(Mishnah) (After a woman has relations, the semen may drip out over the course of several days; when it does, it touches her externally and is Metamei her, unless it already putrefied.) Question: What is the source that if a woman emits semen [within] three days [after relations], she becomes Teme'ah?

Answer: "Heyu Nechonim li'Shloshes Yomim" (Benei Yisrael abstained from relations three days before Matan Torah, in order that no woman would become Tamei on account of emitting semen).

Question: What is the source that one may [Mechalel Shabbos, if necessary to] wash [a baby, even (Rashi)] on the third day from circumcision?

Answer: "Va'Yhi va'Yom ha'Shelishi bi'Hyosam Ko'avim" (this shows that one is very weak on the third day).

Question: What is the source to tie a red thread on the head of the Se'ir ha'Mishtale'ach (the goat sent to Azazel on Yom Kipur)?

Answer: "Im Yihyu Chata'eichem ka'Shanim ka'Sheleg Yalbinu".

Question: What is the source that anointing is [forbidden] like drinking on Yom Kipur?

Answer: "Va'Tavo cha'Mayim b'Kirbo vecha'Shemen b'Atzmosav".

(Gemara) Question: The Reisha is unlike R. Elazar ben Azaryah, the Seifa is like him!

R. Elazar holds that semen is Tahor on the third day.

Answer #1: The opinion that prefers establishing a Mishnah like one Tana [even if this causes a difficulty, e.g. one must alter the text or give different reasons for the Reisha and Seifa] establishes it like R. Elazar ben Azaryah - the text of the Reisha must say 'Tahor'.

Answer #2: The opinion that prefers establishing the Reisha and Seifa like different Tana'im [rather than enduring a difficulty] says that the Reisha is Chachamim, the Seifa is R. Elazar.

(Beraisa - R. Elazar ben Azaryah): If a woman emits semen on the third day, she is Tehorah;

R. Yishmael says, sometimes the Tum'ah lasts for four Onos. (An Onah is a day or night. It lasts four Onos if her last relations were at the end of the day.) Sometimes it lasts five Onos [if her last relations were at the end of the night], and sometimes six [if her last relations were just after nightfall. He holds that expulsion on day three is Tamei, but on day four is Tahor];

R. Akiva says, it is always Tamei for five Onos;

If she had relations after some of the Onah already elapsed, we add that amount of time to the beginning of the sixth Onah.

Question (Rabanan): (All agree that Matan Torah was on Shabbos.) We understand R. Elazar ben Azaryah - he holds like the Chachamim who say that abstention [from relations] began on Thursday [evening, so any expulsion of semen on Shabbos would be [at least] the third day from relations and hence Tahor];

We understand R. Yishmael - he holds like R. Yosi, who says that abstention began on Wednesday [evening, Shabbos was [at least] the fourth day from relations];

But which Tana does R. Akiva hold like [and what is his source that it depends on Onos]?

Answer (Rav Papa): He holds like R. Yosi, like Rav Ada bar Ahavah taught, that Moshe always ascended on Har Sinai early and descended early. (R. Chananel - "early" is before sunrise. He told them early on Wednesday, so there were five Onos before Shabbos);

"Va'Yashkem Moshe ba'Boker va'Ya'al El Har Sinai" teaches that he ascended early;

"Lech Red v'Alisa" equates descending to ascending - just like he ascended early, he descended early.

Question: Why did Moshe need to tell them in the morning? (Any time before evening would have sufficed!)

(Rav Huna): Yisraelim are Kedoshim, they do not have relations during the day.

Answer: Rava taught that in a dark house, it is permitted; also, a Chacham is always permitted, he will cover with his garment in order that it will be dark.

Question: [All agree that an expulsion up until Shabbos could be Tamei, some women could not immerse until Shabbos night -] if so, they were Tevulos Yom (they were not totally Tehoros)!

Answer (Abaye bar Ravin and Rav Chanina bar Avin): Indeed, this teaches that the Torah was given to Tevulos Yom!

Question (Ravina): Was the Torah given to Tevulos Yom (some did not immerse until Shabbos), or was it merely fitting to be given to Tevulos Yom?

Answer (Mereimar): It was fitting to be given to Tevulos Yom. (But actually, everyone immersed before Shabbos, and no one had to immerse again on Shabbos due to a subsequent expulsion of semen.)

Question #1: Since Torah was fitting to be given to Tevulos Yom, they could have immersed on Shabbos night and the Torah could have been given that same night! (Rashi - we ask against R. Akiva - it seems that Matan Torah was delayed until morning, because six Onos are required! Tosfos - we also ask against R. Elazar and R. Yishmael, who say that it depends on the number of days - the delay teaches that it depends on Onos, and another Onah was needed!)

Answer #1 (R. Yitzchak): "Lo mi'Rosh ba'Seser Dibarti" (Hash-m did not [want to] speak covertly with Yisrael).

Question #2 (against R. Akiva): [Why did they have to abstain from Wednesday morning?] They could have [had relations on Wednesday during the day, and] immersed on Shabbos morning, before Matan Torah

Answer #1 (R. Yitzchak): It would be improper that while [most of] Benei Yisrael are heading to receive the Torah, others are going to immerse.

Answer #2 (to Questions (e) and (g) - R. Chiya b'Rebbi Aba): Chachamim argue with R. Yishmael and R. Akiva - they say that semen is always Tamei for six full Onos (therefore 72 hours of abstention were required, from Wednesday morning until Shabbos morning).

(Rav Chisda): The argument is about semen emitted by a woman, but all agree that semen emitted by a man (that never entered a woman) is Tamei as long as it is moist (it is still capable of being Mazri'a (impregnanting).).

Question (Rav Sheshes - Beraisa): "V'Chol Beged v'Chol Or Asher Yihyeh Alav Shichvas Zera" - this excludes putrefied semen (it cannot Mazri'a).

Suggestion: It came from a man (and it is Tamei if it is moist, even if it putrefied)!

Answer: No, came from a woman.

Question #1 (Rav Papa): If semen of a Yisrael is inside a Nochris, for how long is it Tamei?

Perhaps semen putrefies in a Yisraelis after three days, for the bodies of Yisraelim are warm, for they are fearful about Mitzvos - but a Nochris is cool, it does not putrefy so quickly;

Or, perhaps bodies of Nochrim are equally warm, for they eat Shekatzim u'Rmashim (insects and swarming creatures)?

Question #2: If also in a Nochris it putrefies after three days because they eat Shekatzim u'Rmashim, if it is in an animal, what is the law?

There is a corridor before a woman's womb, the semen is insulated and stays warm - animals have no corridor, the semen will not putrefy so quickly;

Or, perhaps this does not make a difference!

This question is not resolved.

(Beraisa): The Aseres ha'Dibros were given on the sixth of Sivan;

R. Yosi says, they were given on the seventh.

(Rava): All agree that Benei Yisrael came to Midbar Sinai on Rosh Chodesh Sivan:

It says "Ba'Yom ha'Zeh Ba'u Midbar Sinai", like it says "Ha'Chodesh ha'Zeh Lachem Rosh Chodoshim" - just like the latter refers to Rosh Chodesh, also the former.

All agree that Matan Torah was on Shabbos - it says "Zachor Es Yom ha'Shabbos Lekadsho", like it says "...Zachor Es Yom ha'Zeh" - just like the latter refers to the day itself [that it was said], also the former;

They argue about which day [of the week] was Rosh Chodesh.