BACKGROUND ON THE DAILY DAF
brought to you by Kollel Iyun Hadaf of Har Nof
Ask A Question on the daf
Previous daf
Nazir 54
1) [line 1] TUM'AH BOKA'AS V'LOAH, BOKA'AS V'YOREDES - Tum'ah "breaks
through" (Boka'as) the enclosure that it is in and goes straight up and
straight down, as if it were in the open air
2) [line 3] "[V'LAKACH EZOV V'TAVAL BA'MAYIM ISH TAHOR, V'HIZAH AL HA'OHEL
V'AL KOL HA'KELIM V'AL HA'NEFASHOS ASHER HAYU SHAM;] (V'CHOL) [V'AL]
HA'NOGE'A BA'ETZEM OR VE'CHALAL O VA'MES O VA'KAVER." - "[And a person who
is Tahor shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon
the tent, and upon all the utensils, and upon the persons who were there,]
and upon the one who touched a bone, or one who was slain, or a dead body,
or a grave." (Bamidbar 19:18)
3) [line 7] SHE'LIFNEI HA'DIBUR - before the Torah was given
4) [line 14] REBBI ELIEZER HI
Rebbi Eliezer holds that a Nazir who became Tamei starts his Nezirus Taharah
again on the seventh day after he became Tamei. Rabanan rule that the Nazir
does not start the count of Nezirus Taharah until the eighth day, after he
brings his Korbanos (GEMARA above, Daf 18b).
5) [line 20] SECHACHOS - (a) a tree with protruding branches located near a
cemetery. Since the area is somewhat private and is near a cemetery, there
exists the possibility that a passerby may have buried a corpse under it, so
it is Metamei b'Ohel out of doubt; (b) a tree containing a branch under
which a corpse was buried; however, it is not known under which branch, and
there are intervening spaces between the branches. All of the branches of
such a tree are Metamei b'Ohel, out of doubt. (Both of these first two
explanations appear in RASHI to Moed Katan 5b, and to Nidah 57a.); (c) a
tree containing a branch under which a corpse was buried, and it *is* known
under which branch. The Rabanan declared Tum'ah on anyone walking under the
other branches of the tree although there are intervening spaces between the
branches and Tum'ah d'Oraisa therefore cannot spread from one to the next.
(RASH to Ohalos 8:2)
6) [line 20] PERA'OS - stones protruding from a fence located near a
cemetery (see previous entry and Background to Nazir 53:4a)
7) [line 21] BEIS HA'PERAS
(a) Beis ha'Peras is a general term referring to a field or an area that the
Rabanan decreed to be treated as though it were Tamei, in certain respects.
The Mishnayos in Ohalos (18:1-4) explain that there are three specific types
of Beis ha'Peras:
1. A field in which a grave was plowed over, scattering the bones in all
directions. Such a field may be planted with trees, but not with vegetables
or grains. Its earth can make a person Tamei through Maga or Masa.
2. A field (that is a Reshus ha'Rabim; TOSFOS to Kesuvos 24b; RASH to Ohalos
18:3) in which a grave is known to exist but it became lost and cannot be
located. In such a field, trees may not be planted but vegetables or grains
may be planted. It can make a person Tamei through Ohel (and according to
some Girsa'os, through Maga and Masa as well).
3. A field on the edge of a town where a corpse was brought [and mourned]
before burial. Such a field may neither be planted nor sown with vegetables
or grains (but its earth is not Tamei if removed from its place). There are
a number of reasons why the Rabanan might have made such a field Tamei:
i. Part of a corpse may have become dislodged and fallen there (RASHI to
Moed Katan 5b DH Mishum Ye'ush) [or that an entire corpse may have
inadvertently been left behind there - ME'IRI ibid.].
ii. Alternatively, since a corpse is commonly found there, the Rabanan
instituted that the area not be sown or planted, so as not to attract people
to the area who will become Teme'im and spread Tum'ah. (PERUSH HA'MISHNAH of
the Rambam to Ohalos 18:4)
iii. The prohibition against planting or sowing such a field has nothing to
do with Tum'ah whatsoever. Rather, it involves a question of ownership.
