Mishna - Mas. Kelim Chapter 1 MISHNAH 1. THE FATHERS OF UNCLEANNESS1 ARE A [DEAD] CREEPING THING,2 SEMEN VIRILE, [AN ISRAELITE] WHO HAS CONTRACTED CORPSE UNCLEANNESS, A LEPER DURING THE DAYS OF HIS COUNTING3 AND THE WATERS OF PURIFlcation4 WHOSE QUANTITY IS LESS THAN THE MINIMUM PRESCRIBED FOR SPRINKLING.5 BEHOLD, THESE CONVEY UNCLEANNESS TO MEN AND VESSELS BY CONTACT AND TO EARTHENWARE BY PRESENCE WITHIN THEIR AIRSPACE,6 BUT7 THEY CANNOT CONVEY UNCLEANNESS BY CARRIAGE. MISHNAH 2. ON A HIGHER PLANE8 THAN THESE9 ARE CARRION AND WATERS OF PURIFICATION WHOSE QUANTITY IS SUFFICIENT TO BE SPRINKLED, FOR THESE CONVEY UNCLEANNESS TO MAN BY CARRIAGE,10 SO THAT HE IN TURN11 CONVEYS UNCLEANNESS TO CLOTHING BY CONTACT.12 CLOTHING, HOWEVER,13 IS FREE FROM UNCLEANNESS WHERE THERE WAS14 CONTACT ALONE.15 MISHNAH 3. ON A HIGHER PLANE16 IS THE MAN WHO HAD INTERCOURSE WITH A MENSTRUANT, FOR HE CONVEYS TO THAT ON WHICH HE LIES17 THE SAME UNCLEANNESS AS [A ZAB18 CONVEYS] TO THAT19 WHICH LIES ABOVE HIM.20 ON A HIGHER PLANE16 THAN THESE ARE THE ISSUE OF A ZAB, HIS SPITTLE, HIS SEMEN AND HIS URINE, AND THE BLOOD OF A MENSTRUANT, FOR THEY CONVEY UNCLEANNESS21 BOTH BY CONTACT AND BY CARRIAGE.22 ON A HIGHER PLANE16 THAN THESE IS AN OBJECT ON WHICH ONE CAN RIDE,23 FOR IT CONVEYS UNCLEANNESS EVEN WHEN IT LIES UNDER A HEAVY STONE.24 ON A HIGHER PLANE16 THAN THE OBJECT ON WHICH ONE CAN RIDE IS THAT ON WHICH ONE CAN LIE, FOR IN THE LATTER CASE UNCLEANNESS25 IS CONVEYED BY CONTACT AS BY CARRIAGE.26 ON A HIGHER PLANE16 THAN THE OBJECT ON WHICH ONE CAN LIE IS THE ZAB, FOR A ZAB CONVEYS UNCLEANNESS TO THE OBJECT ON WHICH HE LIES27 WHILE THE OBJECT ON WHICH HE LIES28 CANNOT CONVEY THE SAME UNCLEANNESS23 TO THAT UPON WHICH IT LIES.29 MISHNAH 4. ON A HIGHER PLANE16 THAN THE ZAB IS THE ZABAH,30 FOR SHE CONVEYS UNCLEANNESS31 TO THE MAN WHO HAS INTERCOURSE WITH HER.32 ON A HIGHER PLANE THAN THE ZABAH IS THE LEPER, FOR HE CONVEYS UNCLEANNESS33 BY ENTERING INTO A HOUSE.34 ON A HIGHER PLANE THAN THE LEPER IS A BONE35 OF THE SIZE OF A BARLEY GRAIN, FOR IT36 CONVEYS AN UNCLEANNESS OF SEVEN DAYS. MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN ALL THESE IS A CORPSE, FOR IT CONVEYS UNCLEANNESS BY OHEL37 WHEREBY ALL THE OTHERS CONVEY NO UNCLEANNESS.38 MISHNAH 5. TEN GRADES OF UNCLEANNESS39 EMANATE FROM MEN: A MAN40 BEFORE THE OFFERING OF HIS OBLIGATORY SACRIFICES41 IS FORBIDDEN TO EAT HOLY THINGS BUT PERMITTED TO EAT TERUMAH AND [SECOND] TITHE. IF HE IS42 A TEBUL YOM43 HE IS FORBIDDEN TO EAT HOLY THINGS AND TERUMAH BUT PERMITTED THE EATING OF [SECOND] TITHE. IF HE42 EMITTED SEMEN44 HE IS FORBIDDEN TO EAT ANY OF THE THREE. IF HE42 HAD INTERCOURSE WITH A MENSTRUANT HE CONVEYS THE SAME UNCLEANNESS TO THAT ON WHICH HE LIES AS [A ZAB CONVEYS] TO THAT WHICH LIES ABOVE HIM.45 IF HE IS42 A ZAB WHO HAS OBSERVED TWO DISCHARGES HE CONVEYS UNCLEANNESS TO THAT ON WHICH HE LIES OR SITS AND IS REQUIRED TO UNDERGO IMMERSION IN RUNNING WATER,46 BUT IS