Kommentar zu Niddah 6:2

כל כלי חרס שהוא מכניס – liquid, when he places it on the water there is in a large incision that the water enters into it, all the more so that if he places the water into it, the liquid departs outside. But there is a small incision that lets it out but does not let it in. And we derive from this that which we hold – that a completely earthenware utensil that was perforated it is not invalid to sanctify in it the waters of the sin-offering [of the Red Heifer], that is, to place within it the water of the ashes of the Red Heifer, until he makes a large incision where the liquid goes in. But if he made a small incision where the liquid goes out, it does leave the category of a utensil and not find fault in this. But always a small incision is not like removing liquid that removes it from the category of being a utensil other than a large vessel which turned out to be defective/unwieldy alone (as for example, its handles being broken off or being cracked, and therefore used as a receptacle for refuse, as a pickling pot or as a receiver of drippings from a leaking vessel), that is broken vessel that is was designated to fill up with water and to use it, if it has a perforation/hold through letting liquid out, it is invalidated from the category of a utensil, for we don’t say, bring another large defective vessel and we will place it underneath this defective vessel to receive the liquid that departs. But a complete vessel that has been perforated while removing liquid is not invalidated from anything, because a person is concerned about it and doesn’t break it, and uses it and he brings the shard of a vessel and places it underneath to receive the liquid that comes out from it. And from here this is the explanation of our Mishnah: All earthenware utensils that are invalidated for the waters of the sin-offering [of the Red Heifer] is invalid for a large defective vessel, but there are those which are invalid for a large defective vessel but are fit/kosher for the waters of the sin-offering.

Introduction The next 9 mishnayot have nothing to do with the topic at hand. Rather, they are all formulated in the same format as yesterday's mishnah it is possible for x without y, but it is not possible for y without x.

כל אבר שיש בו צפורן – as for example, an extra claw/finger that are on the fingers of the hand, if it has a fingernail/talon, it is considered a limb. And it defiles through contact and by carrying and in a tent, like a limb that has a bone that defiles in a tent, and even if it lacks an olive-bulk of flesh, for we hold that limbs have no [distinct] measurement.

Similarly, any [hole in] an earthen vessel that lets in a liquid will let it out, but there may be one that will let liquid out and will not let it in. An earthenware vessel that has a hole large enough that it lets liquid in is pure because it is no longer usable (see Kelim 3:1, 8:2). Any vessel that has a hole large enough to let in liquid will also let it out. However, there may be a vessel that lets liquid out but doesn't let it in. Such a vessel is still considered usable and is therefore still impure.

ויש שיש בו עצם – but it is not considered a limb if it is extra, since it doesn’t have a nail/talon, and it defiles through contact and carrying, but does not defile in the tent all the while that there isn’t on it an olive’s-bulk of flesh. But if it is not extra, it definitely defiles in a tent because of being a limb, even though it doesn’t have a nail/talon and even though there isn’t an olive’s-bulk of flesh (see also Talmud Niddah 49b).

Any limb that grows a nail also has a bone in it, but there may be one that has a bone in it but does not grow a nail. A limb from a corpse that has a nail is impure, even if the limb is very small (see Ohalot 1:7). Any limb that grows a nail will also grow a bone, but there can be a limb that has a bone without a nail. The Talmud explains that an extra finger (or toe) that doesn't have a nail does defile through contact and by being carried but it doesn't convey impurity in an ohel (a tent) as would a limb with a nail.