(32a:1)ר"מ היא דתניא קטן וקטנה לא חולצין ולא מיבמין דברי ר"מ
(32a:1)The Gemara responds: It is Rabbi Meir, as it is taught in a baraita: A minor boy and a minor girl may not perform the ritual through which a yavam frees a yevama of her levirate bonds [ḥalitza], nor may they enter into levirate marriage. In other words, a minor boy whose brother died childless may not perform ḥalitza with his brother’s widow, nor may he enter into levirate marriage with her, even if she is an adult. Likewise, a minor girl whose husband died childless may not perform ḥalitza with her husband’s brother, nor may she enter into levirate marriage with him, even if he is an adult. This is the statement of Rabbi Meir.
(32a:2)אמרו לו לר"מ יפה אמרת שאין חולצין איש כתוב בפרשה ומקשינן אשה לאיש ומה טעם אין מיבמין
(32a:2)The Rabbis said to Rabbi Meir: You have aptly stated that they may not perform ḥalitza, since “man” is written in the passage of the Torah discussing ḥalitza (Deuteronomy 25:7), and we compare a woman to a man, as the aforementioned verse states: “And if the man does not want to take his brother’s wife.” Consequently, neither a minor boy nor a minor girl may perform ḥalitza. But what is the reason that they may not enter into levirate marriage?
(32a:3)אמר להן קטן שמא ימצא סריס קטנה שמא תמצא אילונית ונמצאו פוגעין בערוה שלא במקום מצוה
(32a:3)Rabbi Meir said to them: A minor boy may not enter into levirate marriage lest, once he is older, he be found to be a sexually underdeveloped man, who is incapable of fathering children. Likewise, a minor girl may not enter into levirate marriage lest, once she is older, she be found to be a sexually underdeveloped woman. And if a sexually underdeveloped boy or girl enters into levirate marriage they will be found to be infringing upon prohibitions against forbidden sexual intercourse where no mitzva applies, as the entire purpose of levirate marriage is to bear children in the name of the deceased.
(32a:4)ורבנן זיל בתר רובא דקטנים ורוב קטנים לאו סריסים נינהו זיל בתר רובא דקטנות ורוב קטנות לאו אילונית נינהו
(32a:4)The Gemara notes: And the Rabbis maintain that one follows the majority of minor boys, and most minor boys are not going to be sexually underdeveloped men; likewise, one follows the majority of minor girls, and most minor girls are not going to be sexually underdeveloped women. In any event, the baraita indicates that Rabbi Meir is concerned for the minority.
(32a:5)אימר דשמעת ליה לר"מ מיעוטא דשכיח אבל מיעוטא דלא שכיח מי שמעת ליה
(32a:5)The Gemara objects: You can say that you heard that Rabbi Meir is concerned for a common minority, e.g., the minority of sexually underdeveloped men and sexually underdeveloped women. But did you hear him say that one is concerned for an uncommon minority, such as the minority of young girls who menstruate?
(32a:6)הא נמי מיעוטא דשכיח הוא דתניא א"ר יוסי מעשה בעין בול והטבילוה קודם לאמה ואמר רבי מעשה בבית שערים והטבילוה קודם לאמה וא"ר יוסף מעשה בפומבדיתא והטבילוה קודם לאמה
(32a:6)The Gemara explains: This minority of young girls who menstruate is also a common minority. As it is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yosei said: There was an incident in the town of Ein Bul where they immersed a baby girl in a ritual bath before her mother. In other words, the baby girl experienced bleeding so soon after birth that her immersion in a ritual bath occurred before her mother immersed fourteen days after giving birth. And Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi likewise said: There was an incident in Beit She’arim where they immersed a baby girl before her mother. And Rav Yosef said: There was an incident in Pumbedita where they immersed a baby girl before her mother.
