Mishnah 1
1)
(a)What does the Tana learn from the Pasuk ...
1. ... in Metzora (in connection with the blood of Nidus) "ve'ha'Davah be'Nidasah"?
2. ... "Dam Yih'yeh Zovah" (Ibid)?
(b)And what does he learn from the Pasuk in Chukas "O be'Etzem Adam"?
1)
(a)The Tana learns from the Pasuk ...
1. ... in Metzora "ve'ha'Davah be'Nidasah" that - the blood of Nidus is Metamei like she is (see Tos. Yom-Tov) as long as it is moist (like it was at the time that it flowed).
2. ... "Dam Yih'yeh Zovah" (Ibid) that - it is also Metamei when it is dry ("Yih'yeh", 'be'Havasah Yehei' [see Tos. Yom-Tov]).
(b)And from the Pasuk in Chukas "O be'Etzem Adam" he learns that - the same applies to the flesh of a Meis ("Adam", 'Dumya de'Etzem").
2)
(a)The Mishnah now discusses Zov, Ni'a, spit, a Sheretz, Neveilah and Shichvas-Zera. What does Ni'a mean, besides soft spit that emerges as a result of movement?
(b)What is its significance? What kind of Tum'ah is it?
(c)What do all these items have in common?
2)
(a)The Mishnah now discusses Zov, Ni'a, spit, a Sheretz, Neveilah and Shichvas-Zera. Besides soft spit that emerges as a result of movement, Ni'a is - mucus from the nose (see Tos. Yom-Tov) ...
(b)... that is also listed among the 'fountains' of a Zav.
(c)All these items are Metamei - when they are wet but not when they are dry.
3)
(a)How does the Mishnah learn the previous ruling with regard to Sheretz from the Pasuk in Shemini "ha'Noge'a bahem be'Mosam Yitma"?
(b)On what three conditions is a Sheretz nevertheless Metamei even though it is factually dry?
(c)From where does the Tana know that Shichvas-Zera is not Metamei once it has dried?
(d)How does he learn that Zivus is not Metamei when it is dry from the Pasuk in Metzora "Rar Besaro es Zovo"?
(e)And what does he learn from the Pasuk there "ve'Chi Yarok ha'Zav ... "?
3)
(a)The Mishnah learns the previous ruling with regard to Sheretz from the Pasuk in Shemini "ha'Noge'a bahem be'Mosam Yitma" - which he Darshens 'Ke'ein Mosam', as long as they are still moist like when they died.
(b)Nevertheless, a Sheretz is Metamei even though it is factually dry - provided the spine is still intact, its bones are still attached to the spinal cord and its form is still discernable (see Tos. Yom-Tov).
(c)The Tana learns that Shichvas-Zera is not Metamei once it has dried - from the word itself, which implies that it is fit to fertilize.
(d)He learns that Zivus is not Metamei when it is dry from the Pasuk in Metzora "Rar Besaro es Zovo" - implying that it dribbles like spit ...
(e)... and from the Pasuk there "ve'Chi Yarok ha'Zav ... " he learns that - the spit of a Zav must be in the same state as when it was first spat (moist) in order to be Metamei.
4)
(a)On what condition are the items on the above list Metamei even when they have become dry?
(b)In what sort of water, and for how long, need one soak them for them to still be Metamei?
4)
(a)The items on the above list are Metamei even when they have become dry - provided they can still regain their moistness by soaking them ...
(b)... in warm water for twenty-four hours.
5)
(a)R. Yossi disagrees with the Tana Kama's first ruling. What does he say about the flesh of a Meis?
(b)Under which circumstances will he concede that dry flesh is Metamei?
(c)Like whom is the Halachah?
5)
(a)R. Yossi disagrees with the Tana Kama's first ruling - declaring Tahor a k'Zayis of flesh of a Meis that has turned dry.
(b)He will concede however that - a spoonful of rot from a Meis is Metamei.
(c)The Halachah is - like the Tana Kama.
Mishnah 2
6)
(a)The Tana now discusses a Sheretz that is found in a Mavoy, in which case, everything in the Mavoy is assumed to be Tamei retroactively. Which two acts will break that Chazakah?
(b)What Din pertains to a woman who discovers a bloodstain on her garment?
6)
(a)The Tana now discusses a Sheretz that is found in a Mavoy, in which case, everything in the Mavoy is assumed to be Tamei retroactively - up to either the previous inspection or the last time that the Mavoy was swept (see Tos. Yom-Tov).
(b)A similar Din will apply regarding a woman who discovers a bloodstain on her garment - which is Metamei until the last time that she inspected or washed it (see Tos. Yom-Tov).
