Wer ein Stück Material aus zwei [Handbreiten] Stoff und einer [Handbreite] Sackleinen oder drei Sackleinen und einer aus Leder oder vier aus Leder und einer aus Matten herstellt, ist rein [unempfindlich gegen Verunreinigung]. Wenn [man etwas] aus fünf [Handbreiten] Matten und einer aus Leder oder vier aus Leder und einer aus Sackleinen oder drei aus Sackleinen und einer aus Stoff gemacht hat, ist es [anfällig dafür, unrein gemacht zu werden]. Dies ist die allgemeine Regel: Alles, an das man etwas von einem höheren Grad an Stringenz anhängt, ist unrein; [alles, woran man etwas anhängt] von geringerer Stringenz ist rein.
Bartenura on Mishnah Kelim
היה ושה שנים מן הבגד – two handbreadths.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Kelim
If one made up a piece of material from two handbreadths of cloth and one of sack-cloth, or of three of sack-cloth and one of leather or four of leather and one of matting, it is not susceptible to uncleanness. In this section, the piece added is subject to lesser restrictions, and therefore the entire piece is not susceptible to impurity. For instance, cloth needs to be three handbreadths to be susceptible (greater restrictions) and sack-cloth must be four (lesser restrictions). If he takes two pieces of cloth and adds one piece of sack-cloth, it is not susceptible, even though there are three handbreadths altogether.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Kelim
ואחד מן השק – one handbreadth.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Kelim
If the piece of material was made up of five handbreadths of matting and one of leather or four of leather and one of sack-cloth, or three of sack-cloth and one of cloth it is susceptible to uncleanness. In contrast, matting must be six handbreadths (lesser restrictions) but leather only five (greater restrictions). So if he takes one handbreadth of leather and adds it to five handbreadths of matting, it is susceptible.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Kelim
טהור – for that which is inferior does not complete the measurement of that which is important, that the inferior’s measurement is greater. But the more highly regarded completes the measurement of the inferior, for even a little bit of that which is highly regarded is susceptible to receive ritual impurity.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Kelim
This is the general rule: if the material added is subject to greater restrictions it is susceptible to uncleanness, but if the material added was subject to lesser restrictions it is not susceptible. This is the general rule that explains the halakhot in sections one and two.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Kelim
מן החמור (more stringent) – that it is sufficient for it in a small measurement.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Kelim
מן הקל (from a category more lenient) – that requires a greater measurement. And especially like this arrangement that is written in the Mishnah, they combine to the [more] lenient of them: the cloth and the sack, the sack and the hide, the hide and the matting. But the cloth and the hide or the cloth and the matting, or the sack and matting do not combine, for one who attaches them, has annulled his thinking with regard to every person. But however, to make of them a patch on the pack-saddle/cushion – consisting of patches – of a donkey, all of them combine, that from whichever of them will trim a handbreadth and make it a path on the pack-saddle/cushion of a donkey, they combine, for he is not strict for there, if it is from two species.
