Comentario sobre Keilim 16:10

כל כלי עץ. שלחן הכפול – it is made by links/segment of earth cut out in digging a pit and piled up on its border or sections, and after they remove it, they fold the segments or sections one top of the other, and each segment is a vessel on its own.

A wooden vessel that was broken into two parts becomes clean, except for a folding table, a dish with compartments for [different kinds of] food, and a householder's footstool.
Rabbi Judah says: a double dish and a Babylonian drinking vessel are subject to the same law.
When do wooden vessels begin to be susceptible to impurity?
A bed and a cot, after they are sanded with fishskin. If the owner determined not to sand them over they are susceptible to impurity. Rabbi Meir says: a bed becomes susceptible to impurity as soon as three rows of meshes have been knitted in it.
Section one: Generally, if a wooden vessel is broken into two parts it becomes clean if it was previously impure. So too, the two parts are no longer susceptible to impurity. The exceptions are wooden vessels whose pieces can still be used when the original vessel is cut into two. All of the vessels listed here can be used even when broken into two parts.
Section two: The mishnah now asks the question that it has asked with regard to vessels made of other types of material (earthenware and metal) when is the manufacture of the vessel completed such that the vessel can become impure?
For a bed and a cot to be susceptible, the wood frame must have been sanded.
However, if the owner decided to use them without sanding them, then they are susceptible even without sanding.
Beds were made by tying ropes under the frame and then tightening them to form a support (hence the phrase sleep tight!). The ropes ran the length and the breadth of the bed. According to Rabbi Meir, as soon as three rows are made in each direction, the bed is usable and is susceptible to impurity.

תמחוי המזנון (a plate with many partitions – each of which, if separated, may be a receptacle) – a very large dish and within it are small dishes, and they place on each of the smaller dishes a course of cooked food. And because there is within it many different kinds, it is called תמחוי המזנון/a plate with many partitions. And in Aramaic translation it is called למינו לזנוהי.

אפיפורין (saddle cloth – protuberance/shape of the human buttock) – the seat of limbs.

המגס (tray, plate, dish) – the Aramaic translation of קערה מגיסתא/a dish from a tray.

קוד הבבלי (wooden Babylonian bowl – fragments of which may be used as a receptacle) – like a kind of wooden dish. And it is the language of the Sages, as it is explained, of a מקדה בזויה/fragment of a degraded vessel used for carrying fire. And all of these vessels, even though they were divided, remained in each section of them the form of a vessel. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yehuda.

משישופם בעור הדג (from when he rubs them with fish skin) – to remove the chips that are in them. For prior to this, they are not appropriate for the work, that they wound the skin. But if they are not lacking anything other than the rubbing of glistening and scouring/washing, we hold [see Tractate Hullin 25a]: “unfinished wood vessels that is to be adorned with designs and polished are ritually impure.”

גמר שלא לשוף – he determined in his heart to use them even though he will not polish/rub them any further.

שלשה בתים – when they make a partition by means of net-work/like lattices to the bed with ropes, between each rope it is called a בית/row. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Meir.

הסלים של עץ – from when is the completion of their manufacture?

Introduction Our mishnah deals with the completion of the manufacturing of various types of baskets.

משיחסום (to form the rim of basketwork or of a leather bag) – when a person makes a large vessel or a basket and completes the rim/peels them, this is החסימה/forming of the rim of a basket.

Wooden baskets [become susceptible to impurity] as soon as their rims are rounded off and their rough ends are smoothed off. Wooden baskets are considered to be completed once the loose ends around the rim of the basket are tied together and the ends of pieces of wood are cut off, both on the rim and inside. From this point on the basket is susceptible to impurity.

ויקנב (trimmed them – pinched off the projecting pricks) – after he completes the rim, when there remained the chips at the head of the protruding skin-like, scaly envelope of reed, he cuts and lops them off. And this is קניבה/trimming

But those that are made of palm-branches [become susceptible to impurity] even though their ends were not smoothed off on the inside, since they are allowed to remain in this condition. Baskets made of palm-branches do not need for their ends to be cut off on the insides of the basket, because they are used even without this step being performed. Again, the principle is straightforward a vessel is considered to be completed once it is in a state in which people will typically use it.

תמרה – baskets made from dried branches/twigs of palm-trees.

A basket [of reed-grass becomes susceptible to impurity] as soon as its rim is rounded off, its rough ends are smoothed off, and its hanger is finished. The basket made of reed grass referred to here has a hanger by which it can be hung. Since this hanger is necessary for its normal functioning, it is not susceptible until the hanger is completed. Other than that, the other steps needed for wooden vessels also apply.

שכן מקיימין – without trimming.

A wicker basket flasks or for cups [is susceptible to impurity] even if the rough ends were not smoothed off on the inside, since these are allowed to remain in this condition. Evidently, wicker baskets used to hold flasks or cups are used in a state similar to the palm-branch baskets mentioned in section two. Therefore, they too do not need their inside parts to be finished off for them to be susceptible.

כלכלה (basket – containing chosen fruits-designated for use) – a basket made of bulrushes.

בית הלגינים (case of wickerwork for flasks) – a vessel in which they place flasks for preservation.

בית הכוסות – a vessel that they hide cups In it

הקנונין – a reed basket that they select in it pulse. And it is made from the twigs of palm trees.

Introduction Our mishnah deals with various types of baskets and when they become susceptible to impurity.

קלתות (vase-shaped basket/woman’s work basket) – small vessels.

Small reed baskets and baskets [become susceptible to impurity] as soon as their rims are rounded off and their rough ends are smoothed off. These small baskets are ready for use and therefore susceptible as soon as their ends are tied and the loose pieces cut off, as was the rule with regard to the baskets mentioned in yesterday's mishnah.

סוגים – large vessels [with partitions].

Large reed baskets and large hampers, as soon as two rows have been made round their sides. Larger baskets are susceptible as soon as they have a bottom and they are built up two rows from the bottom. It seems that since they were large in their width, their sides did not need to be too high.

שני דורים לרוחב שלהן (two wreaths on their width) – after they wove the rims of the vessel, they weave around it circles according to what they want to be the width of the walls in its height, and those round/circular bands/walls are called דורים/wreaths.

The container of a sifter or a sieve and a cup of the balances, as soon as one circling band has been made round their sides. These containers don't even need to be built up two rows one row is sufficient for them to be of minimal use.

וכן של מאזנים – the base on which they place upon it the balance.

A willow basket, as soon as two twists have been made around its wide sides. The word "twists" which I have translated here reflects the fact that the Hebrew uses a different word for rows and twists. However, commentators interpret them to mean basically the same thing, the only difference being that willow and rush baskets are made in a slightly different fashion. Nevertheless, if they are built up two rows/twists, they are susceptible.

דור אחד – from when he lifts up the rim by one circular band.

And a rush basket, as soon as one twist has been made round it. The rule regarding rush baskets is the same as that regarding the containers mentioned in section three.

שתי צפירות (two circuits/circles) – two goings-around.

והערק (a long and flat vessel made of rush/bamboo) – that its rim is not as tall as the rim of the large vessel.

משיעשה צפירה אחת טמא – and the long and flat vessel made of bamboo and its length is greater than its width, the writing of shoe-makers/saddlers is called ערק/long and flat vessel made of bamboo. It is the Aramaic translation of (Genesis 14:23): “[I will not take] so much as a thread or a sandal strap [of what is yours]” until the sandal strap. But because it is a bulrush and shoe, they have the law of a wooden vessel, therefore, we teach them together with wooden vessels.

תורמל ([leather] bag) – a large leather pouch/bag that the shepherd places food and all things. And it is similar to it, but not the shepherd with his sack/bag.

Introduction Today's mishnah begins to deal with leather vessels and when they become susceptible to impurity.

קיחותיו (shepherd’s bag) – its rims, like kinds of small ears/handles surrounding the leather bag, and he puts into those handles ropes that they close it with.

When do leather vessels become susceptible to impurity?
A leather pouch, as soon as its hem has been stitched, its rough ends trimmed and its straps sewn on. Rabbi Judah says: so soon as its ears have been sewn on. A leather pouch's manufacturing is completed once its hem has been stitched, its rough ends trimmed and the straps used to cinch it up are sewn on. Note that this is similar to the rule regarding baskets that we learned in yesterday's mishnah. Rabbi Judah says that the processing is complete once its two "ears" or handles have been sewn on. Throughout this mishnah Rabbi Judah seems to give a later stage as the time when the item is susceptible to impurity. This means his opinion is more lenient.

סקורטיא (leather coat, apron, table cover) – leather that the tanners wear at the time of their work.

A leather apron [becomes susceptible to impurity] as soon as its hem has been stitched, its rough end trimmed and its strings sewn on. Rabbi Judah says: as soon as its loops have been sewn on. The rule and the debate between the first opinion and Rabbi Judah concerning a leather apron are nearly identical to that which was in section one.

ציציתה (show-fringe) – like a kind of ritual fringes/Tzitzit of a Tallit/prayer shawl. So, we make the threads on its corners to tie attach them. But Maimonides explained, that סקורטיא, is leather that we eat upon, and its show-fringes is in the middle of the leather that we place upon it a foil/plate of metal for adornment, the language of the golden front plate (ציץ הזהב), which is a foil/plate of gold.