Since the community has made it their practice to mourn for and eulogize the
dead in this field and the original owner did not protest this practice, he
loses all rights to the land. The former owner cannot later decide to plant
the field and deny the community the right to use it as a place for public
mourning. (RITVA, RASH to Ohalos 18:4 and many Rishonim -- see Vilna Gaon
Choshen Mishpat 377:2)
(b) The Bartenura offers three explanations as to why the word "Peras" was
used to describe these fields: 1. Tum'ah *spreads* (Pores) out in all
directions from the field; 2. Bones that are *broken* (Perusim) are strewn
in the field. (These first two explanations only apply to the first of the
three types of Beis ha'Peras mentioned above, 1); 3. People's *feet*
(Parsos) stay away from the area because of its Tum'ah.
(c) In the first type of Beis ha'Peras (a field with a burial plot that has
been plowed), the Rabanan decreed that the field is Metamei in every
direction from the grave for the length of the furrow of a plow, which is 50
Amos. This results in an area 100 Amos by 100 Amos around the grave (RASH to
Ohalos 17:1). The Rabanan instituted a way to remove the Tum'ah from the
area that was plowed (in certain cases) by blowing the dirt of each section
of the field to check for small pieces of bone.
8) [line 21] ERETZ HA'AMIM - the Chachamim decreed that the lands outside of
Eretz Yisrael should be Tamei (see entries 21, 22 below)
9) [line 21] GOLEL / DOFEK
(a) There are three basic opinions as to the meaning of Golel and Dofek:
1. Golel refers to the wooden or stone cover of a coffin, and Dofek refers
to its sides. The sides are called Dofek because the cover of the Mes bangs
("Dofek") on them. (RASHI to Sukah 23a, TOSFOS ibid. DH v'Lo Golel, ARUCH
Erech Gelal, OR ZARU'A 2:424)
2. Golel refers to the gravestone that is above the coffin, which is used as
a marker. At the top and bottom of the gravestone are two smaller stones
that are each called Dofek. (RABEINU TAM, cited in Tosfos to Kesuvos 4b DH
Ad she'Yisasem ha'Golel)
3. When people used burial vaults rather than graves, they made use of a
large stone or log as a door, which they would roll in front of the
entrance. This door was called a Golel because they would roll (Golel) it.
They would also use a wedge-like stone or plank, called a Dofek, to keep the
door in place. (OR ZARU'A 2:424, quoting Rav Moshe)
(b) The Golel and Dofek are Avi Avos ha'Tum'ah and are Metamei through Maga
and Ohel (and according to Rebbi Eliezer in Ohalos 2:4, they are also
Metamei through Masa -- see RASHASH to RASHI Sukah ibid. DH v'Lo Golel).
10) [line 22] REVI'IS DAM
(a) The blood that comes out of a dead body is Metamei b'Ohel if there is a
Revi'is (approximately 75, 86 or 150 cc, depending upon the differing
Halachic opinions) of it is in one location.
(b) Rebbi Akiva rules that a Revi'is of blood is also Metamei if it came out
of two different people, however, the Rabanan (Sanhedrin 4a) rule that the
Revi'is of blood must come out of one person for it to be Metamei b'Ohel
(see Insights to Nazir 38:1). The Halachah follows the opinion of the
Rabanan.
11) [line 22] OHEL
(a) A k'Zayis of the flesh of a *Mes* (corpse) is an "Avi Avos ha'Tumah" and
is Metamei through Maga (contact), Masa (carrying), and Ohel (being in the
same room (lit. tent). An Ohel is defined as a covered space that is at
least one Tefach in length, width and height). If a person becomes Tamei by
touching Tum'as Mes or being in the same room as a Mes or something that is
Metamei b'Ohel, he must wait seven days to go to the Mikvah. Furthermore, on
the third and seventh days he must have Mei Chatas (water mixed with ashes
of the Parah Adumah -- see below, entry #17) sprinkled on him.
(b) In an Ohel ha'Mes, the house or room becomes Tamei even if the Mes is
passing through it and does not stop moving. A person who enters an Ohel
ha'Mes becomes Tamei even if only a bit of his body enters, even when
entering backwards. A Mechitzah (partition) in an Ohel ha'Mes only prevents
the spread of Tum'ah if it reaches the ceiling. (RASH to Keilim 1:4)
(c) The bones of a Mes are only Metamei through Ohel under one of three
conditions: 1. They constitute a quarter of a Kav (Rova Ha'kav); 2. They are
the majority of the human body (whether they are the majority of the *build*
(Rov Binyano) of the body or the majority of the *number* (Rov Minyano) of
248 bones; 3. The bone is a complete skull or a complete spinal column. In
order to be Metamei through Maga and Masa, it is enough for the bone to be
the size of a Se'orah (a grain of barley).
