## Niddah Daf 16b

###### Niddah 16b:1
[Niddah 16b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/16b:1)

**גְּמָ'** תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמְרוּ הַמְשַׁמֵּשׁ מִטָּתוֹ לְאוֹר הַנֵּר הֲרֵי זֶה מְגוּנֶּה, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: צְרִיכָה שְׁנֵי עֵדִים עַל כׇּל תַּשְׁמִישׁ, אוֹ תְּשַׁמֵּשׁ לְאוֹר הַנֵּר. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: דַּיָּהּ בִּשְׁנֵי עֵדִים כׇּל הַלַּיְלָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The mishna teaches that according to Beit Shammai it is permitted to engage in intercourse by the light of a lamp. In this regard, **the Sages taught** in a *baraita*: **Even though** the Sages **said** with regard to **one who engages in intercourse by the light of a lamp,** that **this is disgraceful, Beit Shammai say: A woman is required** to examine herself with **two cloths,** once before and once after **each** act of **intercourse, or** she must **engage in intercourse by the light of a lamp. And Beit Hillel say:** It is **sufficient** for her to examine herself **with two cloths throughout the night,** once before the first act of intercourse and once after the final act of intercourse.


###### Niddah 16b:2
[Niddah 16b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/16b:2)

תַּנְיָא: אָמְרוּ לָהֶם בֵּית שַׁמַּאי לְבֵית הִלֵּל: לְדִבְרֵיכֶם, לֵיחוּשׁ שֶׁמָּא תִּרְאֶה טִיפַּת דָּם כְּחַרְדָּל בְּבִיאָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, וּתְחַפֶּנָּה שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע בְּבִיאָה שְׁנִיָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It **is taught** in a *baraita* that **Beit Shammai said to Beit Hillel: According to your statement** that a woman may engage in intercourse several times in one night without an examination between each act of intercourse, **let us be concerned lest she will see,** i.e., emit, **a drop of blood the size of a mustard** seed **during the first** act of **intercourse,** and will thereby become impure, **and semen from the second** act of **intercourse will cover it.** Since the examination after the last act of intercourse will not reveal the drop of blood, the woman will erroneously think she is pure.


###### Niddah 16b:3
[Niddah 16b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/16b:3)

אָמְרוּ לָהֶם בֵּית הִלֵּל: אַף לְדִבְרֵיכֶם, לֵיחוּשׁ עַד שֶׁהָרוֹק בְּתוֹךְ הַפֶּה, שֶׁמָּא נִימּוֹק וְהוֹלֵךְ לוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Beit Hillel said to them** in response: **Even according to your statement, let us be concerned** that **while the saliva** was still **in the mouth,** i.e., while the blood was in her vagina, **perhaps it was squashed and disappeared.** Even if she examines herself after each act of intercourse, as mandated by Beit Shammai, it is possible that the semen of that act covered the blood, and it will not be revealed by the examination.


###### Niddah 16b:4
[Niddah 16b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/16b:4)

אָמְרוּ לָהֶם: לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה נִימּוֹק פַּעַם אַחַת, לְנִימּוֹק שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Beit Shammai **said to** Beit Hillel: One cannot compare the two situations, **as a squashed** drop of blood after the woman has engaged in intercourse **once is not similar to a squashed** drop of blood after the woman has engaged in intercourse **twice,** and therefore our concern is more reasonable.


###### Niddah 16b:5
[Niddah 16b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/16b:5)

תַּנְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: רוֹאֶה אֲנִי אֶת דִּבְרֵי בֵּית שַׁמַּאי. אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו: רַבִּי, כַּמָּה הֶאֱרַכְתָּ עָלֵינוּ! אָמַר לָהֶם: מוּטָב שֶׁאַאֲרִיךְ עֲלֵיכֶם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּאֲרִיכוּ יְמֵיכֶם לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It **is taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Yehoshua said: I see** as correct **the statement of Beit Shammai** in this case. **His students said to him:** Our **teacher, how you have weighed [*he’erakhta*] us down** with this stringent ruling. Rabbi Yehoshua **said to them: It is preferable that I weigh you down in this world, so that** you do not sin by engaging in prohibited intercourse, i.e., so that **your days in the World-to-Come will be lengthened [*sheya’arikhu*].**


###### Niddah 16b:6
[Niddah 16b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/16b:6)

אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא: מִדִּבְרֵי כּוּלָּם נִלְמַד, בַּעַל נֶפֶשׁ — לֹא יִבְעוֹל וְיִשְׁנֶה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rabbi Zeira says: From the statements of all of them,** i.e., both Beit Shammai, who permit engaging in intercourse a second time only after an examination, and Beit Hillel, who rule that the second examination must be performed only after the final act of intercourse of the night, **we can learn** that their dispute relates only to that which is permitted after the fact. But **a pious person [*ba’al nefesh*] should not engage in intercourse and repeat** his act without an examination between each act.


