Niddah 96

Chapter 96

א איכרפו דדיך לא הדרת בך אישתדו דדיך נמי לא הדרת בך

1 'Thy breasts were swollen, yet thou didst not repent; yea, thy breasts were dried up, yet thou didst not repent'.1

ב דכולי עלמא מיהא אתחתון סמכינן מנלן אמר רב יהודה אמר רב וכן תנא דבי ר' ישמעאל אמר קרא (במדבר ה, ו) איש או אשה כי יעשו מכל חטאות האדם השוה הכתוב אשה לאיש לכל עונשין שבתורה מה איש בסימן אחד אף אשה בסימן אחד

2 All2 at any rate agree that3 we rely on the lower mark; whence do we deduce this? — Rab Judah citing Rab replied and so it was taught at the school of R. Ishmael: Scripture said, When a man or a woman shall commit any sin that men commit,4

ג ואימא או האי או האי כאיש מה איש תחתון ולא עליון אף אשה תחתון ולא עליון

3 Scripture5 compared the 'woman' to the 'man' in respect of all the punishments in the Torah; as a man is subject to punishments on the appearance of the one mark6 so is also a woman subject to punishments on the appearance of the one mark. Might it not be suggested: Either the one or the other?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The analogy between 'man' and 'woman' extending only as far as a single mark is concerned, sc. that one mark (upper or lower) suffices to establish the majority of a woman as one mark (the lower) establishes the majority of a man. ');">7

ד תניא נמי הכי א"ר אליעזר בר' צדוק כך היו מפרשין ביבנה ואמרו כיון שבא תחתון שוב אין משגיחין על עליון

4 — Like the man: As with the man [the determining factor] is the lower mark and not the upper one so also with the woman it is the lower one that determines majority but not the upper one. So8 it was also taught: R. Eliezer son of R. Zadok stated, Thus did they explain and promulgate at Jamnia: As soon as the lower mark makes its appearance no attention need any longer be paid to the upper one.

ה תניא רשב"ג אומר בנות כרכים תחתון ממהר לבא מפני שרגילות במרחצאות בנות כפרים עליון ממהר לבא מפני שטוחנות ברחים

5 It was taught: R. Simeon b. Gamaliel stated, Among towns-women the lower mark appears earlier because they are in the habit of taking baths; among village women the upper mark appears earlier because they grind with millstones.9 R. Simeon b. Eleazar stated: Among the daughters of the rich the right hand side develops earlier because it rubs against their scarves;10 among the daughters of the poor the left side develops earlier because they carry11

ו ר"ש בן אלעזר אומר בנות עשירים צד ימין ממהר לבא שנישוף באפקריסותן בנות עניים צד שמאל ממהר לבא מפני ששואבות כדי מים עליהן ואיבעית אימא מפני שנושאין אחיהן על גססיהן

6 jars of water on them. And if you prefer I might say, Because they carry their brothers on their sides. Our Rabbis taught: The left side develops earlier than the right side. R. Hanina the son of the brother of R. Joshua stated: The left side never developed earlier than the right side except in the case of one woman who lived in our neighbourhood whose left side developed earlier than the right one which later regained its normal strength. Our Rabbis taught: All girls to be examined must be examined by women. So also R. Eliezer entrusted the examination to his wife, and R. Ishmael entrusted it to his mother. R. Judah ruled: Before the period12 and after the period,13

ז ת"ר צד שמאל קודם לצד ימין רבי חנינא בן אחי ר' יהושע אומר מעולם לא קדם צד שמאל לצד ימין חוץ מאחת שהיתה בשכונתי שקדם צד שמאל לצד ימין וחזר לאיתנו

7 women examine them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But, whether they report the presence of hair or their absence, the girls in the former case (a time when hairs are regarded as a mere 'mole') are treated as minors. In the latter case (a time when pubic hairs and maturity may well be expected) the girls are deemed to be of age if the women report the presence of hairs; but even if they report their absence, the girls cannot be treated as minors (since the hairs may have fallen off) and they are consequently deprived of the right of mi'un (v. Glos.). ');">14 During the period<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From the age of eleven years and one day to that of twelve years and one day, when their status is a matter of doubt and is entirely dependent on the presence or absence of the hairs. ');">15

