גִּיהוּץ שֶׁלָּנוּ כְּכִבּוּס שֶׁלָּהֶם. וְאִי אָמְרַתְּ נִיעֲבַד גִּיהוּץ – מַעַבְּרָא לֵיהּ חוּמְרְתָא.

Our calendering in Babylonia, which includes passing an abrasive stone over the garments to scrape off dirt, is like their laundering in Eretz Israel, and only in that manner do the garments in Babylonia reach that level of cleanliness. And if you say: Let us perform the process of calendering on cloths brought as proof that she was not a virgin, the stone removes any trace of blood. Therefore, the process would be ineffective.

הַהוּא דַּאֲתָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בַּר רַבִּי, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: רַבִּי, בָּעַלְתִּי וְלֹא מָצָאתִי דָּם. אָמְרָה לֵיהּ: רַבִּי, עֲדַיִין בְּתוּלָה אֲנִי. אָמַר לָהֶן: הָבִיאוּ לִי שְׁתֵּי שְׁפָחוֹת, אַחַת בְּתוּלָה וְאַחַת בְּעוּלָה. הֵבִיאוּ לוֹ, וְהוֹשִׁיבָן עַל פִּי חָבִית שֶׁל יַיִן. בְּעוּלָה – רֵיחָהּ נוֹדֵף, בְּתוּלָה – אֵין רֵיחָהּ נוֹדֵף, אַף זוֹ הוֹשִׁיבָהּ, וְלֹא הָיָה רֵיחָהּ נוֹדֵף, אָמַר לוֹ: לֵךְ זְכֵה בְּמִקָּחֲךָ.

The Gemara relates: A certain man who came before Rabban Gamliel bar Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to him: My teacher, I engaged in intercourse and did not find blood. The bride said to him: My teacher, I am still a virgin. Rabban Gamliel bar Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to them: Bring me two maidservants, one a virgin and one a non-virgin, to conduct a trial. They brought him the two maidservants, and he seated them on the opening of a barrel of wine. From the non-virgin, he discovered that the scent of the wine in the barrel diffuses from her mouth; from the virgin he discovered that the scent does not diffuse from her mouth. he also seated that bride on the barrel, and the scent of the wine did not diffuse from her mouth. Rabban Gamliel bar Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to the groom: Go take possession of your acquisition, as she is a virgin.

וְנִבְדוֹק מֵעִיקָּרָא בְּגַוָּוהּ? גְּמָרָא הֲוָה שְׁמִיעַ לֵיהּ, מַעֲשֶׂה לָא הֲוָה חָזֵי, וְסָבַר דִּלְמָא לָא קִים לֵיהּ בְּגַוָּוהּ דְּמִלְּתָא שַׁפִּיר, וְלָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא לְזַלְזוּלֵי בִּבְנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל.

The Gemara asks: Since Rabban Gamliel was familiar with this method of examination, let him use it to examine her initially. Why was the trial with the maidservants necessary? The Gemara answers: He learned that it was effective through tradition; however, he had never seen it in action, and he thought perhaps he was not sufficiently expert in that manner of examination, and it is improper conduct to demean Jewish women by subjecting them to that indignity for naught. Once he established the effectiveness of that method, he proceeded to examine the bride to resolve the matter.

הַהוּא דַּאֲתָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל הַזָּקֵן, אָמַר לוֹ: רַבִּי, בָּעַלְתִּי וְלֹא מָצָאתִי דָּם. אָמְרָה לוֹ: רַבִּי, מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת דּוֹרְקְטִי אֲנִי, שֶׁאֵין לָהֶן לֹא דַּם נִדָּה וְלֹא דַּם בְּתוּלִים. בָּדַק רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בִּקְרוֹבוֹתֶיהָ וּמָצָא כִּדְבָרֶיהָ. אָמַר לוֹ: לֵךְ זְכֵה בְּמִקָּחֲךָ, אַשְׁרֶיךָ שֶׁזָּכִיתָ לְמִשְׁפַּחַת דּוֹרְקְטִי.

The Gemara relates: A certain man who came before Rabban Gamliel the Elder said to him: My teacher, I engaged in intercourse and did not find blood. The bride said to him: My teacher, I am from the family of Dorketi, who have neither menstrual blood nor blood from the rupture of the hymen. Rabban Gamliel investigated among her relatives to determine whether the claim with regard to her family was true, and discovered that the truth was in accordance with her statement. He said to him: Go take possession of your acquisition. Happy are you that you were privileged to marry a member of the Dorketi family, as those forms of blood will never pose a problem for you.

