Niddah 77

Chapter 77

א ישבה לה ולא בדקה שגגה נאנסה הזידה ולא בדקה טהורה

1 IF SHE NEGLECTED TO1

ב הגיע שעת וסתה ולא בדקה הרי זו טמאה ר"מ אומר אם היתה במחבא והגיע שעת וסתה ולא בדקה הרי זו טהורה מפני שחרדה מסלקת את הדמים

2 EXAMINE HERSELF, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER THE NEGLECT2 WAS UNWITTING, UNDER CONSTRAINT OR WILFUL, SHE IS CLEAN. IF THE TIME OF HER REGULAR PERIOD HAS ARRIVED AND SHE FAILED TO EXAMINE HERSELF SHE IS DEFINITELY UNCLEAN.3 R. MEIR RULED: IF A WOMAN WAS IN A HIDING-PLACE4

ג אבל ימי הזב והזבה ושומרת יום כנגד יום הרי אלו בחזקת טומאה

3 WHEN THE TIME OF HER REGULAR PERIOD ARRIVED AND SHE FAILED TO EXAMINE HERSELF SHE IS DEFINITELY CLEAN, BECAUSE FEAR SUSPENDS THE FLOW OF BLOOD. BUT THE DAYS PRESCRIBED FOR A ZAB OR A ZABAH5

ד <big>גמ׳</big> למאי הלכתא אמר רב יהודה לומר שאינה צריכה בדיקה והא מדקתני סיפא ישבה ולא בדקה מכלל דלכתחלה בעיא בדיקה

4 OR FOR ONE WHO AWAITS DAY AGAINST DAY6 ARE7 PRESUMED TO BE UNCLEAN.8 GEMARA. In respect of what laws had this9

ה סיפא אתאן לימי נדה וה"ק כל י"א בחזקת טהרה ולא בעיא בדיקה אבל בימי נדתה בעיא בדיקה ישבה ולא בדקה שגגה נאנסה הזידה ולא בדקה טהורה

5 to be stated? — Rab Judah replied: In order to lay down that no examination10 is required.11 But since it was stated in the final clause, IF SHE NEGLECTED TO EXAMINE HERSELF,12

ו רב חסדא אמר לא צריכא אלא לר"מ דאמר אשה שאין לה וסת אסורה לשמש ה"מ בימי נדתה אבל בימי זיבתה בחזקת טהרה קיימא

6 it follows, does it not, that at the outset an examination is required? — The final clause applies to the days of the menstruation period; and it is this that was meant: THROUGHOUT ALL THE ELEVEN DAYS A WOMAN IS IN A PRESUMPTIVE STATE OF CLEANNESS13 and no examination is necessary, but during the days of her menstruation period14 an examination15

ז א"ה אמאי א"ר מאיר יוציא ולא יחזיר עולמית דלמא אתיא לקלקולא בימי נדה

7 is required;16 but IF SHE NEGLECTED TO EXAMINE HERSELF, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER THE NEGLECT WAS UNWITTING, UNDER CONSTRAINT OR WILFUL, SHE IS CLEAN.17

ח הא מדקתני סיפא הגיע שעת וסתה ולא בדקה מכלל דבאשה שיש לה וסת עסקינן חסורי מחסרא והכי קתני כל י"א בחזקת טהרה ושריא לבעלה ובימי נדה אסורה

8 R. Hisda replied: This18 was only required to indicate that R. Meir's ruling that19 a woman who has no regular period is forbidden marital intercourse,20

ט בד"א באשה שאין לה וסת אבל יש לה וסת מותרת וצריכה בדיקה ישבה ולא בדקה שגגה נאנסה הזידה ולא בדקה טהורה הגיע שעת וסתה ולא בדקה טמאה

9 applies only to the days of her menstruation period, but during the days of her zibah she enjoys21 A PRESUMPTIVE STATE OF CLEANNESS. If so,22

י הא מדסיפא ר"מ רישא לאו ר"מ כולה ר"מ היא וה"ק אם לא היתה במחבא והגיע שעת וסתה ולא בדקה טמאה שר"מ אומר אם היתה במחבא והגיע שעת וסתה ולא בדקה טהורה שחרדה מסלקת את הדמים

10 why did R. Meir rule: He must divorce her and never remarry her?20 — Since it is possible to be tempted23 to improper conduct during the days of the menstruation period. But since it was stated in the final clause. IF THE TIME OF HER REGULAR PERIOD HAS ARRIVED AND SHE FAILED TO EXAMINE HERSELF, may it not be concluded that we are here dealing with one who had a REGULAR PERIOD? — The Mishnah is defective and the proper reading is this: THROUGHOUT ALL THE ELEVEN DAYS A WOMAN IS IN A PRESUMPTIVE STATE OF CLEANNESS and is, therefore, permitted to her husband, but during the days of her menstruation period she is forbidden to him. This, however, applies only to a woman who has no regular period, but if she has a regular period she is permitted to him and only an examination is necessary. IF SHE NEGLECTED TO EXAMINE HERSELF, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER THE NEGLECT WAS UNWITTING, UNDER CONSTRAINT OR WILFUL, SHE IS CLEAN. IF THE TIME OF HER REGULAR PERIOD HAS ARRIVED AND SHE FAILED TO EXAMINE HERSELF SHE IS DEFINITELY UNCLEAN. But, since the final clause is the view of R. Meir,24