(32a:7)בשלמא דר' יוסי ודרבי משום תרומת א"י אלא דרב יוסף למה לי והא אמר שמואל אין תרומת חו"ל אסורה אלא במי שטומאה יוצאה מגופו והני מילי באכילה אבל בנגיעה לא
(32a:7)The Gemara asks: Granted, the immersions reported by Rabbi Yosei and by Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi are understandable, due to the teruma of Eretz Yisrael, i.e., these incidents occurred in Eretz Yisrael, where the touch of a menstruating girl disqualifies teruma. But in the incident reported by Rav Yosef, which occurred in Babylonia, why do I need to immerse the baby girl? But doesn’t Shmuel say: The teruma of outside of Eretz Yisrael is prohibited only to one whose impurity is due to an emission from his body, e.g., a menstruating woman, or one who experiences a gonorrhea-like discharge [zav]. And this statement applies only with regard to eating teruma, but with regard to touching teruma, there is no prohibition. Since the touch of a menstruating woman does not disqualify teruma outside Eretz Yisrael, why was it necessary to immerse the baby girl in the incident reported by Rav Yosef?
(32a:8)אמר מר זוטרא לא נצרכה אלא לסוכה שמן של תרומה דתניא (ויקרא כב, טו) ולא יחללו את קדשי בני ישראל אשר ירימו לה' לרבות את הסך ואת השותה
(32a:8)Mar Zutra says: That immersion was necessary only for smearing oil of teruma of outside of Eretz Yisrael. Since smearing is equivalent to eating, it would have been prohibited to smear such oil on the baby girl, were it not for her immersion in a ritual bath. And from where is it derived that smearing is like eating with regard to teruma? As it is taught in a baraita: The verse discussing the prohibition against consuming teruma in a state of ritual impurity states: “And they shall not desecrate the sacred items of the children of Israel, which they set apart for the Lord” (Leviticus 22:15). The verse serves to include in this prohibition one who smears and one who drinks.
(32a:9)שותה למה לי קרא שתיה בכלל אכילה אלא לרבות את הסך כשותה ואיבעית אימא מהכא (תהלים קט, יח) ותבא כמים בקרבו וכשמן בעצמותיו
(32a:9)Mar Zutra continues: Why do I need a verse to teach that one who drinks teruma in a state of impurity is liable? Isn’t drinking included in the category of eating? Rather, the baraita means that the verse serves to include one who smears, teaching that he is like one who drinks. And if you wish, say that one may derive that smearing is like drinking from here: “And it came into his innards like water, and like oil into his bones” (Psalms 109:18).
(32a:10)אי הכי דידן נמי
(32a:10)As it stands, the halakha that Samaritan girls are considered menstruating women from the time they lie in their cradle is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Meir, who is concerned for the minority of young girls who menstruate. The Gemara objects: If so, let us be concerned for the same minority with regard to our girls as well.
(32a:11)אנן דדרשינן אשה ואשה וכי חזיין מפרשי להו לא גזרו בהו רבנן אינהו דלא דרשי אשה ואשה וכי חזיין לא מפרשי להו גזרו בהו רבנן
(32a:11)The Gemara explains: There is no need to be concerned with regard to our young girls, as we interpret the verse: “And if a woman has an issue” (Leviticus 15:19), and derive from the fact that the verse does not merely state: “A woman,” but: “And if a woman,” that even minor girls are included in the halakhot of a menstruating woman. And consequently, when our girls see menstrual blood, we separate them in the manner of all menstruating women. Therefore, the Sages did not decree with regard to them that all young Jewish girls assume the status of menstruating women. By contrast, with regard to them, Samaritans, who do not interpret the difference between “a woman” and “and if a woman,” when their girls see menstrual blood they do not separate them, and therefore the Sages decreed with regard to them that all Samaritan girls assume the status of menstruating women.
(32a:12)מאי אשה ואשה דתניא אשה אין לי אלא אשה תינוקת בת יום אחד לנדה מנין ת"ל ואשה
(32a:12)§ The Gemara asks: What is this interpretation of the difference between “a woman” and “and if a woman”? As it is taught in a baraita that from “a woman” I have derived only that the halakhot of menstruation apply to an adult woman. From where do I derive that the halakhot of a menstruating woman also apply to a one-day-old girl? The verse states: “And if a woman.”
