Mishnah 1
1)
(a)On what condition is a bloodstain that a woman discovers on her body, Tamei?
(b)What does the Mishnah say about one that she finds on her heel or on the tip of her big toe?
(c)What is the reason for the latter rulings?
1)
(a)A bloodstain that a woman discovers on her body is Tamei - provided it is in line with her womb (see Tos. Yom-Tov DH 'Keneged' & 'she'lo Keneged') ...
(b)... and the Mishnah cites as an example, one that she finds on her heel or on the tip of her big toe (see Tos. Yom-Tov DH 'Al Akeivah' & DH 've'al Rosh Godlah') ...
(c)... because the former may have touched her womb (see Tos. Yom-Tov), whereas the blood could have dripped onto the latter whilst she was walking.
2)
(a)What distinction does the Tana draw between whether the bloodstain that a woman discovers on her calf or her foot is on the inside or on the outside?
(b)What is the definition of the inside?
(c)What if the bloodstain is in the middle ...
1. ... on the front?
2. ... on the back?
2)
(a)In the same vein, the Tana draws a distinction between whether the bloodstain that a woman discovers on her calf or her foot is on the inside - in which case she is Tamei (since the blood probably dripped there from her womb) or on the outside - in which case she is Tahor (since it cannot have done so).
(b)The inside means - the sections that touch when she stands with her feet together.
(c)If the bloodstain is in the middle ...
1. ... on the front or ...
2. ... on the back - she is Tahor.
3)
(a)On what condition is a bloodstain Tamei if she finds it on ...
1. ... her vest?
2. ... the sleeve of her vest?
(b)Why, in the former case, does it make no difference whether the bloodstain is on the front of the vest or at the back?
3)
(a)A bloodstain is Tamei if she finds it on ...
1. ... her vest - provided it is below the belt (a sort of undergarment that women wear for Tzeni'us [in the area of the womb] see Tos. Yom-Tov DH 'Ra'asah al Chalukah')).
2. ... the sleeve of her vest - provided it is on a lower part of the sleeve which sometimes reaches the vicinity of her womb when she removes it.
(b)In the former case, it makes no difference whether the bloodstain is on the front of the vest or at the back - because the vest tends to move round, so that the front becomes the back, and vice-versa.
4)
(a)Under which circumstances does the Tana declare the vest Tamei, irrespective of where the woman finds the bloodstain?
(b)Why is that?
(c)And the same applies to a Palyom (or Pulyun). What is Palyom?
4)
(a)The Tana declares the vest Tamei, irrespective of where the woman finds the bloodstain, if she uses it to cover herself during the night ...
(b)... because covers tend to move round whilst one sleeps.
(c)And the same applies to a Palyom (or Pulyun) - (a sort of cloak or head-cloth [see Tos. Yom-Tov]).
Mishnah 2
5)
(a)On what condition does the Tana declare all of the above bloodstains Tahor?
(b)He gives three examples of this: 1. If the woman Shechted an animal, beast or bird; 2. If she dealt with bloodstains or sat next to others who did. What is the third example?
(c)According to R. Chanina ben Antignos, up to what size bloodstain can a woman assume that it is the result of a louse that she killed?
(d)In which point does he argue with the Tana Kama?
5)
(a)The Tana declares all of the above bloodstains Tahor - if there is anything external to which to attribute the bloodstain.
(b)He gives three examples of this: 1. If the woman Shechted an animal, beast or bird; 2. If she dealt with bloodstains or sat next to others who did - 3. If she killed a louse.
(c)According to R. Chanina ben Antignos, a woman can assume that the bloodstain is the result of a louse that she killed - up to the size of a G'ris shel Pul (a split bean [half a bean])
(d)He argues with the Tana Kama inasmuch as - he relies on the blood of a louse, even though she did not kill one (which the Tana Kama does not [see Tos. Yom-Tov]).
6)
(a)What does the Tana say about a woman ...
1. ... whose husband or son have a wound?
2. ... who has a wound? What distinction does he draw between the former and the latter?
6)
(a)The Tana declares a woman Tahor ...
1. ... if she sleeps in the same bed as her husband or son who has a wound.
2. ... if she has a wound - even if there is a fresh crust on it that is easily removable, causing bleeding (which does not seem to be permitted in the former case [see Rashash & Mishnah Achronah]).
Mishnah 3
7)
(a)In connection with the previous Mishnah, on what basis did R. Akiva declare Tahor the woman who came before him and informed him that she had seen a bloodstain?
(b)How did his Talmidim react to his lenient ruling?
(c)In answer to their looks, he cited the Pasuk "ve'Ishah ki Sih'yeh Zavah Dam Yih'yeh Zovah bi'Vesarah". What did he extrapolate from there?
(d)What was he saying?
7)
(a)In connection with the previous Mishnah, R. Akiva declared Tahor the woman who came before him and informed him that she had seen a bloodstain - because, she informed him, she had a wound on her body which had a soft crust that could easily be removed.
(b)His Talmidim reacted to his lenient ruling - by looking at each other in surprise.
(c)In answer to their looks, he cited the Pasuk "ve'Ishah ki Sih'yeh Zavah Dam Yih'yeh Zovah bi'Vesarah" - implying blood and not a bloodstain.
(d)In other words Kesamim are purely mi'de'Rabbanan, in which case the principle S'feika de'Rabbanan le'Kula applies (see Tos. Yom-Tov).
Mishnah 4
8)
(a)The Mishnah now discusses a bloodstain that a woman discovers on the Eid that is underneath her cushion. What is an Eid?
(b)What does R. Elazar bar R. Tzadok say about it? On what condition is it Tahor, and on what condition is it Tamei?
(c)What is the reason for the earlier ruling.
(d)What is the Halachah?
8)
(a)The Mishnah now discusses a bloodstain that a woman discovers on the Eid - the cloth with which she cleans herself during Tashmish (see Tos. Yom-Tov) that is underneath her cushion.
(b)R. Elazar bar R. Tzadok rules that - it is Tahor provided the bloodstain is round (see Tos. Yom-Tov], but Tamei if it is elongated (see Tos. Yom-Tov).
(c)The reason for the earlier ruling is - because if it came from her body, it would have been elongated. Consequently, it must be the blood of a louse.
(d)And that is the Halachah.
Hadran alach 'ha'Ro'eh Kesem'