ח ת"ר כל הנבדקות נבדקות על פי נשים וכן היה רבי אליעזר מוסר לאשתו ורבי ישמעאל מוסר לאמו

8 no woman may examine them, since in doubtful cases16

ט רבי יהודה אומר לפני הפרק ולאחר הפרק נשים בודקות אותן תוך הפרק אין נשים בודקות אותן שאין משיאין ספקות על פי נשים ר"ש אומר אף תוך הפרק נשים בודקות אותן ונאמנת אשה להחמיר אבל לא להקל

9 no woman is allowed to marry17 on the evidence of women. R. Simeon ruled, Even during the period<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From the age of eleven years and one day to that of twelve years and one day, when their status is a matter of doubt and is entirely dependent on the presence or absence of the hairs. ');">15 women examine them. And a woman may be relied upon when by her evidence the law is restricted but not when it is relaxed thereby. How so? [She may be relied upon when she states: 'The girl] is of age', so that the latter should thereby be denied the right of mi'un, or 'She is a minor', so that she should thereby be denied the right of performing halizah; but she is not trusted when asserting, 'She is a minor', so that she should have the right of exercising mi'un, or 'She is of age', so that she should be entitled to perform halizah. The Master said, 'R. Judah ruled: Before the period and after the period women examine them'. One can well concede that before the period an examination is required, for should [the same hairs]18 be found after the period they would be regarded as a mole;19

י כיצד גדולה היא שלא תמאן קטנה היא שלא תחלוץ

10 but what need could there be for an examination after the period seeing that Raba has laid down that a minor who has attained the age of her majority need not be examined since there is presumption that she had by that time produced the marks of puberty? — When Raba stated, 'there is presumption', he meant it in respect of mi'un,20

יא אבל אין נאמנת לומר קטנה היא שתמאן וגדולה היא שתחלוץ

11 but as regards halizah21

יב אמר מר רבי יהודה אומר לפני הפרק ולאחר הפרק נשים בודקות אותן בשלמא לפני הפרק בעי בדיקה דאי משתכחי לאחר הפרק שומא נינהו

12 an examination is still required.22 'During the period no women may examine them', because he is of the opinion [that the presence of hairs] during the period [is a mark of majority] as after the period;23 but after the period, when Raba's presumption is applicable, we rely upon women who may, therefore, conduct the examination,22

יג אלא לאחר הפרק למה לי בדיקה והאמר רבא קטנה שהגיעה לכלל שנותיה אינה צריכה בדיקה חזקה הביאה סימנין כי אמר רבא חזקה למיאון אבל לחליצה בעיא בדיקה

13 while during the period, when Raba's presumption is not applicable, we cannot rely upon women, and women, therefore, may not conduct the examination. 'R. Simeon ruled, Even during the period women examine them', for he is of the opinion [that the presence of hairs] during the period [is no more a mark of puberty] than it is before the period; and an examination is, therefore, required so that if [the same hairs]24 should be found after the period they would be regarded as a mole.25 'And a woman may be relied upon when by her evidence the law is restricted but not when it is relaxed thereby.' Who taught this? — If you wish I might say: R. Judah, and [the reference is to evidence] during the period.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' His opinion being that hairs discovered during the period are evidence of puberty as are hairs discovered after the period. If the women report the presence of hairs as a result of which the girl is deprived of the right of mi'un they are relied upon since the law is thereby restricted. Their evidence, however, is not relied upon as regards entitling her to perform halizah since thereby the law would be relaxed. ');">26

יד תוך הפרק אין נשים בודקות אותן קסבר תוך הפרק כלאחר הפרק (דמי)

טו ולאחר הפרק דאיכא חזקה דרבא סמכינן אנשים ובדקי תוך הפרק דליכא חזקה דרבא לא סמכינן אנשים ולא בדקי נשים

טז ר"ש אומר אף תוך הפרק נשים בודקות אותן קסבר תוך הפרק כלפני הפרק ובעיא בדיקה דאי משתכחי לאחר הפרק שומא נינהו

יז ונאמנת אשה להחמיר אבל לא להקל האי מאן קתני לה איבעית אימא רבי יהודה ואתוך הפרק

Previous Chapter Next Chapter