## Niddah Daf 61b

###### Niddah 61b:1
[Niddah 61b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/61b:1)

בּוֹדְקוֹ שְׁכוּנוֹת שְׁכוּנוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**He examines it section by section,** as by examining each part of the garment separately he will discover any remaining blood stain.


###### Niddah 61b:2
[Niddah 61b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/61b:2)

אָבְדָה בּוֹ שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע, חָדָשׁ — בּוֹדְקוֹ בְּמַחַט, שָׁחוּק — בּוֹדְקוֹ בַּחַמָּה. תָּנָא: אֵין ״שְׁכוּנָה״ פְּחוּתָה מִשְּׁלֹשׁ אֶצְבָּעוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
In the case of a garment **in which a seminal emission,** which is also ritually impure, **was lost,** i.e., it is not known where on the garment the semen is, if the garment is **new, one examines it by** sticking **a needle** into every part of it. In this manner he will feel if the semen is in the garment. If the garment is **worn out, one examines it by** holding it up to **the sun,** as the sun’s rays will not pass through the stained part of the garment. It was **taught** in a *baraita*: The **section** mentioned need **not** be **less than three** fingerbreadths by three **fingerbreadths** in area.


###### Niddah 61b:3
[Niddah 61b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/61b:3)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: בֶּגֶד שֶׁאָבַד בּוֹ כִּלְאַיִם — הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא יִמְכְּרֶנּוּ לְגוֹי, וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂנּוּ מַרְדַּעַת לַחֲמוֹר, אֲבָל עוֹשֶׂה מִמֶּנּוּ תַּכְרִיכִין לְמֵת. אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: זֹאת אוֹמֶרֶת — מִצְוֹת בְּטֵלוֹת לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara cites another case of a garment in which something was lost. **The Sages taught** in a *baraita*: With regard to **a garment in which diverse kinds,** a prohibited mixture of wool and linen, **was lost,** i.e., it is a wool garment into which a linen thread was sewn or vice versa and it is not known where on the garment the thread is located, **one may not sell it to a gentile and one may not** even **fashion it** into **a saddlecloth for a donkey.** This is prohibited lest one remove a piece of the garment and sew it onto his own clothing. **But one may fashion it** into **a shroud for a corpse,** as there is no concern that one might remove it from the dead. **Rav Yosef said: That is to say** that the **mitzvot will be nullified in the future.** If this were not the case, then when the dead are resurrected they will be deriving benefit from the garment of diverse kinds in which they were buried.


###### Niddah 61b:4
[Niddah 61b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/61b:4)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ אַבָּיֵי, וְאִי תֵימָא רַב דִּימִי: וְהָא אָמַר רַבִּי מָנִי אֲמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי, לֹא שָׁנוּ אֶלָּא לְסׇפְדוֹ, אֲבָל לְקוֹבְרוֹ אָסוּר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לָאו אִיתְּמַר עֲלַהּ, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֲפִילּוּ לְקוֹבְרוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Abaye said to** Rav Yosef, **and some say** that **Rav Dimi** said to Rav Yosef: **But didn’t Rabbi Mani say** that **Rabbi Yannai said: They taught** that it is permitted to place a corpse in a shroud of diverse kinds **only** in order **to eulogize him, but it is prohibited to bury him** in a shroud of diverse kinds? Rav Yosef **said to him: Wasn’t it stated with regard to that** matter that **Rabbi Yoḥanan says:** It is **even** permitted **to bury him** in a shroud of diverse kinds?


###### Niddah 61b:5
[Niddah 61b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/61b:5)

וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְטַעְמֵיהּ, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מַאי דִכְתִיב ״בַּמֵּתִים חׇפְשִׁי״? כֵּיוָן שֶׁמֵּת אָדָם נַעֲשָׂה חׇפְשִׁי מִן הַמִּצְוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabbi Yoḥanan** conforms **to his** standard line of **reasoning** in this regard, **as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: What** is the meaning of that **which is written: “Set apart [*ḥofshi*] among the dead,** like the slain that lie in the grave, whom You remember no more” (Psalms 88:6)? **Once a person dies, he becomes free [*ḥofshi*] from the mitzvot.**