###### Niddah 16b:7
[Niddah 16b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/16b:7)

רָבָא אָמַר: בּוֹעֵל וְשׁוֹנָה, כִּי תַנְיָא הַהִיא — לִטְהָרוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava says:** Even a pious person **may engage in intercourse and repeat** the act without an examination in between, as **when that** *baraita* **is taught,** it is referring **to** a woman who handles **pure items.** But with regard to intercourse with her husband, there is no cause for concern.


###### Niddah 16b:8
[Niddah 16b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/16b:8)

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

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**This** opinion **is also taught** in a *baraita*: **In what** case **is this statement said,** i.e., that a woman must examine herself before and after every act of intercourse according to Beit Shammai, or before the first act and after the last act, according to Beit Hillel? It was said **with regard to** a woman who handles **pure items; but** a woman **is permitted to her husband** even without any examination, and he is not required to ask her if she is pure. **But in what** case **is this** lenient **statement said? When** her husband traveled and **left her with the presumptive status of ritual purity. But** if he **left her with the presumptive status of ritual impurity,** she remains **forever in her presumptive status** of impurity **until she says to him: I am pure.**


###### Niddah 16b:9
[Niddah 16b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/16b:9)

אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא, אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אָשֵׁי, אָמַר רַב: בָּדְקָה בְּעֵד וְאָבַד — אֲסוּרָה לְשַׁמֵּשׁ עַד שֶׁתִּבְדּוֹק. מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַבִּי אִילָא: אִילּוּ אִיתֵאּ — מִי לָא מְשַׁמְּשָׁה, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא יָדְעָה? הַשְׁתָּא נָמֵי תְּשַׁמֵּשׁ!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rabbi Abba says** that **Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Ashi says** that **Rav says:** If a woman **examined** herself at night **with a cloth, and** the cloth **was** then immediately **lost, it is prohibited for her to engage in intercourse** again **until she examines** herself with another cloth, as perhaps there was blood on the cloth that was lost. **Rabbi Ila objects to this: If** this cloth **were intact,** i.e., if it were not lost, **couldn’t** this woman **engage in intercourse** with her husband that night, on the basis that she will examine the cloth only the following day, **and** isn’t this the *halakha* **even though she does not know** at the time of intercourse whether there is blood on the cloth? **Now too,** although the cloth is lost, **let her engage in intercourse** with her husband.


###### Niddah 16b:10
[Niddah 16b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/16b:10)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא: זוֹ מוֹכִיחָהּ קַיָּים, וְזוֹ אֵין מוֹכִיחָהּ קַיָּים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava said to him:** There is a difference between the two cases, as when the cloth is intact, **this** woman’s **proof exists,** and if she discovers on the following day that she was impure they will be obligated to bring sin offerings for engaging in intercourse in a state of ritual impurity. **But** with regard to **that** woman who lost her cloth, **her proof does not exist,** and therefore they will never know if they require atonement.


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

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אָסוּר לָאָדָם שֶׁיְּשַׁמֵּשׁ מִטָּתוֹ בַּיּוֹם. אָמַר רַב הַמְנוּנָא: מַאי קְרָא? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״יֹאבַד יוֹם אִוָּלֶד בּוֹ וְהַלַּיְלָה אָמַר הוֹרָה גָבֶר״ — לַיְלָה נִיתַּן לְהֵרָיוֹן, וְיוֹם לֹא נִיתַּן לְהֵרָיוֹן. רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר מֵהָכָא: ״בּוֹזֵה דְרָכָיו יָמוּת״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rabbi Yoḥanan says: It is prohibited for a person to engage in intercourse by day. Rav Hamnuna says: What is the verse** from which this is derived? **As it is stated: “Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night on which it was said: Conceived is a man-child”** (Job 3:3). It is derived from here that **nighttime is meant for conception, but daytime is not meant for conception. Reish Lakish says** that the proof is **from here: “But he who despises his ways shall die”** (Proverbs 19:16). One might see something unpleasing in his wife in the daylight and come to despise her.


###### Niddah 16b:12
[Niddah 16b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/16b:12)

וְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, הַאי קְרָא דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מַאי דָּרֵישׁ בֵּיהּ? מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְכִדְדָרֵישׁ רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פָּפָּא, דְּדָרֵישׁ רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פָּפָּא: אוֹתוֹ מַלְאָךְ הַמְמוּנֶּה עַל הַהֵרָיוֹן ״לַיְלָה״ שְׁמוֹ, וְנוֹטֵל טִפָּה וּמַעֲמִידָהּ לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאוֹמֵר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, טִפָּה זוֹ מָה תְּהֵא עָלֶיהָ? גִּבּוֹר אוֹ חַלָּשׁ? חָכָם אוֹ טִיפֵּשׁ? עָשִׁיר אוֹ עָנִי?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And how does Reish Lakish interpret this verse** cited **by Rabbi Yoḥanan?** The Gemara answers that **he requires** that verse **for that which Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa taught. As Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa interpreted** that verse in the following manner: **That angel that is appointed over conception is called: Night. And** that angel **takes** the **drop** of semen from which a person will be formed **and presents it before the Holy One, Blessed be He, and says before Him: Master of the Universe, what will be of this drop?** Will the person fashioned from it be **mighty or weak?** Will he be **clever or stupid?** Will he be **wealthy or poor?**