(d) When an object that can be Metamei b'Ohel is located in an Ohel, the
Ohel makes everything in it Tamei and protects anything that is above it
from becoming Tamei. That is, an Ohel is *Mevi* Tum'ah (spreads Tum'ah
inside of it) and is *Chotzetz* from Tum'ah (intervenes between the Tum'ah
and the space above the Ohel, preventing Tum'ah from spreading above it).
(e) However, not all objects that cover Tum'ah are Mevi and Chotzetz. There
are objects that are Mevi and not Chotzetz and other objects that are
Chotzetz and not Mevi and even others that are neither Mevi nor Chotzetz
(Ohalos 8:5). An object that is flying through the air, such as a bird or a
Talis that is carried or caught up by the wind, are not Ohalim and are not
Mevi or Chotzetz, even if they are one Tefach wide.
(f) According to the more accurate Girsa of TOSFOS DH v'Revi'is Dam, the
Girsa in our Mishnah should be v'Ohel *Rova* Atzamos (without the "Vav" --
this is also the Girsa of the Mishnayos, Tosfos below 56b DH Rebbi Eliezer
and the Mefaresh to 53b DH Rova). As such, these words refer to one case
that teaches that a Nazir is not Megale'ach for being in the same Ohel as a
Rova Kav of Atzamos. However, he *is* Megale'ach for the Maga and Masa of a
Rova Kav of Atzamos. (The RAMBAM in Peirush ha'Mishnah *is* Gores the "Vav"
of v'Rova, however, he learns the same Halachah as Tosfos from the *extra
word* "v'Rova.") (ARZEI HA'LEVANON 7:201, Tziyunim 7:44)
12) [line 22] ROVA ATZAMOS
See previous entry.
13) [line 22] KELIM HA'NOG'IM B'MES (THE PRINCIPLES OF TUM'OS AND TAHAROS)
(a) LEVELS OF TUM'AH - Chazal learned from the verses in the Torah (in
Parshas Shemini and Parshas Chukas) the various levels of Tum'ah. There are
six levels of Tum'ah: 1. Avi Avos ha'Tum'ah; 2. Av ha'Tum'ah; 3. Rishon
l'Tum'ah; 4. Sheni l'Tum'ah; 5. Shelishi l'Tum'ah; 6. Revi'i l'Tum'ah.
Something that touches a person or object that is at a particular level of
Tum'ah becomes Tamei at one level down from the original Tum'ah. The
exception to this rule is metal utensils that touch an Avi Avos ha'Tum'ah or
an Av ha'Tum'ah, which become Tamei at the same level of Tum'ah as the
object they touched. (However, *they* cannot in turn cause other metal
utensils to become Tamei at their same level of Tum'ah.)
(b) WHICH TUM'OS APPLY TO WHICH ITEMS - *Metal utensils* can become Avi Avos
ha'Tum'ah, Av ha'Tum'ah or Rishon l'Tum'ah (see Insights to Pesachim 14b),
but not any lower level. *People and all other utensils except for
earthenware utensils* can become Av ha'Tumah or Rishon l'Tum'ah, but not any
lower level - except that Chazal decreed that *the hands* can sometimes
become Sheni l'Tum'ah. *Earthenware utensils* can only become Rishon
l'Tum'ah, and not any other level of Tum'ah. *Food and liquids* can become
Rishon l'Tum'ah, Sheni, Shelishi and Revi'i, but not any higher level.
(c) TERUMAH AND KODSHIM PESULIM - Terumah that is Teme'ah at the level of a
Shelishi l'Tum'ah becomes Pesulah and may not be eaten. Similarly, Kodshim
that become Teme'im at the level of a Revi'i l'Tum'ah become Pesulim. If
Terumah receives Tum'ah from a normal Sheni l'Tum'ah, it can in turn Metamei
Kodshim to make them a Revi'i and as such Pesulim. However, if Terumah
receives Tum'ah from a Tevul Yom (who is also considered a Sheni l'Tum'ah),
it cannot be Metamei Kodshim. For this reason it is called "Terumah
*Pesulah*" and not "Terumah *Teme'ah*." Kodshim that are a Revi'i l'Tum'ah
are called *Pesulim* and not Teme'im because they cannot be Metamei anything
else (except for Mei Chatas, which, by Rabbinic institution, can become a
Chamishi l'Tum'ah). (See Charts to Pesachim #2 for the details of the laws
of Tum'ah mentioned above and further laws as well.)
