Kerisos 1:6-7

Krisos 1:6

(A woman brings offerings on the 81^st day after giving birth to a girl, and also for miscarrying after – but not during – this time of purity.) If a woman who gave birth miscarries on the night before the 81^st day, Beis Shammai exempt her from offerings for the miscarriage but Beis Hillel still obligate her. Beis Hillel asked Beis Shammai why the eve of the 81^st day should be any different from the day of the 81^st day; if they are the same vis-à-vis ritual impurity, they should also be the same vis-à-vis the offerings. Beis Shammai replied that there’s a difference between miscarrying on the 81^st day, which is a valid time to bring her sacrifices, and miscarrying on the eve of the 81^st day, which is not yet time for her offerings. Beis Hillel supported their position with the case of a woman who miscarried on the 81^st day, which was Shabbos: it’s not time for her to bring her offerings but she’s still obligated! Beis Shammai disagreed because even if one would say this about a woman who miscarried on the 81^st day which was Shabbos, this day may not be fit for private sacrifices but it is fit for public sacrifices. This is different from a woman who miscarried on the eve of the 81^st day, which is not a time for any sacrifices, neither private nor public. The difference in ritual purity between the eve of the 81^st day and the day itself is no proof to Beis Hillel’s position because the blood of a woman who miscarries during her time of purity is impure but she is exempt from bringing offerings.

Krisos 1:7

If a woman had five flows, the nature of which were in doubt (i.e., during which time they occurred), or five miscarriages that were in doubt, she brings one set of sacrifices, after which she can partake of offerings and she need not bring any other offerings. If she had had five flows or five miscarriages, the nature of which were not in doubt, she brings one set of sacrifices, after which she can partake of offerings, but she must bring four more offerings. It once happened that the price to buy a pair of birds for sacrifices rose to a gold dinar. Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel swore that he wouldn’t sleep until the price readjusted to a silver dinar (1/25 of the inflated price). He went to the court and taught that a woman who had five flows or five miscarriages, the nature of which were not in doubt, brings one set of sacrifices, after which she can partake of offerings, and she need not bring any other offerings. This caused the price to readjust to a silver dinar.