1)

(a)Our Mishnah lists five appearances of Dam Tamei: red, black, ke'Keren Karkom, ke'Meimei Adamah and ke'Mazug. The meaning of ...

1. ... 'Keren Karkom' is - either the corner of the garden in which crocuses are growing, or like the splendid sheen of a crocus.

2. ... 'ke'Mazug' is - diluted wine (as will be explained in the Sugya).

(b)Beis Shamai adds fenugreek-water - and the water (gravy) of roasted meat.

(c)Beis Hillel - precludes these appearances from those of Tamei blood.

(d)Akavya ben Mahalalel declares yellow blood, Tamei. The Chachamim rule - that it is Tahor. (Note; we will discuss Rebbi Meir and Rebbi Yossi's opinions later, when the Sugya addresses them).

2)

(a)The Tana defines black in our Mishnah as 'like vitriol', and red - as 'the blood of a wound'.

(b)If the black blood is deeper than vitriol - it is Tamei, if it is paler - it is Tahor.

(c)And the Tana qualifies 'Keren Karkom' - by confining it to the leaves that are of a brighter hue.

(d)The earth of 'Meimei Adamah' comes from the valley of Beis-Kerem, and must be sufficient to float above the earth in the receptacle in which it is placed, once it is added to it.

(e)The wine of 'ke'Mazug' comes from the Sharon - and must comprise two parts water to one part wine.

3)

(a)Rebbi Chama bar Yosef learns from the Pasuk in Parshas Shoftim (in connection with a Zakein Mamrei [a rebellious elder]) "Ki Yipalei Mimcha la'Mishpat bein Dam le'Dam" - that there is such a thing as Dam Tahor.

(b)We query this however, from the words in the same Pasuk "u'vein Nega la'Nega", which cannot mean 'between a Tamei Nega and a Tahor one' (about which the Pasuk writes "Kulo Hafach Lavan Tahor hu") - because the Torah refers to a Tahor 'plague' (not as 'Nega', but) as 'Bohak'.

(c)If, as we suggest, "bein Nega la'Nega" means between Nig'ei Adam, Nig'ei Batim and Nig'ei Begadim (even though all of them are Tamei), the equivalent interpretation of "bein Dam le'Dam" will be - between Dam Nidus and Dam Zivus (but not Dam Tahor, a Kashya on our Mishnah, which refers to Dam Tahor and on Rebbi Chama bar Yosef's Drashah).

4)

(a)We cite a Machlokes Tana'im regarding each of the three kinds of Nega'im (Adam, Batim and Begadim) - to explain the Pasuk 'bein Nega la'Nega' (which now refers to the two opinions over which the Dayanim are arguing in Beis-Din.

(b)This solves the problem with Rebbi Chama bar Yosef's Drashah - inasmuch as "bein Dam la'Dam", which cannot refer to a similar Machlokes (since we do not find Tana'im who argue over any major issues in thist regard), must refer to Dam Tamei and Dam Tahor (as Rebbi Chama bar Yosef explains).

(c)We learned in the Mishnah in Nega'im that, regarding Nig'ei Adam, for a white hair to be a Siman Tum'ah, it must precede the Baheres on the skin. In the reverse case, the Tana Kama argues with Rebbi Yehoshua, and holds - 'Safek Tamei'.

(d)Rebbi Yehoshua says 'Kiyhah', which Rabah explains to mean 'Kiyhah ve'Tihar'. 'Kiyhah' means - either that it is like a Nega that became paler during its week of quarantine, or that he argues sharply with the Tana Kama.

5)

(a)Regarding Nig'ei Batim, Rebbi Elazar b'Rebbi Shimon requires two corner stones on two adjacent walls to be affected (other Tana'im there have different opinions) - because the Torah writes "Kir" and "Kiros", implying that the Nega must appear on one wall that appears like two.

(b)The Shi'ur of the Nega is then - two ki'Gerisin in length and one in width.