(32a:13)אלמא כי מרבי קרא בת יום אחד מרבי ורמינהו אשה אין לי אלא אשה תינוקת בת ג' שנים ויום אחד לביאה מנין ת"ל ואשה
(32a:13)The Gemara asks: Apparently, when the verse includes young girls through the word “and” it includes even a one-day-old. But you can raise a contradiction from another baraita, which discusses the verse: “And the woman with whom a man shall lie carnally, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be impure until the evening” (Leviticus 15:18). From the word “woman” I have derived only that the sexual intercourse of an adult woman is considered intercourse that renders her impure. From where do I derive that the sexual intercourse of a girl aged three years and one day is also classified as intercourse? The verse states: And the woman. Evidently, the word “and” includes only a girl aged three years and one day.
(32a:14)אמר רבא הלכתא נינהו ואסמכינהו רבנן אקראי הי קרא והי הלכתא אילימא בת יום אחד הלכתא בת שלש שנים ויום אחד קרא קרא סתמא כתיב
(32a:14)Rava said: These are halakhot transmitted to Moses from Sinai, and the Sages merely supported them with verses. There is therefore no contradiction. The Gemara asks: Which halakha is derived from a verse and which is a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai? If we say that the halakha that the status of a menstruating woman may apply to a one-day-old girl is a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai, and the halakha that the intercourse of a girl aged three years and one day is considered intercourse is derived from a verse, then one may object: But the verse is written in an unspecified manner; consequently, a one-day-old girl should be included by the verse in the same manner as a three-year-old girl.
(32a:15)אלא בת ג' שנים ויום אחד הלכתא בת יום אחד קרא ומאחר דהלכתא קרא ל"ל
(32a:15)Rather, the halakha with regard to the intercourse of a girl aged three years and one day is a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai, whereas the halakha with regard to the menstruation of a one-day-old girl is derived from a verse. The Gemara asks: And now that it has been established that the halakha with regard to the intercourse of a three-year-old girl is a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai, why do I need a verse?
(32b:1)למעוטי איש מאודם
(32b:1)The Gemara responds: The verse serves to exclude a man from contracting ritual impurity due to red semen.
(32b:2)והא דתניא אשה אין לי אלא אשה בת י' ימים לזיבה מנין ת"ל ואשה למה לי ליגמר מנדה
(32b:2)The Gemara objects: But what about that which is taught in a baraita with regard to a woman who experiences a discharge of uterine blood after her menstrual period [zava]: The verse states: “And if a woman has an issue of her blood many days” (Leviticus 15:25). From the word “woman” I have derived only that ziva applies to an adult woman. From where do I derive that a ten-day-old girl is included in the halakhot of ziva? The verse states: “And if a woman.” Why do I need the verse? Let one derive that a ten-day-old girl is included in the halakhot of ziva from the fact that a one-day-old girl is included in the halakhot of a menstruating woman, as a woman may become a zava only after seven days of menstruation and three subsequent days of experiencing uterine discharge.
(32b:3)צריכא דאי כתב רחמנא בנדה הוה אמינא נדה משום דכי חזאי חד יומא בעיא למיתב ז' אבל זבה דאי חזאי חד יומא בשומרת יום כנגד יום סגי לה אימא לא צריכא
(32b:3)The Gemara responds: It was necessary for the verse to teach that the halakhot of ziva apply to a ten-day-old girl. As, if the Merciful One had written only that a one-day-old girl is included in the halakhot of a menstruating woman, I would say: The halakhot of a menstruating woman apply to a one-day-old girl because of their stringency, as when a woman sees blood on only one day she is required to sit for the seven days of menstruation. But with regard to a zava, since the halakha is that if a woman sees blood on only one day she has the status of a lesser zava, and it is enough for her to observe a clean day for a day she experiences a discharge, one might say that the halakhot of ziva do not apply to a ten-day-old girl. It was therefore necessary for the verse to indicate otherwise.
