Commentary for Kilayim 2:1
כָּל סְאָה שֶׁיֶּשׁ בּוֹ רֹבַע מִמִּין אַחֵר, יְמַעֵט. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, יָבֹר. בֵּין מִמִּין אֶחָד בֵּין מִשְּׁנֵי מִינִין. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, לֹא אָמְרוּ אֶלָּא מִמִּין אֶחָד. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, כָּל שֶׁהוּא כִלְאַיִם בַּסְּאָה מִצְטָרֵף לְרֹבַע:
If a <i>se'ah</i> [specific unit of volume] contains one quarter [of a <i>kav</i>] of another species [of seed], the [ratio] must be reduced; Rabbi Yose says: he must pick [all of it out] whether it [the quarter <i>kav</i>] is of one species or two species; Rabbi Shimon says: They only said [the rule that it must be reduced] if there is one species. The Sages say: all that is <i>kilayim</i> within the <i>se'ah</i> combines to make up the quarter <i>kav</i>.
English Explanation of Mishnah Kilayim
Introduction
Our mishnah deals with a seah (=6 kav) in which a quarter of a kav (1/24 of the seah) of at least one different species of seed has been mixed. If the other species is at least 1/24 of the main species, it is forbidden to plant this mixture. However, if there is less than 1/24 of the other seed, it is permitted to plant the mixture and this is not kilayim. In our mishnah we learn what the person can do to remedy a mixture of seeds that has more than 1/24 of the other species.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Kilayim
Any seah which contains a quarter [of a kav] of a different species, one should reduce [its proportion of the latter] According to the first opinion in the mishnah, if the other seed is more than 1/24 all he has to do is reduce the proportion, either by adding more of the dominant seed or reducing the minority seed.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Kilayim
Rabbi Yose says: one should pick [it all out]. Rabbi Yose is stricter and holds that he has to pick out all of the minority seed before he can plant. Since the mixture was originally prohibited, it is not sufficient to just adjust the proportion. However, Rabbi Yose agrees that if the mixture was originally less than 1/24 he can plant it without concern for kilayim.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Kilayim
Whether it consists of one species or of two species. The above rules apply whether or not there were one or two or more minority seeds. The first opinion still holds that he can adjust the proportion so that there are less than 1/24 of the minority seeds, and Rabbi Yose still holds that he must pick them all out.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Kilayim
Rabbi Shimon says: they said this only if it consists of one species. Rabbi Shimon limits the leniency in section one to a case where there was only one minority species. If there were two different minority seeds, he must remove them all before he plants.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Kilayim
But the sages say: anything which is kilayim, in a seah [it adds up] in making up the quarter. The sages add a new rule. If two species are kilayim with each other, such as barley and lentils, then when they are mixed in with a dominant seed such as wheat, the barley and lentils add up and if they are together more than 1/24 of the total amount, the mixture must either be reduced or the minority seeds removed. However, if the species are not kilayim with each other, such as barley and oats they do not add up, because oats is not kilayim with barley (see mishnah one).
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