An jenem Tag [an dem Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria in seinen Sitz als Leiter an der Akademie aufgenommen wurde], sie abgestimmt und abgeschlossen in Bezug auf einen Trog für [Waschen von] Füße, [ der Lage enthält] zwischen zwei log [eine spezifische Maßnahme des Volumens] bis neun kav [ein spezifisches Maß für das Volumen, das vier log entspricht , dass es, wenn es Risse bekommt, [noch] mit Midras- Verunreinigung [eine Art von Verunreinigung, weil bestimmte Arten von unreinen Individuen darauf sitzen ] unrein gemacht werden kann etwas zu einem Ursprung der Unreinheit machen]. Für Rabbi Akiva [entgegen der an diesem Tag getroffenen Schlussfolgerung] heißt es: Ein Trog für Füße ist, wie der Name schon sagt [dh obwohl ein rissiger Trog technisch zum Sitzen verwendet werden könnte, seine Nützlichkeit in Bezug darauf, ob in gerendert werden kann oder nicht unrein wird dadurch bestimmt, ob es noch zum Waschen der Füße verwendet werden kann].
Bartenura on Mishnah Yadayim
בו ביום – This refers to the chapter above regarding the words of Rabbi Shimon ben Azzai, that speaks of the day when they appointed Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah in the Academy [as the Nasi/president]. And every place where it states, "בו ביום" /on that day, in the Mishnah, it is regarding that day which is spoken of.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Yadayim
Introduction
Yesterday's mishnah ended with the statement that the sages voted on whether to include Kohelet and Shir Hashirim in the canon. This is taken as referring to a vote that occurred in the academy in Yavneh on a momentous day in history. Today's mishnah continues with other momentous issues they voted on on that famous day.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Yadayim
נמנו (they were counted – i.e., the votes were taken [and they decided]) – they stood for the count, to whom the number of those defile and the number of those who purify, and they decided the law according to the majority.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Yadayim
On that day the votes were counted and they decided that a footbath holding from two logs to nine kavs which was cracked could contract midras uncleanness. You just have to love this transition. In yesterday's mishnah we hear of a vote over whether a book should be part of the Bible. It's hard to think of a more fateful issue than this if the vote had turned the other way, these two books might have been lost, or at least cut out of the Jewish tradition. The second issue was over the purity of a cracked footbath and whether it can still receive midras uncleanness. Since it can no longer hold liquids, it doesn't count as a vessel for bathing. But since people could still sit in it, it is still susceptible to "midras" uncleanness, the kind of impurity that is given to items that are meant to be sat or laid upon.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Yadayim
עריבת הרגלים – tub made for washing the feet.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Yadayim
Because Rabbi Akiva said a footbath [must be considered] according to its designation. Rabbi Akiva holds that anything that is called "a footbath," even if it can hold more than nine kavs, is still susceptible to midras impurity.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Yadayim
שנסדקה –[which was cracked] near its bottom, and it doesn’t hold water in order to wash his one foot.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Yadayim
טמאה מדרס – for a tub made for a foot-bath prior its becoming cracked also was customary to sit in it, and it served [as a place] to sit while working.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Yadayim
שר' עקיבא – he would dispute and saw that the tub for a foot-bath is like its name (i.e., for washing the feet only, and not for sitting), that is, that like its name, so it is, that there is no מדרס/Levitical uncleanness arising from someone with gonorrhea having immediate contact through treading or leaning upon it. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Akiva.
