The rabbis continue to discuss the determination of lung health. Sometimes lungs have abrasions, sometimes cysts, sometimes they are liquefied, and sometimes they are different colours. The rabbis hold different opinions about when a lung permits the animal to be slaughtered.
Today's discussion includes a relatively famous set of stories about Rabbi Natan, also known as Natan the Babylonian. It is related that two different women approached him with their infants. In both cases two previous infants had died following circumcision. Based on the colours of the present babies, Rabbi Natan recommends that the children wait until their blood has settled before circumcision. Both survive and are named after him. Steinsaltz notes that each colour of skin has been scientifically connected to medical conditions of the blood.
Another note in today's daf is that women's menstrual blood is sometimes black after it has decayed. The blood is normally red. This suggests that other blood found with a black colour should be considered to be decayed blood.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment