## Niddah Daf 45b

###### Niddah 45b:1
[Niddah 45b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:1)

לִכְשֶׁיַּגְדִּיל יִבְעוֹל וְיִתֵּן גֵּט.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**When he reaches majority he may engage in intercourse with her,** and thereby acquire her as his full-fledged wife, **and** if he wished to divorce her **he** can then **give her a bill of divorce** without having to perform *ḥalitza*.


###### Niddah 45b:2
[Niddah 45b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:2)

**מַתְנִי'** בַּת אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְיוֹם אֶחָד — נְדָרֶיהָ נִבְדָּקִין. בַּת שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְיוֹם אֶחָד — נְדָרֶיהָ קַיָּימִין, וּבוֹדְקִין כׇּל שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** With regard to a girl who is **eleven years and one day old, her vows are examined** to ascertain whether she is aware of the meaning of her vow and in Whose name she vowed. Once she is **twelve years and one day old** and has grown two pubic hairs, which is a sign of adulthood, even without examination **her vows are in effect. And one examines** her vows throughout **the entire twelfth** year until her twelfth birthday.


###### Niddah 45b:3
[Niddah 45b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:3)

בֶּן שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְיוֹם אֶחָד — נְדָרָיו נִבְדָּקִין, בֶּן שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְיוֹם אֶחָד — נְדָרָיו קַיָּימִין, וּבוֹדְקִין כׇּל שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to a boy who is **twelve years and one day old, his vows are examined** to ascertain whether he is aware of the meaning of his vow and in Whose name he vowed. Once he is **thirteen years and one day old** and has grown two pubic hairs, even without examination **his vows are in effect. And one examines** his vows throughout **the entire thirteenth** year until his thirteenth birthday.


###### Niddah 45b:4
[Niddah 45b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:4)

קוֹדֶם לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמְרוּ: ״יוֹדְעִין אָנוּ לְשֵׁם מִי נָדַרְנוּ״, ״לְשֵׁם מִי הִקְדַּשְׁנוּ״ — אֵין נִדְרֵיהֶם נֶדֶר וְאֵין הֶקְדֵּשָׁן הֶקְדֵּשׁ. לְאַחַר הַזְּמַן הַזֶּה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמְרוּ: ״אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין לְשֵׁם מִי נָדַרְנוּ״, ״לְשֵׁם מִי הִקְדַּשְׁנוּ״ — נִדְרָן נֶדֶר וְהֶקְדֵּשָׁן הֶקְדֵּשׁ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Prior to that time,** eleven years and one day for a girl and twelve years and one day for a boy, **even if they said: We know in Whose name we vowed** and **in Whose name we consecrated, their vow is not** a valid **vow and their consecration is not** a valid **consecration. After that time,** twelve years and one day for a girl and thirteen years and one day for a boy, **even if they said: We do not know in Whose name we vowed** and **in Whose name we consecrated, their vow is** a valid **vow and their consecration is** a valid **consecration.**


###### Niddah 45b:5
[Niddah 45b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:5)

**גְּמָ'** וְכֵיוָן דִּתְנָא ״בַּת אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְיוֹם אֶחָד נְדָרֶיהָ נִבְדָּקִין״, ״בַּת שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְיוֹם אֶחָד נְדָרֶיהָ קַיָּימִין״ לְמָה לִי? סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ אָמֵינָא: בּוֹדְקִין לְעוֹלָם, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The Gemara asks: **But since** the mishna **teaches:** With regard to a girl who is **eleven years and one day old her vows are examined, why do I** need the mishna to further state: Once she is **twelve years and one day old her vows are in effect?** After all, by this stage she is already an adult. The Gemara answers that this ruling is necessary, as it might **enter your mind to say** that **one examines** her vows **forever,** even when she is an adult. Therefore, the mishna **teaches us** that the vows of an adult are valid even without examination.