יא רבא אמר לומר שאינה מטמאה מעת לעת

11 the first one is not that of R. Meir, is it? — All the Mishnah represents the view of R. Meir and this is the proper reading: If she was not in a hiding place and the time of her regular period has arrived and she did not examine herself she is unclean, for R. MEIR RULED: IF A WOMAN WAS IN A HIDING PLACE WHEN THE TIME OF HER REGULAR PERIOD ARRIVED AND SHE FAILED TO EXAMINE HERSELF SHE IS CLEAN, BECAUSE FEAR SUSPENDS THE FLOW OF THE BLOOD. Raba replied: This25

יב מיתיבי הנדה והזבה והשומרת יום כנגד יום והיולדת כולן מטמאות מעת לעת תיובתא

12 is to tell that she26 does not27 cause twenty-four hours retrospective uncleanness. An objection was raised: A menstruant,28

יג רב הונא בר חייא אמר שמואל לומר שאינה קובעת לה וסת בתוך ימי זיבתה אמר רב יוסף לא שמיע לי הא שמעתתא

13 a zabah,28 and a woman who awaits day against day29 or who is in childbirth30 cause twenty-four hours retrospective uncleanness! — This is indeed a refutation.

יד א"ל אביי את אמרת ניהלן ואהא אמרת לן היתה למודה להיות רואה יום ט"ו (יום) ושינתה ליום כ' זה וזה אסורין לשמש שינתה פעמים ליום כ' זה וזה אסורין

14 R. Huna b. Hiyya31 citing Samuel replied: This25 is to tell that she cannot establish for herself a regular period during the days of her zibah.32

טו ואמרת לן עלה אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל ל"ש אלא ט"ו לטבילתה שהן כ"ב לראיתה דהתם בימי נדתה קאי לה אבל ט"ו לראיתה דבימי זיבתה קאי לא קבעה

15 R. Joseph33 remarked: I have not heard this traditional explanation.34

טז אמר רב פפא אמריתא לשמעתא קמיה רב יהודה מדסקרתא מקבע לא קבעה מיחש מהו דניחוש לה

16 Said Abaye35 to him, You yourself have told it to us,36

יז אישתיק ולא א"ל ולא מידי אמר רב פפא נחזי אנן היתה למודה להיות רואה ליום ט"ו ושינתה ליום כ' זה וזה אסורין

17 and it was in connection with the following that you told it to us: If she was accustomed to observe a flow of menstrual blood on the fifteenth day,37 and this was changed38 to the twentieth day,37 marital intercourse is forbidden39 on both dates.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is forbidden on the fifteenth which is the date of her regular period, and it is also forbidden on the twentieth since it is possible that henceforth that day would become her regular period. If in the third month also she experiences the discharge on the twentieth, she establishes thereby a new regular period and henceforth only the twentieth is forbidden while the fifteenth becomes permitted. ');">40 If this was changed twice to the twentieth day,41 marital intercourse is again forbidden on both dates. And in connection with this you have told us: Rab Judah citing Samuel explained. This<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the fifteenth day is regarded as a regular period that cannot be altered unless the discharge appeared three times in three consecutive months respectively on a different date. ');">42 was learnt only [when she was accustomed to observe a flow] on the fifteenth day after her ritual immersion43 which is the twenty-second day44 after her observation of her discharge, since on such a day45 she is already within the days of her menstruation period,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which begins after eighteen days (i.e., the seven days of menstruation plus the eleven, the days of the zibah period) have passed since the first day of the discharge, and continues for seven days. ');">46 but the fifteenth day after her observation, on which she is still within the days of her zibah period,47 cannot be established as a regular period. R. Papa stated: I recited this tradition before R. Judah of Diskarta [and asked:] Granted that she cannot establish thereby48 a regular period,49 must we take into consideration the possibility of such a regular period?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that where a woman observed a discharge on the fifteenth day in each of three consecutive months intercourse on that day should be forbidden in the fourth months on the ground that, despite the zibah period in which the fifteenth day occurs, a regular period may have been established and the discharge would again appear on that date. ');">50 The latter remained silent and said nothing at all. Said R. Papa: Let us look into the matter ourselves. [It has been laid down that] if she was accustomed to observe a flow of menstrual blood on the fifteenth day and this was changed to the twentieth day, marital intercourse is forbidden on both days.51

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