## Niddah Daf 11b

###### Niddah 11b:1
[Niddah 11b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/11b:1)

בֵּית שַׁמַּאי הִיא, דְּאָמְרִי: מַעְיָן אֶחָד הוּא. וּסְתַם לַן תַּנָּא כְּבֵית שַׁמַּאי?! סְתָם וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַחְלוֹקֶת הוּא, וְכׇל סְתָם וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַחְלוֹקֶת אֵין הֲלָכָה כִּסְתָם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**It is** the opinion of **Beit Shammai, who say** that there **is** only **one source** for the two types of blood (see 35b). The Gemara asks: **But** can it be that **the *tanna* taught us an unattributed** mishna, which is generally accepted as the *halakha*, **in accordance with** the opinion of **Beit Shammai,** whose opinion is usually not accepted as *halakha*? The Gemara answers: **It is** a case where the mishna first records **an unattributed opinion and afterward** it records **a dispute** with regard to the same matter. **And** there is a principle that **any** time the mishna first records **an unattributed opinion and afterward** it records that the ruling is subject to **a dispute,** then the ***halakha*** is **not** necessarily **in accordance with the unattributed opinion.**


###### Niddah 11b:2
[Niddah 11b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/11b:2)

וְאִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא: מִי קָתָנֵי ״מְבַקֶּשֶׁת לֵישֵׁב״? ״יוֹשֶׁבֶת״ קָתָנֵי! אִי יוֹשֶׁבֶת, מַאי לְמֵימְרָא? מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא תִּיבְדּוֹק, דְּדִילְמָא קָבְעָה לַהּ וֶסֶת — קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן דְּמַעְיָן טָהוֹר לְמַעְיָן טָמֵא לָא קָבְעָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And if you wish, say** instead: **Does** the mishna **teach:** A woman is **anticipating observing** the period **of** the blood of purity? Rather, it teaches: **Who is observing** the period of the blood of purity. The Gemara asks: **If** the mishna is referring to a woman **who is** already **observing** the period of the blood of purity, **what** is the purpose **of stating** that she is exempt from performing examinations? Isn’t this obvious? The Gemara answers: **Lest you say** that **she should examine** herself, **as perhaps** she will find that **she established a fixed** menstrual **cycle** through blood found on her examination cloths, the mishna **teaches us that** a woman **does not establish** a cycle from sightings of blood that came from **a pure source** that transfers **to** the period when she sees blood from **an impure source.**


###### Niddah 11b:3
[Niddah 11b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/11b:3)

הָנִיחָא לְלֵוִי, דְּאָמַר: שְׁנֵי מַעְיָנוֹת הֵם, אֶלָּא לְרַב דְּאָמַר: מַעְיָן אֶחָד הוּא — תִּבְדּוֹק, דִּילְמָא קָבְעָה לַהּ וֶסֶת! אֲפִילּוּ הָכִי, מִימֵי טׇהֳרָה לִימֵי טוּמְאָה לָא קָבְעָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara raises a difficulty with regard to this answer: **This** answer **works out well according to Levi, who said** that **there are two** distinct **sources,** one for blood after birth and one for blood of purity; one can understand that she does not establish a cycle with regard to blood from one source, from a sighting of blood from a different source. **But according to Rav, who said** that blood after birth and blood of purity both come from **one source, she should** be required to **examine** herself during the period of the blood of purity, as **perhaps she established a fixed** menstrual **cycle.** The Gemara answers: **Even so,** i.e., that both types of blood come from the same source, nevertheless a woman **does not establish** a cycle **from** her **days of purity** that transfers **to** her **days of impurity.**


###### Niddah 11b:4
[Niddah 11b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/11b:4)

וּמְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת בְּעֵדִים וְכוּ׳. תְּנַן הָתָם: תִּינוֹקֶת שֶׁלֹּא הִגִּיעַ זְמַנָּהּ לִרְאוֹת וְנִשֵּׂאת, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: נוֹתְנִין לָהּ אַרְבַּע לֵילוֹת, וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: עַד שֶׁתִּחְיֶה הַמַּכָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches: **And** even a woman with a fixed menstrual cycle **engages in intercourse while** using **examination cloths** to ascertain whether her menstrual flow began, except for a woman after childbirth who is observing the period of the blood of purity, and a virgin whose blood is ritually pure for four days after engaging in intercourse for the first time. In this connection, the Gemara notes that **we learned** in a mishna **there** (64b): With regard to **a young girl whose time to see** the flow of menstrual blood **has not arrived,** as she has not yet reached puberty, **and she married, Beit Shammai say:** The Sages **give her four nights** after intercourse during which the blood is attributed to her torn hymen and she is ritually pure. Thereafter, any blood is menstrual blood and she is impure. **And Beit Hillel say:** The blood is attributed to the torn hymen **until the wound heals.**


