Commentary for Kelim 30:4

צלוחית – that is similar to our glass flash that has a long neck.

Introduction The final mishnah of Kelim (yes, it really is) deals with the purity of various glass flasks.

שניטל פיה – whose neck was removed.

A small flask whose neck was removed remains susceptible to uncleanness, A small flask whose neck was removed is still usable. Therefore, it is still susceptible to impurity.

ובגדולה – that is not able to be carried with one hand, but only with two hands is called a large [flask], but that which can be carried with one hand is called a small [flask].

But a large one whose neck was removed becomes pure. However, a large flask used to store oil or wine, one that requires two hands to hold, can no longer be used if its neck is broken because its contents will be spilled.

של פלייטון (an ointment or oil prepared from leaves of spikenard) – of balsam oil.

[A small flask] of spikenard oil whose neck was removed becomes pure, since it scratches the hand. Spikenard oil is a fragrant oil used for perfume. One would use this oil by putting a finger into the flask and then dabbing the oil onto one's body. If the flask's neck is broken one will cut one's hand when taking out the oil. Since the flask cannot be used properly, it is not susceptible to impurity.

Large flagons whose necks were removed remain susceptible to uncleanness, since they are adapted for the use of holding pickled foods. Large flagons (a type of jar) whose neck is broken off can still be used to pickle vegetables. Therefore, they are still susceptible.

מפני שהיא סורחת את היד (because it lacerates/catches the hand – when you attempt to get the aromatic unguent out) – one who goes to place his hand inside to take from the ointment of spikenard to smell it, his hand is lacerated and scratched and torn, [The word] סורחת like [the word] סורכת with [the letter] "כ" is the language of an adhesion/סרכא.

A glass funnel is clean. Glass vessels must have a receptacle to be susceptible to impurity. Therefore, a glass funnel is pure.

לגינין (bottle, flask/flagon – smaller than a pitcher but larger than a cup) – like large pitchers.

Rabbi Yose said: Happy are you Kelim; for you began with uncleanness, but you ended with cleanness. Even Rabbi Yose wanted to celebrate when finishing Tractate Kelim. The first mishnah in the chapter, which we learned on October 31 (!), over eight months ago, dealt with the "fathers of impurity." In other words, the tractate began by dealing with matters of impurity and the final section of the last mishnah deals with a vessel that is pure. Thus we have moved from a state of impurity to purity. Congratulations! We have completed Tractate Kelim! I bet you never thought this day would really come. Seriously, as I always write, it is a tradition at this point to thank God for helping us finish learning the tractate and to commit ourselves to going back and relearning it, so that we may not forget it and so that its lessons will stay with us for all of our lives. Kelim is the longest tractate in the Mishnah, and as I noted above, we began to learn it many months ago. While it is at times hard for us to comprehend, the laws of purity were a major part of the religious life of Jews from the time of the Torah through the Second Temple period, and as we see, continued to be a major focus of rabbinic law. I do admit that the tractate did tend to get a bit detailed (understatement) and without a clear picture of what all of these vessels looked like, it is hard to understand some of the laws. Nevertheless, we did learn some important principles that will help us throughout the rest of our learning. I am sure that we will review most of these as we can continue to learn together. Our learning of Seder Toharot continues tomorrow with Tractate Ohalot, where we learn the laws associated the impurity of a dead body.

מתקנין לכבשים (repairs them for use for pickled/preserved things) – when they pickle in them a vegetable in salt and in vinegar and leave the there to be established.

אפרכס (the hopper, grain-receiver on top of the millstone) – a vessel that is made for the millstone, wide from the top and narrow from the bottom at its rims, and they place in it a lot of wheat at one time and they (i.e., the wheat kernels) go down gradually into the millstone and they are ground there. And an example of this we found at the beginning of [Tractate] Hagigah [3a]: “Make your ear like the hopper to receive the teaching,” for one brings in a lot and it produces a little.

אשריך כלים – Tractate Kelim.

שנכנסת בטומאה ויצאת בטהרה – it begins with the primary sources of uncleanness and the glass hopper/grain-receive on top of the receiver concludes in purity.