Any [water] mixed into a <i>mikveh</i> [a gathering of water collected by natural means and immersed in for purification] is considered as the <i>mikveh</i> [if it was already a complete <i>mikveh</i>, containing forty <i>se’ah</i> of valid water]. Regarding holes or cracks in a cavern [which houses a <i>mikveh</i>], one may immerse [objects] in them as they are [regardless of how little water they contain, or how small their connection is to the rest of the <i>mikveh</i>]. Regarding a dug out area [of water] in a cavern, one may not immerse in it unless it was pierced [with a hole connecting it to the mikveh waters] the size of the tube of a flask. Rabbi Yehudah said: when does this apply? When it [the barrier separating between the dug out area and the valid <i>mikveh</i>] holds itself up; but if it does not hold itself up, one may immerse in it as it is.
Bartenura on Mishnah Mikvaot
כל המעורב. חורי המערה – holes that are within the Mikveh/ritual bath. But because most of their immersions are in caves, they call the Mikveh a cave.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Mikvaot
Anything which is joined with [the water of] a mikveh is like a mikveh. A small body of water which is joined with a valid mikveh takes on the properties of the mikveh and can be used as such, even if it doesn't contain forty seahs.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Mikvaot
כמה שהן – even though they are not they are not perforated like the tube (mouth-piece) of a leather bottle.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Mikvaot
One may immerse in holes of a cavern and in crevices of a cavern just as they are. This is an example of the principle in section one. One may use the holes in the sides of a cavern in which a mikveh is found, even if they are not connected to the mikveh itsel by a hole the size of the tube of a water-skin.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Mikvaot
עוקת המערה – a hole/indentation that is in the rim/bottom of the cave, its waters are not considered with the waters of the Mikveh that are above them to be kosher/fit to immerse in them, unless there is between them like the tube (mouth-piece) of a leather bottle.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Mikvaot
The pit of a cavern, one may not immerse in it unless it had a hole as big as the tube of a water-skin. This pit is dug out next to the mikveh in the cavern and is not part of the cavern itself. For this pit to be used as part of the mikveh it must be attached to the mikveh by a hole at least as wide as the tube of a water-skin. This same measure was mentioned in 4:5 concerning attaching a trough to a mikveh.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Mikvaot
אמר ר' יהודה – Rabi Yehuda does not come to argue but rather to explain.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Mikvaot
Rabbi Judah said: when [is this the case]? When it stands by itself; but if it does not stand by itself, one may immerse in it just as it is. Rabbi Judah limits this to a case when the pit stands on its own. If the pit does not stand on its own, but rather is leaning on the walls of the mikveh, then it is considered part of the mikveh and one can immerse in it even if it is not attached by a hole the size of the tube of a water-skin.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Mikvaot
בזמן שהיא מעמדת את עצמה – when he comes to immerse in the hole/indentation, the hole stands on its own, and the roof that forms a partition/makes a dam between it and the cave does not fall on its own.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Mikvaot
אבל אם אינה מעמדת את עצמה – and at the time that the comes to immerse, the roof of the hole/indentation which is at the bottom of the Mikveh falls and the waters of the Mikveh combine with the waters of the hole/indentation.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Mikvaot
מטבילין בה כמו שהיא – and even if the incision is not like the tube (mouth-piece) of a leather bottle.