###### Niddah 11b:5
[Niddah 11b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/11b:5)

אָמַר רַב גִּידֵּל, אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: לֹא שָׁנוּ אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא פָּסְקָה מֵחֲמַת תַּשְׁמִישׁ וְרָאֲתָה שֶׁלֹּא מֵחֲמַת תַּשְׁמִישׁ, אֲבָל פָּסְקָה מֵחֲמַת תַּשְׁמִישׁ וְרָאֲתָה — טְמֵאָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to Beit Hillel’s statement, **Rav Giddel says** that **Shmuel says:** They **taught** this **only** in a case **where** she **does not stop** seeing blood **due to intercourse.** In other words, every time she engages in intercourse she experiences bleeding. In that case, even if **she saw** blood **not due to intercourse,** Beit Hillel still attribute the blood to the torn hymen. **But** if she **stops seeing** blood **due to intercourse, and** then she subsequently **saw** blood on another occasion, that blood renders her **impure.**


###### Niddah 11b:6
[Niddah 11b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/11b:6)

עָבַר לַיְלָה אַחַת בְּלֹא תַּשְׁמִישׁ וְרָאֲתָה — טְמֵאָה. נִשְׁתַּנּוּ מַרְאֵה דָמִים שֶׁלָּהּ — טְמֵאָה. מֵתִיב רַבִּי יוֹנָה: ״וּבְתוּלָה שֶׁדָּמֶיהָ טְהוֹרִים״, אַמַּאי? תְּשַׁמֵּשׁ בְּעֵדִים, דְּדִילְמָא נִשְׁתַּנּוּ מַרְאֵה דָמִים שֶׁלָּהּ!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
He continues: Similarly, if **one night passed without** them engaging in **intercourse and she** subsequently **saw** blood without connection to intercourse, this indicates that the blood is no longer from her torn hymen and therefore she is deemed **impure.** Likewise, if the **appearance** of **her blood** had changed since her initial blood from her torn hymen, she is **impure. Rabbi Yona raises an objection** to this last *halakha* from the mishna: **And a virgin whose blood is ritually pure** is not required to examine herself when she engages in intercourse. **Why** not? **She should engage in intercourse while** using **examination cloths, as perhaps** she will find that the **appearance of her blood** has **changed,** which would mean that her blood is no longer ritually pure blood from her torn hymen.


###### Niddah 11b:7
[Niddah 11b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/11b:7)

אָמַר רָבָא: אֵימָא רֵישָׁא ״חוּץ מִן הַנִּדָּה וְהַיּוֹשֶׁבֶת עַל דַּם טוֹהַר״, הוּא דְּלָא בָּעֲיָא בְּדִיקָה, אֲבָל בְּתוּלָה שֶׁדָּמֶיהָ טְהוֹרִין בָּעֲיָא בְּדִיקָה. אֶלָּא קַשְׁיָין אַהֲדָדֵי!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava says: Say the first clause:** All women must engage in intercourse while using examination cloths, **except for a menstruating woman** whose impure status is certain **and** a woman after childbirth **who is observing** the period of the **blood of purity.** It can be inferred from here that these two exceptions are not required for women to examine themselves, **but a virgin whose blood is pure** is **required** to perform **an examination.** This ruling apparently supports Shmuel’s opinion that examination is required to determine if there is a change in the appearance of her blood. **But** if so, then the two clauses of the mishna are **difficult,** as they contradict **each other.**


###### Niddah 11b:8
[Niddah 11b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/11b:8)

כָּאן — שֶׁשִּׁמְּשָׁה, דְּאֵימָא שַׁמָּשׁ עֲכָרָן; כָּאן — שֶׁלֹּא שִׁמְּשָׁה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains: **Here,** in the latter clause that indicates that a virgin requires no examination, it is referring to a case **where she had engaged in intercourse.** In such a situation an examination would be inconclusive, **as** even if the appearance of her blood had changed, one can **say** that it was because the man’s **organ soiled it,** i.e., perhaps the intercourse caused the change of appearance in her blood. By contrast, **there,** in the first clause, it is referring to a case **where she** had **not engaged in intercourse,** and therefore she is required to perform an examination to determine if there was a change in appearance in her blood, as any difference in appearance would indicate a change from pure blood to impure blood.