7)
(a)What distinction does R. Shimon draw between wet and dry? To which of the two cases is he referring?
(b)What do the Chachamim say?
7)
(a)R. Shimon restricts the earlier ruling to a Sheretz that has dried; because if it is still moist, then it is Metamei only as far back as it could have died and still be moist.
(b)The Chachamim - do not differentiate.
8)
(a)Why does R. Shimon concede that the bloodstain is Tamei retroactively (as we explained earlier)?
(b)Then why does he not say the same in the case of the Sheretz?
(c)Like whom is the Halachah?
8)
(a)R. Shimon concedes that the bloodstain is Tamei retroactively (as we explained earlier) even if it is wet - because in all likelihood, it is wet because water fell on it.
(b)He does not say the same in the case of the Sheretz - because had water fallen on the dead Sheretz, it would have become soggy.
(c)The Halachah is - like the Tana Kama (see Tos. Yom-Tov).
Mishnah 3
9)
(a)The Tana Kama declares Tahor all bloodstains that come from Rekem. 'Rekem' is an Aramaic name. What is its equivalent in Lashon ha'Kodesh?
(b)What is the status of the residents of Rekem?
(c)What is the Chidush of this Mishnah? Why might we have thought otherwise?
9)
(a)The Tana Kama declares Tahor all bloodstains that come from 'Rekem' - the Arama'ic name of Kadesh.
(b)According to the Tana Kama, the residents of Rekem are Nochrim ...
(c)... and the Chidush of the Mishnah is that - even though Chazal decreed Tum'as Zivus on Nochrim, they did not deecree Tum'ah on their bloodstains
10)
(a)What does R. Yehudah say?
(b)He ascribes this to the fact that they are Geirim (whose blood is Tamei) and To'in. What does To'in mean?
10)
(a)R. Yehudah declares them Tamei ...
(b)... because he says they are Geirim (whose blood is Tamei) and To'in - they are not particularly modest, in that they do not hide their bloodstains.
11)
(a)R. Meir and the Chachamim seem to argue over bloodstains that come from among Yisrael or the Kutim. However, the Mishnah needs to be amended. What do they both say about them?
(b)What is the reason for the latter?
(c)What do both Tana'im say about bloodstains that are found in the open cities in which mainly Yisre'eim live?
(d)Why is that?
11)
(a)R. Meir and the Chachamim seem to argue over bloodstains that come from among Yisrael or the Kutim. However, the Mishnah needs to be amended. Both Tana'im agree that - they are Tamei ...
(b)... because they consider Kutim to be true Geirim, in which case the bloodstains of their wives are Tamei like those of B'nos Yisrael.
(c)Both Tana'im also agree that bloodstains that are found in the open cities in which mainly Yisre'eim live - are Tahor ...
(d)... because B'nos Yisrael are modest and do not leave their Tamei bloodstains lying around.
12)
(a)What is then the Machlokes between R. Meir and the Chachamim?
(b)To what do we attribute the bloodstains that are considered Tahor?
(c)What is the basis of their Machlokes?
(d)Why is the Halachah not relevant?
12)
(a)The Machlokes between R. Meir and the Chachamim is - whether the bloodstains of the Kutim are Tahor like those of B'nos Yisrael (the Chachamim), or not (R. Meir).
(b)We attribute the bloodstains that are considered Tahor - to the blood of animals or wild beasts.
(c)The basis of their argument is - whether the Kutim hide their bloodstains like the B'nos Yisrael (Chachamim) or not (R. Meir).
(d)The Halachah is not relevant nowadays - because after the Chachamim discovered the image of a dove that the Kutim worshipped on Har Gerizim, they declared them Nochrim in all regards (see Tos. Yom-Tov here and in the next Mishnah, DH 'Mipnei ... ').
Mishnah 4
13)
(a)Where else, besides actually inside a room (see Tos. Yom-Tov), must one consider the bloodstains of a bas Yisrael that one finds, Tamei?
(b)Why does the Mishnah declare Tamei be'Ohel those same Beis ha'Tum'os belonging to the Kutim's wives?
(c)Seeing as they only bury the Nefalim there temporarily, why are they considered permanently Tamei?
(d)On what grounds does R. Yehudah declare them Tahor?
13)
(a)Besides actually inside a room (see Tos. Yom-Tov), one must consider the bloodstains of a bas Yisrael that one finds, Tamei - in the vicinity of the special rooms reserved for the use of women during their period of Nidus ('Beis ha'Tum'os').
(b)The Mishnah declares Tamei be'Ohel those same Beis ha'Tum'os belonging to the Kutim's wives - because they bury their Nefalim there.
