INTRODUCTION TO MASECHES NIDAH

[I] GEMARA, RASHI, TOSFOS

(a) GEMARA - Maseches Nidah is the final Maseches of both the Shas Bavli and Yerushalmi for which we have Gemara. (Although Rishonim mention a Yerushalmi that was written on Kodshim, we no longer have such a text.) If you have not yet done so, it is time to reserve for yourself a place for the Grand Siyum ha'Shas, which is to take place in large auditoriums worldwide on Motza'ei Shabbos, 27 Elul 5757 (28 Sept. 1997). Contact the office of your local center for the study of Dafyomi or ask us for further details. (If you have any information about the Siyum that you would like to make available to Jews worldwide, please share it with us!)

The wording and style of Maseches Nidah is more similar to the tractates of Nashim and Nezikim than to those of Kodshim. Since Nidah contains many discussions that are relevant to practical Halachah, we are privileged to have many commentaries of Rishonim on this Maseches.

For obvious reasons the Gemara uses a number of euphemisms to refer to some of the concepts involved in the Halachos of Nidah. We will present a brief list of these phrases in the beginning of the "Background" section to Maseches Nidah. We will continue to explain in the "Background" section the difficult passages of the Maseches when they can be explained in concise terms. The numbers preceding the Background notes which explain the difficult passages will be marked with *'s, such as *9*.

(b) RASHI and TOSFOS - The style of Rashi and Tosfos is the same as in the more well-learned Masechtos of Nashim and Nezikin, and the printing mistakes in the texts of our printings are minimal.

(a) RIF - The Rif's commentary on Maseches Nidah appears in the second chapter of Maseches Shavuos, along with the commentary of the Ran.

(b) RAMBAN - Besides the common printing, the Ramban on Nidah was reprinted by Hagaon Rav Moshe Hershler from manuscript and published by his Machon ha'Talmud ha'Yisraeli.

(c) RASHBA - The Rashba on Nidah was first printed in its entirety in the year 5698 (1938). It was recently printed again from manuscript, along with textual emendations and clarifications, by Mosad ha'Rav Kook.

(d) RITVA - Besides the common printing, the Ritva was reprinted by Mosad ha'Rav Kook, along with comprehensive textual emendations and clarifications.]

(e) CHIDUSHEI HA'R"A - An early commentary that dwells almost exclusively on the Chidushei ha'Ramban.

(f) ROSH - The Rosh is printed at the end of the Maseches.

(g) MEIRI - Printed in an unannotated set and in another set along with annotations.

(h) CHIDUSHEI HA'RAN - in the common set

(i) TOSFOS HA'RID - in the common set, and with annotations by Rav Zaks of Sha'arei Chesed, Jerusalem.

(j) TOSFOS CHACHMEI ANGLIYAH - A work from later Rishonim that often clarifies the words of Rashi.

(a) BA'ALEI HA'NEFESH L'HA'RA'AVAD - This work was written on the halachos of Nidah and Mikva'os. Included in it are the Hasagos of the Ba'al ha'Meor, Rabbeinu Zerachya ha'Levi of Luneil. Besides the common print, it has been printed in full by Rav Efraim Buchwald (Bnei Brak, 5752) and newly arranged based on the five editions that the Ra'avad himself (!) prepared of this work. The final printing includes the Hasagos of the Ba'al ha'Meor, which were added after the Ba'al ha'Meor obtained a later edition of the Ba'alei ha'Nefesh, with the Ra'avad's rebuttals to his Hasagos. It also includes various other important additions.

(b) TORAS HA'BAYIS L'HA'RASHBA - The Rashba's halachah Sefer includes the Hasagos of the Ra'ah (Rabbeinu Aharon ha'Levi), entitled "Bedek ha'Bayis," as well as the rebuttals of the Rashba to those Hasagos, entitled "Mishmeres ha'Bayis." The seventh section of the Toras ha'Bayis, also called "Beis ha'Nashim" (the Women's House), deals with the halachos of Nidah and Tevilah. It was newly printed from manuscript, along with Piskei ha'Tashbatz to Maseches Nidah and other works, by Rav Avraham Beinstock, Jerusalem, 5755.

(a) ARUCH LA'NER - A broad commentary on the entire Maseches by Rav Yakov Ettlinger, well-known for his works on Makos, Yevamos, Sukah, and other Masechtos. He deals with all aspects of the Maseches with amazing sharpness, depth, and breadth.

(b) CHASAM SOFER - Son in law of Rebbi Akiva Eiger and the main Halachic authority of his generation, included in the common set of Chidushei Chasam Sofer.

(c) MEI NIDAH - by the great Rav Shlomo Kluger of Brod.

(d) CHACHMAS BETZALEL - Originally titled, "Pischei Nidah," this Sefer is a marvelous, Pshat and Halachah-based work by Hagaon Rav Betzalel of Rensburg (whose corrections and notes on the Masechtos are published in the margins of our Shas).

(e) LIKUTEI HALACHOS - a Rif-style collection of the Halachos mentioned in the Gemara, by the Chafetz Chaim.