A leather bed cover [becomes susceptible] as soon as its hem has been stitched and its rough ends trimmed. Rabbi Judah says: as soon as its straps have been sewn on. The straps to which Rabbi Judah refers are used to attach the bed cover to the bed. Note that leather bed covers, cushions and mattresses do not have receptacles and therefore we would think that they should not be susceptible to impurity (see 15:1). However, they are susceptible because a vessel made for sitting or lying is susceptible even without a receptacle.

טבעותיה – a copper or iron ring that they place on the edge of the leather coat.

A leather cushion or mattress [becomes susceptible] as soon as its hem has been stitched and its rough ends trimmed. Rabbi Judah says: as it has been sew up and less than five handbreadths remained open. Rabbi Judah says that the cushion or mattress is not susceptible until most of it has been sewn up so that it can be stuffed with whatever cushioning will go inside.

קטבליא (leather curtain, spread, cover – hide spread over the bed frame) – leather that they spread over the bed. And they call it NATAH in Arabic. And flat leather vessels are susceptible to receive ritual defilement from the Rabbis alone, like flat wooden utensils, and their law is similar in that they are not susceptible to receive ritual defilement from Torah, but rather from the Rabbis in all of the rest of the defilements except for the uncleanness caused by an unclean person lying o an object and the uncleanness caused by an unclean person’s sitting (i.e., the unclean seat) which ae made uncleanness by lying and uncleanness by sitting from the Torah when they are designated for this.

הכר והכסת – a mattress is smaller than a cushion, and is made to place under their heads. But the cushion [is made to be placed] underneath all of his body.

פחות מחמשה טפחים – they leave over/reserve because of the opening to bring in from there the hackled wool/lint/soft spongy substance to fill the mattress and the cushion.

פטיליא (wicker work – a sort of bale for packing dates, figs, etc.) – a basket made from species of trough, and they store in it dried figs.

Introduction Our mishnah continues to deal with the case of baskets you might call it another basketcase! (I know, this was not good, but I couldn't resist).

וחסינה (a wicker work used for purposes of storage) – like a kind of basket made from thorns, and they place plaster/clay upon it.

A basket [for figs] is susceptible to uncleanness but a basket for wheat is clean. The basket for figs is considered to be a vessel and therefore it is susceptible to impurity. But the basket for wheat is not usually moved, and therefore it is not susceptible.

סוגניות (loosely woven mats made of leaves [for covering up fruit]) – it is the language of סוגה בשושנים/”hedged about with lilies (Song of Songs 7:3). They make a kind of small basket of osier from the leaves and they cover fruits with it, but it is not other than a temporary construction.

Small baskets made of leaves are clean, but those made of branches are susceptible to uncleanness. The small baskets made of leaves are clean because they are only used in a temporary fashion, and therefore they don't have the status of "vessel." However, if the same basket is made of branches, it is more permanent and it does have the status of vessel.

נצרים (sprouts, shoots) – from the band made of palm-bark (i.e., wicker).

The palm wrapping [in which dates are left] and into which they can be easily put and from which they can easily be taken out is susceptible to uncleanness, but if this cannot be done without tearing it or undoing it, it is clean. To aid in the ripening of dates, they would wrap them in the leaves of the palm tree. If this wrapping had an opening which made it easy to add and remove dates, then it is considered a vessel and it is susceptible to impurity. However, if in order to remove or add dates one had to tear or undo the wrapping, then it is not a vessel. This seems to me analogous to some of the items we use on a daily basis. If one has to tear a wrapper, then it's not a vessel, because it can't be reused. But if one can easily open a lid, then the container has at least the potential to be used again in the future.

חותל (a bale which you can add to or take from – without cutting it open/wrapper of reed-matting) – a vessel that we make from the dried branches of the palm, and we place in it moist palm and they ripen in it.

נותן לתוכו ונוטל מתוכו – but if he is not able to remove the date-palms unless he tears it or loosens his dried palm branches, it is pure, for since he tears it or loosens it/unties it, he casts it into the dunghill/trash for it is of temporary use.

קסייא (a sort of glove for laborers) – a leather glove.

