Mikvaot 6

כָּל הַמְעֹרָב לַמִּקְוֶה, כַּמִּקְוֶה. חוֹרֵי הַמְּעָרָה וְסִדְקֵי הַמְּעָרָה, מַטְבִּיל בָּהֶם כְּמָה שֶׁהֵם. עֻקַּת הַמְּעָרָה, אֵין מַטְבִּילִין בָּהּ אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיְתָה נְקוּבָה כִשְׁפוֹפֶרֶת הַנּוֹד. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, אֵימָתַי, בִּזְמַן שֶׁהִיא מַעֲמֶדֶת עַצְמָהּ. אֲבָל אִם אֵינָהּ מַעֲמֶדֶת עַצְמָהּ, מַטְבִּילִין בָּהּ כְּמָה שֶׁהִיא:

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.

דְּלִי שֶׁהוּא מָלֵא כֵלִים וְהִטְבִּילָן, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ טְהוֹרִים. וְאִם לֹא טָבַל, אֵין הַמַּיִם מְעֹרָבִין, עַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מְעֹרָבִין כִּשְׁפוֹפֶרֶת הַנּוֹד:

Regarding an [impure] bucket which is full of vessels, if one immerses them, they are [all] pure. But if one did not [intend to] immerse [the bucket, i.e. if the bucket was already pure], the waters [in the bucket and those in the <i>mikveh</i>] do not mix [to render the vessels in the bucket pure], unless they were mixed [through an opening] the size of the tube of a flask.

שְׁלשָׁה מִקְוָאוֹת, בָּזֶה עֶשְׂרִים סְאָה, וּבָזֶה עֶשְׂרִים סְאָה, וּבָזֶה עֶשְׂרִים סְאָה מַיִם שְׁאוּבִין, וְהַשָּׁאוּב מִן הַצַּד, וְיָרְדוּ שְׁלשָׁה וְטָבְלוּ בָהֶן וְנִתְעָרְבוּ, הַמִּקְוָאוֹת טְהוֹרִין וְהַטּוֹבְלִים טְהוֹרִים. הָיָה הַשָּׁאוּב בָּאֶמְצַע, וְיָרְדוּ שְׁלשָׁה וְטָבְלוּ בָהֶם וְנִתְעָרְבוּ, הַמִּקְוָאוֹת כְּמוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ, וְהַטּוֹבְלִים כְּמוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ:

Regarding three <i>mikvaot</i>, one containing twenty <i>se'ah</i> [a specific unit of volume], one containing twenty <i>se'ah</i>, and one containining twenty <i>se'ah</i> of drawn water [while the other two contain valid water], and the drawn [water <i>mikvah</i>] was to the side, if three people descended and immersed in them [at once, one in each], and they [caused the waters to overflow such that the three <i>mikvaot</i>] were mixed, the <i>mikvaot</i> are pure and the immersers are pure. If the drawn [water <i>mikvah</i>] was in the middle, and three people descended and immersed, and they were mixed, the <i>mikvaot</i> are as they were [before the people immersed], and the immersers remain as they were [i.e. impure].

הַסְּפוֹג וְהַדְּלִי שֶׁהָיוּ בָהֶן שְׁלשָׁה לֻגִּין מַיִם וְנָפְלוּ לַמִּקְוֶה, לֹא פְסָלוּהוּ, שֶׁלֹּא אָמְרוּ אֶלָּא שְׁלשָׁה לֻגִּין שֶׁנָּפְלוּ:

Regarding a sponge or a bucket which had inside them three <i>log</i> [a specific unit of liquid measurement] of [drawn] water, if they fell into a <i>mikvah</i> [which does not contain forty <i>se'ah</i> of valid water], they do not render it invalid, for they [the Sages] only said "three <i>log</i> that fell" [into a incomplete <i>mikveh</i> invalidate it; but in these cases, not all of the three log of water actually ever fell into the <i>mikveh</i>, since some remain inside the sponge or bucket].

הַשִּׁדָּה וְהַתֵּבָה שֶׁבַּיָּם, אֵין מַטְבִּילִין בָּהֶם, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיוּ נְקוּבִין כִּשְׁפוֹפֶרֶת הַנּוֹד. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, בִּכְלִי גָדוֹל, אַרְבָּעָה טְפָחִים. וּבְקָטָן, רֻבּוֹ. אִם הָיָה שַׂק אוֹ קֻפָּה, מַטְבִּילִין בָּהֶם כְּמָה שֶׁהֵם, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַמַּיִם מְעֹרָבִין. הָיוּ נְתוּנִים תַּחַת הַצִּנּוֹר, אֵינָם פּוֹסְלִים אֶת הַמִּקְוֶה, אֶלָּא מַטְבִּילִין אוֹתָן וּמַעֲלִין אוֹתָן כְּדַרְכָּן:

Regarding a crate or a chest [floating] in the sea, one may not immerse [objects] in them, unless they were pierced [with openings] the size of the tube of a flask [connecting their waters to the seawaters]. Rabbi Yehuda says: for a large vessel [the opening must be] four handbreadths, and for a small vessel [it must be] the majority of its size. If it was a sack or a basket [floating in the sea], one may immerse in them as they are, because the waters are mixed. If they were placed beneath a pipe [such that rainwater flowed through them and into a <i>mikveh</i>], they do not invalidate the <i>mikveh</i>; rather, one may immerse them and take them out normally [without worrying about the water in them rendering the <i>mikveh</i> impure as drawn water].

