Niddah 68a

נדה ס״ח ע״א

Learn Niddah 68a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Timing of חפיפה before טבילה, and the status of a נדה who skipped her twilight check

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a story in which רב נחמן בר יצחק tells a woman to wash her hair that night and immerse right away. רבא then teaches that a woman may wash on ערב שבת and immerse on מוצאי שבת. רב פפא objects with a letter from רבין saying the opposite, because טבילה must come close to חפיפה. רבא publicly admits his mistake and teaches the correct ruling in רבי יוחנן's name. The גמרא then resolves two rulings that seem to clash: she washes by day when that is possible, and at night when it is not, as after שבת. A new משנה follows about a נדה who skipped the twilight check on her seventh day. If her morning check was clean she is presumed pure, and if it showed blood she is presumed impure, with views from רבי יהודה and the חכמים. Finally, the גמרא shows that the dispute of רב and לוי (definite זבה or doubtful זבה) is about a separate case where she was found impure both before and after, and explains each side's reasoning.

Opening lines

The steps (19)

1. ProofThe story ends: Why not wash your hair tonight?
2. Statementרבא: Wash on Friday, immerse Saturday night
3. Challengeרב פפא: רבין's letter says the opposite
4. ChallengeThe reason: Immersion must follow washing right away
5. Conclusionרבא publicly admits his mistake
6. ConclusionThe correct ruling in רבי יוחנן's name
7. StatementTwo practical rulings about when to wash
8. ChallengeThe two rulings seem to contradict
9. ResolutionWhen it is possible and when it is not
10. Statementמשנה: Pure in the morning, no twilight check, later found impure
11. Statementמשנה: Impure in the morning, no twilight check, later found pure
12. StatementShe is presumed pure but still makes items impure retroactively
13. Statementרבי יהודה: no afternoon check means presumed impure
14. Statementחכמים: even a day-two check keeps her presumed pure
15. Statementרב and לוי: a definite זבה or a doubtful זבה
16. QuestionWhich case of the משנה are רב and לוי discussing?
17. RejectionThe second clause of the משנה does not fit רב either
18. ResolutionThe dispute was taught as a separate case
19. StatementThe reasons of רב and לוי