Niddah 4a

נדה ד׳ ע״א

Learn Niddah 4a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Niddah 4a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Why חזקיה and רבי יוחנן can argue about a basket (קופה) with a שרץ inside, when שמאי and הלל seem to agree that such a basket is טמא retroactively. The answer narrows their argument to a basket that was examined, or, in a second answer, to a basket that was covered.

Overview

This amud keeps working on a contradiction. שמאי and הלל seem to agree that a basket of טהרות with a שרץ found in it is טמא going back in time, so how can חזקיה call the food טהור? The גמרא first answers that חזקיה and רבי יוחנן argue about a basket that was examined. It then gives a second answer: they argue about a basket that was covered. Each answer is challenged because the basket must match a woman, and each time the reply is that blood is so common in a woman that she counts as unexamined or uncovered. A third answer says the basket was moved from one corner of a house to another. חזקיה does not assume the טומאה moved with it from place to place, and רבי יוחנן does. The גמרא then challenges רבי יוחנן from a teaching that טומאה is judged by the time and the place where it is found. It tries to say that rule only stops us from burning תרומה but still leaves it on hold. That idea is rejected with the rusty needle and the burned שרץ. A new distinction, between items that stayed put and items that moved, is attacked with the case of a loaf that fell past an impure item and is still pure. The amud ends as the גמרא starts to explain that the loaf case has its own reason, and that explanation continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (19)

1. Resolutionחזקיה and רבי יוחנן argue only about an examined basket
2. ChallengeBut the basket is compared to a woman, and a woman is examined
3. ResolutionA woman counts as unexamined because blood is common
4. ResolutionSecond answer: uncovered basket versus covered basket
5. QuestionHow could a שרץ get into a covered basket?
6. ResponseA basket used by opening its lid
7. ChallengeBut a woman is like a covered basket
8. ResolutionA woman counts as uncovered because blood is common
9. ResolutionAnother answer: a basket's corner versus a house's corner
10. ChallengeBut the case was about a basket
11. ResolutionA basket moved from one corner of the house to another
12. ChallengeDo we really assume טומאה moved? A משנה about touching someone at night
13. ChallengeJudged by the time and the place of finding
14. ResolutionMaybe the rule only stops burning
15. RejectionThe rusty needle proves we do not leave it on hold
16. ProofSecond proof: a burned שרץ on olives
17. ResolutionA new distinction: things that stayed put versus things that moved
18. RejectionThe loaf that fell past an impure item is still fully pure
19. ResolutionThe loaf case has its own stated reason