Niddah

R. Eleazar further stated: What does an embryo resemble when it is in its mother's bowels? A nut floating in a bowl of water. Should someone put his finger upon it, it would sink on the one side or on the other. Our Rabbis taught: During the first three months  the embryo occupies the lowest chamber, during the middle ones it occupies the middle chamber and during the last months it occupies the uppermost chamber; and when its time to emerge arrives it turns over and then emerges, and this is the cause of the woman's pains.  This also agrees with what was taught:  The pains of a female birth are more intense than those of a male birth. R. Eleazar further observed, 'What is the Scriptural proof for this?  When I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth;  it does not say 'dwelt' but 'curiously wrought'.  Why are the pains of a female birth greater than those of a male birth? — The female emerges in the position she assumes during intercourse and the male emerges in the position he assumes during intercourse. The former, therefore, turns her face upwards  while the latter  need not turn his face. Our Rabbis taught: During the first three months  marital intercourse is injurious to the woman and it is also injurious to the child. During the middle ones it is injurious to the woman but beneficial for the child. During the last months it is beneficial for both the woman and the child, since on account of it the child becomes well-formed and of strong vitality. One taught: He who indulges in marital intercourse on the ninetieth day  is as though he had shed blood. But whence could one know this?  — Rather, said Abaye, one carries on marital intercourse in the usual manner and the Lord preserveth the simple. Our Rabbis taught: There are three partners in man, the Holy One, blessed be He, his father and his mother. His father supplies the semen of the white substance out of which are formed the child's bones, sinews, nails, the brain in his head and the white in his eye; his mother supplies the semen of the red substance out of which is formed his skin, flesh, hair, blood  and the black of his eye; and the Holy One, blessed be He, gives him the spirit and the breath,  beauty of features, eyesight, the power of hearing  and the ability to speak  and to walk,  understanding and discernment. When his time to depart from the world approaches the Holy One, blessed be He, takes away his share and leaves the shares of his father and his mother with them. R. Papa observed: It is this that people have in mind when they say, 'Shake off the salt  and cast the flesh to the dog'. R. Hinena b. Papa gave the following exposition: What is the purport of the Scriptural text, Who doeth great things past finding out,' yea, marvellous things without number?  Come and see the contrast between the potency of the Holy One, blessed be He, and that of mortal man.  A man might put his things  in a skin bottle  [whose holes  are] tied up and whose orifice is turned upwards and yet it is doubtful whether [the things] would be preserved or not, whereas the Holy One, blessed be He, fashions the embryo in a woman's internal organ that is open and whose orifice is turned downwards and yet it is preserved. Another exposition: If a man puts his things on the scale of a balance, the heavier they are the lower the scale descends, whereas the Holy One, blessed be He, [fashioned the woman in such a manner that] the heavier the embryo the higher it rises. R. Jose the Galilean gave the following exposition: What is the purport of the Scriptural text, I will give thanks unto Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well?  Come and see the contrast between the potency of the Holy One, blessed be He, and that of mortal man.  If a man  puts different seeds in a bed each grows in the manner of its own particular species, whereas the Holy One, blessed be He, fashions the embryo in the woman's bowels in such a manner that all  grow into one and the same kind. Another exposition: If a dyer puts different ingredients into a boiler they all unite into one colour, whereas the Holy One, blessed be He, fashions the embryo in a woman's bowels in a manner that each element develops in its own natural way. R. Joseph gave the following exposition: What is the purport of the Scriptural text, I will give thanks unto Thee, O Lord; for though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, and Thou comfortest me.  The text alludes to  two men who set out on a trading expedition when a thorn got into [the foot of] one of them who  began to blaspheme and to revile. After a time, however, when he heard that his friend's ship had sunk into the sea he  began to laud and praise. Hence it is written, 'Thine anger is turned away, and Thou comfortest me'. This is indeed in line with what R. Eleazar stated: What is implied by the Scriptural text, Who doeth wondrous things alone;  and blessed be His glorious name for ever?  Even the person for whom a miracle is performed  is unaware of the miracle. R. Hanina b. Papa made the following exposition: What is the implication of the Scriptural text, Thou measurest my going about and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways?  It  teaches that man is not fashioned from all the drop but only from its purest part. The school of R. Ishmael taught: This is analogous to the action of one who, winnowing  in threshing floors, takes up the edible part and leaves the refuse. This is in agreement with an exposition of R. Abbahu. For R. Abbahu pointed out an incongruity: It is written, For Thou hast winnowed me from  strength  and it is also written,  The God that girdeth me with strength!  David in effect said to the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Sovereign of the world, Thou hast winnowed me  and Thou hast girded me with strength'. R. Abbahu also gave this exposition: What is the implication of the Scriptural text, Who hath counted the dust of Jacob, or numbered the stock of Israel?  It teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, sits and counts the stock of Israel. 'When [He wonders] will appear the drop from which a righteous man could be fashioned'? Moreover, it is for this reason that the eye of the wicked Balaam was blinded. He said, 'Would He who is pure and holy and whose ministers are pure and holy look upon such a thing?' His eye was forthwith blinded, for it is written, And the saying of the man whose eye is closed.  This is in line with what R. Johanan stated: What is the implication of the Scriptural text, And he lay with her in that night?  It teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, assisted in that matter. For it is said, Issachar is a large-boned ass;  it is the ass  that has caused  the birth of Issachar. R. Isaac citing R. Ammi  stated: If the woman emits her semen first she bears a male child; if the man emits his semen first she bears a female child; for it is said, If a woman emits semen  and bear a man-child. Our Rabbis taught: At first it used to be said that 'if the woman emits her semen first she will bear a male, and if the man emits his semen first she will bear a female', but the Sages did not explain the reason, until R. Zadok came and explained it: These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore unto Jacob in Paddan-aram, with his daughter Dinah,  Scripture thus ascribes the males to the females  and the females to the males. And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valour, archers; and had many sons, and sons' sons.  Now is it within the power of man to increase  the number of 'sons and sons' sons'? But the fact is that because