(c)Whereas with regard to Nig'ei Begadim, the Chachamim declare a Nega that spread to the entire garment, Tamei. Rebbi Yonasan ben Avtulmus learns from the 'Gezeirah-Shavah' "Karachas ve'Gabachas" "Korachas ve'Gabachas" from Nig'ei Adam - that if the Nega spreads to the entire garment, it is Tahor.

6)

(a)Rebbi Avahu now learns from the Pasuk ...

1. ... in Melachim "Va'yir'u Mo'av es ha'Mayim Adumim ka'Dam" - that blood must be red.

2. ... in Shemini "Damehah" (plural [which is written twice in connection with Nidah]) - that there are four appearances of Tamei blood (which are merely different shades of red).

(b)If not for that - we would have confined Dam Nidah to the color of blood that our Mishnah refers to a red.

(c)Rebbi Chanina reconciles our Mishnah, which cites five appearances of Dam listed in our Mishnah, with the D'rashah, from which we learn only four - by reminding us that black blood (mentioned in the Mishnah) was initially red, only it changed its appearance.

(d)In a supporting Beraisa (which states that the blood of a wound only turns black once it leaves the body, the Tana states that blood that is ...

1. ... blacker than vitriol - is Tamei.

2. ... paler than vitriol (even if it is as black as powdered coal [or as dark as navy-blue]) - is Tahor.

7)

(a)We concede that Beis Shamai in our Mishnah, who lists more than four appearances, and Akavya ben Mahalalel, who renders Tamei, yellow blood, may well not hold of the D'rashah of "Damehah" "Damehah". Alternatively, we reconcile the two with the Tana Kama, by suggesting that the colors to which they refer, were originally black, but that they changed their appearance later (like we said with regard to black blood).

(b)And we resolve the problem that 'Beis Hillel Metaharin' (regarding the additional cases of Beis Shamai), and 'Chachamim Metaharin' (regarding yellow blood) are merely repeating the ruling of the Tana Kama, who lists only five appearances, and no more - by establishing that according to the Tana Kama, the Din of other colors besides the five is Tolin, whereas Beis Hillel and the Chachamim respectively, declare them Tahor.

8)

(a)Rebbi Meir, commenting on yellow blood, remarks that if it is not Metamei because of Kesem, it is Metamei because of liquid. If, as Rebbi Yochanan maintains, he holds like Akavya ben Mahalalel, then what he means is - that although yellow blood is not Metamei because of the Din of Kesem (on her clothes), it is Metamei if she actually sights it.

(b)And the reason that it is not Tamei when she sights it is - because it is not common, so we assume that the stain in her clothes did not come from her body.

(c)The word in Rebbi Meir's statement that negates this interpretation - is 'Mashkeh', and what he ought to have said is 'Metamei Mishum Ro'eh' (rather than 'Metamei Mishum Mashkeh').

(d)We therefore interpret Rebbi Meir's statement, based on the understanding that she saw the yellow blood after sighting regular blood - and that Rebbi Meir is declaring it Tamei, like the 'liquids of a Nidah' (her spit and her urine).

(e)And when he says 'Im Eino Metamei Mishum Kesem' what he really means is - that it is not Tamei because of Nidus (which incorporates Kesem as well).

9)

(a)The Rabbanan will counter this however - by arguing that yellow blood is not comparable to the other liquids of a Nidah, which first gather at the source before emerging, whereas yellow blood,like all blood, simply flows out freely ...

(b)... thereby precluding it from the Din of liquid of a Nidah, an argument with which Rebbi Meir cannot disagree.

(c)We initially refute the suggestion that what Rebbi Meir means is that yellow blood is Machshir food (like red blood) - due to the Pasuk in Balak "ve'Dam Chalalim Yishteh" (which confines the Din of liquid to red blood only), a D'rashah with which, once again, Rebbi Meir cannot argue.

