Comentario sobre Keilim 17:21

כל כלי בעלי בתים שיעורן ברמונים – if they made an incision while removing a pomegranate, they are ritually pure.

All [wooden] vessels that belong to householder [become clean if the holes in them are] the size of pomegranates.
Rabbi Eliezer says: [the size of the hole depends] on what it is used for. Gardeners’ vegetable baskets [become clean if the holes in them are] the size of bundles of vegetables. Baskets of householders [become clean if the holes in them are] the size of [bundles] of straws. Those of bath-keepers, if bundles of chaff [will drop through].
Rabbi Joshua says: in all these the size is that of pomegranates.
In previous chapters 3:1 and 14:1 we learned that a vessel gets a hole in it large enough so that the vessel will not be use the vessel becomes pure. Our mishnah deals with this rule concerning wood and leather vessels.
Section one: According to the first opinion in the mishnah, all wooden vessels which are owned by non-professionals are clean if the hole that appears in the them is the size of a pomegranate. This is the same opinion as Rabbi Joshua in section six.
Section two: Rabbi Eliezer disagrees with Rabbi Joshua and holds that there is no standard for how big the hole must be. It all depends on what the vessel is used for.
Rabbi Eliezer now illustrates this rule with regard to several types of wooden baskets.
The chaff collected by the bath-keepers is used to heat the fires to keep the bath warm.
I have interpreted the mishnah according to the interpretation offered by most major commentators. In contrast, Albeck interprets the words that I have translated in Rabbi Eliezer's statement to mean "at the smallest size." According to this interpretation, Rabbi Eliezer says that the smallest hole renders a wooden vessel owned by a householder clean. This impacts our interpretation of the following sections. According to Albeck's interpretation, these sections are not the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer but rather the anonymous opinion. It would seem that the vessels listed here are not "vessels belonging to householders" and therefore their measure is not that of a pomegranate. Rabbi Joshua disagrees and holds that even in these cases, the measure is that of a pomegranate.

ר' אליעזר אומר במה שהן – all the vessel, their measure is when they are not appropriate to use them in the form the usage that they would initially use them. As for example, vessels that are designated for figs, their measure is when they remove a fig, and those which are designated for olives, their measure is when one removes an olive. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Eliezer.

קופות הגננים – baskets that those who own the gardens that they are used to place vegetables in them.

שיעורן במוציא אגודות ירק and in this, the first Tanna/teacher agrees with Rabbi Eliezer that their measure is not when removing a pomegranate.

בתבן – when removing straw.

גבבא – thin straw mixed in manure. It is the Aramaic translation of (Exodus 5:12): “[Then the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt] to gather stubble for straw,” raking stubble/straw [that is rounded]. But the bathing attendants, that is, the owners of the bathhouses burn it in the bathhouses.

כולן ברמונים – whether they are of those who own homes or those who are gardeners. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yehoshua.

פקעיות של שתי (measured by ordinary size of warp/longitudinal clews) – the yarn of the warp/longitudinal clews is thinner than that of the latitudinal ones, as is found in [Tractate] Ketubot 64b, in Chapter [Five]"אף על פי" /Even though. And the longitudinal/warp clews are smaller than the latitudinal/woof clews. And the explanation of פקעיות is GLOMARI in the foreign tongue. Alternatively, MATASI in the foreign tongue.

A skin bottle [becomes clean if the holes in it are of] a size through which warp-stoppers [can fall out].
If a warp-stopper cannot be held in, but it can still hold a woof-stopper it remains unclean.
A dish holder that cannot hold dishes but can still hold trays remains unclean.
A chamber- pot that cannot hold liquids but can still hold excrements remains unclean.
Rabban Gamaliel rules that it is clean since people do not usually keep one that is in such a condition.
Section one: The warp-stopper is smaller than the woof-stopper. According to the opinion in this section, if the smaller stopper can fall out, the skin-bottle is impure.
Section two: Albeck explains that this section, and sections two through four, are all the opinion of the sages who disagree with Rabban Gamaliel, whose opinion is in section one. The sages hold that as long as the skin can hold the larger woof-stopper it is usable and remains unclean.
Sections three and four: This is a continuation of the sages' opinion. The sages hold that as long as the original vessel can hold something similar to that which it was designated to hold, or one of the things that it was designated to hold, the vessel is still unclean.
Section five: Rabban Gamaliel disagrees and holds that since people generally discard such things, they are no longer unclean. This accords with what Albeck ascribes to him in section one.

