Niddah 6a

נדה ו׳ ע״א

Learn Niddah 6a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The retroactive impurity of a woman who sees blood (מעת לעת) or a stain (כתם), and רב הונא's rule that it applies to קודש but not to תרומה

Overview

The amud opens with the end of רבא's statement: during the מעת לעת window, a woman's bed and seat are as strong as her own touch, making a person impure along with his clothes. A ברייתא is brought that fits רבא. It compares a woman who sees blood with a woman who finds a כתם: what each makes impure retroactively, whether her count is thrown off, and whether the man who was with her becomes impure, where רבי עקיבא disagrees. In both cases, תרומה she touched is left in doubt, neither eaten nor burned. The גמרא asks why רבא needed a קל וחומר if he knew the ברייתא, and answers that the ברייתא alone does not show how strong the impurity is. Then רב הונא rules that מעת לעת applies only to קודש, not to תרומה. His rule survives challenges from the list of מעלות, from the ברייתא's 'food and drink,' and from רבי יהודה's required check after eating תרומה. The amud ends as a new challenge begins from a story where רבי ruled like רבי אליעזר; it continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (17)

1. StatementHer bed and seat are like her own touch
2. ProofA ברייתא that fits רבא: a woman who sees blood
3. Statementרבי עקיבא: the man who was with her is impure too
4. StatementA woman who finds a stain
5. StatementIn both cases, the תרומה is left in doubt
6. ChallengeWhy did רבא need a קל וחומר?
7. ResolutionThe ברייתא alone could be read more weakly
8. Statementרב הונא: מעת לעת applies only to קודש
9. ChallengeThen it should be in the list of stringencies
10. ResolutionThe list only includes cases with a real basis in impurity
11. ChallengeThe ברייתא says she makes food and drink impure
12. ResolutionThe ברייתא means only קודש
13. ChallengeA new challenge from רבי יהודה's ruling on checking after eating תרומה
14. Challengeרב חסדא: the check protects the leftover תרומה
15. Resolutionרב הונא's version: the check decides whether to burn the leftovers
16. ChallengeAnother challenge: רבי acted like רבי אליעזר
17. Statementרבי says רבי אליעזר is worthy to rely on