Niddah

MISHNAH. THE BLOOD  OF AN IDOLATRESS AND THE CLEAN BLOOD  OF A LEPROUS WOMAN, BETH SHAMMAI DECLARE CLEAN  AND BETH HILLEL HOLD THAT IT IS LIKE HER SPITTLE OR HER URINE,  THE BLOOD OF A WOMAN AFTER CHILDBIRTH WHO DID NOT  UNDERGO RITUAL IMMERSION, BETH SHAMMAI RULED, IS LIKE HER SPITTLE OR HER URINE,  BUT BETH HILLEL RULED: IT CONVEYS UNCLEANNESS BOTH WHEN WET AND WHEN DRY, THEY  AGREE, HOWEVER, THAT IF SHE GAVE BIRTH WHILE IN ZIBAH, IT CONVEYS UNCLEANNESS BOTH WHEN WET AND WHEN DRY. GEMARA. But do not Beth Shammai uphold the tradition: Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, when any man hath an issue,  only the children of Israel convey uncleanness by zibah and idolaters do not convey uncleanness by zibah, but a preventive measure has been enacted against them that they should be regarded as zabim in all respects?  — Beth Shammai can answer you:  How should it act? If it were to convey uncleanness both when wet and when dry, you would treat it as a Pentateuchal uncleanness.  If it were to convey uncleanness only when wet and not when dry, you might also make the same distinction in a Pentateuchal uncleanness.  If so, should not the same provision  be made in the case of her spittle and her urine also?  — Since a distinguishing rule has been laid down in regard to her blood  it is sufficiently known that her spittle and her urine are only Rabbinically unclean. And why should no distinguishing rule be laid down in respect of her spittle or her urine while her blood should be ruled to be unclean? — Concerning her spittle and her urine, since they are frequently discharged, the Rabbis have enacted a preventive measure, but concerning her blood which is not frequently discharged the Rabbis have enacted no preventive measure. Raba ruled: His  discharge' in zibah is unclean  even according to Beth Shammai  and his discharge of semen is clean even according to Beth Hillel.  'His discharge in zibah is unclean even according to Beth Shammai' since a distinguishing rule  can be made in connection with the discharge of his semen. 'His discharge of semen is clean even according to Beth Hillel', since the Rabbis have enacted a distinguishing rule  in order that terumah or other holy things shall not be burnt on its account.  But why should not the distinguishing rule be enacted in regard to his discharge in zibah while his discharge of semen should be declared unclean? — Concerning his discharge in zibah which is not dependent on an act of his the Rabbis have enacted a preventive measure, but concerning a discharge of his semen which does depend on an act of his  the Rabbis enacted no preventive measure. May it be suggested that the following provides support to his  ruling: If an idolatress discharged the semen of an Israelite, it is unclean; but if the daughter of an Israelite discharged the semen of an idolater, it is clean.  Now does not this mean that it is completely clean?  — No; clean Pentateuchally but unclean Rabbinically. Come and hear: It thus follows  that the semen of an Israelite is unclean everywhere,