Una niña que produjo dos pelos [púbicos] puede participar en jalá o jibum , y está obligada a cumplir todos los mandamientos establecidos en la Torá. Y de manera similar, un niño varón que produjo dos pelos [púbicos] está obligado a cumplir con todos los mandamientos establecidos en la Torá. Y está en condiciones de convertirse en un hijo rebelde y rebelde desde el momento en que produce dos pelos hasta que su barba rodea; [esto se refiere a] la [barba] inferior y no la superior, pero los Sabios hablaron en un eufemismo. Una niña que ha producido dos pelos no puede hacer mi'un [el rechazo de un matrimonio por parte de un niño sin padre casado por su madre o hermano, anulando el matrimonio retroactivamente]. El rabino Yehuda dice: [ella todavía puede hacer mi'un ] hasta que el negro [es decir, el cabello] aumente.
Bartenura on Mishnah Niddah
תינוקת שהביאה שתי שערות – after [reaching] twelve years of age and one day.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Niddah
Introduction
Today's mishnah returns to the main subject of the chapter at what stage of physical development a child becomes obligated in the commandments.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Niddah
וחולצת או מתיבמת – even though that it teaches [in the Mishnah] that she is obligated in all of the commandments that are stated in the Torah, it was necessary to teach, [either] she performs Halitzah or engages in levirate marriage, for you might have thought that [only] "איש"/a man – is written in the portion (Deuteronomy 25:7): “But if the man/איש does not want [to marry his brother’s widow,” therefore a male who is a minor does not perform Halitzah, but a woman, who is not written in the portion other than as (Deuteronomy 25:7): “his brother’s widow/יבמתו” – whether she is an adult or whether a child, performs Halitzah or engages in levirate marriage. It comes to teach us that if she produces/brings forth two [pubic] hairs, it is so, but if not, it is not so. What is the reason? That we make an analogy between a woman to a man.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Niddah
If a girl has grown two pubic hairs she may perform either halitzah or contract levirate marriage, and she is obligated in all the commandments in the Torah. So too if a boy has grown two pubic hairs, he is obligated in all of the commandments in the Torah. Once the "lower sign" two pubic hairs have appeared on a boy or girl, they become fully obligated in all of the mitzvot in the Torah. In addition, for a girl this means that she is liable for halitzah or yibbum; if her husband died without offspring, she must perform either halitzah or yibbum with her dead husband's brother.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Niddah
וכן תינוק שהביא שתי שערות – after thirteen years and one day. And we establish twelve years for a female and thirteen for a male, is not a definitive sign, but rather an estimation/mark.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Niddah
He is fit to become a wayward and rebellious son from the time he has grown two hairs until the time when his beard forms a circle. This refers to the lower, and not to the upper one, but the sages spoke using a euphemism. For a boy to be subject to the laws of being a wayward and rebellious son (see Sanhedrin 8) he must have reached majority age, but not be so old that he is no longer subject to his parents' authority. This is translated physically to mean that he has already grown two pubic hairs but he is not yet fully physically matured (meaning more pubic hair is left to grow). The beard referred to here is indeed the "lower" beard, but the rabbis used a euphemism (I'm trying to do this too, but it's not easy and to remain understood).
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Bartenura on Mishnah Niddah
וראוי להיות בן סורר ומורה משיביא שתי שערות עד שיקיף זקן התחתון – but prior to his bringing forth two [pubic] hairs, he is not liable for punishment. But after he has grown an encircling beard, he is worthy of giving birth (i.e., engaging in sexual intercourse for purposes of reproduction) and the All-Merciful stated (Deuteronomy 21:18): “If a man has [a wayward and defiant] son/בן,” but not one worthy of being a father.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Niddah
A girl who has grown two hairs may no longer refuse the marriage. Rabbi Judah says: [she may refuse] until the black [hairs] predominate. A minor girl who is married off by her brother or mother because her father is no longer alive has the right to refuse the marriage until she becomes of majority age. In Hebrew, this is called "meun," and it is annulment, not divorce. Once she hits puberty and doesn't refuse the marriage, it is as if she has accepted it and she can no longer refuse. Rabbi Judah extends her right to refuse the marriage till the time when she has enough pubic hair that the region looks mostly black.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Niddah
התחתון ולא העליון – meaning to say, which encircling beard did they mention, with the one of the bottom, but not the one of the top (i.e., the beard of the face).
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Bartenura on Mishnah Niddah
עד שירבה השחור (until the dark [hair] predominates) – that this place becomes darkened from man hairs. And the legal decision is, that the daughter may [express] refusal until she is twelve years of age and one day. But after this time, if she brought forth signs [of her young womanhood], she is not able to refuse. But if she did not bring forth signs, she can continue to refuse and even until she is twenty-years of age and she will demonstrate signs in her of being a sexually undeveloped woman. But these words [apply] when he did not come upon her [sexually] when she was twelve-years and one-day old, but if he came upon her after this time, she is not able to refuse any longer. But even though signs of [her womanhood] had not appeared in her, we are concerned that perhaps she brought forth the two [pubic] hairs and they fell off.