אע"פ שמקבלת של ערב טמאה – this is what he said: But even though it does not receive warp clews, if it receives woof clews, it is ritually unclean. That its measure is the removal of the woof, which is larger than removing the warp. And similarly, even though it holds trays, it is ritually impure, that is to say, even though the incision is large and it doesn’t hold/receive the dishes, if it holds/receives the trays which are larger than the dishes, it is still called worthy of its first usage and is ritually impure.

אע"פ שמקבל את הרעי – even though it (i.e., a night chamber/chamber pot) [which is too defective] does not receive/retain the liquids, if it retains solid excrement, like the chamber pot/night chamber, it is ritually impure. The digestive organ, like the night chamber/chamber pot. A vessel that one eases oneself in and it has excrement and urine in it.

מפני שאין מקיימין אותו – is our reading (“because they do not keep it”). But there are those who have the reading of “because they keep it.” But it refers to the matter of the first Tanna/teacher, who stated, that if it keeps the woof and the trays and the digestive organ is ritually impure, because they keep it and protect it, since it is appropriate for this. But the Halakha is not according to Rabban Gamaliel.

שיעורן בככרות של פת – the measure of their breakage through the removal of loaves of bread.

Bread-baskets [become clean if] the size [of their hole is such] that loaves of bread [would fall through]. This section continues the list found in yesterday's mishnah.

אפיפיירות (frames for hangings – to which reeds were fastened from the bottom upwards – crosswise – for support) – a woven utensil made from reeds or vine-shoots.

Papyrus frames through into which reeds were inserted from the bottom upwards to strengthen them, are clean. If he fixed walls to it, they are susceptible to impurity. Rabbi Shimon says: if it cannot be lifted up by these walls it is clean. These vessels were made of weak papyrus and then reeds were inserted into the frame in order to strengthen them. The vessel is still clean because it is not considered to have a receptacle. The reeds don't seem to have been strong enough to really make it useful. However, if he fixes walls for them, then they are susceptible to impurity because they are strong enough to be considered vessels. Rabbi Shimon says that the walls must be strong enough that the vessel can be lifted by them. Otherwise it is not considered a vessel and it is clean.

שעשה לה קנים מלמטה למעלה – that their borders/rims were opened and they brought in reeds from the bottom to the top to strength the rims at the bottom of the vessel.

גפים (handles) – that they attached as a rim. [It is] the Aramaic translation of ויחבק/and he embraced and throw arms around. Another explanation: arms/handles – that he made for them handles.

אם אינה יכולה לינטל גפים – that when he holds the handles, the vessel does not go up with him (and it is not susceptible to receiving ritual defilement).

הרמונים שאמרו – that which is taught at the beginning of our chapter, “All Utensils of householders – their measure [is] with pomegranates” (Chapter 17, Mishnah 1), when there would be three pomegranates fastened with each other, and one came out through the path of an incision, this is the measure of someone removing a pomegranate.

Introduction In the first mishnah of this chapter we learned that if the vessel has a hole large enough to let pomegranates fall through, it is clean. Our mishnah expands on that mishnah.

כדי שיטול ויהלך (sufficient in order that one may take and shake) – that through the waving/shaking of taking it and shaking it – the pomegranate speedily leaves through the incision.

The pomegranates of which they have spoken--three attached to one another. In mishnah one of this chapter, the first (and anonymous) opinion stated that if a wooden or leather vessel has a hole large enough to let out pomegranates, the vessel is clean. Our mishnah states that the hole must be soooo large as to let out three pomegranates attached to one another. I don't know exactly how large this is, but it strikes me as quite large.

ובקופה כדי שיפשיל לאחוריו – that through hanging it behind him, he quickens the [pomegranate’s] leaving.

Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says: in a sifter or a sieve [the size of the hole must be such that a pomegranate will drop out] when one picks it up and walks about with it. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says that when it comes to a wooden sifter or a sieve if the hole is large enough so that the three pomegranates would fall out while they are being carried, it is clean, even if the pomegranates would not fall out while the vessel is stationary.

שאינן יכולים לקבל רמונים – that they are small.

In a basket it must be such [as would allow a pomegranate] to fall through while one hangs it behind him. This seems to be a continuation of Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel's opinion. When it comes to a basket, the pomegranates must be able to fall out when the person takes the basket and slings it behind his back.

כגון הרובע – a quarter of a Kab.

And all other vessels which cannot hold pomegranates as, for instance, the quarter kav measure and the half quarter kav measure, and small baskets, the size [of their holes must be] such as would extend over the greater part of them, the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Shimon says: [the size of their hole must be such that] olives [could fall through]. When it comes to small wooden or leather vessels which are too small to hold a pomegranate, they are susceptible to impurity until the hole covers a majority of them. If a majority of the vessel remains, then the vessel is still susceptible. Rabbi Shimon is more lenient and rules that the vessel is clean if olives can fall through.

