Translation:Talmud/Seder Tehorot/Tractate Niddah/2a

Mishnah
SHAMMAI RULED: FOR ALL WOMEN1 IT SUFFICES [TO RECKON] THEIR [PERIOD OF UNCLEANNESS FROM THE] TIME [OF THEIR DISCOVERING THE FLOW].2 HILLEL RULED: [THEIR PERIOD OF UNCLEANNESS IS TO BE RECKONED RETROSPECTIVELY] FROM THE [PREVIOUS] EXAMINATION TO THE [LAST] EXAMINATION,3 EVEN [IF THE INTERVAL EXTENDED] FOR MANY DAYS. THE SAGES, HOWEVER, RULED: [THE LAW IS] NEITHER IN AGREEMENT WITH THE OPINION OF THE FORMER4 NOR IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT OF THE LATTER,5 BUT [THE WOMEN ARE DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN UNCLEAN] DURING [THE PRECEDING] TWENTY-FOUR HOURS6 WHEN THIS7 LESSENS THE PERIOD FROM THE [PREVIOUS] EXAMINATION TO THE [LAST] EXAMINATION, AND DURING THE PERIOD FROM THE [PREVIOUS] EXAMINATION TO THE [LAST] EXAMINATION WHEN THIS8 LESSENS THE PERIOD OF TWENTY-FOUR HOURS. FOR ANY WOMAN WHO HAS A SETTLED PERIOD IT SUFFICES [TO RECKON HER PERIOD OF UNCLEANNESS FROM] THE TIME SHE DISCOVERS THE FLOW: AND IF A WOMAN USES TESTING-RAGS WHEN9 SHE HAS MARITAL INTERCOURSE, THIS IS INDEED10 LIKE AN EXAMINATION WHICH LESSENS EITHER THE PERIOD OF THE [PAST] TWENTY-FOUR HOURS OR THE PERIOD FROM THE [PREVIOUS] EXAMINATION TO THE [LAST] EXAMINATION. HOW [IS ONE TO UNDERSTAND THE RULING THAT]11 IT SUFFICES [TO RECKON HER PERIOD OF UNCLEANNESS FROM] THE TIME SHE DISCOVERS THE FLOW’? IF SHE WAS SITTING ON A BED AND WAS OCCUPIED WITH RITUALLY CLEAN OBJECTS12 AND, HAVING LEFT THEM, OBSERVED A FLOW, SHE IS RITUALLY UNCLEAN WHILE THE OBJECTS13 REMAIN RITUALLY CLEAN. ALTHOUGH THEY14 HAVE LAID DOWN THAT SHE15 CONVEYS UNCLEANNESS FOR A PERIOD OF TWENTY-FOUR HOURS [RETROSPECTIVELY]16 SHE COUNTS [THE SEVEN DAYS OF HER MENSTRUATION]17 ONLY FROM THE TIME SHE OBSERVED THE FLOW.

Gemara
What is Shammai's reason?18 — He is of the opinion that a woman19 should be presumed to enjoy20 her usual status, and the status of the woman21 was one of cleanness.22 And Hillel?23 — When is it said that an object is presumed to possess its usual status? Only when the unfavourable condition24 is not internal;25 but as regards a woman,