(c)Despite the fact that they only bury them there temporarily (see Tos. Yom-Tov), they are considered permanently Tamei - since one never knows whether the previous Nefel has already been removed or not.
(d)R. Yehudah declared them Tahor - because they do not bury their Nefalim, they throw them (see Tiferes Yisrael), and the weasels immediately come and devour them.
Mishnah 5
14)
(a)What does the Mishnah say about a Kuti who declares that they did, or did not, bury a Nefel in a Beis ha'Tum'ah?
(b)On what basis is he believed?
(c)On what condition is he believed?
(d)Why will it not suffice for the Kohen to be holding the Terumah? Why must he have been eating it?
(e)Why will he not otherwise be believed?
14)
(a)The Mishnah rules that a Kuti who declares that they did, or did not, bury a Nefel in a Beis ha'Tum'ah - is believed ...
(b)... because Tum'as Meis is d'Oraysa (and whatever is d'Oraysa, the Kutim observe meticulously).
(c)He is only believed however - if a Kohen Kuti is standing there eating Terumah.
(d)It will not suffice for the Kohen to be merely holding the Terumah - because the Terumah may well be Tamei (see tos. Yom-Tov).
(e)He will not otherwise be believed - because the one Mitzvah d'Oraysa that they do not observe is that of "Lifnei Iver Lo Sitein Michshol". Consequently, he is only believed if a Kuti Kohen is eating it.
15)
(a)What does the Mishnah say about a Kuti who declares an animal that is born, to be a B'chor or is not a B'chor (because the mother already gave birth before)?
(b)On what condition is he believed to say that it is not a B'chor?
(c)The Tana also trusts a Kuti to mark the location of a grave. Why is that, considering that Tziyun Kevarim is mi'de'Rabbanan (and the Kutim are not particular about observing Mitzvos de'Rabbanan)?
15)
(a)The Mishnah also rules that a Kuti who declares that an animal is born is a B'chor or is not a B'chor (because the mother already gave birth before) - is believed.
(b)He is believed to say that it is not a B'chor - provided the Kuti actually works with it or shears its wool (both Torah prohibitions with regard to a B'chor [see Tos. Yom-Tov]).
(c)The Tana also trusts a Kuti to mark the location of a grave, despite the fact that Tziyun Kevarim is mi'de'Rabbanan (and the Kutim are not particular about observing Mitzvos de'Rabbanan) - because it is explicitly written in a Pasuk in Yechezkel (see Tos. Yom-Tov).
16)
(a)The Tana does not however, trust a Kuti with regard to Sechachos, Pera'os and Beis-ha'Peras. Beis-ha'Peras is a field in which a grave has been plowed up, and which Chazal declared Tamei, as we have learned many times. Up to what distance from the grave, in all directions, did they declare the field Tamei?
(b)The term Beis-ha'Peras may be based on the fact that the bones that have been strewn around are all broken (Parus). To what alternative reason do we attribute its name?
(c)What are ...
1. ... Sechachos?
2. ... Pera'os?
(d)Why are Kutim not believed in these three areas?
16)
(a)The Tana does not however, trust a Kuti with regard to Sechachos, Pera'os and Beis-ha'Peras (a field in which a grave has been plowed up, and which Chazal declared Tamei, as we have learned many times). They declared the field Tamei - up to one hundred Amos from the grave, in all directions.
(b)The term Beis-ha'Peras may be based on the fact that the bones that have been strewn around are all broken ('Parus'). Alternatively - it derives from the word 'Parsos' (footsteps), since people stop walking there.
(c)The Halachah of ...
1. ... Sechachos is - where underneath one of the branches of a tree there is a grave, though which branch is not known.
2. ... Pera'os is - the equivalent of Sechachos, only where the grave is underneath one of the stones that project from a wall.
(d)Kutim are not believed in these three areas - because they are only particular about the observation of Vaday Isur min ha'Torah, but not of Safek.
17)
(a)What principle governs this Mishnah?
(b)Which issue, besides that of Techumin, does the principle come to include?
(c)Why are the Kutim not believed regarding these two issues?
(d)Why is all this not applicable nowadays?
17)
(a)The principle that governs this Mishnah is that - Whatever issue the Kutim are suspect, they are not believed.
(b)Besides the issue of Techumin, the principle comes to include - Yayin Nesech.
(c)... regarding both of which the Kutim are not believed - the former because it is mi'de'Rabbanan, the latter, because the Kutim are not fussy about Nochrim touching their belongings.
(d)All this is not applicable nowadays - since the Chachamim declared the Kutim Nochrim in all regards, as we explained above.
Hadran alach 'Dam ha'Nidah'
