Mishnah for Zavim 2:2

בְּשִׁבְעָה דְרָכִים בּוֹדְקִין אֶת הַזָּב עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִזְקַק לְזִיבָה. בְּמַאֲכָל, בְּמִשְׁתֶּה, וּבְמַשָּׂא, בִּקְפִיצָה, בְּחֹלִי, וּבְמַרְאֶה וּבְהִרְהוּר. הִרְהֵר עַד שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה אוֹ שֶׁרָאָה עַד שֶׁלֹּא הִרְהֵר. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, אֲפִלּוּ רָאָה בְהֵמָה, חַיָּה וָעוֹף מִתְעַסְּקִין זֶה עִם זֶה, אֲפִלּוּ רָאָה בִגְדֵי צֶבַע הָאִשָּׁה. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, אֲפִלּוּ אָכַל כָּל מַאֲכָל, בֵּין רַע בֵּין יָפֶה, וְשָׁתָה כָל מַשְׁקֶה. אָמְרוּ לוֹ, אֵין כָּאן זָבִין מֵעָתָּה. אָמַר לָהֶם, אֵין אַחֲרָיוּת זָבִים עֲלֵיכֶם. מִשֶּׁנִּזְקַק לְזִיבָה, אֵין בּוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ. אָנְסוֹ וּסְפֵקוֹ וְשִׁכְבַת זַרְעוֹ טְמֵאִים, שֶׁרַגְלַיִם לַדָּבָר. רָאָה רְאִיָּה רִאשׁוֹנָה, בּוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ. בַּשְּׁנִיָּה, בּוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ. בַּשְּׁלִישִׁית, אֵין בּוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, אַף בַּשְּׁלִישִׁית בּוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ, מִפְּנֵי הַקָּרְבָּן:

There are seven ways a zav is examined [for the cause of his discharge], providing he has not entered the bounds of zivah [it is not established that he is a zav. He is examined if the discarge is not the result of an external cause and thus regular semen]; with regard to food [that he has eaten], drink, [that he has drunk], a load [he may have carried], a jump [he may have made], sickness [he may have suffered] , [an improper] sight [he may have seen] or [impure] thoughts [he may have had], whether he had impure thoughts before seeing [a woman] or he saw [ woman] before he had the impure thoughts [the emission caused by all of the above is considered a normal emission and he does not become a zav]. Rabbi Yehuda says [adds], Even if he saw cattle, wild animals or birds copulating with each other, [and] even if he saw the colored garments of a woman [the emission does not render him a zav]. Rabbi Akiva says, even if he ate any kind of food, whether bad or good or he drank any kind of drink [the emission does not render him a zav]. They [the sages] said to him, [according to you] there will never be zavim. He [Rabbi Akiva] responded to them, The responsibility of [the existence of] zavim is not upon you. [However] once he has entered the bounds of zivah [once it is established that he is a zav], we no longer examine him. [Discharges resulting from] an accident or a doubtful [discharge] and seminal emissions are [considered] unclean because the matter has feet [there are grounds for the assumption that it is zavut emission]. [When] he sees the first discharge he is examined [for the seven things]. [When he sees] the second discharge he is examined [for the seven things]. [When he sees] the third discharge, we no longer examine him. Rabbi Eliezer says, Even at the third [incident] we examine him because [of the need to know if he is obligated to bring] a sacrifice.

Explore mishnah for Zavim 2:2. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.

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