שיעורן ברובן – since the majority was reduced/lowered, it is ritually pure.

If their sides were broken [the size of their hole must be] such as olives would drop through. If they are worn away the size must be such as would allow the objects which are usually kept in them [to drop through]. The anonymous opinion agrees with Rabbi Shimon if the sides of the vessel were broken. In such a case, if the hole will let olives fall through, it is clean. However, if the vessel was worn away at its edges, then it is susceptible as long as it can still hold the objects that are usually kept in it. [I should note that this is the traditional explanation. Albeck explains that the words I have translated as "as would allow the objects which are usually kept in them" to mean "in the smallest amount." According to this interpretation the rule is even more lenient if the vessel is worn away.]

נפרצו (if they were broken through) they were lessened and missing.

נגממו (if they are worn off – i.e., the sides of the vessel after becoming too thin) – at theirat their borders/rims.

שיעורן כמה שהן – if there remains In them to receive/retain any amount, they are ritually impure. But the Halakha is according to Rabbi Shimon.

הרמון שאמרו – that a vessel that is perforated with the removal of a pomegranate is ritually pure.

Introduction More discussion of pomegranates which by the way are delicious and very healthy. This mishnah begins a series of mishnayot which refer to various items that were used for the purposes of measuring. This will lead us to some side discussions about issues that don't relate directly to Tractate Kelim.

ולמה הוזכרו רמוני בדאן – because we don’t estimate through them, other than through an intermediate-sized pomegranate.

The pomegranate of which they spoke refers to one that is neither small nor big but of moderate size. The pomegranates referred to in previous mishnayot are of middle size.

שיהו מקדשים בהם – that if one of the pomegranates of Baddan are Orlah/fruit that grows during the first three years after a tree was planted or of food crops in a vineyard (i.e., it is forbidden to plant or maintain other crops in a vineyard – rendering the entire vineyard forbidden) that is mixed up/combined with one-thousand pomegranates that are permitted, all of them are sanctified/dedicated and forbidden, which is not the case with the pomegranates of other places.

And why did they mention the pomegranates of Baddan? That whatever their quantity they cause [other pomegranates] to be forbidden, the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri said: to use them as a measure for holes in vessels. Rabbi Akiva said: they were mentioned for both reasons: that they are to be used as a measure for holes in vessels and that whatever their quantity they cause [other pomegranates] to be forbidden. This section refers to an old halakhah concerning the pomegranates of Badan, a region in the north of Israel (Samaria). Our mishnah knows that something was said about these pomegranates by previous generations of sages, but the current sages debate why these pomegranates were mentioned. According to Rabbi Meir if orlah (produce during its first three years, which is prohibited) pomegranates are mixed up with non-orlah pomegranates, the whole lot is prohibited, no matter how few forbidden pomegranates there are. This deviates from the normal rule according to which as long as there are 200 permitted fruits for every orlah fruit, the whole mixture is permitted (see Orlah 3:7). Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri says that the pomegranates of Baddan were mentioned because they were the middle-sized pomegranates used to measure how large the holes must be for the vessel to be clean. Our chapter was written according to this perspective. Rabbi Akiva, the peacemaker, agrees with both opinions and says that the pomegranates were mentioned with regard to both halakhot.

Baddan is the name of a place.

Rabbi Yose said: the pomegranates of Baddan and the leeks of Geba were mentioned only to indicate that they must be tithed everywhere with certain tithe. Rabbi Yose has a different opinion. The pomegranates of Baddan and the leeks of Geba both come from Samaria, which was at the time dominated by the Samaritans. According to the rabbis the Samaritans did not tithe their produce, or at least did not do so in a proper fashion. Therefore, if a person bought pomegranates or leeks that grew in this region he can be sure that they were not tithed. And although usually when one buys produce from an am haaretz (a non-educated person) he only needs to separate tithes out of doubt (called demai, and there was a whole tractate about this) when it comes to this produce, he can be sure that the am haaretz didn't separate tithes, because the am haaretz will think that the Samaritan did. Note that Rabbi Yose is the only sage who connects this produce with the region from which it comes.

לשער בו את הכלים (to measure utensils with them) – for he holds that a person who removes a pomegranate of vessels, the pomegranates of Baddan measure them.

אמר ר' יהודה לא הוזכרו רמוני בדאין וכו' – but in regard to sanctification, there is no distinction between the pomegranates of Baddan and the rest of the pomegranates, for all are sanctified. For Rabbi Yehuda holds that everything whose manner is to be counted is sanctified. In the Chapter of the Mixtures (Chapter 8 of Tractate Zevakhim), and at the beginning of the Tractate Betzah (3a).