מַאי דּוֹרְקְטִי – דּוֹר קָטוּעַ. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: תַּנְחוּמִים שֶׁל הֶבֶל נִיחֲמוֹ רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל לְאוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ. דְּתָנֵי רַבִּי חִיָּיא: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַשְּׂאוֹר יָפֶה לָעִיסָּה כָּךְ דָּמִים יָפִים לָאִשָּׁה. וְתָנָא מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי מֵאִיר: כָּל אִשָּׁה שֶׁדָּמֶיהָ מְרוּבִּין – בָּנֶיהָ מְרוּבִּים.

The Gemara elaborates: What is the meaning of Dorketi? It means truncated generation [ dor katua ]. Rabbi Ḥanina said: Rabban Gamliel consoled that man with vain words of consolation, because the absence of blood in this woman is a drawback. As Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: Just as leaven is fortuitous for dough, so too, blood is fortuitous for a woman. And it was taught in the name of Rabbi Meir: Any woman whose blood is plentiful, her children are plentiful. This bride, who lacks blood, will not produce many children.

אִתְּמַר, רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בַּר אַבָּא אֲמַר: ״זְכֵה בְּמִקָּחֲךָ״ אֲמַר לֵיהּ. וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר אָבִין אֲמַר: ״נִתְחַיֵּיב בְּמִקָּחֲךָ״ אֲמַר לֵיהּ. בִּשְׁלָמָא לְמַאן דַּאֲמַר ״נִתְחַיֵּיב״ – הַיְינוּ דְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא, אֶלָּא לְמַאן דַּאֲמַר ״זְכֵה״ – מַאי זְכוּתָא? דְּלָא אָתֵי לִידֵי סְפֵק נִדָּה.

It was stated that there is a dispute with regard to Rabban Gamliel’s reply. Rabbi Yirmeya bar Abba said that Rabban Gamliel said to the groom: Exercise your privilege and take possession of your acquisition. And Rabbi Yosei bar Avin said that Rabban Gamliel said to him: It is your misfortune to take possession of your acquisition. Granted, according to the one who says: It is your misfortune, that is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Ḥanina, who said the consolation was vain. However, according to the one who says: Exercise your privilege, what is the privilege to which he is referring? The Gemara answers: The privilege is that thanks to the condition of the women of this family, he will not come to a situation of uncertainty whether she has the halakhic status of a menstruating woman.

הַהוּא דַּאֲתָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: רַבִּי, בָּעַלְתִּי וְלֹא מָצָאתִי דָּם. אָמְרָה לוֹ: רַבִּי, עֲדַיִין בְּתוּלָה הָיִיתִי, וּשְׁנֵי בַצּוֹרֶת הֲוָה. רָאָה רַבִּי שֶׁפְּנֵיהֶם שְׁחוֹרִים, צִוָּה עֲלֵיהֶן וְהִכְנִיסוּם לַמֶּרְחָץ, וְהֶאֱכִילוּם וְהִשְׁקוּם, וְהִכְנִיסוּם לְחֶדֶר, בָּעַל וּמָצָא דָּם. אָמַר לוֹ: לֵךְ זְכֵה בְּמִקָּחֲךָ. קָרֵי רַבִּי עֲלֵיהֶם: ״צָפַד עוֹרָם עַל עַצְמָם יָבֵשׁ הָיָה כָעֵץ״.

The Gemara relates: A certain man who came before Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to him: My teacher, I engaged in intercourse and did not find blood. The bride said to him: My teacher, I was still a virgin. And the Gemara comments that this incident was during years of drought. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi saw that their faces were black due to hunger. He instructed his attendants to tend to them and they took them into the bathhouse and bathed them and they fed them and gave them drink. Then they took them into a room, and the groom engaged in intercourse with her and found blood, as it was due to the famine that there was no blood. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to him: Go take possession of your acquisition. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi read this verse in their regard: “Their skin is shriveled upon their bones, it is withered, it has become like a stick” (Lamentations 4:8), in the sense that no blood flows from them.

מתני׳ בְּתוּלָה כְּתוּבָּתָהּ מָאתַיִם וְאַלְמָנָה מָנֶה. בְּתוּלָה, אַלְמָנָה, גְּרוּשָׁה, וַחֲלוּצָה מִן הָאֵירוּסִין – כְּתוּבָּתָן מָאתַיִם, וְיֵשׁ לָהֶן טַעֲנַת בְּתוּלִים.

