Niddah

Amemar and Mar Zutra and R. Ashi once sat before a cupper,  and when the first cupping-horn was taken off Amemar he saw it and said to the others, 'The red  of which we have learnt  is a shade like this'. When the second one was taken off from him, he said to them, 'This has a different shade'. 'One like myself', observed R. Ashi, 'Who does not know the difference between the one and the other must not act as an examiner of blood'. 'BLACK? LIKE THE SEDIMENT [OF INK]. Rabbah son of R. Huna stated: The HERETH  of which the Rabbis spoke  is ink. So it was also taught: Black  is a colour like hereth and the 'black' of which the Rabbis spoke  is the colour of ink. Then why was it not directly stated, 'Ink'? — If 'ink' had been stated, it might have been presumed to refer to the watery part of the ink,  hence we were informed that the colour is like that of the sediment of the ink. The question was raised: Is the reference to liquid, or to dry ink? — Come and hear of [the practice of] R. Ammi who used to split a grain of dry ink and with its aid performed the necessary examination. Rab Judah citing Samuel ruled: [If a woman's discharge has a colour] like that of black wax, black ink or a black grape she is unclean; and it is this that was meant by what we learnt: IF IT IS DARKER IT IS UNCLEAN. R. Eleazar ruled: [A discharge that has a colour] like that of a black olive, pitch or a raven is clean; and it is this that was alluded to in what we have learnt: IF LIGHTER IT IS CLEAN. 'Ulla explained:  One like a Siwa  cloak. 'Ulla once visited Pumbeditha when he noticed an Arab merchant who was wearing a black cloak. 'The black of which we have learnt',  he told them, 'is a colour like this'. They pulled it off him in bits  and paid him for it four hundred zuz. R. Johanan explained:  [One of the colour of] those court  clothes that are imported from courtiers beyond the sea. This then implies that such clothes are black, but did not R. Jannai address the following request to his sons: 'My children, do not bury me either in black shrouds or white shrouds; "either in black", peradventure I may be worthy [of a place in paradise] and I would be like a mourner among bridegrooms;  "or in white", peradventure I might not be worthy and would be like a bridegroom among mourners;  but [bury me] only in court  clothes that are imported from countries beyond the sea', which clearly proves, does it not, that these are not black?  — This is no difficulty, the latter  referring to wrappers,  while the former  refers to clothes worn  at table. Rab Judah citing Samuel ruled: And all these  must be tested only on a white strip of cloth. R. Isaac b. Abudemi ruled: But black blood may be tested on a red strip of cloth. R. Jeremiah of Difti observed: There is really no difference of opinion between them,  since the latter speaks only of black blood while the former refers to the other kinds of blood. R. Ashi demurred: If so, why did not Samuel say, 'With the exception of black'? Rather, said R. Ashi, they  differ on the very question of black itself. 'Ulla ruled: In the case of all these  if the discharge is darker  It is unclean and if it is lighter  it is clean, as is the case with black.  Then why did it mention only black? — As it might have been presumed that, since R. Hanina stated, 'Black [blood] is really red blood that had deteriorated', it should, therefore, be unclean even if it is lighter, hence we were informed [that IF LIGHTER IT IS CLEAN]. R. Ammi b. Abba ruled: In the case of all these  if the discharge is darker  it is unclean and if it is lighter it is also unclean, the only exception being black.  What then  was the use of the standard shade laid down by the Rabbis? — To exclude  one that was extremely faint.  There are others who read: Rami b. Abba ruled: In the case of all these  if the discharge is darker  it is clean and if it is lighter it is also clean, the only exception being black;  and it is in this case that the Rabbinical standard is of use. Bar Kappara ruled: In the case of all these  if the discharge is darker it is unclean and if lighter it is clean, the exception being [the colour of] diluted wine in which a darker shade is clean and a lighter one is also clean. Bar Kappara was shown a lighter shade  and he declared it clean, and when he was shown a darker shade  he also declared it clean. 'How great is the man', exclaimed R. Hanina, 'who in practice acts  in agreement with his view. A COLOUR LIKE BRIGHT CROCUS. A Tanna taught: Fresh crocus and not dry one. One [Baraitha] taught: Like the lower leaf  but not like the upper one, and another [Baraitha] taught: Like the upper leaf but not like the lower one, while a third [Baraitha] taught: Like the upper leaf and much more so like the lower one, and a fourth [Baraitha] taught: Like the lower leaf and much more so like the upper one!  — Abaye replied: The crocus has three rows of leaves  and there are three leaves in each row; keep  to the middle row  and the middle leaf of that row.  When they came before R. Abbahu he told them: What we learnt [about the colour of the crocus refers to such as are still] attached to their clods. OR LIKE EARTHY WATER. Our Rabbis taught: Like earthy water — one brings fertile soil from the valley of Beth Kerem over which he causes water to float; so R. Meir. R. Judah  said: From the valley of Jotapata.  R. Jose said: From the valley of Sikni.  R. Simeon said: Also from the valley of Gennesaret  and similar soil. Another [Baraitha] taught: And like earthy water — one brings fertile soil from the valley of Beth Kerem and over it he causes water to float until it forms a layer as thin as the husk of garlic; and no quantity has been prescribed for the water since none has been prescribed for the earth.  The water, furthermore, is not to be examined when it is clean but when turbid. If they become clear they must be stirred up again;  and when they are stirred one must not do it with the hand but with a vessel. The question was raised: [Does the expression,] 'One must not do it with the hand but with a vessel' mean that a man must not put it in his hand and stir it in it but that where it is in a vessel it is quite proper for him to stir it with his hand, or is it possible that the meaning is that one must not stir it with his hand  but with an instrument?  — Come and hear: When he examines it  he must do it in a cup only.  But does not the question yet remain: If the examination must be in a cup, wherewith must the stirring be done? — This is undecided. When they came before Rabba b. Abbuha he told them: What we learnt [about the earth refers to such as is] in its own place. R. Hanina used to break up a piece of potter's clay and thereby performed the examination. R. Ishmael son of R. Jose cursed with croup any other person who adopts such a method