###### Niddah 16b:13
[Niddah 16b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/16b:13)

וְאִילּוּ רָשָׁע אוֹ צַדִּיק לָא קָאָמַר, כִּדְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: הַכֹּל בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם, חוּץ מִיִּרְאַת שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְעַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל מָה ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ שׁוֹאֵל מֵעִמָּךְ כִּי אִם לְיִרְאָה וְגוֹ׳״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara notes: **But** this angel **does not say:** Will he be **wicked or righteous?** This is **in accordance with** a statement **of Rabbi Ḥanina, as Rabbi Ḥanina said: Everything is in the hand of Heaven, except for fear of Heaven.** People have free will to serve God or not, **as it is stated: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you other than to fear** the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 10:12). The fact that God asks of the Jewish people to fear Him indicates that it is a person’s choice to do so.


###### Niddah 16b:14
[Niddah 16b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/16b:14)

וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, אִם כֵּן נִכְתּוֹב קְרָא ״גֶּבֶר הוֹרָה״, מַאי ״הוֹרָה גֶּבֶר״? לַיְלָה נִיתַּן לְהֵרָיוֹן, וְיוֹם לֹא נִיתַּן לְהֵרָיוֹן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains: **And Rabbi Yoḥanan** derives two *halakhot* from the verse “and the night on which it was said: Conceived is a man-child,” as he holds as follows: **If so,** i.e., if it is referring only to the statement of the angel, **let the verse write:** And the night that said: **A man-child is conceived. What** is the meaning of: **“Conceived is a man-child”?** It is derived from the juxtaposition of the word “night” and the word “conceived” that **nighttime is meant for conception but daytime is not meant for conception.**


###### Niddah 16b:15
[Niddah 16b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/16b:15)

וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, הַאי קְרָא דְּרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ מַאי דָּרֵישׁ בֵּיהּ? מִבְּעֵי לֵיהּ לִכְדִכְתִיב בְּסֵפֶר בֶּן סִירָא: שְׁלֹשָׁה שָׂנֵאתִי וְאַרְבָּעָה לֹא אָהַבְתִּי — שַׂר הַנִּרְגָּל בְּבֵית הַמִּשְׁתָּאוֹת, וְאָמְרִי לָהּ: ״שַׂר הַנִּרְגָּן״, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ: ״שַׂר הַנִּרְגָּז״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And Rabbi Yoḥanan, how does he interpret that verse** cited **by Reish Lakish?** The Gemara answers that Rabbi Yoḥanan **requires** that verse: “But he who despises his ways shall die,” **to** teach **that which is written in the book of ben Sira: Three** people **I have hated, and a fourth I have not loved: A minister who frequents [*hanirgal*] drinking houses,** as he disgraces himself and leads himself to ruin and death; **and some say** a different version of the text: **A minister who chats [*hanirgan*]** in drinking houses; **and some say** a third version: **A minister who is short-tempered [*hanirgaz*]** when in drinking houses.


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

וְהַמּוֹשִׁיב שַׁבָּת בִּמְרוֹמֵי קֶרֶת, וְהָאוֹחֵז בָּאַמָּה וּמַשְׁתִּין מַיִם, וְהַנִּכְנָס לְבֵית חֲבֵירוֹ פִּתְאוֹם. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: וַאֲפִילּוּ לְבֵיתוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
That is the first that he hated. **And** the others are **one who dwells at the highest point of the city,** where everyone sees him; **and one who holds** his **penis and urinates. And** the fourth, whom he has not loved, is **one who enters the house of another suddenly,** without warning. **Rabbi Yoḥanan says: And** this includes **even** one who comes **into his** own **house** without prior warning, as the members of his household might be engaged in private activities.


###### Niddah 16b:17
[Niddah 16b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/16b:17)

אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי: אַרְבָּעָה דְּבָרִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׂוֹנְאָן, וַאֲנִי אֵינִי אוֹהֲבָן — הַנִּכְנָס לְבֵיתוֹ פִּתְאוֹם, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר לְבֵית חֲבֵירוֹ, וְהָאוֹחֵז בָּאַמָּה וּמַשְׁתִּין מַיִם,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara cites a similar saying. **Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: Four matters the Holy One, Blessed be He, hates, and I do not love them,** and they are: **One who enters his house suddenly, and needless to say** one who suddenly enters **the house of another; and one who holds** his **penis and urinates;**