## Niddah Daf 38b

###### Niddah 38b:1
[Niddah 38b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:1)

לִידֵי חִלּוּל שַׁבָּת. בִּרְבִיעִי וְתוּ לָא? אֵימָא: מֵרְבִיעִי וְאֵילָךְ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**to a desecration of Shabbat.** If they were to engage in sexual intercourse on a Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, their wives might give birth on Shabbat, either 271, 272, or 273 days after conception either. The Gemara asks: If this was indeed the concern of the early generations of pious men, why would they engage in intercourse only **on a Wednesday, and nothing more?** After all, if they engaged in intercourse on a Thursday, Friday, or Shabbat, they would likewise avoid any desecration of Shabbat. The Gemara answers: **Say** that the *baraita* means that the early generations of pious men would engage in intercourse each week only **from Wednesday onward.**


###### Niddah 38b:2
[Niddah 38b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:2)

אָמַר מָר זוּטְרָא: מַאי טַעְמַיְיהוּ דַּחֲסִידִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים? דִּכְתִיב ״וַיִּתֵּן [ה׳] לָהּ הֵרָיוֹן״ — ״הֵרָיוֹן״ בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא מָאתַן וְשִׁבְעִים וְחַד הָווּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Mar Zutra said: What is the reasoning of the early** generations of **pious** men, who state that a woman does not give birth before 271 days have passed from the time of insemination? **As it is written** with regard to Boaz and Ruth: “And he went in unto her, **and the Lord gave her conception [*herayon*]”** (Ruth 4:13). The letters that constitute the word ***herayon* are 271 in numerical value.**


###### Niddah 38b:3
[Niddah 38b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:3)

אָמַר מָר זוּטְרָא: אֲפִילּוּ לְמַאן דְּאָמַר יוֹלֶדֶת לְתִשְׁעָה אֵינָהּ יוֹלֶדֶת לִמְקוּטָּעִים, יוֹלֶדֶת לְשִׁבְעָה יוֹלֶדֶת לִמְקוּטָּעִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיְהִי לִתְקוּפוֹת הַיָּמִים וַתַּהַר חַנָּה וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן״, מִיעוּט ״תְּקוּפוֹת״ — שְׁנַיִם, מִיעוּט ״יָמִים״ — שְׁנַיִם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Mar Zutra says: Even according to the one who said,** e.g., Shmuel and the early generations of pious men, that a woman **who gives birth at nine** months **does not give birth after an incomplete** number of months, i.e., she carries for a full nine months, nevertheless, a woman **who gives birth at seven months can give birth after an incomplete** number of months. **As it is stated** with regard to the birth of Samuel: **“And it came to pass, when the seasons of the days had come, that Hannah conceived, and bore a son”** (I Samuel 1:20). **The minimal** number of **“seasons”** is **two,** and as each season of the year is three months, this amounts to six months. And **the minimal** number of **“days” is two.** If so, Samuel was born in the seventh month of Hannah’s pregnancy.


###### Niddah 38b:4
[Niddah 38b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:4)

רַבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמְרִים: אֵין קוֹשִׁי יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁתֵּי שַׁבָּתוֹת. אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: מַאי טַעְמַיְיהוּ דְּרַבָּנַן? דִּכְתִיב: ״וְטָמְאָה שְׁבוּעַיִם כְּנִדָּתָהּ״ — כְּנִדָּתָהּ וְלֹא כְּזִיבָתָהּ, מִכְּלָל דְּזִיבָתָהּ טְהוֹרָה. וְכַמָּה שְׁבוּעַיִם?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches that **Rabbi Yosei and Rabbi Shimon say:** Labor **pains** do **not** occur **more than two weeks** before birth. **Shmuel said: What is the reasoning of the Rabbis,** i.e., Rabbi Yosei and Rabbi Shimon? **As it is written** with regard to a woman who gives birth to a female: **“And she shall be impure two weeks, as in her menstruation”** (Leviticus 12:5). The verse indicates that she is impure **as in her menstruation but not as in her *ziva*. By inference,** one may conclude **that her *ziva* is pure,** i.e., if she emits blood accompanied by labor pains she is not rendered a *zava*. **And** for **how** long is this the case? For **two weeks.**


###### Niddah 38b:5
[Niddah 38b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:5)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: יֵשׁ מְקַשָּׁה עֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה יוֹם, וְאֵין זִיבָה עוֹלָה בָּהֶן. כֵּיצַד? שְׁנַיִם בְּלֹא עֵת, וְשִׁבְעָה נִדָּה, וּשְׁנַיִם שֶׁלְּאַחַר נִדָּה, וְאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר שֶׁהַוָּלָד מְטַהֵר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to the *halakha* that blood emitted due to labor pains does not impart impurity of *ziva*, **the Sages taught: There is** a scenario in which a woman **experiences** labor **pains** accompanied by emissions of blood for **twenty-five days** before birth, **and** the impurity of greater ***ziva* is not included in them. How** so? She emits blood for **two** days **not at the time** of her menstruation, i.e., on the tenth and eleventh days of *ziva*, **and** then for the **seven** days of **menstruation, and** then for the first **two** days of *ziva* **that** come **after** the days of **menstruation. And** this period is followed by **fourteen** days during **which the** impending birth of **a child renders pure** the blood she sees.