(32b:4)וליכתוב רחמנא בזבה ולא בעי בנדה ואנא ידענא דאין זבה בלא נדה אין ה"נ ואלא קרא למה לי למעוטי איש מאודם
(32b:4)The Gemara objects: And let the Merciful One write that a ten-day-old girl is included in the halakhot of a zava, and it would not be required to write that a one-day-old girl is included in the halakhot of a menstruating woman, and I would know that as a girl cannot become a zava without first assuming the status of a menstruating woman, she must also be included in the halakhot of a menstruating woman. The Gemara responds: Yes, it is indeed so; the fact that a one-day-old girl is included in the halakhot of a menstruating woman can be derived from the fact that a ten-day-old girl is included in the halakhot of a zava. Rather, why do I need the verse: “And if a woman,” that is stated with regard to a menstruating woman? The verse serves to exclude a man from contracting ritual impurity due to red semen.
(32b:5)The Gemara objects: But the Torah already excluded this case on another occasion, as stated earlier. The Gemara explains: One verse serves to exclude a man from contracting ritual impurity due to red semen, and one verse serves to exclude a man from being rendered a zav due to blood that emanates from his penis.
(32b:6)וכן לענין זכרים דתניא (ויקרא טו, ב) איש איש מה ת"ל איש איש לרבות תינוק בן יום אחד שהוא מטמא בזיבה דברי רבי יהודה
(32b:6)§ The Gemara discusses the halakha of ziva with regard to a male: And so with regard to males, the halakhot of a zav apply even to minor boys. As it is taught in a baraita: The verse states concerning a zav: “When any man has an issue out of his flesh, his issue is impure” (Leviticus 15:2). What is the meaning when the verse states “any man”? The verse serves to include a one-day-old baby, teaching that even he is susceptible to impurity of ziva. This is the statement of Rabbi Yehuda.
(32b:7)רבי ישמעאל בנו של ר' יוחנן בן ברוקה אומר אין צריך הרי הוא אומר (ויקרא טו, לג) לזכר ולנקבה לזכר כל שהוא זכר בין שהוא גדול בין שהוא קטן ולנקבה כל שהיא נקבה בין גדולה בין קטנה א"כ מה ת"ל איש איש דברה תורה כלשון בני אדם
(32b:7)Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Beroka, says: This derivation is not necessary, as the verse states: “And of them that have an issue, whether it be a male or a female” (Leviticus 15:33). “Whether it be a male” includes anyone who is a male, whether he is an adult or whether he is a minor; “or a female” includes anyone who is a female, whether she is an adult or whether she is a minor. If so, what is the meaning when the verse states “any man”? The Torah spoke in the language of people, and one is not meant to derive anything from this verse.
(32b:8)אלמא כי מרבי קרא בן יום אחד מרבי ורמינהו איש אין לי אלא איש בן תשע שנים ויום אחד מנין ת"ל (ויקרא טו ) ואיש
(32b:8)The Gemara asks: Apparently, when the verse includes a minor boy it includes even a one-day-old. But raise a contradiction from another baraita, which addresses the verse: “And if the flow of seed go out from a man, then he shall bathe all his flesh in water and be impure until the evening” (Leviticus 15:16). From the word “man” I have derived only that a man is rendered ritually impure through a seminal emission. From where do I derive that the seminal emission of a boy aged nine years and one day renders him impure as well? The verse states: “And a man.” Evidently, the verse does not include a one-day-old boy.
(32b:9)אמר רבא הלכתא נינהו ואסמכינהו רבנן אקראי הי הלכתא והי קרא אילימא בן יום אחד הלכתא ובן ט' שנים ויום אחד קרא קרא סתמא כתיב
(32b:9)Rava said: These are halakhot transmitted to Moses from Sinai, and the Sages merely supported them with verses. Therefore, there is no contradiction. The Gemara asks: Which is a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai, and which halakha is derived from a verse? If we say that the halakha that a one-day-old boy is included in the halakhot of a zav is a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai, and the halakha that the seminal emission of a boy aged nine years and one day renders him impure is derived from a verse, then one may object: But the verse is written in an unspecified manner; consequently, even a one-day-old boy should be included in the verse.