גִּסְטְרָא שֶׁבַּמִּקְוֶה וְהִטְבִּיל בָּהּ אֶת הַכֵּלִים, טָהֲרוּ מִטֻּמְאָתָן, אֲבָל טְמֵאִים עַל גַּב כְּלִי חֶרֶס. אִם הָיוּ הַמַּיִם צָפִים עַל גַּבָּיו כָּל שֶׁהֵן, טְהוֹרִין. מַעְיָן הַיּוֹצֵא מִן הַתַּנּוּר וְיָרַד וְטָבַל בְּתוֹכוֹ, הוּא טָהוֹר וְיָדָיו טְמֵאוֹת. וְאִם הָיוּ עַל גַּבָּיו רוּם יָדָיו, אַף יָדָיו טְהוֹרוֹת:

If a jagged-edged [impure] earthenware vessel is in a <i>mikveh</i> [with its edges above the water's surface], and one immersed vessels in it, they are purified from their impurity [which they had before they were immersed], but they become impure due to [the protruding edges of] the earthenware vessel [which are impure and, as the immersed vessels emerge from the water but are still inside the space of the earthenware, render the water on them impure, which in turn renders those vessels impure]. If [however] any amount of water was floating above [the jagged edges], they are pure. A spring that flows [through and] out of an [impure] oven, of one descends and immerses in it, he is pure, but his hands are impure [since one's hands, but not one's body, are rendered impure by impure liquids, such as the liquid on his body once he emerges into the space of the impure oven]. If they [the spring's waters] rose above it [the oven] the height of his hands, even his hands are pure.

עֵרוּב מִקְוָאוֹת, כִּשְׁפוֹפֶרֶת הַנּוֹד, כְּעָבְיָהּ וְכַחֲלָלָהּ, כִּשְׁתֵּי אֶצְבָּעוֹת חוֹזְרוֹת לִמְקוֹמָן. סָפֵק כִּשְׁפוֹפֶרֶת הַנּוֹד, סָפֵק שֶׁאֵינָהּ כִּשְׁפוֹפֶרֶת הַנּוֹד, פְּסוּלָה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא מִן הַתּוֹרָה. וְכֵן כַּזַּיִת מִן הַמֵּת וְכַזַּיִת מִן הַנְּבֵלָה וְכָעֲדָשָׁה מִן הַשֶּׁרֶץ. כֹּל שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד כִּשְׁפוֹפֶרֶת הַנּוֹד, מְמַעֲטָהּ. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, כֹּל שֶׁהוּא מִבְּרִיַּת הַמַּיִם, טָהוֹר:

<i>Mikvaot</i> are [considered] mixed [when they are connected by an opening] the size of the tube of a flask, alike to it in its width, and alike to it in [the length of] its hollow, such that two fingers can be rotated in place [i.e. its diameter should be the length of two fingers]. If there is an uncertainty as to whether it [the opening] was the size of the tube of a flask or was not the size of the tube of a flask, it is invalid because it is [a requirement] from the Torah [to immerse in a valid <i>mikveh</i>, and therefore we rule stringently on the matter]. Similarly [we rule stringently in a situation of uncertainty] regarding an olive's bulk of a corpse, and an olive's bulk of a carcass, and a lentil's bulk of a vermin. Anything that will stand in [an opening] the size of the tube of a flask, reduces it [from being that size, and thus from being able to be a connection between <i>mikvaot</i>]. Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel says: any thing that is created out of the water is pure [i.e. does not reduce the size of the opening].

מְטַהֲרִים אֶת הַמִּקְוָאוֹת, הָעֶלְיוֹן מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹן, וְהָרָחוֹק מִן הַקָּרוֹב. כֵּיצַד. מֵבִיא סִלּוֹן שֶׁל חֶרֶס אוֹ שֶׁל אֲבָר, וּמַנִּיחַ יָדוֹ תַּחְתָּיו, עַד שֶׁהוּא מִתְמַלֵּא מַיִם, וּמוֹשְׁכוֹ וּמַשִּׁיקוֹ, אֲפִלּוּ כַשַּׂעֲרָה, דַּיּוֹ. הָיָה בָעֶלְיוֹן אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה וּבַתַּחְתּוֹן אֵין כְּלוּם, מְמַלֵּא בַכָּתֵף וְנוֹתֵן לָעֶלְיוֹן, עַד שֶׁיֵּרְדוּ לַתַּחְתּוֹן אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה:

<i>Mikvaot</i> can be purified [i.e. made valid], a higher one by a lower one, and a distant one by a near one. How so? One brings a pipe of earthenware or lead [and puts one end in the upper <i>mikveh</i>], and puts his hand under [the other end of] it until it fills with water, and he brings it and touches it [to the lower and valid <i>mikveh</i>] even by a hair's width; that is sufficient [to render the upper <i>mikveh</i> valid]. If the upper [<i>mikveh</i>] contained forty <i>se'ah</i> [of valid waters], and the lower one had nothing, one can fill [water] by one's shoulder [i.e. drawn water which one carried over] and add to the upper one, until forty <i>se'ah</i> flow down into the lower one.

