003a – הכל מעריכין – פרק ראשון – ערכין, דף ג ע"א

What [does it come to include]?^[1]

To include women, in accordance with Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, for Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Women are obligated in the reading of the Megillah, for they too were included in that miracle.^[2]

לאתויי נשים - That they are obligated in the reading of the Megillah, and are fit to read it and to discharge males of their obligation.

“All are obligated in zimun” – to include what?^[3]

To include women and slaves, as it was taught: “Women make a zimun by themselves, and slaves make a zimun by themselves.”

מזמנות לעצמן - Three women, and likewise three slaves; but two women or two slaves do not join with (two) men, because men have something that women and slaves lack: the women do not say “covenant,” and the slaves do not say “our heritage.”^[4]

“All join for zimun” – to include what?

To include a minor who knows to Whom one blesses, for Rav Nachman said: [A minor who] knows to Whom one blesses – a zimun is made with him.^[5]

“All become tamei through zivah” – to include what?^[6]

To include a one-day-old infant, as it was taught: “‘A man’ – why does the verse say (Vayikra 15) ‘a man, a man’? To include a one-day-old infant, that he becomes tamei through zivah” – the words of Rabbi Yehudah.^[7]

איש איש - “When [any man] has a discharge from his flesh” etc. (Vayikra 15).

Rabbi Yishmael the son of Rabbi Yochanan ben Berokah says: This is unnecessary, for it says (Vayikra 15) “and of the zav with his discharge, whether male or female” – “male,” anyone who is male, whether minor or adult; “female,” anyone who is female, whether minor or adult.

If so, why does the verse say “a man, a man”? The Torah spoke in the language of people.^[8]

“All become tamei through a corpse” – to include what?^[9]

To include a minor.

You might have thought: (Bamidbar 19) “A man who becomes tamei and does not purify himself” – a man, yes; a minor, no;

it teaches us: (Bamidbar 19) “and upon the persons who were there.”^[10]

But then, what does “a man” come to exclude?

To exclude a minor from kares.

מכרת - (From kares:) for this verse is written about one who enters the Mikdash while tamei, and makes him liable to kares;^[11] therefore “a man” is written, to exclude a minor, who is not subject to punishment. But he is tamei, to make food and drink tamei, like an adult.

“All become tamei through negaim” – to include what?^[12]

To include a minor.

You might have thought: (Vayikra 13) “a man who is a metzora” is written – a man, yes; a minor, no;

it teaches us [otherwise].

But say that it is indeed so!

(Vayikra 13) “A person, when there shall be in the skin of his flesh” – in any case.^[13]

But then, why do I need “a man”?

For that which was taught: “‘A man’ – I have only a man; from where a woman? When it says (Vayikra 13) “and the metzora,” here there are two.

והצרוע - It implies another metzora – to include the woman.

If so, why does the verse say “a man”? For the matter below: a man lets his hair grow wild and rends his garments, but a woman does not let her hair grow wild or rend her garments.”^[14]

א"כ למה נאמר איש לענין שלמטה - “A man” implies: and not a woman. It does not refer to “he shall surely declare him tamei,” for there even a woman [is included]; rather it refers to the verse below, which speaks of letting the hair grow wild and rending the garments.

“All may see negaim,” “all are fit to see negaim” – to include what?^[15]

הכל רואין והכל כשרים לראות - They are one [teaching], and they were not taught side by side.

To include one who is not expert in them and in their names.^[16]

שאינו בקי - And a Yisrael Torah scholar goes and looks with him, and tells him “Say tamei” – and he says it, [or] “tahor” – and he says it; for tumah and taharah depend on the kohen's word. And so it is taught in Toras Kohanim.^[17]

But the Master said: “One who is not expert in them and in their names may not see negaim”!

והאמר מר - In the first chapter of Shevuos (6a).^[18]

Ravina said: It is not difficult. This is where they explain it to him and he understands; that is where they explain it to him and he does not understand.

דמסברי ליה וסבר - The laws of negaim.

“All are fit to sanctify” – to include what?^[19]

לקדש - To mix living water with the ashes of the chatas. The reasons of the Rabbis and of Rabbi Yehudah are explained in Tractate Yoma, in the chapter Taraf Bekalpi (43a).^[20]

According to Rabbi Yehudah, to include a minor; and according to the Rabbis, to include a woman.

As we learned: “All are fit to sanctify, except a deaf-mute, a deranged person and a minor; Rabbi Yehudah declares a minor fit, and disqualifies a woman and an androginos.”

“All are fit to sprinkle” – to include what?^[21]

To include an arel, in accordance with Rabbi Elazar, for Rabbi Elazar said: An arel who sprinkled – his sprinkling is valid.

ערל - Whose brothers died because of circumcision.^[22]

שהזה - From the chatas waters, upon a tamei person.

הזאתו כשרה - The reason is explained in Yevamos, in the chapter Ha'arel (72b): just as with a tevul yom, who is disqualified for terumah yet fit for [the work of] the parah.^[23]

“All may slaughter” – to include what?

