Rabban Gamliel's Maidservant and the Sloth That Sinks the Beam

(Exodus 19:1:) IN THE THIRD MONTH, etc. This is what Scripture said (Ecclesiastes 10:18): THROUGH SLOTHFULNESS THE ROOFBEAM SINKS, <AND THROUGH LAZINESS OF HANDS THE HOUSE LEAKS>. What causes this woman to flow with blood? Because she is slothful about examining herself as to whether she is unclean or not. For our Rabbis taught: Every hand that examines frequently among women, behold, this is praiseworthy; but among men, let it be cut off. There was an incident with a maidservant of Rabban Gamliel, who was moving all the cups and jugs from house to house, and she would examine herself at each and every jug. At the last one she examined herself and was found to be unclean. And Rabban Gamliel was afraid, saying: Perhaps the pure things have become unclean! He said to her: Did you not examine yourself? She said to him: By your life, my master, I was examining myself between each and every jug, and at the last one I examined myself and was found to be unclean. Rabban Gamliel said: Had this woman been slothful, all the pure things would already have become unclean. (Ecclesiastes 10:18:) THROUGH SLOTHFULNESS THE ROOFBEAM SINKS. Behold, because this woman is slothful she flows with blood. And "the roofbeam" (ha-meqareh) can only mean blood, as it is said (Leviticus 20:18): AND HE HAS UNCOVERED HER FOUNTAIN (meqorah). (Ecclesiastes 10:18, continued:) AND THROUGH LAZINESS OF HANDS <THE HOUSE> LEAKS. (Leviticus 15:25:) AND WHEN A WOMAN HAS A FLOW OF HER BLOOD <FOR MANY DAYS>, etc.