בדאן וגבע – two places of Cutheans, and the pomegranates and leeks of these places [from Rimon and Hatzir] of the rest of the places. But the Cutheans definitely do not tithe what they sell to others, and they are not anxious regarding [the Biblical verse in Leviticus 19:16): “place a stumbling block before the blind,” for even though for themselves they tithe, therefore, they definitely tithe in every place (previously certainly untithed).

חצירי – leeks are called PURUSH in the foreign tongue, like (Numbers 11:5): “the leeks and the onions.”

בביצה שאמרו – regarding the ritual impurity of food, that they do not defile with less than an egg’s bulk.

The egg of which they spoke it is one that is neither big nor small but of moderate size. Concerning many halakhic measures, the egg is used as the standard. The egg to which these halakhot refer is an egg of medium size.

ונותן לתוך מים – he fills a cup of water, and places into the largest of the large ones and the smallest of the small ones (i.e., eggs), and divides the volume of the water coming out into two parts and the one part is the measurement of an egg.

Rabbi Judah says: the largest and the smallest must be brought and put in water and the displaced water is then divided. The problem is that it is not easy to determine what egg is of medium size. As a solution Rabbi Judah says that one should bring the largest egg and the smallest egg and place both in a bowl of water. The water that is displaced can be divided into two to determine the volume of the medium egg.

וכי מי מודיעני – that is to say, that when a person takes the largest of the large ones, perhaps there is one larger than [even] that one. And similarly, the smallest of the small, perhaps thee is something smaller than it.

Rabbi Yose says: but who can tell me which is the largest and which is the smallest? Rather, it all depends on the observer's estimate. Even this method is not perfect, because it requires a person to know what the "largest" egg is and what the "smallest" egg is. In other words, there is no way to remove subjectivity from this. In the end, no matter what you do, it will always depend upon the subjective estimate of the observer.

הכל לפי דעתו של רואה – according to the estimate of his mind, which is the intermediate according to his eyesight. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yossi.

כגרוגרת שאמרו – for the removal [of foodstuffs] on Shabbat and to the merging of alleyways. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yehuda (see also Tractate Shabbat, Chapter Seven, Mishnah Four and Tractate Eruvin, Chapter 7, Mishnah 8).

The dried fig of which they spoke--- it is one that is neither big nor small but of moderate size. Dried figs are a measure used in several halakhot (see for instance Shabbat 7:4 and Kelim 3:2, and 4:2). As with the egg and pomegranate, these laws referred to medium sized eggs.

Rabbi Judah says: the biggest in the land of Israel is like one of medium size in other lands. Rabbi Judah now notes that what are considered to be large figs in the land of Israel, are only medium sized in other lands. Note that some commentators say that the mishnah should be reversed and read "the smallest in the land of Israel is like one of medium size in other lands." This would imply that the figs in Israel are the best. I can personally attest to the fact that the figs here in Israel are delicious, and I am tempted to go to the store right now and buy some (seriously). But I really don't know how good they are in surrounding countries, especially since I can't visit many of them.

כזית שאמרו – as for example, like an olive’s bulk from the dead or from the carrion that ritually defiles, and most of the measurements that are in the Torah are like an olive’s bulk.

The olive of which they spoke it is one that is neither big nor small but of moderate size the egori. Many halakhic measures are based on the olive, including many minimum measures of how much food a person needs to eat to fulfill a mitzvah. This olive is of medium size. This medium-sized olive even had a name the egori oliv.

אגורי (fit for storage, of good quality) – whose oil is stored within it (see Tractate Berakhot 39a).

The barleycorn of which they spoke it is one that is neither big nor small but of moderate size the midbarit The barleycorn is the size that a piece of a bone needs to be to convey impurity. This barleycorn is of medium size and it is called "midbarit," which means wild.

כשעורה שאמרו – a bone like a barleycorn (see also Tractate Negaim, Chapter Four, Mishnah Six).

The lentil of which they spoke it is one that is neither big nor small but of moderate size--the egyptian kind. For a piece of a dead creepy crawly thing (a sheretz) to convey impurity it needs to be the size of a medium lentil, of the Egyptian kind.

כעדשה שאמרו – a creeping thing defiles like that of a lentil, and is sustenance like that of a lentil.

