Mishnah
Mishnah

Talmud for Yadayim 3:1

הַמַּכְנִיס יָדָיו לְבַיִת הַמְנֻגָּע, יָדָיו תְּחִלּוֹת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, יָדָיו שְׁנִיּוֹת. כֹּל הַמְטַמֵּא בְגָדִים בִּשְׁעַת מַגָּעוֹ, מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם לִהְיוֹת תְּחִלּוֹת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, לִהְיוֹת שְׁנִיּוֹת. אָמְרוּ לוֹ לְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, הֵיכָן מָצִינוּ שֶׁהַיָּדַיִם תְּחִלָּה בְכָל מָקוֹם. אָמַר לָהֶם, וְכִי הֵיאַךְ אֶפְשָׁר לָהֶן לִהְיוֹת תְּחִלָּה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן נִטְמָא גוּפוֹ, חוּץ מִזֶּה. הָאֳכָלִין וְהַכֵּלִים שֶׁנִּטְמְאוּ בְמַשְׁקִין, מְטַמְּאִין אֶת הַיָּדַיִם לִהְיוֹת שְׁנִיּוֹת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, אֶת שֶׁנִּטְמָא בְאַב הַטֻּמְאָה, מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם. בִּוְלַד הַטֻּמְאָה, אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם. אָמַר רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, מַעֲשֶׂה בְאִשָּׁה אַחַת שֶׁבָּאָת לִפְנֵי אַבָּא, אָמְרָה לוֹ, נִכְנְסוּ יָדַי לַאֲוִיר כְּלִי חֶרֶשׂ. אָמַר לָהּ, בִּתִּי, וּבַמֶּה הָיְתָה טֻמְאָתָהּ, וְלֹא שָׁמַעְתִּי מָה אָמְרָה לוֹ. אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים, מְבֹאָר הַדָּבָר. אֶת שֶׁנִּטְמָא בְאַב הַטֻּמְאָה, מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם. בִּוְלַד הַטֻּמְאָה, אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדָיִם:

If one's hand enters into a blighted house [i.e. a leperous house], the hands are [rendered to be of a] primary [degree of impurity], according to Rabbi Akiva. And the Sages say: the hands are [rendered with a] secondary [degree of impurity]. Anything that renders garments impure instantly upon contact, renders the hands to be of a primary [degree of] impurity, according to Rabbi Akiva. And the Sages say: [it renders the hands] to be [of a] secondary [degree of impurity]. They said to Rabbi Akiva, "Where is there any place that we find that the hands are [rendered impure in a] primary [degree]?" He said to them, "And how [else] is it possible that they can be rendered [impure in a] primary [degree] without one's body having been rendered impure, except in this instance!" Food items and vessels which were rendered impure by liquids, render the hands to be of a secondary [degree of] impurity, according to Rabbi Yehoshua. And the Sages say: that which was rendered impure by an Origin of impurity renders the hands impure; [and that which was rendered impure] by a derivative impurity does not render the hands impure. Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel said, "It happened that a woman came before my father, and said to him, 'My hands entered into the air-space of an [impure] earthenware vessel.' He said to her, 'My daughter, through what was its impurity [caused]?' But I did not hear what she said to him." The Sages said, "The matter is elucidated: that which was rendered impure by an Origin of impurity renders the hands impure; [and that which was rendered impure] by a derivative impurity does not render the hands impure."

Jerusalem Talmud Chagigah

HALAKHAH: Is hand-washing required for profane food162This is a discussion of impurity imparted by unwashed hands. The basic observation is that an impure person or object which touches anything susceptible to impurity imparts impurity of one degree lower. (However, the majority opinion is that fluids do not touch but merge, and therefore transmit impurity of the same degree as the acting material.) There are three stages of biblical impurity, “grandfather of impurity”, a corpse or a house in which there is a corpse, “original impurity”, anything touched by a corpse or (with a few exceptions) found in a house containing a corpse, and any other impurity described in the Torah, and “impurity in the first degree”, biblically imparted by contact with original impurity or rabbinically by contact with any impure fluid. The other stages are rabbinical; persons or food impure in stage n by touch impart impurity of stage n+1. The technical term is “impure” for anything able to impart impurity and “disqualified” for matters unusable because of impurity but not imparting impurity to others. Profane food may be impure in stage 1, it becomes disqualified (cannot be dedicated for any sacred use) in stage 2. Heave and Second Tithe (sacra not connected with the Temple) are impure in stages 1,2 and disqualified in stage 3. Temple sacra are impure in stages 1,2,3 and disqualified in stage 4.? But it must follow Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar, since Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar says, hand-washing is required for profane food. It is everybody’s opinion, so he should separate from heave163Since unwashed hands rabbinically are considered impure in stage two, handling heave with unwashed hands disqualifies it.. Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar stated in the name of Rebbi Meïr, hands are first degree impure for profane food and second degree impure for heave164Touching with unwashed hands always disqualifies. Babli Ḥulin 33b; differently Tosephta Taharot 1:6.. Does Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar follow Rebbi Aqiba, as we have stated there165Mishnah Yadaim 3:1., “if somebody puts his hands into a leprous house166As described in Lev. 14:33–54. Bodily entrance into the house causes biblical impurity (vv. 46,47), standing outside and reaching into the house only causes rabbinic impurity., his hands are impure in the first degree, the words of Rebbi Aqiba, but the Sages are saying, his hands are impure in the second degree”? There, it follows the rabbis; what is their reason here? Since you tell him that his hands are impure in the second degree, he will separate from heave. But did they not decide about them because of fluids; then they should be impure in the first degree167Since unwashed hands touching any fluid make the fluid rabbinically impure in the first degree, it would be reasonable to consider unwashed hands as impure in the first degree.? It is an argument de minore ad majus. Since the Tevul Yom, which is a word from the Torah, only disqualifies168An impure person can qualify to eat sancta by first immersing himself in a miqweh, to remove his impurity, and then waiting until sundown, when he becomes pure (Lev. 22:6–7). The intermediate stage, no longer impure but not yet pure, is called Tevul Yom, “immersed during daytime”. Since the verse prohibits him to consume sacred food it is inferred that he also may not handle it. Since he is no longer impure, his touch cannot make impure. It is inferred that his touch disqualifies., impure hands, which are from their words, not so much more? Another explanation: Did they not decide about hands only that he should separate from heave? Since you tell him that his hands are impure in the second degree, he will separate from heave.
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