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Nidah 59

59b

1. THE OPINION OF REBBI YOSI IN THE MISHNAH OPINIONS: Rebbi Yosi states in the Mishnah that a woman who saw blood while she urinated is Tahor, regardless of whether she was sitting or standing. In the next case of the Mishnah, when both a man and a woman were urinating into a trough and blood was found inside, Rebbi Yosi again rules that the woman is Tahor. The Gemara asks why Rebbi Yosi has to say that she is Tahor in such a case; it should be obvious. If Rebbi Yosi rules that she is Tahor when there is only one Safek (when she was urinating alone, perhaps the blood came from her womb, or perhaps it came from a wound), certainly he would hold that she is Tahor when there are two Sefeikos (perhaps the blood came from the man or perhaps it came from her, and even if it came from her perhaps it came from a wound)!

   The Gemara answers that the second ruling of Rebbi Yosi teaches us that she is Tahor even l'Chatchilah (i.e. she may handle Taharos even l'Chatchilah), and not only b'Di'eved (i.e. if she already handled them, they are not Tamei). There are two ways to understand this answer.

   1. The second ruling of Rebbi Yosi was recorded in order to show that in the first ruling the woman is Tahor even l'Chatchilah. (Bartenura, Tosfos Yom Tov, and so appears to be the interpretation favored by Rashi and most of the Rishonim)

   2. The second ruling was recorded in order to show that only when there are two Sefeikos is the woman Tehorah l'Chatchilah. In the first case of the Mishnah, when there is only one Safek, she is indeed Tahor only b'Di'eved. (Tosfos 14b, DH v'Rebbi Yosi Mitaher, according to Rabeinu Chananel)

      These two ways of understanding the Gemara have significant ramifications. According to the first way, a woman who sees blood while urinating is Tahor l'Chatchilah and may handle Taharos. According to the second way, a woman who sees blood while urinating may not handle Taharos (but any Taharos that she had already handled are Tahor).

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