###### Niddah 11b:9
[Niddah 11b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/11b:9)

תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי: בַּמֶּה דְבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? שֶׁלֹּא פָּסְקָה מֵחֲמַת תַּשְׁמִישׁ, וְרָאֲתָה שֶׁלֹּא מֵחֲמַת תַּשְׁמִישׁ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara notes **that** this *halakha* **is also taught** in a *baraita*. With regard to the opinion of Beit Hillel that blood is attributed to the torn hymen until the wound heals, the *baraita* asks: **In what** case **is this statement said?** In a case **where she does not stop** seeing blood **due to intercourse,** i.e., every time she engages in intercourse she experiences bleeding. If so, even when **she sees** blood **not due to intercourse,** it is deemed pure.


###### Niddah 11b:10
[Niddah 11b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/11b:10)

אֲבָל פָּסְקָה מֵחֲמַת תַּשְׁמִישׁ וְרָאֲתָה — טְמֵאָה, עָבַר לַיְלָה אַחַת בְּלֹא תַּשְׁמִישׁ וְרָאֲתָה — טְמֵאָה, נִשְׁתַּנּוּ מַרְאֵה דָמִים שֶׁלָּהּ — טְמֵאָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**But** if she **stopped seeing** blood **due to intercourse, and** she subsequently **sees** blood at a different time, that sighting renders her **impure.** Similarly, if **one night passed without** her engaging in **intercourse and** then **she saw** blood without connection to intercourse, she is deemed **impure.** Furthermore, if she sees blood and the **appearance** of **her blood** had changed from her initial blood from her torn hymen, she is **impure.**


###### Niddah 11b:11
[Niddah 11b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/11b:11)

פַּעֲמַיִם הִיא צְרִיכָה וְכוּ׳. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: לֹא שָׁנוּ אֶלָּא לִטְהָרוֹת, אֲבָל לְבַעְלָהּ מוּתֶּרֶת. פְּשִׁיטָא, ״שַׁחֲרִית״ תְּנַן!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches: **And she is required** to examine herself **twice** each day, in the morning and at twilight. **Rav Yehuda says** that **Shmuel says:** The mishna **taught** this *halakha* **only with regard to** touching ritually **pure** items. **But with regard to her husband, she is permitted** to him without any requirement to perform examinations. The Gemara asks: Isn’t this **obvious,** as **we learn** in the mishna that she must examine herself twice a day, and the first time is in the **morning?** This indicates that the mishna is concerned about the status of ritually pure items that she will handle during the day, but not about intercourse with her husband, as a couple usually engages in relations at night rather than during the day.


###### Niddah 11b:12
[Niddah 11b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/11b:12)

אֶלָּא אִי אִתְּמַר אַסֵּיפָא אִתְּמַר: וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁהִיא עוֹבֶרֶת לְשַׁמֵּשׁ אֶת בֵּיתָהּ. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: לֹא שָׁנוּ אֶלָּא בְּאִשָּׁה עֲסוּקָה בִּטְהָרוֹת, דְּמִגּוֹ דְּבָעֲיָא בְּדִיקָה לִטְהָרוֹת — בָּעֲיָא נָמֵי בְּדִיקָה לְבַעְלָהּ, אֲבָל אֵינָהּ עֲסוּקָה בִּטְהָרוֹת — לָא בָּעֲיָא בְּדִיקָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **Rather, if** the statement of Rav Yehuda citing Shmuel **was stated,** it **was stated with regard to the latter clause** of the mishna: **And** she is also required to examine herself **at a time that she is about to engage in intercourse with her husband. Rav Yehuda says** that **Shmuel says:** The mishna **taught** this *halakha* **only with regard to a woman who is engaged in** handling **pure** items. She alone is required to examine herself before intercourse. The reason is **that since** she is **required** to perform **an examination** in preparation **for** handling **pure** items, she **also requires an examination** in preparation **for** intercourse with **her husband. But** with regard to a woman who **is not engaged in** handling **pure** items, she is **not required** to perform **an examination** in preparation for intercourse with her husband.


