Niddah 52b

נדה נ״ב ע״ב

Learn Niddah 52b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

שתי שערות (location, מיאון, length) and whether a כתם can lead to זיבה

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a challenge from the story of איוב, where ה׳ says every hair has its own follicle. The גמרא answers that this is true only of the head, not the body. שמואל and a ברייתא say the two hairs of adulthood can be in different places. רב חסדא explains that the רבנן require both hairs in one place. A ברייתא then gives four opinions on how long a girl can do מיאון, and רבי עקיבא firmly holds to two hairs. A new משנה gives three measures for how long the two hairs must be, and the הלכה follows all of them to be strict. The next משנה asks whether a כתם can make a woman a זבה. The גמרא explains the view of רבי חנינא בן אנטיגנוס, works through רבא's argument with the רבנן about a three-גריסין stain, and ends with a ברייתא on how big a stain must be to raise a concern of זיבה.

Opening lines

The steps (24)

1. Challengeה׳ tells איוב that every hair has its own follicle
2. ResolutionThe head is different from the body
3. StatementThe two hairs do not need to be next to each other
4. ProofA ברייתא that says the same thing
5. QuestionWhat do the רבנן hold?
6. Responseרב חסדא: the רבנן require both hairs in one place
7. StatementFour opinions on when a girl loses the right of refusal
8. ChallengeA challenge sent to רבי עקיבא about the two-hairs view
9. Rejectionרבי עקיבא dismisses the challenge and keeps the two-hairs rule
10. StatementHow long the two hairs must be
11. ConclusionThe ruling: follow every opinion to be strict
12. StatementNew משנה: does a stain raise a concern of זוב?
13. QuestionWho are these חכמים?
14. ResponseThey are רבי חנינא בן אנטיגנוס
15. StatementWhich stains can lead to זיבה
16. ChallengeWhy is the second case needed?
17. ResolutionThe second case teaches that she is only a doubtful זבה
18. Challengeרבא: רבי חנינא בן אנטיגנוס has the stronger argument
19. ResolutionThe Rabbis' reply: a stain that can be split by day is not blamed on a louse
20. ChallengeDoes רבי חנינא worry about three stains on one garment?
21. Resolutionרבי חנינא was arguing on the Rabbis' own terms
22. ResolutionThe Rabbis' reply, repeated against רבי חנינא
23. StatementA stain big enough for three days makes her worry
24. Statementרבי יוסי: she worries in both cases