Food which has become impure from an origin of impurity [and has thus attained a first degree level of impurity], and [food] which has become impure from a generated impurity [such as something of a first degree level, causing it, in turn, to attain a second degree level of impurity], they are added together to impart impurity [at the level] of the less stringent of the two. How so? The equivalent [in volume] of half an egg of food of a first degree [level of impurity] and the equivalent [in volume] of half an egg of a second degree [level of impurity] that one mixed with each other, [the mixture] is of a second degree. The equivalent of half an egg of a second degree and the equivalent of half an egg of a third degree that one mixed with each other, [the mixture] is of a third degree. The equivalent of a full egg of a first degree and the equivalent of a full egg of a second degree that one mixed with each other, [the mixture] is of a first degree; but if one [then] divided them [into two], this one is of a second degree and this one is of a second degree. If one [of these two] fell on its own and [the other] one [also fell] on its own onto a loaf of <i>terumah</i>, they invalidate it [by giving it a third degree level of impurity]. If both fell at once they render it to be of a second degree [impurity, since it came into contact with a full egg's measure of food of a first degree impurity].
Bartenura on Mishnah Tahorot
מצטרפין זה עם זה לטמא – if there isn’t in one of them the equivalent of an egg’s bulk, they combine to the measurement to defile according to the lighter/lenient of the two of them, for if it came in contact with/touched heave-offering, it invalidated it, according to the law of food that was defiled by the offspring of uncleanness that invalidates the heave-offering but does not defile it.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Tahorot
Introduction
Today's mishnah deals with food that has become unclean and how much of it needs to be gathered together to convey uncleanness.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Tahorot
כחצי ביצה וכו' – that they mixed this one with that one.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Tahorot
Food that contracted uncleanness from a "father of uncleanness" and one that contracted uncleanness from a derived uncleanness may be combined together to convey uncleanness according to the lighter grade of the two. Food that has become unclean by contact with a "father of uncleanness" such as a sheretz, has first degree impurity. If it had contact with derived uncleanness, then it has second degree impurity. The mishnah now will illustrate how 1/2 of an egg's worth of food with one level of impurity can combine with another half of an egg's worth of food with another level of impurity to create the requisite amount to convey impurity.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Tahorot
שני – this mixture/combination has the law of second degree [of ritual impurity] upon it and it invalidates the heave-offering.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Tahorot
How so? If the amount of half an egg of food that has first grade uncleanness and the amount of half an egg of food that has second grade uncleanness were mixed together, the two are regarded having second grade uncleanness. The two half eggs that are mixed are considered only to have second degree impurity. This is the lighter form of impurity. If this piece of food comes into contact with terumah it will render the terumah invalid.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Tahorot
שלישי – and invalidates the Holy Things.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Tahorot
And if the amount of half of an egg of food that has second grade uncleanness and the amount of half an egg of food that has third grade uncleanness were mixed together, the two are regarded as having third grade of uncleanness. The piece of food with third degree uncleanness will render sacred things (such as sacrifices) invalid, but it will not disqualify terumah.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Tahorot
ראשון – and makes [through] its contact, second-degree [of ritual impurity]. For there is a measurement that first-degree [of ritual impurity] on the body to grant defilement.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Tahorot
If the amount of an egg of food having first grade uncleanness and the amount of an egg of food having second grade uncleanness were mixed together, both are regarded as having first grade uncleanness; But if they were then divided, each part is regarded as having second grade uncleanness. If each part separately fell on a loaf of terumah, they cause it to become unfit. But if the two fell together they cause it to have second grade uncleanness. In this case, both pieces of food are the size of an egg. Here, both are treated more stringently, as if both have first degree uncleanness. If after they were mixed together he separated them, then both are treated as if they have only second degree uncleanness, because both pieces now have less than an egg's worth of the original piece that had first degree uncleanness. If each of these pieces now falls separately on a piece of terumah, both are treated as if they have second degree impurity and they render the terumah invalid. They do not, however, cause it to be impure. However, if they both fall on one piece of terumah, then we know that an egg's worth of food that has first degree impurity fell on the terumah and the terumah now has second degree impurity.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Tahorot
חלקן זה שני וזה שני – for in each of them is half of the measurement of the first, and half the measurement of the second. And it is taught in the Mishnah above (see this Mishnah, Tractate Taharot, Chapter 1, Mishnah 5) that first-degree [of ritual impurity] and second-degree [of ritual impurity] combine to the lighter of the two of them.