###### Niddah 38b:6
[Niddah 38b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:6)

וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁתִּתְקַשֶּׁה עֶשְׂרִים וְשִׁשָּׁה יוֹם בְּלֹא וָלָד, וְלֹא תְּהֵא יוֹלֶדֶת בְּזוֹב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *baraita* continues: **And it is impossible for** a woman **to experience** labor **pains** accompanied by emissions of blood for **twenty-six days without a child,** such that **she will not be** a woman **who gives birth as a *zava*.** Since a span of twenty-six days includes at least five days of *ziva*, there will inevitably be three consecutive days of *ziva* during which she experienced bleeding, therefore rendering her a greater *zava*.


###### Niddah 38b:7
[Niddah 38b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:7)

בְּלֹא וָלָד? בִּתְלָתָא נָמֵי סַגִּי! אָמַר רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: אֵימָא ״בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ וָלָד״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא: וְהָא ״בְּלֹא וָלָד״ קָתָנֵי!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara analyzes the *baraita*: Is the *baraita* really dealing with a case **without a child,** i.e., where she is not even pregnant? If there is no child, then experiencing bleeding **on three** consecutive days after the days of menstruation **is also sufficient** to render her a greater *zava*. **Rav Sheshet said** one should **say** the *baraita* as follows: Twenty-six days **in a case where there is a child,** i.e., where she is pregnant. **Rava said to** Rav Sheshet: **But** the *baraita* explicitly **teaches: Without a child.**


###### Niddah 38b:8
[Niddah 38b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:8)

אֶלָּא אָמַר רָבָא, הָכִי קָאָמַר: אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁתִּתְקַשֶּׁה עֶשְׂרִים וְשִׁשָּׁה יוֹם בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ וָלָד וְלֹא תְּהֵא יוֹלֶדֶת בְּזוֹב, וּבִמְקוֹם שֶׁאֵין וָלָד אֶלָּא נֵפֶל — בִּתְלָתָא נָמֵי הָוְיָא זָבָה, מַאי טַעְמָא? אֵין קוֹשִׁי לִנְפָלִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather, Rava said** that **this** is what the *baraita* **is saying: It is impossible for** a woman **to experience** labor **pains** accompanied by emissions of blood for **twenty-six days in a case where there is a child,** such that **she will not be** a woman **who gives birth as a *zava*. And in a case where there is no child** born **but** there is **a non-viable newborn, with three** consecutive days of emissions **she also becomes a *zava*. What is the reason?** The *halakha* that blood emitted due to labor **pains** does not render a woman a *zava* does **not** apply **to non-viable newborns.**


###### Niddah 38b:9
[Niddah 38b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:9)

**מַתְנִי'** הַמְקַשָּׁה בְּתוֹךְ שְׁמוֹנִים שֶׁל נְקֵבָה — כׇּל דָּמִים שֶׁהִיא רוֹאָה טְהוֹרִין עַד שֶׁיֵּצֵא הַוָּלָד, וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר מְטַמֵּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** A woman **who experiences** labor **pains within eighty** days **of** giving birth to **a female,** e.g., she conceived during the sixty-six days of purity, or she initially conceived twins and she gave birth to a female and the birth of the second fetus was delayed, **all blood that she sees is ritually pure,** as she is currently within her days of purity. And this remains the *halakha* **until the child emerges** from the womb, at which point she is rendered impure as a woman who gives birth. **And Rabbi Eliezer deems ritually impure** the blood that occurs due to these labor pains.


