Talmud for Pesachim 1:6

רַבִּי חֲנִינָא סְגַן הַכֹּהֲנִים אוֹמֵר, מִימֵיהֶם שֶׁל כֹּהֲנִים לֹא נִמְנְעוּ מִלִּשְׂרֹף אֶת הַבָּשָׂר שֶׁנִּטְמָא בִוְלַד הַטֻּמְאָה עִם הַבָּשָׂר שֶׁנִּטְמָא בְאַב הַטֻּמְאָה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמּוֹסִיפִין טֻמְאָה עַל טֻמְאָתוֹ. הוֹסִיף רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וְאָמַר, מִימֵיהֶם שֶׁל כֹּהֲנִים לֹא נִמְנְעוּ מִלְּהַדְלִיק אֶת הַשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁנִּפְסַל בִּטְבוּל יוֹם בְּנֵר שֶׁנִּטְמָא בִטְמֵא מֵת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמּוֹסִיפִין טֻמְאָה עַל טֻמְאָתוֹ:

R. Chanina, the adjutant high-priest, says: From the days of the Cohanim, they never held back from burning the flesh which had become unclean through a v'lad (derivative) of tumah (uncleanliness) together with the flesh that had become unclean through av hatumah (proto-uncleanliness) even though they added uncleanliness to its uncleanliness. [This is stated here because of what is to follow (1:7): "From their words we learned that clean terumah is burned together with unclean terumah." ("from burning the flesh which had become unclean through a v'lad hatumah":) We are speaking of a v'lad of a v'lad. That is, flesh which is of third-degree uncleanliness, which had become unclean through second-degree uncleanliness, so that it is a v'lad of a v'lad. They did not hold back from burning it together with flesh that had become unclean through av hatumah, and which had assumed first-degree uncleanliness. When this flesh, which in the beginning is of third-degree uncleanliness, comes in contact with the flesh that had become unclean through the av hatumah it reverts to its state of second-degree uncleanliness, having touched first-degree uncleanliness. It emerges, then, that they added uncleanliness to its uncleanliness. For in the beginning it was of third-degree uncleanliness, and now it is of second-degree uncleanliness — in spite of which they did not hold back from burning it together with a more stringent variety. For since even the lesser variety was slated for burning, they were not concerned about imparting to it a greater degree of uncleanliness. And even though by Torah law food does not impart uncleanliness to food, it being written in respect to food uncleanliness (Leviticus 11:38): "It is unclean" — It is unclean, but it does not render unclean a food like it — still, the rabbis decreed that food should impart uncleanliness to food.] R. Akiva added: From the days of the Cohanim, they never held back from kindling the oil [of terumah] that had become pasul (unfit) through a t'vul yom (one in a state of uncleanliness, who had immersed himself in the daytime and who is not clean until sunset) (they never held back from kindling that oil) in a lamp which had become unclean through one with dead-body uncleanliness, even though they added uncleanliness to its uncleanliness. [("from kindling the oil that had become pasul through a t'vul yom":) That oil assumes third-degree uncleanliness, t'vul yom making terumah pasul by Torah law, and conferring on it always third-degree uncleanliness, whether it be food or liquid. ("in a lamp which had become unclean by one with dead-body uncleanliness":) This lamp is of metal. All vessels (except earthenware vessels) which touch dead-body uncleanliness become like it — if an av, an av; if first-degree, first-degree, it being written (Numbers 19:16): "the slain one of a sword," which is expounded: The sword becomes like the slain one, i.e., The sword that touches the dead body becomes avi-avoth ("the father of the fathers of uncleanliness"), like the dead body itself. And if the sword touches one with dead-body uncleanliness, who is an av, the sword itself becomes an av. The same applies to all vessels, except earthenware vessels. It is seen, then, that if a metal lamp touches one with dead-body uncleanliness, it becomes an av-hatumah. R. Akiva, then, has added to the words of R. Chanina the adjutant high-priest. For R. Chanina permitted only the reversion of third-degree uncleanliness to second-degree uncleanliness, whereas R. Akiva permitted the reversion of third-degree to first-degree uncleanliness. For the oil which became pasul through a t'vul yom and which is of third-degree uncleanliness — when that oil is kindled in a lamp which has become unclean through one with dead-body uncleanliness, in which instance the lamp itself becomes av-hatumah, as stated — the oil of third-degree uncleanliness reverts to first-degree uncleanliness, in spite of which they did not hold back (from raising the uncleanliness level). For since it is already denominated as "uncleanliness," they were not concerned (about the particular degree of uncleanliness), and it is permitted to add (to its level of uncleanliness) directly.]

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