Mesorat%20hashas for Shabbat 9:3

מִנַּיִן לְפוֹלֶטֶת שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי שֶׁהִיא טְמֵאָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יט) הֱיוּ נְכוֹנִים לִשְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים. מִנַּיִן שֶׁמַּרְחִיצִין אֶת הַמִּילָה בַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית לד) וַיְהִי בַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בִּהְיוֹתָם כֹּאֲבִים. מִנַּיִן שֶׁקּוֹשְׁרִין לָשׁוֹן שֶׁל זְהוֹרִית בְּרֹאשׁ שָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה א) אִם יִהְיוּ חֲטָאֵיכֶם כַּשָּׁנִים כַּשֶּׁלֶג יַלְבִּינוּ:

Whence is it derived that a woman who exudes semen on the third day (after cohabitation) is unclean? [For on the third day the semen has not yet putrefied and is still viable, so that it is called "semen (shichvath zera) which is fit to be sowed" (haraui lehazria)]. From(Exodus 19:15): "Be ready in three days. (Do not come near a woman.") [The Torah desired that there be no semen uncleanliness at the giving of the Law, for which reason it separated them for three days. And it was not feared that they might exude semen on the fourth day after separation, for (by that time) it putrefies and is not fit for sowing. The halachah is that a woman who exudes semen on the third day is clean, and our Mishnah is a mistaken one, the correct reading being: "Whence is it derived that a woman who exudes semen on the third day is clean? From: "Be ready in three days," this referring to the third day of separation, on which day the Torah was given. Or else, it is not mistaken, but represents the view of the rabbis of R. Eliezer b. Azaryah, who hold that a woman who exudes semen on the third day is unclean. But the halachah is not in accordance with them.] Whence is it derived that the circumcision is bathed on the third day (after circumcision) if it falls on a Sabbath? [Even with hot water which was heated on the Sabbath. For even on the third day his life is in danger, and, it goes without saying, on the first and second days. The hot water strengthens and heals the infant's body.] From (Genesis 34:25): "And it was on the third day (after circumcision) when they were in pain, etc." Whence is it derived that they would tie a tongue of crimson to the head of the scapegoat? From (Isaiah 1:18): "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as wool." [They would tie a kind of tongue of red wool, half to the head of the scapegoat and half to the peak from which it was cast. When it was cast down, that tongue would turn white, and they would know that their sins had been atoned.]

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