One to include a Kusi, and one to include a Yisrael mumar.^[24]

There are two [Mishnayos of] “all may slaughter” in the first chapter of Chullin (2a and 15b).^[25]

“All may bring up to Eretz Yisrael” – to include what?^[26]

הכל מעלין - In the last chapter of Kesubos (110b).^[27]

Tosfos

לאתויי נשים - That they are obligated in the reading of the Megillah, and are fit to read it and to discharge males of their obligation – the language of the Kuntres.^[28] But Behag^[29] did not rule so, and they bring a proof from the Tosefta, and this is its wording: “All are obligated in the reading of the Megillah etc.; a tumtum and an androginos are obligated, but they do not discharge the public of their obligation; an androginos discharges his own kind but does not discharge one not of his kind; a tumtum discharges neither his own kind nor one not of his kind; one who is half slave and half free discharges neither his own kind nor one not of his kind; women, slaves and minors are exempt from the reading of the Megillah.” Until here the language of the Tosefta. And the Halachos Gedolos added: “but they are obligated in hearing, since all were in danger ‘to destroy, to slay and to annihilate.’ (Ruling:) Rabbi Yehoshua would gather all the members of his household and read before them; Rabbi Yonah, the father of Rabbi Menachem, would intend to read it before the women of his household, since all were in danger, and all are obligated in hearing.” Until here the language of the Halachos Gedolos. Therefore one must explain here that women discharge only women, but not men; and “all are obligated in the reading of the Megillah etc.” comes to include women [who discharge other women]. And it could have said that it comes to include a minor, according to Rabbi Yehudah, who declares a minor fit, in the second chapter of Megillah (19b).^[30]

מזמנות לעצמן - Three women, and likewise three slaves; but two women do not join (with two) [with] men, because men have something that women and slaves lack: the women do not say “covenant,” and slaves do not say “for the land that You gave as a heritage to our fathers.” And one must say that it is optional for women to make a zimun, but there is no obligation. And know this, since [the Gemara] brings support from it for the one who says in the chapter Sheloshah She'achlu (Berachos 45b)^[31] that women, if they wish to make a zimun, may do so – because a hundred women are like two men; and if they were obligated, it would be difficult for him, since it says “if they wish to make a zimun.” And on this our women rely, who do not make a zimun.

לאתויי קטן היודע למי מברכין וכדרב נחמן כו' - And it is said also in Berachos (48a):^[32] “The halachah does not follow all these teachings, but rather Rav Nachman etc.” And even so we do not hold like him, but as Rabbi Yosi said in the Yerushalmi: “Many times I ate with my father Chalafta and with my dear ones, and they did not make a zimun with me until I had brought two hairs.”

דתניא איש כי יהיה זב וגו' - And the reason it does not bring the Mishnah of [the chapter] Yotzei Dofen (Niddah 43b),^[33] where we learned, “A one-day-old infant becomes tamei through zivah,” is because the beraisa explains more.

למעוטי קטן מכרת - For this verse is written about one who enters the Mikdash while tamei, and makes him liable to kares; therefore “a man” is written, to exclude a minor, who is not subject to punishment; but he is tamei, to make food and drink tamei, like an adult. And one may wonder: why do I need a verse to exempt him, since we never find a minor punished? And likewise it is difficult in the chapter Arba Misos (Sanhedrin 52b):^[34] “‘A man who commits adultery’ – to exclude a minor.” However, there one can say that because of the woman's disgrace he might have been liable, like an animal with which a sin was committed. And perhaps it is needed, for one might have thought: since he was included for tumah, he would be liable to kares – it teaches us that he is not.

והצרוע - It implies another metzora, to include the woman. If so, why does it say “a man”? For the matter below: “a man,” which implies and not a woman, does not refer to “he shall surely declare him tamei,” for there even a woman [is included], but to the verse below, which speaks of letting the hair grow wild and rending the garments – the language of the Kuntres. And although regarding afflictions of the head and beard “a woman” is written (Vayikra 13), we do not learn from it, because there it is needed: although it is not usual for hair to grow in a woman's beard, she becomes tamei. And one may ask: why do we not derive the woman from “adam,” which implies a woman just as it implies a minor, as it is written (Bamidbar 31), “and human souls”; and since they are equal, let both come? And one can answer: one might have thought, since a verse was needed to include a woman in afflictions of the (minor) [beard], it follows that for other afflictions a woman is not made tamei unless from the verse. And it is difficult: let it include the woman [from “adam”], and let “a man” exclude the minor from letting the hair grow wild and rending, and “and the metzora” include the minor for tumah? And one can answer: it is more reasonable to exclude letting the hair grow wild and rending from a woman, for this is a disgrace.

הכל רואין הכל כשרין לראות - They are one [teaching], and they were not taught side by side.

והאמר מר - In the first chapter of Shevuos (6a).

