchastity;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Popular proverb. ');">⁴⁵</span>

(איוב כט, ב) מי יתנני כירחי קדם כימי אלוה ישמרני ואיזהו ימים שיש בהם ירחים ואין בהם שנים הוי אומר

and the warden himself might have intercourse with them. But<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the test in respect of the female took place on the eighty-first day. ');">⁴⁶</span>

אלו ירחי לידה

is it not possible that if a surgical operation had been performed on the forty-first day the female embryo also might have been found in a fully fashioned condition like the male?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' An objection against R. Ishmael. ');">⁴⁷</span>

ומלמדין אותו כל התורה כולה שנאמר

— Abaye replied: They<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The male and the female. ');">⁴⁸</span>

(משלי ד ד) ויורני ויאמר לי יתמך דברי לבך שמור מצותי וחיה ואומר

were equal as far as these distinguishing marks were concerned.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Those of the male embryo on the fortieth day were like those of the female on the eighty-first. ');">⁴⁹</span>

(איוב כט, ד) בסוד אלוה עלי אהלי

THE SAGES, HOWEVER, MAINTAIN THAT BOTH THE FASHIONING OF THE MALE AND THE FASHIONING OF THE FEMALE etc. Is not the ruling of the Sages identical with that of the first Tanna?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who earlier in the Mishnah ruled that 'IF ON THE FORTY-FIRST DAY SHE MUST CONTINUE&nbsp;… FOR BOTH A MALE AND A FEMALE AND FOR A MENSTRUANT' from which it follows that a female also is fully fashioned on the forty-first day. ');">⁵⁰</span>

מאי ואומר

And should you reply that the object<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of repeating in the name of the Sages an earlier anonymous ruling. ');">⁵¹</span>

וכי תימא נביא הוא דקאמר ת"ש

was to indicate that the anonymous Mishnah represented the view of the Rabbis because when an individual is opposed by many the <i>halachah</i> is in agreement with the many, is not this<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the anonymous ruling is the view of the Rabbis. ');">⁵²</span>

בסוד אלוה עלי אהלי

obvious?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of course it is, since all anonymous rulings generally represent the views of the majority of Sages and the halachah is in agreement with them. ');">⁵³</span>

וכיון שבא לאויר העולם בא מלאך וסטרו על פיו ומשכחו כל התורה כולה שנאמר

— It might have been presumed that R. Ishmael's reason is acceptable since it is also supported by a Scriptural text,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As quoted by R. Ishmael supra. ');">⁵⁴</span>

(בראשית ד, ז) לפתח חטאת רובץ

hence we were informed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By repeating the anonymous Mishnah in the name of the Sages. ');">⁵⁵</span>

ואינו יוצא משם עד שמשביעין אותו שנאמר

[that the <i>halachah</i> is in agreement with the Sages].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Despite R. Ishmael's argument and text. ');">⁵⁶</span>

(ישעיהו מה, כג) כי לי תכרע כל ברך תשבע כל לשון כי לי תכרע כל ברך זה יום המיתה שנאמר

R. Simlai delivered the following discourse: What does an embryo resemble when it is in the bowels of its mother? Folded writing tablets.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Pinkas, cf. [G]. ');">⁵⁷</span>

(תהלים כב, ל) לפניו יכרעו כל יורדי עפר תשבע כל לשון זה יום הלידה שנאמר

Its hands rest on its two temples respectively, its two elbows on its two legs and its two heels against its buttocks. Its head lies between its knees, its mouth is closed and its navel is open, and it eats what its mother eats and drinks what its mother drinks, but produces no excrements because otherwise it might kill its mother. As soon, however, as it sees the light<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'went out to the air space of the world'. ');">⁵⁸</span>

(תהלים כד, ד) נקי כפים ובר לבב אשר לא נשא לשוא נפשו ולא נשבע למרמה ומה היא השבועה שמשביעין אותו תהי צדיק ואל תהי רשע ואפילו כל העולם כולו אומרים לך

the closed organ<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Its mouth. ');">⁵⁹</span>

צדיק אתה היה בעיניך כרשע

opens and the open one<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Navel. ');">⁶⁰</span>

והוי יודע שהקב"ה טהור ומשרתיו טהורים ונשמה שנתן בך טהורה היא אם אתה משמרה בטהרה מוטב ואם לאו הריני נוטלה ממך

closes, for if that had not happened the embryo could not live even one single hour. A light burns above its head and it looks and sees from one end of the world to the other, as it is said, then his lamp shined above my head, and by His light I walked through darkness.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XXIX, 3. ');">⁶¹</span>

תנא דבי ר' ישמעאל

And do not be astonished at this, for a person sleeping here<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Babylon. ');">⁶²</span>

משל לכהן שמסר תרומה לעם הארץ ואמר לו

might see a dream in Spain. And there is no time in which a man enjoys greater happiness than in those days,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'and you have no days in which a man dwells in more happiness than in these days'. ');">⁶³</span>

אם אתה משמרה בטהרה מוטב ואם לאו הריני שורפה לפניך

for it is said, O that I were as the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XXIX, 2. ');">⁶⁴</span>

א"ר אלעזר

now which are the days' that make up 'months'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'in which there are the months' (of bearing). ');">⁶⁵</span> and do not make up years? The months of pregnancy of course.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'be saying, these are the months of bearing'. ');">⁶⁶</span> It is also taught all the Torah from beginning to end,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'all of it'. ');">⁶⁷</span> for it is said, And he taught me, and said unto me: 'Let thy heart hold fast my words, keep my commandments and live',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. IV, 4. ');">⁶⁸</span> and it is also said, When the converse of God was upon my tent.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XXIX, 4. ');">⁶⁹</span> Why the addition of<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'what'. ');">⁷⁰</span> 'and it is also said'? — In case you might say that it was only the prophet who said that,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that it does not apply to other men. ');">⁷¹</span> come and hear 'when the converse of God was upon my tent.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XXIX, 4. ');">⁶⁹</span> As soon as it, sees the light an angel approaches, slaps it on its mouth and causes it to forget all the Torah completely,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'all of it'. ');">⁶⁷</span> as it is said, Sin coucheth at the door.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. IV, 7. ');">⁷²</span> It does not emerge from there before it is made to take an oath,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Its nature is described presently. ');">⁷³</span> as it is said, That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XLV, 23. ');">⁷⁴</span> 'That unto Me every knee shall bow' refers to the day of dying of which it is said All they that go down to the dust shall kneel before Him;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XXII, 30. ');">⁷⁵</span> 'Every tongue shall swear' refers to the day of birth of which it is said, He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, who hath not taken My name<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So the kre. The kethib is 'his name. ');">⁷⁶</span> in vain, and hath not sworn deceitfully.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XXIV, 4. ');">⁷⁷</span> What is the nature of the oath that it is made to take? Be righteous, and be never wicked; and even if all the world tells you, You are righteous', consider yourself wicked.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'be in your eyes like a wicked man'. ');">⁷⁸</span> Always bear in mind<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'be knowing'. ');">⁷⁹</span> that the Holy One, blessed be He, is pure, that his ministers are pure and that the soul which He gave you is pure; if you preserve it in purity, well and good, but if not, I will take it away from you. The school of R. Ishmael taught: This may be compared to the case of a priest who handled over some <i>terumah</i> to an 'am ha-arez and told him, 'If you preserve it under conditions of cleanness, well and good, but if not, I will burn it in your presence'. R. Eleazar