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Niddah 70b

נדה ע׳ ע״ב

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Topic

The end of רבי שמעון's conditional offering for a מצורע, and the questions of אגדה, בורות and דרך ארץ that the people of Alexandria asked רבי יהושע

Overview

This amud first finishes a ברייתא about רבי שמעון's idea that a מצורע in doubt can bring an animal with a condition: an אשם if he needs one, and a שלמים if not. Because of the doubt, the animal follows the stricter rules of both offerings. The חכמים reject this, because it shortens the eating time of what may be a שלמים. The גמרא answers that שמואל agrees with רבי שמעון on one point only. Then come the questions the people of Alexandria asked רבי יהושע. In three questions of אגדה, he settles contradictions between פסוקים: it depends on תשובה, on whether the גזר דין has already been given, and on whether it was before or after שלמה married בת פרעה. In three questions of בורות, he rules that a pillar of salt and a living person do not make things טמא, and he puts off the question about the revived dead for the future. In the questions of דרך ארץ, he teaches that wisdom and wealth need both effort and תפילה, and the question about having sons continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

שְׁחִיטָתוֹ בַּצָּפוֹן,

its slaughter is in the north,

וְטָעוּן מַתְּנַת בְּהוֹנוֹת,

and it requires placing blood on the thumb and big toe,

וּסְמִיכָה, וּנְסָכִים, וּתְנוּפָה,

and leaning of hands, and libations, and waving,

וְחָזֶה וָשׁוֹק,

and the breast and thigh,

The steps (30)

  1. StatementThe strict rules for the conditional offering
  2. ChallengeThe Rabbis reject רבי שמעון's condition
  3. Resolutionשמואל agrees with רבי שמעון on one point only
  4. ChallengeTwo פסוקים contradict about the death of the wicked
  5. ResolutionIt depends on whether they do תשובה
  6. ChallengeDoes ה׳ show favor or not?
  7. ResolutionBefore the verdict versus after the verdict
  8. ChallengeWas ציון chosen, or was it always a cause of anger?
  9. ResolutionBefore and after שלמה married בת פרעה
  10. QuestionDoes the wife of לוט make things impure?
  11. ResponseA pillar of salt is not a dead body
  12. QuestionDoes the son of the שונמית make things impure?
  13. ResponseA living person is not a dead body
  14. QuestionWill the dead need sprinkling when they come back to life?
  15. ResponseWe will figure it out when it happens
  16. QuestionHow can a person become wise?
  17. ResponseLearn more, do business less
  18. ChallengeMany tried that and it did not work
  19. ResolutionPray to the One Who owns wisdom
  20. Statementרבי חייא's parable of the king's feast
  21. QuestionWhy did he need to say learn more?
  22. ResponseYou need both learning and prayer
  23. QuestionHow Does a Person Become Wealthy?
  24. ResponseDo More Business, and Do It Honestly
  25. ChallengeMany Tried This and It Didn't Work
  26. ResolutionPray to the One Who Owns All Wealth
  27. QuestionThen Why Was the Business Advice Needed?
  28. ResponseEach One Needs the Other
  29. QuestionHow Does a Person Have Sons?
  30. ResponseMarry a Fitting Wife