(32b:10)אלא בן ט' שנים ויום אחד הלכתא ובן יום א' קרא וכי מאחר דהלכתא היא קרא למה לי למעוטי אשה מלובן
(32b:10)Rather, the halakha with regard to the seminal emission of a boy aged nine years and one day is a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai, and the halakha that a one-day-old boy is included in the halakhot of a zav is derived from a verse. The Gemara asks: And now that the halakha with regard to the seminal emission of a boy aged nine years and one day renders is a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai, why do I need a verse? The Gemara answers: The verse serves to exclude a woman from contracting the impurity of a zava due to a white discharge.
(32b:11)למה לי למכתב בזכרים ולמה לי למכתב בנקבות
(32b:11)The Gemara asks: Why do I need for the Merciful One to write that a one-day-old is included in the halakhot of ziva with regard to males, and why do I need for the Merciful One to write that a one-day-old is included in the halakhot of a menstruating woman and a ten-day-old is included in the halakhot of ziva with regard to females?
(32b:12)צריכי דאי כתב רחמנא בזכרים משום דמטמאו בראיות כבימים אבל נקבות דלא מטמאו בראיות כבימים אימא לא
(32b:12)The Gemara answers that both verses are necessary. As, if the Merciful One had written only concerning males, one might say: A one-day-old boy is included in the halakhot of ziva because the halakha is more stringent with regard to males, as they are rendered impure through three sightings of ziva on one day just like through sightings on three consecutive days. But with regard to females, who are not rendered impure through three sightings on one day as they are through sightings on three consecutive days, one might say that the halakhot of ziva do not apply to ten-day-old girls.
(32b:13)ואי כתב רחמנא בנקבות משום דקמטמו באונס אבל זכרים דלא מטמאו באונס אימא לא צריכא
(32b:13)And by contrast, if the Merciful One had written only with regard to females, one might say: The halakhot of ziva apply to ten-day-old girls, because of the fact that they are rendered impure even on account of sightings that occur due to circumstances beyond their control. But with regard to males, who are not rendered impure on account of sightings that occur due to circumstances beyond their control, one might say that one-day-old boys are not included in the halakhot of ziva. Therefore, both verses are necessary.
(32b:14)§ The mishna teaches: And the Samaritan men impart ritual impurity to the lower bedding like the upper bedding. The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the clause: The lower bedding like the upper bedding? If we say it means that if there are ten mattresses stacked one upon the other and a Samaritan man sat upon them, the lowest mattress, like the upper mattresses, is rendered impure, this halakha is obvious, since he presses on all of them when he sits on them. In other words, since Samaritan men impart impurity to the bedding beneath them because they are considered men who engage in intercourse with menstruating women, there is no reason to distinguish between the lowest mattress and the other mattresses above it.
(32b:15)אלא שיהא תחתונו של בועל נדה כעליונו של זב מה עליונו של זב אינו מטמא אלא אוכלין ומשקין אף תחתונו של בועל נדה אינו מטמא אלא אוכלין ומשקין
(32b:15)Rather, the mishna means that the status of the lowest mattress beneath a man who engages in intercourse with a menstruating woman is like that of the bedding above a zav, i.e., the bedding beneath a Samaritan man assumes first-degree ritual impurity and does not become a primary source of impurity like the bedding beneath a zav. That is, just as the upper bedding of a zav is not a primary source of impurity and imparts impurity only to food and drink but not people or vessels, so too, the bedding beneath a man who engages in intercourse with a menstruating woman imparts ritual impurity only to food and drink.
(32b:16)עליונו של זב מנלן דכתיב (ויקרא טו, י) וכל הנוגע בכל אשר יהיה תחתיו יטמא מאי תחתיו
(32b:16)The Gemara asks: From where do we derive that the bedding above a zav imparts ritual impurity only to food and drink? As it is written with regard to a zav: “And whoever touches any thing that was under him shall be impure” (Leviticus 15:10). What is the meaning of the expression “under him”?