דמסברי ליה וסבר - The laws of negaim. One who is not expert: a Torah scholar goes and looks with him; he says “tamei” and he says “tamei,” for tumah and taharah depend on the kohen's saying; and so it is taught in Toras Kohanim – the language of the Kuntres. And there, in Toras Kohanim, Yisraelim are included, from what is written, “or to one [of his sons the kohanim],” and it concludes there: since in the end it includes a Yisrael, for what law is “kohen” written? That tumah and taharah are only by the mouth of a kohen – for even a foolish kohen may see negaim. Although they explain it to him and he understands, he is called a foolish kohen, since he is not expert by himself. Alternatively, one can say that “they explain it to him and he understands” here does not refer to the kohen but to the Yisrael scholar standing beside him: they explain it to him and he understands. And if you will ask: it is obvious – what difference is there between one taught yesterday and one taught today? One can answer: even though he is expert only in that one affliction, he is fit to see it.

לקדש - To mix living water with the ashes of the chatas. The reasons of Rabbi Yehudah and the Rabbis are explained in the chapter Taraf Bekalpi (Yoma 43a).

ערל - Whose brothers died because of circumcision. Who sprinkled from the chatas waters upon the tamei – his sprinkling is valid. The reason is explained in Yevamos, chapter Ha'arel (72b): just as with a tevul yom, who is disqualified for terumah yet fit for the parah. And it could have brought the beraisa taught there explicitly in this way, but [the statement] of Rabbi Elazar is more familiar on everyone's lips.

There are two [Mishnayos of] “all may slaughter” in the first chapter of Chullin (2a and 15b).

הכל מעלין - In Kesubos, the last chapter (110b).

Notes

1. 1. This continues the question begun on the previous amud [Arachin 2b]: the beraisa said, “All are obligated in the reading of the Megillah; all are fit to read the Megillah” – what does “all” come to include?
2. 2. Haman's decree was against the Jews “from young to old, children and women” (Esther 3:13), so the women too were part of the miracle. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi's statement appears in Megillah [Megillah 4a].
3. 3. Zimun: when three have eaten together, one of them invites the others to bentch together (“Let us bless”) before Birkas Hamazon.
4. 4. In the second blessing of Birkas Hamazon one says “for Your covenant that You sealed in our flesh” and “the land… that You gave as a heritage to our fathers.” Women have no bris milah, and slaves have no share in the land.
5. 5. That is, he understands that the blessing is addressed to Hashem.
6. 6. A zav is a man who has had a discharge (Vayikra 15); he becomes a primary source of tumah, and makes what he lies or sits on tamei.
7. 7. The doubled “a man, a man” is read as an inclusion, so that even a day-old infant becomes a zav.
8. 8. That is, the doubling is simply ordinary human speech, and nothing is derived from it.
9. 9. Tamei mes: one who touched a dead body or was under one roof with it; he is purified by sprinkling with the chatas waters on the third and seventh days.
10. 10. This verse (Bamidbar 19:18) speaks of sprinkling “upon the persons who were there” in the tent of the dead; it covers every person, even a minor.
11. 11. Kares, being “cut off,” is a punishment at the hands of Heaven for grave sins; one who enters the Mikdash while tamei is liable to it (Bamidbar 19:20). A minor is not subject to punishment.
12. 12. Negaim: the tzaraas afflictions of the skin (Vayikra 13); a kohen inspects the affliction and declares it tamei or tahor.
13. 13. “A person” (adam) includes every human being: man, woman and minor.
14. 14. A metzora's “garments shall be rent and the hair of his head shall grow wild” (Vayikra 13:45). A woman is exempt from this.
15. 15. Seeing negaim means inspecting the affliction to rule whether it is tamei. As Rashi explains, the two phrasings say one thing and were taught in different places.
16. 16. The names of the afflictions: baheres, se'es, sapachas and their sub-shades.
17. 17. Toras Kohanim (the Sifra) is the halachic midrash on Vayikra.
18. 18. See [Shevuos 6a].
19. 19. Sanctifying the chatas waters: putting the ashes of the red heifer onto living (spring) water.
20. 20. See [Yoma 43a].
21. 21. Sprinkling: the chatas waters are sprinkled with hyssop on one who is tamei mes, on the third and seventh days of his purification.
22. 22. Such an arel is exempt from circumcision because of the danger, so he is not a transgressor.
23. 23. A tevul yom has immersed but his sun has not yet set; he may not eat terumah, yet he is fit for the work of the red heifer [Yevamos 72b].
24. 24. Kusim were the peoples settled in Shomron by the kings of Ashur, who converted; a Yisrael mumar is a Jew who habitually transgresses a particular prohibition.
25. 25. Two Mishnayos open “All may slaughter” [Chullin 2a] [Chullin 15b], so each must include something.
26. 26. The answer is on the next amud [Arachin 3b]. “All may bring up to Eretz Yisrael”: any member of a household may compel the others to move with him to Eretz Yisrael.
27. 27. The Mishnah there: “All may bring up to Eretz Yisrael, but not all may take out” [Kesubos 110b].
28. 28. The Kuntres is what Tosfos call Rashi's commentary.
29. 29. Behag: the Halachos Gedolos, a halachic work of the Geonic period.
30. 30. See [Megillah 19b].
31. 31. See [Berachos 45b].
32. 32. See [Berachos 48a].
33. 33. Yotzei Dofen is the fifth chapter of Niddah [Niddah 43b].
34. 34. See [Sanhedrin 52b].