1)

(a)We learn from ...

1. ... "Heyu Nechonim li'Sheloshes Yamim" - that a woman who exudes Zera on the third day is Temei'ah, since up to that time the Zera is still fertile, whereas from then on, it has rotted and is no longer called 'Zera'.

2. ... "Vayehi ba'Yom ha'Shelishi, bi'Heyosam Ko'avim" - that one may bathe the Milah - even on Shabbos, because up to three days after the Milah, a baby's life is considered to be in danger without it (though this is not the case nowadays).

3. ... "Im Yihye Chato'echem ka'Shanim, ka'Sheleg Yalbinu" - that one should tie a red thread on the head of goat that was sent out to the desert on Yom Kipur (the Sa'ir ha'Mishtale'ach), which would then turn white, symbolizing Hash-m's forgiveness of Yisrael.

4. ... "va'Tavo ka'Mayim Bekirbo, u'ka'Shemen be'Atzmosav" - that, on Yom Kipur, it is forbidden to anoint oneself with oil, just as one is forbidden to drink it.

(b)When with regard to Poletes, the Tana mentions 'on the third day', he is referring to the period from the separation from their wives, which took place on Wednesday, until Friday (inclusive).

(c)The author of the Reisha of our Mishnah cannot be Rebbi Elazar ben Azarya, because in his opinion, a woman who exudes on the third day, is Tehorah.

(d)The author of the Seifa 'Marchitzin es ha'Milah ... ' is - Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah.

2)

(a)Those who do not mind establishing the Reisha and Seifa of a Mishnah like two different authors, has no problem with our Mishnah. Those who do, will amend the Reisha to read 'Tahor' (instead of 'Tamei'), to establish it like Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah.

3)

(a)Rebbi Elazar ben Azarya in a Beraisa, declares the woman Tehorah on the third day, whether she exuded after four complete Onos, after three, or after only two. An Onah is a twelve-hour period, consisting of either a day or a night.

(b)But according to Rebbi Yishmael - she is Tamei on the third day (and Tahor only on the fourth), irrespective whether this incorporated Onos, five and or six Onos).

(c)This is because - any time on Wednesday that she exudes, she will be forbidden until Shabbos begins. Consequently, if she exuded on ...

1. ... Wednesday evening, just before nightfall, she will forbidden for four Onos.

2. ... Wednesday early morning - for five Onos.

3. ... at the beginning of Wednesday night, she will be forbidden for six Onos.

(d)In fact, Rebbi Elazar ben Azarya holds exactly the same as Rebbi Yishmael the Zera becomes Pasul one day earlier (after two, three or four Onos) - because he holds like the Rabbanan (whom we will cite shortly, and) who hold that the Yisrael at Har Sinai, separated from their wives on Thursday (and the Torah was given on the sixth day), whereas according to Rebbi Yishmael, they separated on the fourth (and the Torah was given on the seventh, as we will explain shortly [though both agree that the Torah was given on Shabbos]).

(e)They agree with the principle - 'Mikzas ha'Yom ke'Kulo' (a part of the day [of Tashmish] is considered like the entire day]).

4)

(a)When Rebbi Akiva says 'Le'olam Chamishah', he means - that if the woman exuded within sixty hours of Tashmish (five times twelve hours), she is Temei'ah.

(b)The problem with Rebbi Akiva is - that if Rebbi Elazar ben Azarya and Rebbi Yishmael argue over the Machlokes between Rebbi Yossi and the Rabbanan (as we explained), like which of the two does he hold? And besides, what is his source for contending with the Onos, when the Torah only refers to days?

(c)We establish Rebbi Akiva like Rebbi Yossi, but we also connect him with Rav Ada bar Ahavah, who learns from the Pasuk ...

1. ... "Vayashkem Moshe ba'Boker" - that Moshe always ascended Har Sinai early in the morning.

2. ... "Lech Reid ve'Alisa Atah ve'Aharon Imach" - that he also descended Har Sinai in the morning (since the Torah compares the descent to the ascent).

(d)This combination (of Rebbi Yossi and Rav Ada bar Ahavah) comes to teach us that - Moshe must have issued the instructions from their wives in the early morning of the fourth day, with the obvious intention of giving them five full Onos before Friday night (by which time everyone had to have Toveled).

5)

(a)Rav Huna - forbade Tashmish during the day (which seems to negate the need to have instructed them not to indulge in Tashmish early in the morning).

(b)Rava answers that it is permitted in a dark room. Alternatively, he (or Rav Papa) - answer that Moshe's instructions were necessary for a Talmid-Chacham, who anyway behaves modestly, and is therefore permitted to indulge in Tashmish even during the day, provided he 'covers with his cloak'.

6)

(a)The problem with the fact that according to all the opinions, Yisrael at Har Sinai Toveled on Friday night is - the Torah (which was given on Shabbos morning, was given to Tevulei-Yom (who are not Tahor, as far as Terumah and Kodshim are concerned).

