וְאִשָּׁה כִּי יָזוּב זוֹב דָּמָהּ יָמִים רַבִּים. לָמָּה וְאִשָּׁה, וְאֵין כְּתִיב וְאִישׁ כִּי יָזוּב, לְשֶׁעָבַר הָיְתָה זָבָה נוֹהֶגֶת בַּאֲנָשִׁים וּבְנָשִׁים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי יִהְיֶה זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, טֻמְאַת הָאִישׁ קָשָׁה מִטֻּמְאַת הָאִשָּׁה. לָמָּה, שֶׁטֻּמְאַת הַנָּשִׁים סִימַן לְבָנִים הוּא. אֲבָל שֶׁל אִישׁ, שֶׁל צַעַר הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְזֹאת תִּהְיֶה טֻמְאָתוֹ בְּזוֹבוֹ, דָּבָר שֶׁחוֹתֵם וְסוֹגֵר. לְשֶׁעָבַר הָיוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים רוֹאִים מַיִם, עַד שֶׁעָמְדָה רָחֵל וְאָמְרָה, כִּי דֶּרֶךְ נָשִׁים לִי (בראשית לא, לה), וְנִתָּן לָהּ. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: וְאִשָּׁה כִּי יָזוּב. כָּךְ שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, עַל שָׁלֹשׁ עֲבֵרוֹת נָשִׁים מֵתוֹת בִּשְׁעַת לֵדָתָן, עַל שֶׁאֵינָן זְהִירוֹת בְּנִדָּה וּבְחַלָּה וּבְהַדְלָקַת הַנֵּר. לָמָּה בִּשְׁעַת לֵדָתָן. שֶׁאֵין הַשָּׂטָן מְקַטְרֵג אֶלָּא בִּשְׁעַת הַסַּכָּנָה. וּשְׁלָשְׁתָּן מִן הַתּוֹרָה. נִדָּה, דִּכְתִיב: וְאִשָּׁה כִּי יָזוּב זוֹב דָּמָהּ. חַלָּה, דִּכְתִיב: רֵאשִׁית עֲרִיסוֹתֵיכֶם חַלָּה (במדבר טו, כ). הַדְלָקַת הַנֵּר, דְּתָנוּ רַבָּנָן, מִנַּיִן שֶׁחַיָּב אָדָם לִהְיוֹת זָהִיר וְזָרִיז בְּהַדְלָקַת הַנֵּר בְּשַׁבָּת. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְקָרָאתָ לַשַּׁבָּת עֹנֶג (ישעיה נח, יג), זוֹ הַדְלָקַת הַנֵּר בְּשַׁבָּת. וְלָמָּה נִמְסְרוּ לָאִשָּׁה. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הִיא כִבְּתָה נֵרוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם כוּ'. נִדָּה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הִיא שָׁפְכָה דָּמוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם. וּכְתִיב: שׁוֹפֵךְ דַּם הָאָדָם, בָּאָדָם דָּמוֹ יִשָּׁפֵךְ (בראשית ט, ו), וְהִיא מִתְחַיֶּבֶת שֶׁתִּשְׁפֹּךְ דָּמָהּ. תִּשְׁמֹר נִדָּתָהּ, שֶׁיִּתְכַּפֵּר לָהּ עַל דָּם שֶׁשָּׁפְכָה. הֱוֵי, וְאִשָּׁה כִּי יָזוּב זוֹב דָּמָהּ. לְפִיכָךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְדַמֶּה טֻמְאַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְטֻמְאַת הַנִּדָּה, שֶׁנִּטְמְאָה וְנִטְהֶרֶת. כָּךְ עָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְטַהֵר אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְזָרַקְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם מַיִם טְהוֹרִים וּטְהַרְתֶּם (יחזקאל לו, כה). דָּבָר אַחֵר, כְּטֻמְאַת הַנִּדָּה הָיְתָה דַּרְכָּם לְפָנַי (יחזקאל לו, יז), כְּטֻמְאַת הַנִּדָּה וְלֹא כְּטֻמְאַת הַמֵּת. שֶׁהַמֵּת בַּבַּיִת, אֵין כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל נִכְנָס לְשָׁם, שֶׁהוּא מְטַמֵּא. אֲבָל נִדָּה, כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל נִכְנָס עִמָּהּ לַבַּיִת וְיוֹשֵׁב עַל הָאִיצְטַבָּא, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא תְּהֵא הָאִיצְטַבָּא מִתְנוֹדְדָה. כָּךְ אִלּוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִמְשִׁיל אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּטֻמְאַת הַמֵּת, אַתָּה אוֹמֵר, אֵין הַשְּׁכִינָה חוֹזֶרֶת עֲלֵיהֶם לְעוֹלָם. אֶלָּא כְּנִדָּה מָשְׁלָן, שֶׁהַכֹּהֵן עוֹמֵד עִמָּהּ בַּבַּיִת וְאֵין חוֹשֵׁשׁ. כָּךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׁוֹרֶה שְׁכִינָתוֹ עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵן טְמֵאִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הַשֹּׁכֵן אִתָּם בְּתוֹךְ טֻמְאֹתָם (ויקרא טז, טז). אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם, לֹא הָיוּ רוֹאוֹת דָּם מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵימַת הַמִּצְרִים עֲלֵיהֶם. וְאַף כְּשֶׁיָּשְׁבוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר לֹא הָיוּ רוֹאוֹת דָּם נִדָּה, שֶׁהָיְתָה שְׁכִינָה עִמָּהֶן. וְהַנָּשִׁים קִבְּלוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה תְּחִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כֹּה תֹּאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ' (שמות יט, ג). כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב, אֵלּוּ הַנָּשִׁים. וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן, וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (שם), אֵלּוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים. וַעֲלֵיהֶם הוּא אוֹמֵר, אֲיֻמָּה כַּנִּדְגָּלוֹת (שה״ש ו, י). וַעֲלֵיהֶן נֶאֱמַר, גַּן נָעוּל אֲחוֹתִי כַּלָּה, גַּל נָעוּל מַעְיָן חָתוּם (שם ד, יב). אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הֱיִיתֶן מִטַּהֲרִין וְחוֹזְרִין וּמִטַּמְּאִין. אֲבָל לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא אֲנִי מְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם טָהֳרָה עוֹלָמִית, שֶׁלֹּא תִּטַּמְּאוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְזָרַקְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם מַיִם טְהוֹרִים וּטְהַרְתֶּם, מִכָּל טֻמְאוֹתֵיכֶם וּמִכָּל גִּלּוּלֵיכֶם אֲטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם (יחזקאל לו, כה). (Lev. 15:25:) “And when a woman has had a discharge of blood for many days.” Why a woman and not a man? Previously it applied to men and women. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 15:2), “When any man has a discharge issuing from his flesh.” R. Meir says, “The man's uncleanness was more serious than the woman's uncleanness. Why? Because the uncleanness of women is a sign of children; however, that of a man is [a sign] of suffering. Thus it is stated (in vs. 3), ‘And this shall be the uncleanness in his discharge,’34The next verses (4-12) stress just how defiling his discharge really is. [i.e.] something which seals and closes.” Previously the men saw water, until Rachel arose and said (in Gen. 31:35), “for the period of women is upon me.” Then it was given to her. Therefore (in Exod. 15:25), “And when a woman has had a discharge of blood.” (Lev. 15:25:) “And when a woman has had a discharge of blood for many days.” Thus have our masters taught (in Shab. 2:6): Women die at the time of their childbirth for three transgressions:35Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:1; Tanh., Gen. 2:1. Because they have not been careful in regard to menstruation, in regard to the hallah,36I.e., the priest’s share of the dough. and in regard to the lighting of the lamp.37I.e., the Sabbath lamp. Why at the time of their childbirth? Because the adversary (Satan) only makes accusations38Gk.: kategorein. in time of danger. Now the three of them are from the Torah. [Where is it shown about] menstruation? (Lev. 15:25:) “And when a woman has had a discharge of her blood.” [Where is it shown about] the hallah? (Numb. 15:20:) “[You shall set aside] the first of your dough as a hallah offering.” [Where is it shown] in regard to the lighting of the [Sabbath] lamp? As our masters taught, “Where is it shown that a person is to be zealous and diligent in the lighting of the [Sabbath] lamp? Where it is stated (in Is. 58:13), ‘and you call the Sabbath a delight.’ This refers to the lighting of the lamp.” And why were [these commandments] transmitted to the woman?39Gen. R. 17:8; yShab. 2:4 (5b). The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “She extinguished the lamp of the world….” In regard to menstruation, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “She shed the blood of Adam, and she was sentenced to have her own blood shed, since it is stated (in Gen. 9:6), ‘Whoever sheds human blood [by a human will his blood be shed].’ She shall observe her menstrual period to atone for the blood that she shed.” Ergo (in Lev. 15:25), “And when a woman has had a discharge of blood.” Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, compares the uncleanness of Israel to the uncleanness of the menstrual period, when [a woman] is unclean and [then] purified. So the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to purify Israel, as stated (in Ezek. 36:25), “I will sprinkle pure water upon you, and you shall be pure.” Another interpretation: (Ezek. 36:17:) “Their way before Me was like the uncleanness of a menstruant woman”; like the uncleanness of a menstruant woman, and not like the uncleanness of a corpse. With a corpse in the house, a high priest does not enter there; but in the case of a menstruant woman, a high priest enters into the house with her and sits [with her] on the couch,40‘YSTWW’, probably from the Gk.: histion, which means “something woven.” but on condition that it not shake (when they sit on it). So if Israel were compared to the impurity of death, the Divine Presence would never return upon them; however, they are compared to the menstruant because there is cleansing for her in a mikveh, so that the priest may be with her in the house and not be afraid. Thus the Divine Presence dwells with Israel, even though they are unclean, as stated (in Lev. 16:16), “which dwells with them in the midst of their uncleannesses.” R. Levy said, “When Israel was in Egypt, the women did not see menstrual blood, because the fear of Egypt was upon them. And also after Israel left Egypt, they did not see menstruation in the desert, because the Divine Presence was among them.” [Moreover,] the women accepted the Torah first. It is so stated (in Exod. 19:3), “Thus shall you say to the House of Jacob,” these are the women;41Exod. R. 28:2. Cf. Shab. 118b: “R. Jose said, ‘… but my wife [I called] my house.’” (ibid., cont.), “and declare to the sons of Israel,” these are the men. And so it says (in Cant. 6:10), “terrible42Buber, n. 91, points out that ‘ayummah (TERRIBLE) is seen as related to ‘emah (“fear”), in that the fear of the Divine Presence was upon them. like bannered hosts.” Now about them it is stated (in Cant. 4:12), “A locked garden is my sister, my bride, a locked fountain, a sealed spring.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “In this world you became clean but returned to uncleanness; but in the world to come I Myself will cleanse you so that you shall not ever become unclean.” Thus it is stated (in Ezek. 36:25), “I will sprinkle pure water upon you, and you shall be pure; I will purify you from all your uncleannesses and from all your idols.”