Niddah 73a — the Talmud in English

The verse teaches

in the second section dealing with the zavah,

“outside the time of her menstruation”

which implies that Scripture is speaking of a woman who sees for three days after the days of her menstruation,

“close to her menstruation,”

that is, on the eighth, ninth, and tenth days after the beginning of her days of menstruation.

And I have only

“close to her menstruation”;

far from the end of her menstruation,

one day—whence

that is, when she saw on the ninth, tenth, and eleventh days after the beginning of her menstruation.

The verse teaches: “Or when she discharges beyond her menstruation.”

And I have only

far

one day; whence do I include one who is far by two

137, three, four, five, six, and seven, eight, nine, ten?

Whence?

You say: What do we find in

day

fourth

after the seven days of menstruation—

which is fit for counting

of seven clean days, when she saw during the three days adjacent to the days of menstruation,

and is fit for zivah,

from the additional implication of the verse, “or when she discharges,” for if she saw while being far one day from her menstruation—that is, on the second, third, and fourth days after her days of menstruation—she thereby becomes a major zavah.

I, too, will include the tenth—

which is fit for counting

of seven clean days,

and is fit for zivah.

And whence to include the eleventh

which is not counted among the “seven clean days” when she sees close to her menstruation—

the verse teaches: “outside the time of her menstruation” -

and even when far greatly from the days of her menstruation!

Could I include even the twelfth?

You say: No.

And what did you see, to include the eleventh and exclude the twelfth?

I include the eleventh—

which is fit for the counting of

“or when she discharges.”

For when the fourth day after the days of menstruation was included for zivah, the eleventh day was also then included for the counting of seven clean days.

And I exclude the twelfth—

which is not fit for the counting of

seven clean days of

“or when she discharges.”

And I have

a zavah who sees blood

only for three days; for two days, whence—

the verse teaches, “days” 138.

One day, whence—

the verse teaches, “all the days.” “Impure”—

teaches that she renders her partner impure

by seeing for one day בלבד,

like a menstruant. “

She”—

she renders her partner impure, but the zav does not render impure what he engages with.

The Gemara explains the reason that we required this exclusion:

But is it not a matter of

[kal va-chomer]

itself: Just as she,

a zavah, who is unlike a zav and whose impurity is lighter,

who does not render impure through

three

sightings like

three

days,

that is, she must see three sightings on three separate days in order to become a major zavah,

renders her partner impure.

He,

the zav,

who renders impure through

three

sightings

even on one day,

like

three

days—

is it not all the more so that he renders impure what he engages with?

The verse teaches: “She”—

she renders her partner impure, but the zav does not render impure what he engages with.

And whence that she makes a lying-place and a sitting-place?

The verse teaches, “like the lying-place of her menstruation.”

And I have only

that she creates the impurity of a lying-place and a sitting-place

only

a zavah who sees

three days.

A minor zavah who sees only

two days, whence

that she creates the impurity of a lying-place and a sitting-place?

The verse teaches, “days.”

One day, whence?

The verse teaches, “all the days.”

And whence that she counts one for one

that she observes one day corresponding to one day?

The verse teaches, “It shall be for her.”

The verse added for her an “additional existence”—that is, a separate law from that of a major zavah with regard to observation—for she does not observe seven clean days, but observes one day corresponding to one day.

Could she count seven for two?

And it is a matter of logic: Just as he,

the zav, whose impurity is lighter,

who does not count one for one—

counts seven for two

sightings on two days.

She,

whose impurity is more severe,

who counts one for one—

is it not all the more so that she should count seven for two?

The verse teaches: “It shall be for her”—

she counts only her day.

The Gemara concludes its earlier question, proving that the teaching concerning the eleven days between one menstruation and the next is not a halakha given to Moses at Sinai, but rather

apparently, they are verses!

The Gemara answers:

According to Rabbi Akiva—

verses,

this halakha is learned from the meaning of the verses.

According to Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah—

a halakha—

a halakha given to Moses at Sinai.

Rav Shemaya said to Rabbi Abba:

Since the wording of the verse concerning the impurity of a zavah is, “And if a woman’s blood discharges for many days,” then

say,

if she saw

during the day—

let her be a zavah,

but if she saw

at night—

let her be a menstruant!

He said to him: Concerning you the verse says, “beyond her menstruation”—

close to her menstruation!

And this is the eighth night, for the seven days of menstruation end at the conclusion of the seventh day.

When is “close to her menstruation”?—

At night, and it calls her a zavah.

A tanna of the school of Elijah taught: Whoever repeats halakhot every day—

it is assured to him that he is a son of the World to Come.

As it is stated, “His ways are everlasting.”—

Do not read “ways,” but “halakhot!”

For they are Mishna, beraita, and halakha given to Moses at Sinai.

We shall return to you, chapter “The Maiden,” and the tractate Niddah is concluded.