(d)So we cite a 'Gezeirah-Shavah' "Shelachayich Pardes Rimonim" (Shir ha'Shirim, in connection with Dam Nidus) "ve'Shole'ach Mayim al-P'nei Chutzos" (Iyov), from which Rebbi Meir learns that Dam Nidus (whatever the color) is compared to water in this regard.

(e)The Rabbanan disagree with him -because they hold that whereas a person can Darshen a 'Kal-Vachomer' on his own, he cannot Darshen a Gezeirah-Shavah' without a tradition from his Rebbes.

10)

(a)Despite the fact that Rebbi Yossi ('ke'Dam ha'Makah') concurs with the Tana Kama ('ha'Adom'), the Tana sees fit toinsert his opinion - due to the Mishnah in Pirkei Avos that 'Whoever cites the name of the author that one is quoting brings redemption to the world.

(b)Despite Rav Yehudah Amar Shmuel, who interprets 'the blood of a wound' as the blood of the Shechitah of an ox (whose blood is redder than that of a sheep), Rebbi Yossi says 'ke'Dam ha'Makah, rather 'ke'Dam Shechitah' - because that would have implied any part of the Shechitah (during which the shade of red changes), and not to the beginning of the Shechitah, as is implied by 'Dam ha'Makah' (when the knife first strikes).

(c)Ula explains it to mean like the blood of a 'Tzipor Chayah', which means - either the blood of a live bird or of a healthy one.

(d)We conclude - 'Teiku' (which is the acronym of 'Tishbi Yetaretz Kushyos ve'Ibayos').

11)

(a)The Beraisa rules that a woman who finds a Kesem on her clothes after killing a louse - can assume the blood of the louse (which is equivalent to 'Adom' in our Mishnah), to be the source of the stain, and she is Tahor.

(b)The problem this create with Ze'iri, who explains 'Dam ha'Makeh' to mean the blood of a louse that invades the hair is - that the Tana appears to be referring to a louse anywhere on the body.

(c)We solve the problem - by establishing his ruling specifically by a louse that invades the hair (in spite of his having stated it 'Stam').

(d)Ami Vardina'ah Amar Rebbi Avahu establishes 'ke'Dam ha'Makeh' by the blood of a little finger that healed after being knocked once, and is then knocked again and bleeds. Besides being a place name, 'Vardina'ah' might mean - handsome (like a rose).

12)

(a)Ami Vardina'ah's definition is confined to - a young unmarried man of under twenty.

(b)When the Beraisa rules that a woman who has a Kesem can rely on her husband and son - it means that she can presume the Kesem that she finds on her clothes to have come from the wound of her husband or little son as they lay together in bed.

(c)This creates a problem with Rebbi Avahu's definition - which confines the blood of a young man to one who is as yet unmarried.

(d)Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak solves it - by confining 'husband' to one who has been under the Chupah but who has not yet consummated the marriage.

13)

(a)The last interpretation of Dam ha'Makeh is that of Rav Nachman, who defines it as - blood that resembles the blood that comes from blood-letting.

(b)We cite a Beraisa in which Rebbi Meir and Rebbi permitted a Kesem, the latter by relying on the sap of a cycamore tree with which the woman had been working, the former on - an eye-salve (by the name of collyrium).

(c)To reconcile the above-mentioned Amora'im, all of whom required a deeper red than that, with these Tana'im - the Beraisa must be speaking not with respect to 'Adom', but to one of the other appearances mentioned in the Mishnah.

14)

(a)When a blood-letter took ...

1. ... a horn-full of blood from Ameimar, he declared - that this was the color of 'Adom' referred to by our Mishnah (like Rav Nachman).

2. ... a second horn-full of blood from him, he declared - that this was already a different shade of red.

(b)Rav Ashi commented on the fact that he was unable to discern between the two - that he was ineligible to examine Dam Nidus.

(c)The name of the colleague who had joined them for that blood-letting session was - Mar Zutra.