REVIEW QUESTIONS ON GEMARA AND RASHI
prepared by Rabbi Eliezer Chrysler
Kollel Iyun Hadaf, Jerusalem
Previous dafNidah 29
The Mishnah writes that when a baby emerges from the womb in a cut-up
state, the mother is Temei'ah Leidah, once the majority of the baby has
emerged. According to Rebbi Elazar, this speaks even if the head has
According to the second Lashon, Rebbi Yochanan and Rebbi Elazar argue over
(a) What does Shmuel say?
According to the first Lashon, Rebbi Yochanan and Rebbi Elazar do not
necessarily argue over Shmuel's Din.
(b) What does Rebbi Yochanan say?
(c) What then, is their dispute, and what do they hold regarding 'Ein
ha'Rosh Poter bi'Nefalim'?
Our Mishnah writes 'Yatza Mechutach O Mesuras, mi'she'Yazta Rubo'.
(d) What creates the difference between the two Leshonos?
(a) Why is this a Kashya on Rebbi Yochanan?
Is there such an opinion that holds that, even if the majority of the baby
emerges, the mother is not Temei'ah Leidah, and why should that be?
(b) How does Rebbi Yochanan initially amend the Mishnah?
(c) But does the Mishnah not say 'Mechutach *O* Mesuras' and not
The Beraisa writes 'Yatza Mechutach O Mesuras, mi'she'Yatza Rubo, Harei Hu
ki'Yelud. Rebbi Yossi Omer, mi'she'Yatza ke'Tikno'.
(a) What does the Tana Kama say?
We learnt in our Mishnah that by the head (emerging) the Tana means the
(b) What is Rebbi Yossi saying?
(c) What are the other two opinions in this matter?
(a) If a woman miscarries, but is not sure what she miscarried, which
possibilities must she contend with?
(b) What is the apparent problem in mentioning 'la'Zachar'?
(a) What does Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi say about a woman who miscarries
whilst crossing a river, and why?
Answers to questions
(b) How does he reconcile this with our Mishnah, which contends with the
possibility of the woman being a Nidah? Why do we not also go after the
majority of women?
(c) What is the Din by a pregnant animal who left in the morning 'full' and
returned in the evening empty (is the next baby a Bechor or not?)
(d) How does Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi explain this Beraisa?
Ravin quoted Rebbi Yossi b'Rebbi Chanina, who asked a Kashya on Rebbi
Yehoshua ben Levi from 'To'eh'.
The Din of 'To'ah' concerns a woman who left pregnant, but returned empty.
After she returned, she remained Tehorah for three weeks, but then she
alternated (one week Tamei, and one week Tahor) for another ten weeks.
(a) On which night is she permitted to her husband?
(b) How many Tevilos is she required to make according to Beis Shamai and
according to Beis Hillel - and what do they hold in common?
(c) How do we account for the Tevilos of the first three weeks, and what
does Rebbi Yossi b'Rebbi Chanina ask from the fourth week on Rebbi Yehoshua
(d) How does Ravin refute this Kashya?
(a) Why is the woman not permitted the entire fifth week, during which she
sees no blood?
(b) Why ought she to be permitted to her husband on the twenty-first night,
and why is she not?
(c) Why is she not permitted on the following (the twenty-second) night?
(a) When do a Yoledes and a Zavah Tovel, by day or by night?
During the second week, the To'ah Tovels every night and every day.
Until now, we have discussed the thirty-five Tevilos of Beis Hillel.
(c) Why during the first week, does she Tovel by night and not by day?
(d) And why does she Tovel every day of the third week?
(a) How does Beis Shamai arrive at more than ninety Tevilos?
(b) Considering that, after the days of Tum'ah, there remain the sixty-six
days of Taharah, of which the seven Tevilos of the third week have already
been counted, we ought to be speaking about 35+59 (=94) Tevilos, so why do
Beis Shamai say 95?
(c) Why did the Gemara need to reply that she arrived the previous *Bein
Hashemashos*? Why did it not simply say that she arrived the previous
*night*, when she would still require an extra Tevilah?