###### Niddah 45b:6
[Niddah 45b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:6)

וְכֵיוָן דְּתָנֵי בַּת ״שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְיוֹם אֶחָד נְדָרֶיהָ קַיָּימִין״, ״בּוֹדְקִין כׇּל שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה״ לְמָה לִי? סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ אָמֵינָא: הוֹאִיל וְאָמַר מָר ״שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם בַּשָּׁנָה חֲשׁוּבִים שָׁנָה״, הֵיכָא דִּבְדַקְנָא שְׁלֹשִׁים וְלֹא יָדְעָה לְהַפְלוֹת, אֵימָא: תּוּ לָא לִיבְדּוֹק, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara further asks: **And since** the mishna **teaches:** Once she is **twelve years and one day old her vows are in effect, why do I** need it to further state: **One examines** her vows throughout **the entire twelfth** year? The Gemara answers that this ruling is necessary, as it might **enter your mind to say: Since the Master says** that **thirty days in a year are considered** equivalent to **a year,** in a case **where we examine her** for **thirty** days after she turned eleven **and she did not know** how **to utter** a vow **properly,** i.e., she did not have a clear understanding of the meaning of the vow, one might **say** that **one should examine** her **no further** until she reaches the age of twelve. Therefore, the mishna **teaches us** that she is examined throughout her twelfth year.


###### Niddah 45b:7
[Niddah 45b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:7)

וְלִתְנֵי הָנֵי תַּרְתֵּי בָּבֵי: ״בַּת שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְיוֹם אֶחָד נְדָרֶיהָ קַיָּימִין, וּבוֹדְקִין כׇּל שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה״. ״בַּת אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה וְיוֹם אֶחָד נְדָרֶיהָ נִבְדָּקִין״ לְמָה לִי?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And let** the mishna **teach** only **these two clauses:** Once she is **twelve years and one day old her vows are in effect, and one examines** her vows throughout **the entire twelfth** year. Once both of these have been taught, **why do I** need the ruling: With regard to a girl who is **eleven years and one day old, her vows are examined?**


###### Niddah 45b:8
[Niddah 45b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:8)

אִיצְטְרִיךְ, סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ אָמֵינָא: סְתָמָא — בִּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה בָּעֲיָא בְּדִיקָה, בְּאַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה לָא בָּעֲיָא בְּדִיקָה, וְהֵיכָא דְּחָזֵינַן לַהּ דַּחֲרִיפָא טְפֵי — (מִיבַּדְקָה) [לִיבְדְּקַהּ] בְּאַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers that this clause **was necessary,** as it might **enter your mind to say:** In **an ordinary** case, a girl **requires examination in** her **twelfth** year, whereas **in** her **eleventh** year she **does not require examination. But** in a case **where we discern about her that she** has **a very sharp** mind, perhaps **she should be examined** already **in** her **eleventh** year. Therefore, the *tanna* **teaches us** that she is not examined in her eleventh year irrespective of how intelligent she is, as she is too young.


###### Niddah 45b:9
[Niddah 45b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:9)

קוֹדֶם הַזְּמַן הַזֶּה וְאַחַר הַזְּמַן הַזֶּה, לְמָה לִי? סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ אָמֵינָא: הָנֵי מִילֵּי הֵיכָא דְּלָא קָאָמְרִי אִינְהוּ, אֲבָל הֵיכָא דְּקָאָמְרִי אִינְהוּ — נִסְמוֹךְ עֲלַיְיהוּ, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **Why do I** need the mishna to teach that **prior to that time** their vows and consecration are always not valid **and after that time** they are always valid? These *halakhot* can be inferred from the previous statements of the mishna. The Gemara answers that these rulings are necessary, as it might **enter your mind to say: These matters** apply only in a case **where they do not say:** We know in Whose name we vowed, when they are younger than the periods mentioned in the mishna, or: We do not know in Whose name we vowed, when they are older. **But** in a case **where they do say** such statements, perhaps **we rely on their** claim. Therefore, the *tanna* **teaches us** that when they are younger than the periods stated in the mishna their vows are never valid, and when they are older, their vows are always valid.


###### Niddah 45b:10
[Niddah 45b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:10)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אֵלּוּ דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: דְּבָרִים הָאֲמוּרִים בְּתִינוֹקֶת — בְּתִינוֹק אֲמוּרִים, דְּבָרִים הָאֲמוּרִים בְּתִינוֹק — בְּתִינוֹקֶת אֲמוּרִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna indicates that the intellectual development of a girl is faster than that of a boy. In this regard, **the Sages taught** in a *baraita*: **This** opinion, with regard to the periods of vows for girls and boys, is in accordance with **the statement of Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi. But **Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says** the opposite, that the **matter stated** here **with regard to a girl is** actually **stated with regard to a boy,** whereas the **matter stated with regard to a boy is** in fact **stated with regard to a girl,** as the intellectual development of males is faster than that of females.


