Arakhin

They are meant to include women, in accord with the view of R. Joshua b. Levi; for R. Joshua b. Levi said: Women are obliged to read the scroll because they, too, had a part in that miracle.1 What does ‘All are obliged to arrange zimmun’2 mean to include? — It means to include women and slaves, for it was taught: Women are under the obligation of zimmun amongst themselves, and slaves are under the obligation of zimmun amongst themselves.3 What does ‘All may be joined to a zimmun’ mean to include? — That includes a minor who knows to Whom one pronounces a blessing, for R. Nahman said: One may arrange a zimmun with a minor who knows to Whom one pronounces a blessing.4 What does ‘All defile by reason of their flux’ include? — That includes a child one day old, for it was taught: [It could have said,] When a man [hath an issue out of his flesh].5 Why does the text state ‘any man’? That is to include a child one day old, [teaching] that he defiles by reason of his flux; this is the view of R. Judah. R. Ishmael the son of R. Johanan b. Beroka says: [This inference] is not necessary, for behold, Scripture reads: And of them that have an Issue, whether it be a male or a female,6 i.e., once he is ‘a male’, however minor or major, once she is ‘a female’, whether minor or major.7 If so, why does the Torah use [the redundant phrase] ‘any man’? The Torah speaks in the language of man.8 What does ‘All are susceptible to be defiled by someone defiled through contact with a corpse’9 include? — That includes a minor. For one might have assumed that since Scripture reads: But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself,10 that means only [to] a man [does this law apply] but not to a minor, therefore it is said: And upon the souls [persons] that were there.11 What then did ‘man’ come to exclude?12 — It is meant to exclude a minor from the penalty of excision.13 What does ‘All contract uncleanness by leprosy’ include?-That includes a minor. For one would have taught: [Scripture reads:] A leprous man,14 that means only a man but not a minor, therefore we are taught [that a minor, too, is defiled when leprous]. But say perhaps: Thus, indeed?15 — [The text reads:] When adam [a man] shall have in the skin of his flesh,16 i.e., as long as it is [an adam].17 Then why the word ‘man’? — This is in accord with what was taught: ‘[A leprous] man’, thence I derive only the law as referring to a man, whence am I to infer it for woman? When it says: And the leper,18 that includes two. Why then does the text state, [A leprous] man’? That refers to [the matter referred to] later,19 [viz.,] only a [leprous] man lets the hair of his head go loose and rends his clothes, but a [leprous] woman does not let the hair of her head go loose, nor does she rend her clothes. What does ‘All may inspect the signs of leprosy’, ‘All are fit to inspect the signs of leprosy’ include?20 — That includes one who is not familiar with them and their names. But did not a Master say that one unfamiliar with them and their names may not inspect leprous signs?21 Rabina said: This is no difficulty: One case speaks of one who understands them when they are explained, the other of one who, even when they are explained, does not understand them. What does ‘All are fit to mix the ashes’22 include? According to R. Judah it includes a minor; In accord with the Sages it includes a woman, for we are taught: All are fit to mix the ashes except a deaf-mute, an imbecile or a minor. R. Judah considers a minor fit, but a woman and a hermaphrodite unfit. What does ‘All are fit to sprinkle’23 include? — That includes an uncircumcised24 person In accord with the view of R. Eleazar; for R. Eleazar said: If an uncircumcised person sprinkled, his sprinkling is valid. What does ‘All are fit to slaughter ritually’ include? — The first includes a Samaritan, the second a non-conforming Israelite.25 What does ‘All may compel to go up to the land of Israel’ include?26 — merit, too, brought about the miracle of the deliverance. means appointing and may thus refer to the appointment to eat together, with the implied obligation to say grace together. hand of God). The word ‘man’ in the passage indicates that whereas any ‘soul’ (even a minor) can defile, only a man, i.e., an adult, incurs the penalty of death when in his unclean state he enters the Sanctuary. minors were to be excluded from the application of that law. the repetition ‘and the leper, etc’? Evidently another leper, too, is concerned, i.e., a female leper. M.K. 15a. III, 1. hazakah (presumption) that a like fate might befall him. Such an uncircumcised person, being legally justified in failure to have the rite performed upon himself, does not fall into the category of the unfit.