(b)Abaye and Rav Chanina bar Avin answer - that the Torah was indeed given to Tevulei-Yom.

(c)When Mereimar conceded to Ravina that what Abaye ... really said was that the Torah could have been given to Tevulei-Yom, he meant - that the above scenario would have been Halachically acceptable (and it might in fact, have happened, as we shall now explain), since it did not involve Kodshim.

(d)But what actually happened was - that they Toveled before nightfall, and nobody then exuded Zera before nightfall (if they had, the Torah would have [and could have] been given to Tevulei-Yom).

7)

(a)'ve'Litavlu Beini Shimshi, ve'Likablu Torah Beini Shimshi' poses a Kashya on Rebbi Akiva - in that from the fact that the Torah was given only in the morning (and not on Friday night, immediately after they had Toveled) it appears that 'Poletes' is Tamei for six Onos, and not just five (see Tosfos DH 've'Litavli'), why did they not receive the Torah on Friday night, immediately following the Tevilah.

(b)'Bei Shimshi' - refers specifically to Bein ha'Shemashos of Friday night (because it constitutes a time unto its own [it belongs neither fully to Kodesh, nor to Chol).

(c)Rebbi Yitzchak answers - that Hash-m preferred to give the Torah openly, not in secret (during the night [similar to Moshe Rabeinu's reply to Par'oh, when he asked him to take Yisrael out of Egypt in the middle of the night: 'Are we thieves etc.?']), and not for any Halachic considerations.

(d)Moshe could indeed have descended on Wednesday evening to tell them to separate from their wives, and they could all have Toveled on Shabbos morning - but how would it have looked, says Rebbi Yitzchak, for some of the people going to Tovel, whilst others were already on their way to receive the Torah. It was therefore preferable for the final time of Tevilah to take place on Friday night, to ensure that they were all ready well on time.

8)

(a)With reference to the Machlokes between Rebbi Yishmael and Rebbi Akiva (whether the period of exuded Zera being Metamei is three days or five Onos) Rebbi Chiya bar Aba Amar Rebbi Yochanan quotes the opinion of the Chachamim - who require six full Onos.

(b)As a matter of fact, they hold a. like Rebbi Yossi, and b. that Yisrael Toveled on Friday night (and what's more, any woman who exuded Zera during Friday night, would have had to Tovel again on Shabbos morning, though this did not happen).

9)

(a)The Zera exudes by a man is Tamei - only as long as it is still wet.

(b)Rav Sheishes asks on Rav Chisda from the Beraisa, which states 've'Chol Beged ... Asher Yihye Alav Shichvas Zera" 'P'rat le'Shichvas Zera she'Hi Seruchah' (meaning which became putrid) - which is the equivalent of two or three days, five or six Onos (depending on which of the above Tana'im one cares to explain it).

(c)Rav Chisda will establish the Beraisa - by the Zera exuded by a woman.

10)

(a)What makes Rav Papa think that the Zera of a Jew exuded by a gentile woman might be Metamei even after three days - because, unlike a Jewish woman, she is not worried about performing Mitzvos (which is what causes the Zera to rot).

(b)On the other hand, he says, that a non-Jewish woman is no different to a Jewish one in this regard - since to counter that, the Sheratzim which they eat have the same effect as the worry of their Jewish counterparts.

(c)And it may well be that, even if the Zera does go bad in the body of a gentile woman, it will not be the case when it is in the body of an animal - seeing as an animal has no 'P'rozdor' (corridor leading to its womb), in which case the Zera is more open than that of a woman, and will not go bad so easily.

(d)The outcome of Rav Papa's She'eilos is -Teiku.

11)

(a)We learn from the Hekesh ...

1. ... "ba'Yom ha'Zeh Ba'u Midbar Sinai" to "ha'Chodesh ha'Zeh Lachem Rosh Chodoshim" - that the latter Pasuk took place on Rosh Chodesh (Sivan), like the former one.

2. ... "Zachor es Yom ha'Shabbos le'Kadsho" to "Vayomer Moshe el ha'Am, Zachor es ha'Yom ha'Zeh" - that the Mitzvah of "Zachor es Yom ha'Shabbos ... " was given on Shabbos, just as the Mitzvah of "Zachor es ha'Yom ha'Zeh ... " was given on the day that the Exodus from Egypt took place (as is inherent in the word "ha'Zeh").

(b)We just learned from the two Hekeshim - that a. Yisrael arrived at Har Sinai on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, and b. - that the Torah was given on Shabbos

(c)And the basis of the Machlokes between Rebbi Yossi (who holds that the Torah was given on the seventh of Sivan) and the Rabbanan (that it was given on the sixth) is - whether Rosh Chodesh of that year fell on Sunday (Rebbi Yossi); or on Monday (the Rabbanan).