With regard to a virgin, her marriage contract is two hundred dinars, and with regard to a widow, her marriage contract is one hundred dinars. With regard to a virgin who is a widow, a divorcée, or a ḥalutza who achieved that status from a state of betrothal, before marriage and before consummation of the marriage, for all of these their marriage contract is two hundred dinars, and they are subject to a claim concerning their virginity, as their presumptive status of virginity is intact.

גמ׳ מַאי אַלְמָנָה? אָמַר רַב חָנָא בַּגְדָּתָאָה: אַלְמָנָה – עַל שֵׁם מָנֶה. אַלְמָנָה מִן הָאֵירוּסִין מַאי אִיכָּא לְמֵימַר? אַיְּידֵי דְּהָא קָרֵי לָהּ אַלְמָנָה – הָא נַמִי קָרֵי לָהּ אַלְמָנָה.

What is the relationship between the term almana and its meaning, widow? Rav Ḥana of Baghdad said: A widow is called an almana after the maneh , one hundred dinars, which is the sum of her marriage contract. The Gemara asks: With regard to a widow from betrothal, whose marriage contract is two hundred dinars and not a maneh , what is there to say? The Gemara answers: Since they called this widow from marriage almana , this widow from betrothal they also called almana .

אַלְמָנָה דִּכְתִיבָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא מַאי אִיכָּא לְמֵימַר? דַּעֲתִידִין רַבָּנַן דִּמְתַקְּנִי לָהּ מָנֶה. וּמִי כָּתַב קְרָא לֶעָתִיד? אִין, דִּכְתִיב ״וְשֵׁם הַנָּהָר הַשְּׁלִישִׁי חִדֶּקֶל הוּא הַהוֹלֵךְ קִדְמַת אַשּׁוּר״, וְתָנָא רַב יוֹסֵף: אַשּׁוּר זוֹ סִלֵיקָא. וּמִי הֲוַאי? אֶלָּא דַּעֲתִידָה, הָכָא נַמִי – דַּעֲתִידָה.

The Gemara asks: That explains the use of almana in the terminology of the Sages. However, with regard to the term almana that is written in the Torah, what is there to say? The rabbinic ordinance that the marriage contract of a widow is a maneh was not yet instituted. The Gemara answers: The Torah employs the term almana because the Sages are destined to institute the sum of a maneh for her in her marriage contract. The Gemara asks: And is a verse written for the future? The Gemara answers: Yes, indeed it is, as it is written: “And the name of the third river is Tigris; that is it which goes toward the east of Asshur” (Genesis 2:14). And Rav Yosef taught: Asshur, that is Seleucia. And did that city exist when the Torah was written? Rather, the Torah is referring to that city because it was destined to exist in the future. Here too, the Torah employs the term almana because a widow was destined to have a marriage contract of a maneh instituted for her.

וְאָמַר רַב חָנָא בַּגְדָּתָאָה: מָטָר מַשְׁקֶה, מַרְוֶה, וּמְזַבֵּל, וּמְעַדֵּן, וּמַמְשִׁיךְ. אֲמַר רָבָא בַּר רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְאִיתֵּימָא רַב יֵימַר בַּר שֶׁלֶמְיָא: מַאי קְרָא – ״תְּלָמֶיהָ רַוֵּה נַחֵת גְּדוּדֶיהָ בִּרְבִיבִים תְּמֹגְגֶנָּה צִמְחָהּ תְּבָרֵךְ״.

Apropos the statement of Rav Ḥana of Baghdad, the Gemara cites additional statements of his. And Rav Ḥana of Baghdad said: Rain irrigates, saturates, and fertilizes the land, and refines the fruit and causes it to proliferate. Rava bar Rabbi Yishmael, and some say it was Rav Yeimar bar Shelamya who said: What is the verse that alludes to this? “Watering its ridges abundantly, settling its furrows, You make it soft with showers, You bless its growth” (Psalms 65:11). “Watering its ridges abundantly” indicates that the rain irrigates and saturates the land, “You make it soft with showers” indicates that it fertilizes the land, and “You bless its growth” indicates that it refines the fruit and causes it to proliferate.

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מִזְבֵּחַ – מֵזִיחַ, וּמֵזִין, מְחַבֵּב, מְכַפֵּר. הַיְינוּ מְכַפֵּר הַיְינוּ מֵזִיחַ! מֵזִיחַ גְּזֵירוֹת וּמְכַפֵּר עֲוֹנוֹת.