###### Niddah 61b:6
[Niddah 61b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/61b:6)

אָמַר רַפְרָם בַּר פָּפָּא, אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: בֶּגֶד שֶׁאָבַד בּוֹ כִּלְאַיִם — צוֹבְעוֹ, וּמוּתָּר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַפְרָם בַּר פָּפָּא: מְנָא לֵיהּ לְסָבָא הָא?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rafram bar Pappa says** that **Rav Ḥisda says:** With regard to **a garment in which diverse kinds was lost, one may dye it, and it is permitted** to wear the garment, as wool and linen absorb dye differently, and therefore it will be easy to notice the location of the other kind of thread and remove it. **Rava said to Rafram bar Pappa: From where does the Elder,** i.e., Rav Ḥisda, derive **this** *halakha*?


###### Niddah 61b:7
[Niddah 61b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/61b:7)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַתְנִיתִין הִיא, דִּתְנַן: בּוֹדֵק עַד שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ לְסֶלַע, וְאִי לֵיכָּא — אֵימַר עוֹרֵב נְטָלָהּ. הָכִי נָמֵי: עַמְרָא וְכִיתָּנָא בַּהֲדָדֵי לָא סָלֵיק לְהוּ צִבְעָא, וְכֵיוָן דְּלָא יְדִיעַ — אֵימַר מִנְתָּר נְתַר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rafram bar Pappa **said to him: It is** derived from **the mishna, as we learned:** With regard to a pile of stones that was known to have an item of ritual impurity buried beneath it, one continues **searching** beneath each of these piles **until he reaches bedrock. And if** the impure item **is not** there, i.e., if he found nothing, one can **say** that **a raven** or some other animal **took it. So too** here, **wool and flax,** i.e., linen, **do not absorb** the dye **in the same** manner. **And since** he dyed the garment and **he does not know** of any mixture of linen and wool within it, as the entire garment absorbed the dye in the same way, one must **say that** that thread **has fallen out,** and therefore it is permitted to wear the garment.


###### Niddah 61b:8
[Niddah 61b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/61b:8)

אָמַר רַב אַחָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יֵיבָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּמָר זוּטְרָא: הַאי מַאן דִּרְמֵי חוּטָא דְּכִיתָּנָא בִּגְלִימָיה דְּעַמְרָא וְנַתְּקֵיהּ, וְלָא יָדַע אִי נְתִיק אִי לָא נְתִיק — שַׁפִּיר דָּמֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Aḥa, son of Rav Yeiva, said in the name of Mar Zutra:** In a case of **one who put a thread of flax in a cloak of wool and it fell out, but he does not know whether it** all **fell out or** whether it **did not** all **fall out,** it is **permitted** to wear the cloak.


###### Niddah 61b:9
[Niddah 61b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/61b:9)

מַאי טַעְמָא? מִדְּאוֹרָיְיתָא ״שַׁעַטְנֵז״ כְּתִיב — עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שׁוּעַ, טְוִוי, וְנוּז. וְרַבָּנַן הוּא דִּגְזַרוּ בֵּיהּ, וְכֵיוָן דְּלָא יָדַע אִי נַתְּקֵיהּ — שְׁרֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What is the reason** that the *halakha* is lenient in this case of uncertainty? **By Torah law,** it **is written: “Diverse kinds [*sha’atnez*]”** (Deuteronomy 22:11), and this is interpreted as an acronym indicating that the *halakha* of diverse kinds does not apply **unless** the item **is** combed **smooth [*shua*], spun [*tavui*]** as a thread, **and woven [*nuz*].** Without these characteristics, the combination is not considered diverse kinds by Torah law. **And it is the Sages who decreed** that diverse kinds that are merely attached to each other are prohibited, despite the fact that they are not combed and spun together. **And** in this case, **since he does not know if it** all **fell out** it is **permitted,** as the *halakha* is lenient with regard to uncertainties involving prohibitions that are by rabbinic law.


###### Niddah 61b:10
[Niddah 61b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/61b:10)

מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַב אָשֵׁי: אֵימַר אוֹ שׁוּעַ אוֹ טְוִוי אוֹ נוּז! וְהִלְכְתָא כְּמָר זוּטְרָא, מִדְּאַפְּקִינְהוּ רַחֲמָנָא בַּחֲדָא לִישָּׁנָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ashi objects to this** leniency. One can **say** that by Torah law it is prohibited if the linen and wool are **either combed, or spun, or woven.** Perhaps the word *sha’atnez* does not limit the prohibition to a combination of all three activities, but to any one of them. The Gemara concludes: **And the *halakha*** is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Mar Zutra, from** the fact **that the Merciful One expresses** the prohibition in the Torah **in one word,** *sha’atnez*. Therefore, the term means all three characteristics together.


###### Niddah 61b:11
[Niddah 61b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/61b:11)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: בֶּגֶד צָבוּעַ מְטַמֵּא מִשּׁוּם כֶּתֶם. רַבִּי נָתָן בַּר יוֹסֵף אוֹמֵר: אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא מִשּׁוּם כֶּתֶם, שֶׁלֹּא תִּקְּנוּ בִּגְדֵי צִבְעוֹנִין לְאִשָּׁה אֶלָּא לְהָקֵל עַל כִּתְמֵיהֶן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught** in a *baraita*: **A colored garment renders** a woman **impure due to** blood **stains** if she sees a blood stain on it. **Rabbi Natan bar Yosef says:** If she sees a blood stain on the colored garment **she is not impure due to** a blood **stain, as** the Sages **enacted** that **women** wear **colored garments,** and this decree was made **only** in order **to be lenient with regard to their** blood **stains,** i.e., so that they do not become impure.


###### Niddah 61b:12
[Niddah 61b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/61b:12)

תִּקְּנוּ? מַאי תַּקְּנִינְהוּ? אֶלָּא, שֶׁלֹּא הוּתְּרוּ בִּגְדֵי צִבְעוֹנִין לְאִשָּׁה אֶלָּא לְהָקֵל עַל כִּתְמֵיהֶן. ״הוּתְּרוּ״ — מִכְּלָל דַּאֲסִירִי!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara questions Rabbi Natan bar Yosef’s use of the word: Enacted. The Sages **enacted? What was their enactment? Rather,** Rabbi Natan bar Yosef said the reason **that** the Sages **permitted colored garments to women** was **only** in order **to be lenient with regard to her** blood **stains.** The Gemara raises an objection: From the statement that the Sages **permitted** colored garments one can conclude **by inference they were** previously **prohibited.** But was there a time when it was not permitted for women to wear colored garments?


###### Niddah 61b:13
[Niddah 61b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/61b:13)

אִין, דִּתְנַן: בַּפּוּלְמוּס שֶׁל אַסְפַּסְיָנוּס גָּזְרוּ עַל עַטְרוֹת חֲתָנִים וְעַל הָאִירוּס, בִּקְּשׁוּ לִגְזוֹר עַל בִּגְדֵי צִבְעוֹנִין. אָמְרִי: הָא עֲדִיפָא, כְּדֵי לְהָקֵל עַל כִּתְמֵיהֶן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **Yes, as we learned** in a mishna (*Sota* 49a): **In the war [*bapulmus*] of Vespasian they decreed upon the crowns of bridegrooms,** i.e., that bridegrooms may no longer wear crowns, **and upon the drum [*ha’irus*],** i.e., they also banned the playing of drums. **They** also **sought to decree with regard to colored garments,** i.e., that women may not wear such garments, but **they said: This is preferable,** that women should wear colored garments, **in order to be lenient with regard to their** blood **stains,** as a blood stain found on a colored garment does not render a woman ritually impure.


###### Niddah 61b:14
[Niddah 61b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Niddah/r/61b:14)

**מַתְנִי'** שִׁבְעָה סַמָּנִין מַעֲבִירִין עַל הַכֶּתֶם: רוֹק תָּפֵל, וּמֵי גְרִיסִין, וּמֵי רַגְלַיִם, וְנֶתֶר, וּבוֹרִית,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** There are **seven substances** that **one applies to the stain** on a garment to ascertain whether it is a blood stain or a dye, as these seven substances remove the blood. They are: **Tasteless saliva, and liquid from split beans, and urine, and natron, and *borit*,**