EXEMPT FROM THE SACRIFICE.47 IF HE OBSERVED THREE DISCHARGES HE MUST BRING THE SACRIFICE.48 IF HE49 IS A LEPER THAT WAS ONLY SHUT UP50 HE CONVEYS UNCLEANNESS51 BY ENTRY52 BUT IS EXEMPT FROM LOOSENING HIS HAIR,53 FROM RENDING HIS CLOTHES,53 FROM SHAVING54 AND FROM THE BIRDS OFFERING;55 BUT IF HE WAS A CONFIRMED LEPER56 , HE IS LIABLE TO ALL THESE. IF A LIMB ON WHICH THERE WAS NOT THE PROPER QUANTITY OF FLESH57 WAS SEVERED FROM A PERSON, IT CONVEYS UNCLEANNESS BY CONTACT AND BY CARRIAGE BUT NOT BY OHEL; BUT IF IT BEARS THE PROPER QUANTITY OF FLESH IT CONVEYS UNCLEANNESS BY CONTACT, BY CARRIAGE AND BY OHEL. A ‘PROPER QUANTITY OF FLESH’ IS SUCH AS IS CAPABLE OF HEALING. R. JUDAH EXPLAINED: IF IN ONE PLACE IT58 HAS FLESH SUFFICIENT TO SURROUND IT58 WITH [THE THICKNESS OF] A THREAD OF THE WOOF59 IT IS CAPABLE OF HEALING. MISHNAH 6. THERE ARE TEN GRADES OF HOLINESS: THE LAND OF ISRAEL IS HOLIER THAN ALL OTHER LANDS. AND WHAT IS THE NATURE OF ITS HOLINESS? THAT FROM IT ARE BROUGHT THE ‘OMER,60 THE FIRSTFRUITS61 AND THE TWO LOAVES,62 WHICH MAY NOT BE BROUGHT FROM ANY OF THE OTHER LANDS. MISHNAH 7. CITIES63 THAT ARE WALLED64 ARE HOLIER,65 FOR LEPERS MUST BE SENT OUT OF THEM AND A CORPSE, THOUGH IT MAY BE CARRIED ABOUT WITHIN THEM AS LONG AS IT IS DESIRED,66 MAY NOT BE BROUGHT BACK ONCE IT HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT. MISHNAH 8. THE AREA WITHIN THE WALL67 IS HOLIER, FOR IT IS THERE68 THAT HOLY THINGS OF A MINOR DEGREE AND SECOND TITHE MAY BE EATEN. THE TEMPLE MOUNT69 IS HOLler, FOR NEITHER ZABS NOR ZABAHS NOR MENSTRUANTS NOR WOMEN AFTER CHILDBIRTH MAY ENTER IT. THE RAMPART70 IS HOLIER, FOR NEITHER IDOLATERS NOR ONE WHO CONTRACTED CORPSE UNCLEANNESS MAY ENTER IT. THE COURT OF WOMEN71 IS HOLIER, FOR NO TEBUL YOM72 MAY ENTER IT, THOUGH NO SIN-OFFERING IS THEREBY INCURRED. THE COURT OF THE ISRAELITES73 IS HOLIER, FOR A MAN WHO HAS NOT YET OFFERED HIS OBLIGATORY SACRIFICES74 MAY NOT ENTER IT, AND IF HE ENTERS HE INCURS THEREBY A SIN-OFFERING. THE COURT OF THE PRIESTS75 IS HOLIER, FOR NO ISRAELITES MAY ENTER IT EXCEPT WHEN THEY ARE REQUIRED TO DO SO76 IN CONNECTION WITH THE LAYING ON OF HANDS,77 SLAYING OR WAVING.78 MISHNAH 9. THE AREA BETWEEN THE ULAM79 AND THE ALTAR IS HOLIER,80 FOR MEN AFFLICTED WITH BLEMISHES OR WITH A WILD GROWTH OF HAIR MAY NOT ENTER IT. THE HEKAL IS HOLIER, FOR NO ONE WHOSE HANDS OR FEET ARE UNWASHED MAY ENTER IT. THE HOLY OF HOLIES IS HOLler, FOR ONLY THE HIGH PRIEST, ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT, AT THE SERVICE,81 MAY ENTER IT.82 R. JOSE STATED: IN FIVE RESPECTS IS THE AREA BETWEEN THE ULAM AND THE ALTAR ON A PAR WITH THE HEKAL, FOR THOSE AFFLICTED WITH BLEMISHES OR WITH A WILD GROWTH OF HAIR, OR WHO HAVE DRUNK WINE OR WHOSE HANDS OR FEET ARE UNWASHED MAY NOT ENTER THERE,83 AND THE PEOPLE MUST KEEP AWAY FROM THE AREA BETWEEN THE ULAM AND THE ALTAR84 WHEN THE INCENSE IS BEING BURNED.85 ____________________ (1) Sc. those that convey uncleanness