Rabbi Elazar said: The term mizbe’aḥ , altar, is a rough acrostic representing its qualities. It moves [ meziaḥ ] sins and sustains [ mezin ], because as a result of the offerings sacrificed on the altar, sustenance is provided to all. It endears [ meḥabev ], and atones [ mekhapper ]. Mizbe’aḥ evokes the letters mem and zayin from the first two qualities, bet from meḥabev and the kaf from mekhapper . The Gemara asks: This quality, that the altar atones, is the same as that quality, that it moves sins. Why are they listed separately? The Gemara answers: The altar moves evil decrees, and atones for sins.

וַאֲמַר רַב חָנָא בַּגְדָּתָאָה: תַּמְרֵי מְשַׁחֲנָן, מַשְׂבְּעָן, מְשַׁלְשְׁלָן, מְאַשְׁרָן וְלָא מְפַנְקָן. אָמַר רַב: אָכַל תְּמָרִים אַל יוֹרֶה. מֵיתִיבֵי: תְּמָרִים, שַׁחֲרִית וְעַרְבִית – יָפוֹת, בְּמִנְחָה – רָעוֹת, בַּצָּהֳרַיִם – אֵין כְּמוֹתָן. וּמְבַטְּלוֹת שְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים: מַחֲשָׁבָה רָעָה, וְחוֹלִי מֵעַיִם, וְתַחְתּוֹנִיּוֹת!

And Rav Ḥana of Baghdad said: Dates warm and satiate, loosen the bowels, strengthen, but do not pamper. Rav said: If one ate dates he should not issue halakhic rulings, as dates are intoxicating. The Gemara raises an objection: With regard to dates, in the morning and evening they have a positive effect on one who eats them; in the afternoon, they have a negative effect on one who eats them. At noon, their positive effect is unparalleled, and they negate three matters: A troubling thought, intestinal illness, and hemorrhoids. Apparently, the effect of dates is primarily a positive one.

מִי אָמְרִינַן דְּלָא מַעֲלוּ? עַלּוּיֵי מַעֲלוּ, וּלְפִי שַׁעְתָּא טָרְדָּא. מִידֵי דַּהֲוָה אַחַמְרָא, דְּאָמַר מָר הַשּׁוֹתֶה רְבִיעִית יַיִן אַל יוֹרֶה. וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: לָא קַשְׁיָא; הָא – מִקַּמֵּי נַהֲמָא, הָא – לְבָתַר נַהֲמָא. דַּאֲמַר אַבַּיֵי, אָמְרָה לִי אֵם: תַּמְרֵי מִקַּמֵּי נַהֲמָא – כִּי נַרְגָּא לְדִיקּוּלָא, בָּתַר נַהֲמָא – כִּי עַבְרָא לְדַשָּׁא.

The Gemara answers that there is no contradiction. Did we say that they are not exemplary? They are exemplary, and at the same time cause temporary distraction and intoxication, just as it is in the case of wine, as the Master said: One who drinks a quarter -log of wine should not issue halakhic rulings. And if you wish, say instead: This apparent contradiction is not difficult. This statement, which prohibits issuing a ruling under the influence of dates, is referring to one eating dates before he eats bread, when eating them can lead to intoxication. That statement, which enumerates the salutary effects of dates, is referring to one eating dates after he eats bread. As Abaye said: My mother told me that dates eaten before eating bread are destructive like an ax to a palm tree; dates eaten after eating bread they are beneficial like a bolt to a door, which provides support.

דַּשָּׁא, אֲמַר רָבָא: דֶּרֶךְ שָׁם. דַּרְגָּא, אֲמַר רָבָא: דֶּרֶךְ גַּג. פּוּרְיָא, אֲמַר רַב פַּפָּא: שֶׁפָּרִין וְרָבִין עָלֶיהָ. אֲמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק:

Apropos the term door [ dasha ], the Gemara cites statements referring to its etymology as well as that of several other Aramaic terms. With regard to the word dasha , door, Rava said: It is an acrostic for derekh sham , meaning through there. With regard to the word darga , ladder or stair, Rava said: It is an acrostic for derekh gag , meaning way to the roof. With regard to the word purya , bed, Rav Pappa said: It is an acrostic for parin veravin aleha , meaning one procreates upon it. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: