[Avodah] Rashi/Rambam on female reproductive anatomy

[Yoav Elan]

I did find one further bit of information, copied below, but am still  
looking for something more conclusive, if such an approach exists.

The following is from the Daf Yomi Advancement Forum (http:// 
www.dafyomi.co.il/nidah/insites/ni-dt-17.htm):

(a) RASHI and TOSFOS explain that the Aliyah is located on the roof  
of the Prozdor (that is, it is only to one side of the cervical  
canal). Occasionally, blood comes into the Prozdor from the Aliyah,  
but its blood is not like the blood of Nidah. There are five  
different colors of Dam Nidah, and there is only one color of blood  
that flows from the Aliyah (TOSFOS DH v'Dam). There is an opening  
from the Aliyah through the roof of the Prozdor.
The CHASAM SOFER (YD 188) points out that it is very difficult to  
resolve this description with the actual anatomy. There is no attic  
of any sort next to the womb! Some answer that according to the  
explanation of Rashi and Tosfos, the Aliyah is not part of a normal  
woman's anatomy, but rather it is a hole that forms in some women due  
to illness, and through this hole blood enters from the bladder (or  
other organs) into the Prozdor.
(b) The RAMBAM (Perush ha'Mishnayos, and Hilchos Isurei Bi'ah 5:3)  
explains that the Aliyah refers to the uterine (fallopian) tubes that  
are attached to the top of the uterus from either side, which connect  
the ovaries to the uterus. This explanation matches the actual  
anatomical structure much more accurately, as the Chasam Sofer points  
out. The Rambam writes further that it is not common for blood to  
flow into the uterus from the uterine tubes, but it occasionally  
happens due to a wound or illness. Such blood is not Dam Nidah. It  
enters the Prozdor via the Lul, which is an opening between the  
Prozdor and the uterine tubes.
(According to the Rambam's explanation as well, it is not clear what,  
and where, this opening (Lul) is. The only natural opening in the  
uterine tubes appears at the head of the uterus where the uterine  
tubes connect to the uterus, but this is far from the Prozdor (the  
cervical canal, which is at the other end of the uterus)! It seems,  
therefore, that even according to the Rambam, the Lul is a hole that  
is formed due to illness.)
However, the Rambam's explanation is very difficult to understand for  
the following reasons:
First, the Gemara says that the blood of the floor of the Prozdor is  
Metamei more than that of the ceiling of the Prozdor, since the Lul  
opens into the ceiling of the Prozdor from the Aliyah above it.  
According to the Rambam, the Aliyah refers to the uterine tubes on  
*both* sides of the Prozdor, and, therefore, it is open to both of  
them. Why, then, should there be a difference between the "ceiling"  
and the "floor" of the Prozdor?
Second, the Gemara says that blood found from the Lul outward is more  
likely to be Tahor than blood found from the Lul inward. According to  
the Rambam, however, who says that the Lul is open to both sides of  
the Prozdor (since there is an Aliyah on each side), how can the Lul  
outward be more Tahor than from the Lul inward? *All* of the blood of  
the woman passes from the Lul (or one of the Lulim) outwards when it  
exits, whether it comes from the Aliyah or from the uterus! The blood  
there should be no better than a Safek!
Perhaps we may answer these questions as follows.
First, the "Gag" (ceiling) of the Prozdor actually refers to the  
upper part of the Prozdor itself, beyond the Lul and closer to the  
uterus. The Rambam maintains that this part of the Prozdor is Metamei  
more than the floor -- that is, the part of the Prozdor below the Lul  
-- which is more Tahor. (This is the opposite of the explanation of  
most Rishonim, who explain that the ceiling is more *Tahor* than the  
floor.)
Second, according to the Rambam, the reason why blood found from the  
Lul and outward is Tahor is because when blood (Dam Nidah) comes from  
the uterus, it flows out together (or one drop comes out before the  
rest, but it remains close to the uterus, as Rashi explains on 2b, DH  
ha'Gas). When only a drop of blood is found outside of the Lul, it  
can be assumed that it is from the Lul and not from the Dam Nidah of  
the uterus. (M. Kornfeld)

--
Yoav Elan
yoavelan at yahoo.com



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