###### Niddah 11b:13
[Niddah 11b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/11b:13)

מַאי קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן? תְּנֵינָא: כׇּל הַנָּשִׁים בְּחֶזְקַת טׇהֳרָה לְבַעֲלֵיהֶן! אִי מִמַּתְנִיתִין הֲוָה אָמֵינָא, הָנֵי מִילֵּי בְּאִשָּׁה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ וֶסֶת, אֲבָל אִשָּׁה שֶׁאֵין לָהּ וֶסֶת — בָּעֲיָא בְּדִיקָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What is** Rav Yehuda **teaching us? We** already **learn** this from the mishna (15a): **All women have the presumptive status of purity to their husbands,** and therefore the husband does not need to ascertain whether she is ritually pure before engaging in intercourse. The Gemara answers: **If** this *halakha* is learned **from the mishna** alone, **I would say** that **this statement** applies only **to a woman who has** a fixed menstrual **cycle. But** in the case of **a woman who does not have** a fixed menstrual **cycle,** she is **required** to perform **an examination** before intercourse. Consequently, Rav Yehuda teaches us that even a woman who does not have a fixed menstrual cycle is not required to perform an examination before intercourse, unless she handles pure items.


###### Niddah 11b:14
[Niddah 11b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/11b:14)

וְהָא מַתְנִיתִין בְּאִשָּׁה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ וֶסֶת עָסְקִינַן! מַתְנִיתִין בֵּין שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ וֶסֶת, בֵּין אֵין לָהּ וֶסֶת, וְהָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן: דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּיֵשׁ לָהּ וֶסֶת, מִגּוֹ דְּבָעֲיָא בְּדִיקָה לִטְהָרוֹת, בָּעֲיָא נָמֵי בְּדִיקָה לְבַעְלָהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But aren’t we are dealing** in **the mishna with** a case **of a woman who has** a fixed menstrual **cycle?** The Gemara answers: The mishna **is dealing both** with a case **where she has** a fixed menstrual **cycle** and with a case where **she does not have** a fixed menstrual **cycle. And this** is what the mishna **teaches us: That even though she has** a fixed menstrual **cycle,** and therefore one might think that she is exempt from examination, nevertheless if she handles pure items, **since** she is **required** to perform **an examination** in preparation **for** handling those **pure** items, she is **also required** to perform **an examination** in preparation **for** intercourse with **her husband.**


###### Niddah 11b:15
[Niddah 11b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/11b:15)

וְהָא אַמְרַהּ שְׁמוּאֵל חֲדָא זִימְנָא! דְּאָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר יִרְמְיָה, אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: אִשָּׁה שֶׁאֵין לָהּ וֶסֶת אֲסוּרָה לְשַׁמֵּשׁ עַד שֶׁתִּבְדּוֹק. וְאוֹקִימְנָא בַּעֲסוּקָה בִּטְהָרוֹת! חֲדָא מִכְּלַל חֲבֶרְתַּהּ אִתְּמַר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But didn’t Shmuel** already **state** this *halakha* on **another occasion? As Rabbi Zeira said** that **Rabbi Abba bar Yirmeya says** that **Shmuel says:** With regard to **a woman who does not have** a fixed menstrual **cycle,** it is **forbidden** for her to engage in intercourse with her husband **until she examines** herself and determines that she is pure. **And we interpreted** this *halakha* as referring to a case **where she is engaged in** handling **pure** items. The Gemara answers: Shmuel did not in fact issue two statements; rather, **one was stated by inference from the other.** In other words, Shmuel said one of these statements explicitly; the other was reported by his students in his name based on an inference from what he had said.


###### Niddah 11b:16
[Niddah 11b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/11b:16)

תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי: בַּמֶּה דְבָרִים אֲמוּרִים — לִטְהָרוֹת, אֲבָל לְבַעְלָהּ מוּתֶּרֶת. בַּמֶּה דְבָרִים אֲמוּרִים — שֶׁהִנִּיחָהּ בְּחֶזְקַת טְהוֹרָה, אֲבָל הִנִּיחָהּ בְּחֶזְקַת טְמֵאָה — לְעוֹלָם הִיא בְּטוּמְאָתָהּ עַד שֶׁתֹּאמַר לוֹ ״טְהוֹרָה אֲנִי״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara adds: **This is also taught** in a *baraita*: **In what** case **is this statement,** that a woman requires an examination, **said?** It is said with regard to a woman who is preparing **for** handling **pure** items. **But** with regard to engaging in intercourse **with her husband, she is permitted** to do so without performing an examination. The *baraita* qualifies this ruling: And **in what** case **is this statement,** that she is not required to perform an examination, **said?** It is said **when** her husband traveled and **left her with the presumptive status of ritual purity.** If so, upon his return she does not need to perform an examination before they engage in intercourse. **But** if he **left her with the presumptive status of ritual impurity,** she remains **forever in her status of impurity, until she says to him: I am ritually pure.**