###### Niddah 38b:10
[Niddah 38b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:10)

אָמְרוּ לוֹ לְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר: וּמָה בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁהֶחְמִיר בְּדַם הַשּׁוֹפִי, הֵיקֵל בְּדַם הַקּוֹשִׁי; מְקוֹם שֶׁהֵיקֵל בְּדַם הַשּׁוֹפִי, אֵינוֹ דִּין שֶׁנָּקֵל בְּדַם הַקּוֹשִׁי?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Rabbis **said to Rabbi Eliezer: And what,** if **in an instance where** the verse **was stringent with regard to blood** emitted while **resting,** namely if a pregnant woman emits blood after her days of purity without any labor pains she is rendered impure, the verse **was lenient with regard to blood** that accompanies **the** labor **pains;** then in **an instance where** the verse **was lenient with regard to blood** emitted while **resting,** i.e., during a woman’s days of purity, **is it not right that we will be lenient with regard to blood** that accompanies **the** labor **pains?**


###### Niddah 38b:11
[Niddah 38b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:11)

אָמַר לָהֶן: דַּיּוֹ לַבָּא מִן הַדִּין לִהְיוֹת כַּנִּדּוֹן, מִמָּה הֵיקֵל עָלֶיהָ? מִטּוּמְאַת זִיבָה, אֲבָל טְמֵאָה טוּמְאַת נִדָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rabbi Eliezer **said to them:** When deriving a *halakha* by means of an *a fortiori* inference, there is a principle that **it is sufficient for the** conclusion that **emerges from** an *a fortiori* **inference to be like** its **source.** In other words, the status of blood emitted due to labor pains during her days of purity should not be more lenient than that of blood emitted due to labor pains after her days of purity. Rabbi Eliezer elaborates: **Concerning what** type of impurity **was** the verse **lenient with regard to** a woman who experiences an emission of blood due to labor pains? **Concerning the impurity of *ziva*. But she** may still be rendered **ritually impure** with **the impurity of a menstruating woman.** So too, if a woman experiences emissions of blood due to labor pains during her days of purity, she is rendered a menstruating woman.


###### Niddah 38b:12
[Niddah 38b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:12)

**גְּמָ'** תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״תֵּשֵׁב״ — לְרַבּוֹת הַמְקַשָּׁה בְּתוֹךְ שְׁמוֹנִים שֶׁל נְקֵבָה, שֶׁכׇּל דָּמִים שֶׁהִיא רוֹאָה טְהוֹרִין עַד שֶׁיָּצָא הַוָּלָד, וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר מְטַמֵּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** With regard to the dispute between Rabbi Eliezer and the Rabbis concerning a woman who emits blood due to labor pains during her days of purity, **the Sages taught** a *baraita* that addresses a verse discussing a woman who gives birth to a female: “And sixty-six days she shall observe the blood of purity” (Leviticus 12:5). The term **“She shall observe”** serves **to include** a woman **who experiences** labor **pains within eighty** days **of** giving birth to **a female,** teaching **that all blood that she sees is ritually pure.** And this remains the case **until the child emerges** from the womb. **And Rabbi Eliezer deems ritually impure** the blood that occurs due to these labor pains.


###### Niddah 38b:13
[Niddah 38b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:13)

אָמְרוּ לוֹ לְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר: וּמָה בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁהֶחְמִיר בְּשׁוֹפִי שֶׁלִּפְנֵי הַוָּלָד, הֵיקֵל בְּשׁוֹפִי שֶׁלְּאַחַר הַוָּלָד; מְקוֹם שֶׁהֵיקֵל בְּקוֹשִׁי שֶׁלִּפְנֵי הַוָּלָד, אֵינוֹ דִּין שֶׁנָּקֵל בְּקוֹשִׁי שֶׁלְּאַחַר הַוָּלָד?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Rabbis **said to Rabbi Eliezer: And what,** if **in an instance where** the verse **was stringent with regard to** blood that is emitted while **resting before** the birth of **the child,** as such blood renders her a *zava*, the verse **was lenient with regard to** blood that is emitted while **resting after** the birth of **the child,** i.e., during her days of purity; then in **an instance where** the verse **was lenient with regard to** blood emitted due to labor **pains before** the birth of **the child, is it not right that we will be lenient with regard to** blood that is emitted due to labor **pains after** the birth of **the child?**


###### Niddah 38b:14
[Niddah 38b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:14)

אָמַר לָהֶם: דַּיּוֹ לַבָּא מִן הַדִּין לִהְיוֹת כַּנִּדּוֹן, מִמָּה הֵיקֵל עָלֶיהָ? מִטּוּמְאַת זִיבָה, אֲבָל מְטַמְּאָה טוּמְאַת נִדָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rabbi Eliezer **said to them: It is sufficient for the** conclusion that **emerges from** an *a fortiori* **inference to be like** its **source.** Rabbi Eliezer elaborates: **Concerning what** type of impurity **was** the verse **lenient with regard to** a woman who experiences an emission of blood due to labor pains? **Concerning the impurity of *ziva*. But** an emission of blood **renders her impure** with **the impurity of a menstruating woman.** So too, if a woman experiences emissions of blood due to labor pains during her days of purity, she is rendered a menstruating woman.