The leather glove of winnowers, travelers, or flax workers is susceptible to uncleanness.
But the one for dyers or blacksmiths is clean.
Rabbi Yose says: the same law applies to the glove of grist dealers.
This is the general rule: that which is made for holding anything is susceptible to uncleanness, but that which only affords protection against perspiration is clean.
Today's mishnah deals with the purity of gloves. The general rule is stated clearly in section four: if the glove is made to protect the hand while holding potentially lacerating or irritating objects, then the glove is considered a receptacle and it is susceptible. However, if it is only made to prevent slippage due to sweat, then it is not susceptible. To use a modern case: a baseball fielder's mitt would be susceptible because it is meant to hold the ball. Without it, one would hurt one's hands. But a wide receiver's gloves are meant largely to give him a better grip on the ball and to prevent slippage due to sweat. Therefore they would probably be pure.
The mishnah itself is straightforward once we know the general rule, therefore I have refrained from commenting below.

של זורי גרנות והולכי דרכים ושל עושי פשתן טמאה – for since it is made in order to hold the thing in his hand well so that it not become detached from him, or in order that a thorn not become inserted/stuck in his hand, it is called made for reception, for since the thing that he is holding on to lies on the glove and receives it.

של גרוסות (of grist-makers) – that make pounded beans in the millstone.

מפני הזיעה – to absorb the perspiration in order to cool off his skin that he not perspire. Alternatively, the sweat of his hands will soil the thing that he is holding on to.

טהור – for it is considered temporary usage.

מלקוט (the bag – for receiving the excrements of working cattle) – leather that they place in the eyes of the cow in order that it should turn around and thresh.

The dung bag of a bull and its muzzle, a bee shelf, and a fan are clean.
The cover of a small box is susceptible to uncleanness;
The cover of a clothes chest is clean.
The cover of a box, the cover of a basket, a carpenter's vice, a cushion under a box or its arched cover, a reading-desk for a book, a bolt-socket, a lock-socket, a mezuzah case, a lyre case, a violin case, the block of the turban-makers, a wooden musical toy horse, the clappers of a wailing woman, a poor man's parasol, bed posts, a tefillin mould, and the mould of string makers all these are clean.
This is the general rule which Rabbi Yose stated: all objects that serve as a protection to objects that a man uses, both when the latter are in use and when they are not in use, are susceptible to uncleanness; but those that serve them as a protection only when the latter are in use are clean.
Section one: The dung bag is attached to the bull and used to collect its dung when it is threshing. Think of it as a bull-diaper (I wouldn't want to be one to change it!). The muzzle keeps the bull from eating. The bee shelf is placed in front of the hive and the bees sit on it before entering. None of these objects is susceptible because none of them are considered to be vessels.
Section two: Since people will use the cover of the small (jewelry) box to hold things, even temporarily, it is susceptible.
Section three: In contrast, people don't use the cover of a clothes chest, so it is not considered a vessel.
Sections four-five: The mishnah now contains a long list of items that are clean. Rabbi Yose's general rule in section five explains why they are pure. If an item is used to protect and store other objects then it is susceptible. The fact that it is used to store something when not in use proves that we consider it a container. However, if it is only used when the object it serves is in use then it is not considered to be susceptible. For instance, if a lid is only used on a container when the container is full, then the lid is pure. But if the lid is always on the vessel, then it is susceptible.
We should note that some of the objects in section four would seem to be used for storage. Therefore commentators explain that the "cases" here do not have receptacles and therefore are not susceptible to impurity.

החסום (muzzle) – like a kind of small net/trap of ropes that muzzle the in it the mouth of the cow in order that it cannot eat.

מדף של דבורים (vessel used for smoking the bees out) – a vessel that they place in it fire and the dung of cattle and they fumigate in order that the swarms of bees from the beehive will flee and he will take the honey. [This is] from the language of (Psalms 1:4): “[they are like the chaff] that wind blows away/אשר-תדפנו רוח.”

והמנפה (and the fan) – a vessel/utensil that they wave on the hot days to bring the wind.

קופסא (the lid of a box) – a kind of small box/chest that the woman places in it her ornaments and places upon it a cover from above.

קמטרא – a chest that they protect clothing in it. We translate in Aramaic [the Biblical phrase] (2 Kings 10:22): “[He said to the man in charge] of the wardrobe, [‘Bring out the vestments for all the worshipers of Baal]” as on the chest protecting the clothing.

והמכבש (the carpenter’s vise – for straightening wood) – [every wood carpenter/artisan] has, according his trade a place that he stores and gathers the wood that is crooked and curved until he straightens it out.

והקמרון (arched lid) – the cover that is upon the chest that is made like a kind of arched compartment.

אנליגין (reading desk/pulpit) – a leather case that they make for a Scroll and they place it inside of it.

בית הנגר (door-bolt socket) – a leather case that the carpenter puts inside of it, which is the peg that they place on the back of the door.

