If yom tov fell after Shabbath (i.e., on Sunday), Beth Shammai say: Everything is immersed before Shabbath. [For one must cleanse himself for the festival, and all that requires immersion, both men and vessels, are immersed before Shabbath]. And Beth Hillel say: Vessels (are immersed) before Shabbath, and men (immerse themselves) on Shabbath. [Vessels are immersed before Shabbath, for since they are fit for something after immersion for which they were not fit before immersion, if they were immersed on Shabbath or yom tov, this would be "amending something" and would be forbidden. "Shabbath" is stated here (rather than "yom tov") to apprise us of the "power" of Beth Hillel, that they permitted one to immerse even on Shabbath; for the impression is given that he does so for the sake of bathing and cooling off, and not (necessarily) for the sake of ritual cleansing.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
מטבילין את הכל – for a person is obligated to ritually purify himself on the Festival. And everything that requires ritual immersion, whether a person or utensils, we ritually immerse prior to the Sabbath.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Beitzah
Introduction
In mishnaic times it was customary for people who observed the laws of purity to immerse vessels and for people to immerse before Yom Tov so that everything would be pure. In our mishnah Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel debate whether or not one can immerse on Shabbat in preparation for a Yom Tov which falls on Sunday.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
כלים מלפני השבת – for since they are worthy after ritual immersion for things that they were not worthy for prior to the immersion, if one immerses them on Shabbat or on Yom Tov/the Festival day, it would be like repairing a matter an that is forbidden. And Shabbat was used here to inform you of the power of the School of Hillel, that even on the Sabbath, they permitted the ritual immersion of a person, because it appears like holding him dear and become cols cold and bathes for pleasure and not for the sake of ritual immersion.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Beitzah
If [Yom Tov] fell on the day after Shabbat: Bet Shammai says: one must immerse everything [unclean] before Shabbat. According to Bet Shammai both vessels and people must be immersed before Shabbat. They hold that it is forbidden to immerse on Shabbat.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Beitzah
But Bet Hillel says: vessels [must be immersed] before Shabbat but people [may immerse] on Shabbat. Bet Hillel holds that it is permitted to immerse on Shabbat but that one should nevertheless immerse the vessels before Shabbat. The reason not to immerse the vessels on Shabbat is that by immersing the vessels he makes them usable. This is like “completing a vessel” which is forbidden on Shabbat. However, when a person immerses him/herself it might just look like she/he is washing, and hence it is permitted.