###### Niddah 38b:15
[Niddah 38b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:15)

אָמְרוּ לוֹ: הֲרֵי אָנוּ מְשִׁיבִין לְךָ לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר, וּמָה בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁהֶחְמִיר בְּשׁוֹפִי שֶׁלִּפְנֵי הַוָּלָד — הֵיקֵל בְּקוֹשִׁי שֶׁעִמּוֹ. מָקוֹם שֶׁהֵיקֵל בְּשׁוֹפִי שֶׁלְּאַחַר הַוָּלָד — אֵינוֹ דִּין שֶׁנָּקֵל בְּקוֹשִׁי שֶׁעִמּוֹ?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Rabbis **said to him: But we** will **respond to you** with **another version** of the *a fortiori* inference: **And what,** if **in an instance where** the verse **was stringent with regard to** blood that is emitted while **resting before** the birth of **the child** the verse **was lenient with regard to** blood that is emitted due to labor **pains that** come **with it,** i.e., which precede the birth of the child; then in **an instance where** the verse **was lenient with regard to** blood emitted while **resting,** namely during a woman’s days of purity, **is it not right that we will be lenient with regard to** blood that accompanies **the** labor **pains that** come **with it?**


###### Niddah 38b:16
[Niddah 38b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:16)

אָמַר לָהֶם: אֲפִילּוּ אַתֶּם מְשִׁיבִין כׇּל הַיּוֹם כּוּלּוֹ, דַּיּוֹ לַבָּא מִן הַדִּין לִהְיוֹת כַּנִּדּוֹן, מִמָּה הֵיקֵל עָלֶיהָ מִטּוּמְאַת זִיבָה, אֲבָל מְטַמְּאָה טוּמְאַת נִדָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rabbi Eliezer **said to them: Even** if **you respond** by citing *a fortiori* inferences of that type throughout **the entire day,** the principle remains that **it is sufficient for the** conclusion that **emerges from** an *a fortiori* **inference to be like** its **source. Concerning what** type of impurity **was** the verse **lenient with regard to** a woman who experiences an emission of blood due to labor pains? **Concerning the impurity of *ziva*. But** an emission of blood **renders her impure** with **the impurity of a menstruating woman.**


###### Niddah 38b:17
[Niddah 38b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:17)

אָמַר רָבָא: בְּהָא זַכִּינְהוּ רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר לְרַבָּנַן, לָאו אָמְרִיתוּ ״דָּמָהּ״ — דָּמָה מֵחֲמַת עַצְמָהּ וְלֹא מֵחֲמַת וָלָד, הָכִי נָמֵי ״וְטָהֲרָה מִמְּקוֹר דָּמֶיהָ״ — דָּמֶיהָ מֵחֲמַת עַצְמָהּ וְלֹא מֵחֲמַת וָלָד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava said: With this** response **Rabbi Eliezer triumphed over the Rabbis: Didn’t you say** that the reason why a woman is not rendered a *zava* on account of blood that is emitted due to labor pains before birth is because the verse states: “And if a woman has an issue of her blood many days” (Leviticus 15:25)? The term **“her blood”** indicates that only **her blood** that comes **due to herself** is impure due to *ziva*, **but not** blood that comes **due to** her **child. So too,** one can say that as the verse states with regard to a woman who gives birth: **“And she shall be purified from the fountain of her blood”** (Leviticus 12:7), this indicates that only **her blood** that comes **due to herself** is pure from *ziva*, **but not** blood that comes **due to** her **child.**


###### Niddah 38b:18
[Niddah 38b:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:18)

אֵימָא: בִּימֵי נִדָּה — נִדָּה, בִּימֵי זִיבָה — טְהוֹרָה? אָמַר קְרָא ״תֵּשֵׁב״ — יְשִׁיבָה אַחַת לְכוּלָּן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
This Gemara raises a difficulty against the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer: If so, one can **say** that if she emits blood due to labor pains **during the days of menstruation** she is **a menstruating woman,** but if she emits blood **in the days of *ziva*,** i.e., after the days of menstruation, she is **pure.** The Gemara explains that **the verse states: “She shall observe** the blood of purity” (Leviticus 12:5), which indicates that there is **one observance for all** the days of her purity, i.e., all the blood she emits due to labor pains during her days of purity is either pure or impure.


###### Niddah 38b:19
[Niddah 38b:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/38b:19)

**מַתְנִי'** כׇּל אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם בְּחֶזְקַת טׇהֳרָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** For **all** the **eleven days** of *ziva* that follow the seven days of menstruation, a woman **has the presumptive status of ritual purity,** as it is unusual for her to experience bleeding on these days.