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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON GEMARA AND RASHI

prepared by Rabbi Eliezer Chrysler
Kollel Iyun Hadaf, Jerusalem

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Nidah 23

1)

(a) According to the previous Sugya, why is a woman who miscarries a piece of flesh shaped like a mountain not Tamei Leidah, even according to Rebbi Meir's opinion - since the Navi writes "Ki Hinei *Yotzer* Harim u'Vorei Ru'ach"?

(b) Then why is she not Temei'ah if she miscarries a wind (which, as we have just seen, the Navi refers to as a "Beriy'ah"?

2) According to Raba bar bar Chanah quoting Rebbi Yochanan, Rebbi Meir's reason for being Metamei a miscarriage that resembles an animal, is because the eyes of an animal resemble those of a human.
(a) If this includes a snake, then why did Rebbi Meir in the Mishnah not mention a snake, rather than animals etc. (see Tosfos ha'Rosh d.h. Lisni)?

(b) How do we reconcile Rebbi Yochanan's statement with the Mishnah in Bechoros, which lists a round eye in an animal as a blemish?

3) Rebbi Yanai gives Rebbi Meir's reason as being that an animal's eyes are in front of its face, just like those of a human being.
(a) How does he explain the fact Rebbi Meir includes 'birds' in his list?
'Rebbi Chanina ben Gamliel Omer - Nir'in Divrei Rebbi Meir bi'Veheimah ve'Chayah, ve'Divrei Chachamim be'Ofos'.
(b) Why can Rebbi Yanai not explain the Beraisa as it is written,, and how does he adjust it?
'ha'Mapeles meen ha'Beheimah ve'Chayah ... u'be'Ofos Tibodeik'.
(c) How might this be a proof for Rebbi Yanai's explanation?

(d) What is the alternative interpretation of the Beraisa?

4)
(a) What strange Sha'aleh did Rebbi Yirmiyah ask Rebbi Zeira regarding an animal in the stomach of a woman - according to Rebbi Meir?

(b) Why is the Sha'aleh not practical?

(c) So why did he ask?

Answers to questions

23b---------------------------------------23b

5) Rav Yehudah quotes Rav as saying that Rebbi Meir said that a woman is Temei'ah when she miscarries the form of an animal, only because it resembles a species that lives.

(a) What does the Gemara infer from this statement?

(b) What is the Gemara's proof from the Mishnah in Bechoros 'ha'Mapeles ke'Meen Beheimah (ha'Ba Acharav, Bechor le'Nachalah')?

(c) How does the Gemara refute this proof?

6) The Gemara asks whether, according to Rebbi Meir, a human baby in the womb of an animal is a real child or not.
(a) What is the connection with Rebbi Meir's Din?

(b) What are the ramifications of the Sha'aleh?

(c) Why is there no proof from Rebbi Yochanan, who says that if one discovers the form of a pigeon inside the stomach of an animal that was Shechted, it is forbidden?

7) According to Rebbi Yirmiyah bar Aba in the name of Rav, Rebbi Meir and the Chachamim agree that it all depends upon the *face* of the miscarriage.
(a) In which cases do they agree one way or the other?

(b) In which case do they argue?

Regarding the previous statement, Rebbi Meir learns 'Mitzuras Adam' and the Rabbanan 'Kol Tzuras'.
Rebbi Yirmiyah bar Aba refutes Rav's statement because we have learnt the opposite.
(c) What does he mean, and what do Rebbi Meir and the Rabbanan now hold?
8) In spite of Rebbi Yirmiyah bar Aba's Kabalah, Rav did not retract from his original statement.
(a) Why not?
The Rabbanan (according to Rav) require that the entire face resembles that of a human being.
(b) Which part of the face does this not include?
Rava, quoting Chasa, requires the forehead, one set of eye-lashes, one eye, one cheek, and one side of the chin.
(c) Like which opinion does he hold?

(d) How does the Gemara explain the Beraisa, which describes the shape of the face as being even one feature of the face? (two explanations)

9)
(a) When is woman Temei'ah Leidah even though there was only one eye and one thigh and when is she not?

(b) What is the difference - regarding Tum'as Leidah - between a baby with a hole in the esophagus and one where the esophagus is blocked?

Answers to questions

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