14) [line 23] YEMEI SEFIRO
(a) THE PROCESS BY WHICH A METZORA BECOMES TAHOR - On the day that a Metzora
is healed from his Tzara'as, he takes two kosher birds (Tziporei Metzora), a
piece of cedar, some crimson wool and a hyssop branch. One of the birds is
slaughtered over fresh spring water in a clay bowl. A Kohen dips the other
bird, along with the other articles, into the spring water that is mixed
with the blood and sprinkles it seven times on the Metzora. The living bird
is sent away towards the fields. Both birds are Asur b'Hana'ah, but the Isur
is removed from the living bird after it is sent off to the fields.
(b) The Metzora next shaves with a razor all places on his body that have a
collection of hair and that are exposed, and immerses in a Mikvah. He is now
considered Tahor to the extent that he may enter a settlement, but marital
relations are forbidden (Mo'ed Katan 7b). He counts seven days (*Yemei
Sefiro*), and on the seventh day he once more shaves and immerses. He is now
completely Tahor but is still a Mechusar Kaparah (see Background to Nedarim
35:9). (For a description of the Korbanos that the Metzora brings on the
eighth day, see Background to Nazir 39:26c-e.)
15) [line 23] YEMEI GOMRO
(a) THE PROCESS BY WHICH A METZORA BECOMES TAMEI - When a person develops a
mark that looks like Tzara'as, a Kohen must ascertain whether or not it is a
Nega Tzara'as. If it is indeed a Nega Tzara'as, the Kohen tentatively
pronounces him Tamei for one week, making him a Metzora Musgar (Hesger
Rishon). The Kohen returns after a week to see what changes, if any,
occurred to the mark. If there are no changes, the person remains a Metzora
Musgar (Hesger Sheni) and the Kohen returns after the second week. If there
are still no changes the Kohen pronounces the person to be Tahor. If the
Kohen *confirms* the Tum'ah of the Metzora due to the appearance of Simanei
Tum'ah in the mark, the Kohen pronounces him a Metzora Muchlat. A Metzora
Muchlat remains Tamei until his Simanei Tum'ah go away.
(b) The names and colors of four types of marks that make a person a Metzora
are 1. Baheres, which is the color of snow; 2. Se'es, which is the color of
clean, white newborn lamb's wool; 3. Sapachas of Baheres, which is the color
of the plaster used to whitewash the Beis ha'Mikdash; 4. Sapachas of Se'es,
which is the color of the white membrane found on the inside of an egg.
(c) The Simanei Tum'ah for marks that appear on the skin (Nig'ei Basar) are:
1. the mark spreads (Pisyon); 2. at least two white hairs (Se'ar Lavan) grow
inside the mark *after* the Nega Tzara'as appears; or 3. a patch of healthy
skin (Michyah) appears in the middle of the Nega.
16) [last line] U'MAZEH BA'SHELISHI UVA'SHEVI'I - that is, even though he
does not become a Nazir Tamei, he does become Tamei to the extent that he
needs to have the Mei Chatas sprinkled on him (see next entry)
17) [last line] U'MAZEH BA'SHELISHI UVA'SHEVI'I (HAZA'AH)
(a) The Parah Adumah, an exclusively red-haired female cow is burned on Har
ha'Zeisim and its ashes are used for making a person Tahor if he is Tamei
Mes. Only a cow that has not had a yoke placed upon it and has had no other
work done with it is fit to be used as a Parah Adumah. A place is prepared
for its slaughter on Har ha'Zeisim, opposite the gate to the Azarah (the
courtyard of the Beis ha'Mikdash). After it is slaughtered, its blood is
sprinkled in the direction of the Beis ha'Mikdash seven times. A cedar
branch, some Ezov branches and a piece of crimson wool are thrown into the
carcass of the cow while it is burning. (Bamidbar 19:1-22)
(b) If a person (or utensil) became Tamei through touching Tum'as Mes or
being in the same room as a Mes or something that is Metamei b'Ohel, he must
wait seven days to become Tahor. On the third and seventh days he must have
spring water mixed with the ashes of the Parah Adumah (Mei Chatas) sprinkled
on him. A person who is Tahor dips three Ezov branches that have been bound
together into the mixture, and sprinkles them on the person who is Tamei. On
the seventh day, he immerses in a Mikvah after the mixture is sprinkled on
him in order to complete his Taharah. (Bamidbar 19:17-19)
54b---------------------------------------54b
18) [line 2] YEMEI HA'ZAV VEHA'ZAVAH
(a) ZAV (Vayikra 15:1-15) - A Zav, a man who emits Zov two or three times
(see Background to Pesachim 66:16 for a discussion of the Tum'ah of the
Zav), whether it is emitted in one day or in two or three consecutive days,
is an Av ha'Tum'ah. Zov is a clear discharge with the appearance of the
white of a sterile or spoiled egg, in contrast with semen, which has the
consistency of fresh egg white. Zov can also be a pus-like discharge
resembling the liquid from barley dough or soft barley batter.