###### Niddah 45b:11
[Niddah 45b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:11)

אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: מַאי טַעְמָא דְּרַבִּי? דִּכְתִיב ״וַיִּבֶן ה׳ [אֱלֹהִים] אֶת הַצֵּלָע״, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנָּתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּינָה יְתֵירָה בָּאִשָּׁה יוֹתֵר מִבָּאִישׁ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ḥisda said: What is the reason of Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi? **As it is written,** with regard to the creation of woman: **“And the rib,** which **the Lord God** had taken from the man, **He made [*vayyiven*]** a woman, and brought her to the man” (Genesis 2:22). This **teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, granted a woman a greater understanding [*bina*] than** that **of a men.**


###### Niddah 45b:12
[Niddah 45b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:12)

וְאִידַּךְ, הַהוּא מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְכִדְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, דְּאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן מְנַסְיָא: ״וַיִּבֶן ה׳ [אֱלֹהִים] אֶת הַצֵּלָע אֲשֶׁר לָקַח מִן הָאָדָם לְאִשָּׁה וַיְבִאֶהָ אֶל הָאָדָם״ — מְלַמֵּד שֶׁקִּלְּעָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְחַוָּה וֶהֱבִיאָהּ אֵצֶל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁכֵּן בִּכְרַכֵּי הַיָּם קוֹרִין לְקַלָּעִיתָא — בַּנָּיְיתָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And** what does **the other** *tanna*, Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar, derive from this verse? The Gemara answers: **He requires that** verse **for that which Reish Lakish** taught, **as Reish Lakish said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya** with regard to the verse: **“And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from the man, He made a woman, and brought her to the man.”** This **teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, braided** the hair of **Eve, and** then **brought her to Adam the first** man. **As in the cities overseas [*bikhrakei hayyam*] they call braiding** hair, **building [*benayita*].**


###### Niddah 45b:13
[Niddah 45b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:13)

וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר מַאי טַעְמֵיהּ? אָמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק: מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהַתִּינוֹק מָצוּי בְּבֵית רַבּוֹ, נִכְנֶסֶת בּוֹ עַרְמוּמִית תְּחִלָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar, what is the reason** that he maintains that the intellectual development of males is faster than that of females? **Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak says: Since a boy frequents his teacher’s house, cleverness enters his** mind **first.**


###### Niddah 45b:14
[Niddah 45b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:14)

אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ: תּוֹךְ זְמַן — כְּלִפְנֵי זְמַן, אוֹ כִּלְאַחַר זְמַן?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches that there are three periods in the development of girls and boys: When their vows are examined, i.e., the twelfth year for a girl and the thirteenth year for a boy, which will be termed below: During the time; the period beforehand, when their vows are entirely invalid, called: Before the time; and after that period, when their vows are always valid, known as: After the time. But the mishna does not address the issue of their physical development during these periods, with regard to the appearance of two pubic hairs. In this regard, **a dilemma was raised before** the Sages: If a boy or girl developed pubic hairs **during** the **time,** is this year considered **like** the development of signs indicating puberty **before** the **time** that the child reaches majority, and therefore they are not treated as signs indicating puberty, **or** is it considered **as after** the **time?**


###### Niddah 45b:15
[Niddah 45b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:15)

לְמַאי הִלְכְתָא? אִי לִנְדָרִים — לָאו כְּלִפְנֵי זְמַן דָּמְיָא, וְלָאו כִּלְאַחַר זְמַן דָּמְיָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **With regard to what *halakha*** is this dilemma raised? **If** it is **with regard to vows,** the development of pubic hairs **is not considered as before** the **time, but** it **is not considered as after** the **time** either. Instead, the status of the vow is determined in accordance with the examination of the child’s understanding, as stated in the mishna.


###### Niddah 45b:16
[Niddah 45b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:16)

אֶלָּא, לָעֳונָשִׁין מַאי? רַב וְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא דְּאָמְרִי תַרְוַויְיהוּ: תּוֹךְ זְמַן כְּלִפְנֵי זְמַן, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי דְּאָמְרִי תַרְוַויְיהוּ: תּוֹךְ זְמַן כִּלְאַחַר זְמַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather,** the dilemma is raised **with regard to punishments,** i.e., whether such a boy or girl is punished like an adult for violating the prohibitions of the Torah. **What,** then, is the *halakha*? The Sages disagree. **Rav and Rabbi Ḥanina both say:** The development of pubic hairs **during** that **time** is considered **as before** the **time,** and therefore the boy or girl is not liable to receive punishment for his or her actions. **Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi both say:** The development of pubic hairs **during** that **time** is considered **as after** the **time,** and they are punished.