כֹּתֶל שֶׁבֵּין שְׁתֵּי מִקְוָאוֹת שֶׁנִּסְדַּק לַשְּׁתִי, מִצְטָרֵף. וְלָעֵרֶב, אֵין מִצְטָרֵף, עַד שֶׁיְּהֵא בְמָקוֹם אֶחָד כִּשְׁפוֹפֶרֶת הַנּוֹד. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, חִלּוּף הַדְּבָרִים. נִפְרְצוּ זֶה בְתוֹךְ זֶה, עַל רוּם, כִּקְלִפַּת הַשּׁוּם. וְעַל רֹחַב, כִּשְׁפוֹפֶרֶת הַנּוֹד:

Regarding a wall [dividing] between two <i>mikvaot</i> [which only contain forty <i>se'ah</i> if combined], if it [the wall] was split along its warp [i.e. height-wise, from top to bottom], it is [considered] joined together [and both are valid]; if along its woof [i.e. lengthwise, from side to side], it is not [considered] combined, unless there is [at least] one place [where there is an opening] the size of the tube of a flask. Rabbi Yehuda says: the matter is reversed. If they [the waters] breached into one another [i.e if the was top of the wall was breached and waters mix together there, a breach] the height of a garlic peel and the width of the tube of a flask [is sufficient for them to be considered combined].

הָאָבִיק שֶׁבַּמֶּרְחָץ, בִּזְמַן שֶׁהוּא בָאֶמְצַע, פּוֹסֵל. מִן הַצַּד, אֵינוֹ פוֹסֵל, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא כְמִקְוֶה סָמוּךְ לְמִקְוֶה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, אִם מְקַבֶּלֶת הָאַמְבָּטִי רְבִיעִית עַד שֶׁלֹּא יַגִּיעוּ לָאָבִיק, כָּשֵׁר. וְאִם לָאו, פָּסוּל. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי צָדוֹק אוֹמֵר, אִם מְקַבֵּל הָאָבִיק כָּל שֶׁהוּא, פָּסוּל:

Regarding a drain [at the bottom of a <i>mikveh</i>] in a bath, when it is in the middle, it invalidates [the <i>mikveh</i>]; when it is on the side, it does not invalidate, since it is like a <i>mikveh</i> adjacent to a <i>mikveh</i>, according to Rabbi Meir. And the Sages say: if the tub can contain a <i>revi'it</i> [a specific measure of volume, a quarter of a <i>log</i>] before they [the waters] reach the drain, it is valid; and if not, it is invalid. Rabbi Elazar in the name of Rabbi Tzadok says: if the drain can contain any amount, it invalidates.

הַמַּטְהֶרֶת שֶׁבַּמֶּרְחָץ, הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה מְלֵאָה שְׁאוּבִין וְהָעֶלְיוֹנָה מְלֵאָה כְשֵׁרִין, אִם יֵשׁ כְּנֶגֶד הַנֶּקֶב שְׁלשָׁה לֻגִּין, פָּסוּל. כַּמָּה יְהֵא בַנֶּקֶב וְיִהְיֶה בוֹ שְׁלשָׁה לֻגִּין. אַחַד מִשְּׁלשׁ מֵאוֹת וְעֶשְׂרִים לַבְּרֵכָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי. וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, אֲפִלּוּ הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה מְלֵאָה כְשֵׁרִים וְהָעֶלְיוֹנָה מְלֵאָה שְׁאוּבִין וְיֵשׁ בְּצַד הַנֶּקֶב שְׁלשָׁה לֻגִּין, כָּשֵׁר, שֶׁלֹּא אָמְרוּ אֶלָּא שְׁלשָׁה לֻגִּין שֶׁנָּפְלוּ:

Regarding the purifying pools in a bathhouse [used for rinsing off in cold water after a warm bath], where a lower one is filled with drawn waters and an upper one is filled with valid [waters], if there are three <i>log</i> opposite the opening [connecting the two pools], it [the upper pool] is invalid [due to the three <i>log</i>, if it contains fewer than forty <i>se'ah</i>]. How far must the hole span in order for it to contain three <i>log</i>? One three-hundred-twentieth of the pool [i.e. since three is one three-hundred-twentieth of 960, which is the number of <i>log</i> in forty <i>se'ah</i>], according to Rabbi Yose. Rabbi Elazar says: even if the lower one is full of valid [water] and the upper one is full of drawn water, and there are three <i>log</i> opposite the opening, it is valid, for they [the Sages] only said "three <i>log</i> that fell" [into a incomplete <i>mikveh</i> invalidate it; and such a case is not considered falling in].