(b) A man who emits a discharge that may be Zov is "checked " to determine
whether or not he becomes a Zav. If the discharge came about b'Ones (due to
an external cause), he is Tahor. Some examples of Ones are: 1. eating too
much; 2. drinking too much; 3. jumping; 4. being sick; etc. (see Zavim 2:2).
(c) A Zav must count seven "clean" days in which he sees no Zov in order to
start his purification process, as it states in Vayikra 15:13. On the
seventh day or afterwards, he must immerse in a spring during the day. At
nightfall he becomes Tahor, if he did not emit Zov again beforehand (ibid.).
(d) If a Zav emits Zov only two times, he does not bring a Korban. If he
emitted Zov three times, whether it is emitted in one day or in two or three
consecutive days, he has to bring a Korban after he becomes Tahor in order
to enter the Beis ha'Mikdash and to eat Kodshim and Terumah. The Korban is
two Torim (turtledoves) or two Benei Yonah (common doves), one offered as an
Olah and one as a Chatas. In either case, the days in which a Nazir was
Tamei as a Zav do not cancel his days of Nezirus.
(e) ZAVAH (Vayikra 15:25-30) - The eleven days that follow the seven days of
Nidah are "days of Zivah." If a woman experiences bleeding during these days
for one or two consecutive days, she becomes a Zavah Ketanah and is Teme'ah.
(f) If she does not experience bleeding the following night and day, she may
immerse in a Mikvah during the day to become Tehorah. She may even immerse
on the morning immediately following the day on which she saw blood, but her
Tum'ah and Taharah are contingent upon whether or not she sees blood
afterwards on that day. She is called a Shomeres Yom k'Neged Yom, because
she must *watch* the following day to confirm whether or not she sees blood.
(g) If a woman has a show of blood for three consecutive days during her 11
days of Zivah, she becomes a Zavah Gedolah. In order for her to become
Tehorah, she must count seven "clean days" during which she verifies that
she has no other show of blood. On the morning of the seventh clean day she
immerses in a Mikvah. If she does not experience bleeding during the rest of
the day she is Tehorah and no longer a Zavah. A Zavah Gedolah must bring a
Korban Zavah to permit her to enter the Beis ha'Mikdash or to eat Kodshim.
The Korban is two Torim or two Benei Yonah, one offered as an Olah and one
as a Chatas. Whether a Nezirah is a Zavah Gedolah or a Zavah Ketanah, the
days in which she was Teme'ah as a Zavah do not cancel her days of Nezirus.
19) [line 3] YEMEI HESGERO SHEL METZORA
See above, entry 15a.
20) [line 4] ILAN HA'MEISACH AL HA'ARETZ - a tree that hangs over the ground
21) [line 6] ERETZ HA'AMIM, MISHUM AVIRA GAZRU ALEHA - the Chachamim decreed
that the airspace of Chutz la'Aretz should also be Tamei (see next entry)
22) [line 7] MISHUM GUSHAH GAZRU ALEHA - the Chachamim only decreed that the
*land* of Chutz la'Aretz should be Tamei.
The Rabanan decreed that the lands outside of Eretz Yisrael are to be
considered Tamei because the Nochrim bury their dead fetuses in their
houses. Our Gemara discusses whether they decreed that only the land should
be Tamei or also the airspace above it. The Halachic ramification between
these two opinions is whether or not a Nazir would be permitted to enter
Chutz la'Aretz by being carried in a Shidah (a sedan chair or chest) that is
lifted off the ground.
Next daf
|