to both men and vessels. An ‘offspring of uncleanness’ conveys uncleanness to foodstuffs and liquids but not to men and vessels. (2) Any of the eight classes enumerated in Lev. XI, 29f. (3) V. Lev. XIV, 8f. (4) V. Num. XIX. (5) V. Parah XII, 5. (6) Even if there was no contact with the vessel. Through the external side of such a vessel, however, no uncleanness can be conveyed even by direct contact. (7) In the absence of direct contact with them. (8) In the intensity of uncleanness. (9) The ‘fathers of uncleanness’ enumerated in the previous Mishnah. (10) Even in the absence of direct contact between them and the man. (11) While he is still carrying one of the uncleannesses mentioned. (12) With any part of his body. (13) Though it came in contact with the unclean man. (14) Between the man and the ‘father of uncleanness’. (15) Only where the man was carrying the ‘father of uncleanness’ at the time he came in contact with the clothing is uncleanness conveyed to the latter. (16) In the intensity of uncleanness. (17) Lit., ‘the lower couch’. (18) A male who has a flux. (19) Whether he came in direct contact with it or not. (20) Sc. the former like the latter is subject only to the first grade of uncleanness. That on which a zab lies becomes a ‘father of uncleanness’. (21) To clothes or vessels (other than earthenware). (22) Sc. not only by the latter but also by the former. (23) So Maim. Lit., ‘a riding seat’. (24) On which the zab sat; though, owing to the heavy weight of the stone, the zab's weight could make no appreciable impression on the object. The unclean riding object under the stone has uncleanness conveyed to it by the zab sitting on the stone and conveys uncleanness to any clean person who sits upon the stone, v. Tosaf. Y T. (25) To the person and the clothes he wears. (26) In the former case uncleanness is conveyed through carriage only. (27) Causing it to be a ‘father of uncleanness’. (28) Even after it contracted the uncleanness of the zab (cf. prev. n.). (29) The latter contracting a first grade of uncleanness only. (30) A woman who has a flux. (31) Of zibah (a ‘father of uncleanness’). (32) A zab, however, by intercourse, conveys to a woman a minor form of uncleanness which lasts until sunset only. (33) To men and vessels. (34) If they (cf. prev. n.) were under the same roof. (35) Of a corpse. (36) Unlike the former where uncleanness terminates at sunset. (37) ‘Overshadowing’ (v. Glos.). Irrespective of (a) whether, for instance, the whole body of the clean person was within the ohel (tent) or only a part of it, and (b) whether there was a partition in the ohel between the corpse and the clean person or not, and (c) whether or not the corpse or the clean person was stationary or moving. (38) Even a leper conveys uncleanness by ohel only where (a) his entire body was within it, (b) there was no partition between the leper and the clean person and (c) the leper was not on the move.