###### Niddah 45b:17
[Niddah 45b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:17)

אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק, וְסִימָנָיךְ ״וְזֹאת לְפָנִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: And your mnemonic,** to remember which Sages said which ruling, is the verse: **“Now this [*vezot*] was the custom in former times in Israel”** (Ruth 4:7). The Sage whose name has a feminine form like the word *vezot*, namely, Rav Ḥanina, maintains that the development of pubic hairs during the time is considered as before the time, like the former times mentioned in the verse.


###### Niddah 45b:18
[Niddah 45b:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:18)

מֵתִיב רַב הַמְנוּנָא: אַחַר זְמַן הַזֶּה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמְרוּ ״אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים לְשֵׁם מִי נָדַרְנוּ״, ״לְשֵׁם מִי הִקְדַּשְׁנוּ״ — נִדְרֵיהֶם נֶדֶר וְהֶקְדֵּשָׁן הֶקְדֵּשׁ. הָא תּוֹךְ זְמַן — כְּלִפְנֵי זְמַן!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Hamnuna raises an objection** to the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi from the mishna: **After that time,** twelve years and one day for a girl and thirteen years and one day for a boy, **even if they say: We do not know in Whose name we vowed** and **in Whose name we consecrated, their vow is** a valid **vow and their consecration is** a valid **consecration.** Rav Hamnuna infers from this ruling that if they issued this statement **during** the **time,** it is considered **as before** the **time,** even if they had developed two hairs.


###### Niddah 45b:19
[Niddah 45b:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:19)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא: אֵימָא רֵישָׁא — קוֹדֶם הַזְּמַן הַזֶּה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמְרוּ ״יוֹדְעִים אָנוּ לְשֵׁם מִי נָדַרְנוּ״, ״לְשֵׁם מִי הִקְדַּשְׁנוּ״ — אֵין נִדְרֵיהֶם נֶדֶר וְאֵין הֶקְדֵּשָׁן הֶקְדֵּשׁ. הָא תּוֹךְ זְמַן — כִּלְאַחַר זְמַן!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava said to** Rav Hamnuna, in rejection of this proof: **Say the former clause** in the mishna: **Prior to that time,** eleven years and one day for a girl and twelve years and one day for a boy, **even if they said: We know in Whose name we vowed** and **in Whose name we consecrated, their vow is not** a valid **vow and their consecration is not** a valid **consecration.** One can infer the opposite from here, that if they issued this statement **during** the **time,** it is considered **as after** the **time.**


###### Niddah 45b:20
[Niddah 45b:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:20)

וְלָא הִיא, רָבָא קָטָעֵי. הוּא סָבַר רַב הַמְנוּנָא מִמִּשְׁנָה יְתֵירָה קָדָיֵיק, וְאַדְּדָיֵיק מִסֵּיפָא — לֵידוּק מֵרֵישָׁא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara responds: **And** that **is not so,** as **Rava erred. He thought** that **Rav Hamnuna inferred from the superfluous** statement of the **mishna,** i.e., that the clause Rav Hamnuna cites is unnecessary for the *halakha* it states, which is why Rav Hamnuna inferred his conclusion from it. **And** therefore Rava responded that **rather than inferring from the latter clause** of the mishna that if the boy or girl claims not to know in Whose name he or she vowed during the time, it is considered as before the time, **let him infer from the former clause** that it is considered as after the time, as Rava demonstrated.


###### Niddah 45b:21
[Niddah 45b:21](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/45b:21)

וְלָא הִיא, רַב הַמְנוּנָא מִגּוּפָא דְּמַתְנִיתִין קָא דָיֵיק: הָא ״לְאַחַר זְמַן״ הֵיכִי דָּמֵי? אִי דְּלָא אַיְיתִי שְׁתֵּי שְׂעָרוֹת — קָטָן הוּא, אֶלָּא לָאו דְּאַיְיתִי שְׁתֵּי שְׂעָרוֹת,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara continues: **But it is not so;** rather, **Rav Hamnuna inferred** that it is considered as before the time **from the** statement of **the mishna itself,** without assuming that it is superfluous, as follows: In **that** mention in the mishna of: **After** that **time, what are the circumstances? If** it is referring to a case **where** the boy **has not** yet **developed two** pubic **hairs, he is a minor. Rather, is it not** referring to a case **where** the boy **has developed two** pubic **hairs,**