ובית המנעול (lock-socket)– the leather case that they place in it the lock that locks the door.

ובית המזוזה – the metal beam that they place the Mezuzah in.

והאמום של גודלי מצנפות (the block of the cap-makers) – a frame like a kind of head of a person that they prepare for him the priest’s turban.

והמרכוף (name of a musical instrument for he accompaniment of songs) – it is like a kind of wooden horse that the jesters/scoffers play with. But there are those who interpret/explain this, a wooden utensil of cedar that is made for music.

ורביעית של אליית (wailer’s musical instrument) – and “with sistrums and cymbals,”(see II Samuel 6:5) that we translate in the Aramaic: “a sistra and cymbals.”

של אליית – of the female wailers. Like (Joel 1:8): “Lament – like a maiden girt with sackcloth [for the husband of her youth!].”

וסמוכות המטה (supports/pillars of the bed) – beams that support the bed that it would not fall.

טפוס של תפילין (block on which the case of the Tefillin is shaped) – like the frame of the Tefillin.

אמום של עושי סאגוס (model/frame of dressmakers) – frame of those who make chains. That they make them on top of a model/frame, that is [on top of] a block. But Maimonides has the reading, עושי סותות/those who make dresses. It is the language of (Genesis 49:11): “His robe in blood of grapes.” And it is a wooden frame that one sews clothing upon it.

משמשי משמשיו של אדם (all accessory items of essential equipment) – as for example, the coverings of utensils/vessels and the cases of vessels, which are made to serve the utensils that human beings use.

בשעת מלאכה ושלא בשעת מלאכה – at the time when the covering services the vessel to protect what is within it, which is at the time of its service. But when there is nothing inside the vessel, that it doesn’t require a covering, it is called, not at the time of its service. But there are vessels that they always place the covering upon them whether it is full or whether it is empty, even though the covering is not attached to it, since it us generally always upon it. And this general principle of Rabbi Yossi refers to flat wooden vessels that service the vessels, but receptacles defile in every matter. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yossi.

הפגיון (dagger) – a knife that has wo mouths.

The sheath of a sword, a knife or a dagger, the case for scissors, or shears or a razor, the case of make-up and the make-up box, the stylus case, the compass case, the tablet case, the case for a board, a quiver and a javelin case all these are susceptible to uncleanness.
The case for a double flute is susceptible to uncleanness if the instrument is put in from above, but if it is put in from the side it is clean.
A case for flutes Rabbi Judah says it is clean because these are put in from the side.
The covering of a club, a bow or a spear is clean.
This is the general rule: that which serves as a case is susceptible to uncleanness, but that which is merely a covering is clean.
Our mishnah deals with cases for weapons and musical instruments. Sections one through five bring various examples of cases, but the explanation for the entire mishnah comes in section five. If the case is used for storage then it is susceptible. This means that it is something that the vessel is put into, such as the sheath of a sword. But if it is merely a "covering" and not a "container" it is not susceptible. To use a modern example a bread box would be susceptible, but a hallah cover would not.
In section two, if the double flute is put in from the top, then the case is considered to be a container and it is susceptible. However, if it is put in from the side, then it is considered to only be a covering.
I think the rest of the mishnah is understandable in light of the general rule in section five.

תיק מכוחל (a chest containing a staff used for painting the eye) – the case of a utensil that they paint the eye with it.

ובית הכחול (case for the eye paint) – the vessel that protects the eye-paint that is in it.

מכתב (stylus, writing tool) – a bronze and iron writing pen/reed.

תרונתיק (trident, fork used in writing – probably for leveling the paper) – two cases. And it is one vessel and inside are many divided cases/sheaths, for reeds, knives and scissors. And the doctors of the associations/communities use this vessel a great deal. And in the foreign language, PINAROL.

פגושות (catapult) – wide arrows and they wound those who receive them and we translate it in Aramaic ומחת פגושוהי/and he wounds with a battering projectile.

מצדו טהור – that all that one he brings into it from the side is not considered a case but rather a mere covering.

סמפוניא – a [molten] metal musical instrument.

האלה (wrapping of a lance] – a copper staff and at its top is a circle like a ball, and pegs that are similar to almonds come out from it. In Arabi they call is DVUS.

העשוי לחיפוי – for covering. It is the Aramaic translation of cover/roofing.

טהור – as it is taught in a Baraita, it is possible that I increase the covering of vessels for impurity, as the inference teaches us (Leviticus 11:32): “[And anything on which one of them falls when dead shall be impure: be it any article of wood, or a cloth or a skin, or a sack – ] any such article that can be put to use [shall be dipped in water, and it shall remain impure until evening; then it shall be pure].”