Talmud for Tahorot 7:8
מִי שֶׁהָיָה טָהוֹר, וְהִסִּיעַ אֶת לִבּוֹ מִלֶּאֱכֹל, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה מְטַהֵר, שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ טְמֵאִין פּוֹרְשִׁין מִמֶּנוּ. וַחֲכָמִים מְטַמְּאִים. הָיוּ יָדָיו טְהוֹרוֹת וְהִסִּיעַ אֶת לִבּוֹ מִלֶּאֱכֹל, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמַר יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁלֹּא נִטְמְאוּ יָדָי, יָדָיו טְמֵאוֹת, שֶׁהַיָּדַיִם עַסְקָנִיּוֹת:
One [a priest] who was pure and decided not to eat [<i>terumah</i>], Rabbi Yehuda declares him pure because it is the way of impure individuals to stay away from him [lest they render him impure]; but the Sages say he is impure. If his hands were pure and he decided not to eat [<i>terumah</i>], even if he says, "I know that my hands were not rendered impure," his hands are impure, because hands are active.
Explore talmud for Tahorot 7:8. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.