Soncino English Talmud
Yevamot
Daf 75b
and a thorn pierced his stones, [his semen] issued like a thread of pus, and, [despite the accident], he begat children! — In that case, as a matter of fact, Samuel sent word to Rab, telling him, 'Institute enquiries respecting the parentage of his children'. Rab Judah stated in the name of Samuel: A man whose stones have been injured by a supernatural agency is regarded as a fit person. Said Raba: This is the reason why the Scriptural text reads, Who is wounded and not 'the wounded'. In a Baraitha it was taught: It was said in Scripture. He who is wounded … shall not enter and it was also said, A bastard shall not enter,' as the latter is the result of human action, so is the former the result of human action. Raba stated: Wounded applies to all, crushed applies to all, and cut off applies to all. 'Wounded applies to all': Whether the membrum, the stones or the spermatic cords of the stones were injured. 'Crushed applies to all': Whether the membrum, the stones or the spermatic cords were crushed. 'Cut off applies to all': Whether the membrum, the stones or the spermatic cords were cut off. A certain Rabbi asked Raba: Whence is it inferred that the expression pezu'a dakkah refers to an injury in the privy parts; might it not be said to refer to the head? The other replied: As no number of generations is mentioned, it may be inferred that the reference is to the privy parts. But is it not possible that the reason why no number of generations is given in this case is because only he himself is forbidden, while his son and the son of his son are permitted! — [This must be] similar to the case of him whose membrum is cut off; as the latter involves the privy parts, so must the former involve those parts. And whence is it inferred that the injury of the keruth shafekah himself involves his privy parts? Might it not be one involving his lips! — Shafekah is written, implying, 'at the spot where it discharges', But might it not refer to one's nose? — It is not written, '[Cut] at the organ that discharges', but 'a cut organ that discharges'; thus implying that organ which in consequence of a cut discharges, and in the absence of a cut does not discharge but flows out. This excludes the nose which in either case emits a discharge. In a Baraitha it was taught: It was said in Scripture. He who is wounded in his stones shall not enter, and it was also said. A bastard shall not enter, as the latter refers to the privy parts, so does the former refer to the privy parts. In a case where a puncture beginning below the corona terminated at the other end of it above the corona, R. Hiyya b. Abba desired to declare the sufferer as fit. Said R. Assi to him: Thus ruled R. Joshua b. Levi, '[A perforation of] any size in the corona constitutes a bar [against fitness]'. IF, HOWEVER, ANY PART OF THE CORONA REMAINED etc. Rabina, while sitting [at his studies], raised the following question: Must the HAIR'S BREADTH of which they spoke extend over the entire circumference thereof or only over its greater part? — 'The HAIR'S BREADTH', said Rabbah Tosfa'ah to Rabina, must extend over the greater part of it and towards its upper section'. R. Huna ruled: If it is cut away like a reed pen it constitutes no disqualification; if like a gutter it causes disqualification. For in the latter case the air penetrates; in the former it does not. R. Hisda, however, ruled: [If the cut was] in the shape of a gutter no disqualification is constituted; if it had the shape of a reed pen disqualification is constituted. For in the first case friction may be produced; in the latter it cannot. Raba said: It is reasonable to adopt the view of R. Huna that in the latter case the air penetrates while in the former it does not. For in regard to friction it is only like a bung in a cask. Said Rabina to Meremar: Thus said Mar Zutra in the name of R. Papa, 'The law is that no disqualification is constituted whether the corona was cut away like a reed pen or like a gutter He raised, however, the question. [whether such a cut must be] below the corona or may even be above it? — It is obvious that it may even be above it; for were it to be below the corona, the man would be regarded as fit even if the entire membrum there had been cut off. Rabina, however, only desired to test Meremar. Such an incident once occurred at Matha Mehasia, and R. Ashi arranged for the corona to be cut into the shape of a reed pen, and then declared the man to be fit. It once happened at Pumbeditha that a man had his semen duct blocked, and the discharge of the semen made its way through the urinal duct. R. Bibi b. Abaye intended to declare the man fit. R. Papi, however, said to him, 'Because you are yourselves