"Any movable object conveys uncleanness if it is of the thickness of an ox goad" it is one that is neither big nor small but of moderate size. What is meant by "one of moderate size?" One whose circumference is just a handbreadth. This halakhah is taken from Ohalot 16:1 (a tractate which we have not yet learned). An "ohel" or tent is anything that overhangs. If a dead body or piece thereof is found under an ohel and under the same ohel there is a pure vessel, the dead body defiles the pure vessel. Here we learn that if the ohel is a movable object, it must be the thickness of a medium-sized ox goad. Its circumference must be at least one handbreadth for it to convey uncleanness.

מביאין טומאה – upon a person who carries them.

בעובי המרדע (like the thickness of an ox goad) – that is from the study of cattle, and its thickness is one finger and a third-of a finger in size, which are two fingers in smallness. And the handbreadth is four fingers in size, which are six small fingers. And it is found that its circumference is a handbreadth. For everything that is its width of a handbreadth there is in its circumference three handbreadths, but they (i.e., the Rabbis) decreed on that which has a circumference of a handbreadth, on account of that whose thickness is a handbreadth, that he brings the ritual defilement from the Torah.

האמה שאמרו – to the matters of Shabbat and Eruvin and Sukkah and the measurements [of the Temple] and Kilayim/mixed seeds.

The cubit of which they spoke is one of medium size. The measure of a cubit is a standard measure found in connection to many halakhot, including the issue of carrying on Shabbat (see Shabbat 11:3).

באמה בינונית – this cubit is six handbreadths long. For there is a cubit that is five [handbreadths] [that is smaller than it]. And there is larger cubit that is six [handbreadths] and a finger in length. But the cubit that is six [handbreadths] is the medium-sized one.

There were two standard cubits in Shushan Habirah, one in the north-eastern corner and the other in the south-eastern corner. The one in the north-eastern corner exceeded that of Moses by half a fingerbreadth, while the one in the south-eastern corner exceeded the other by half a fingerbreadth, so that the latter exceeded that of Moses by a fingerbreadth. Shushan Habirah is the capital of Persia, as mentioned in Esther. There was a place on the eastern gate of the Temple with a drawing of Shushan Habirah (see Middot 1:3). At this place there were two rods which were used to set the size of the amah, the cubit. The rod in northeastern corner was shorter than the other rod by a fingerbreadth. The cubit that was normative in the days of Moses was right in between the size of these two rods one fingerbreadth larger than the small rod and one fingerbreadth smaller than the large rod.

שתי אמות – two measurements that with them they measure the cubits, and each one of them is a cubit.

But why were there a larger and a smaller cubit? Only for this reason: so that craftsmen might take their orders according to the smaller cubit and return their finished work according to the larger cubit, so that they might not be guilty of any possible trespassing of Temple property. The mishnah now asks the logical question why have two different sized cubits? The answer has to do with the artisans who work for the Temple. These craftsmen would take their orders using the smaller cubit, meaning they would receive material from the Temple based on the smaller measure. Then when they made their products for the Temple, they would return them based on the larger measure. This ensured that they did not transgress the prohibition of trespassing, meaning illegal use of Temple property. In this way, the Temple could be sure that the craftsmen would make sure they used every bit of material they received from the Temple.

בשושן הבירה – one room is built on the eastern gate of the courtyard, and upon it, the capital city of Shushan is painted on it, in order that the fear of the kingdom be upon them.

על של משה – on the cubit that is six handbreadths long.

שהאומנין נוטלים בקטנה – that the treasurer/manager would make a condition with the artisans – such-and-such cubits they would make in the building for the keeping of the Temple in repair, from the cubits of Moses, such and such a costs, and they would return to him by a finger (see Tractate Menahot 98a) the measurement of the longer cubit upon it, in order that they would add from their own on their condition, lest they make it less, and it is found that they come to commit a religious sacrilege that they benefited from that which was dedicated to the Temple. And why two? One for silver and gold, that when they make a condition with those who smelt gold and silver to make a tablet of four or five cubits in the cubit of Moses, they restore to the extra measure of it a half-finger, not for the additional measurement upon it of a finger, since the artistry is costly and they don’t cause them to lose so much.

כל האמות היו בינונית – which a cubit that is six handbreadths in length.

Introduction Our mishnah continues to deal with the size of the cubits used to measure various parts of the Temple. In today's mishnah we learn that there were two different size cubits, one of six handbreadths (this is the cubit referred to in yesterday's mishnah) and one of five handbreadths.

חוץ ממזבח הזהב – that was a cubit by a cubit.

Rabbi Meir says: all cubits were of the moderate length except that for the golden altar, the horns, the surround and the base. According to Rabbi Meir, everything in the Temple was measured in the moderate length of the cubit, the one that was exactly six handbreadths, and not the longer length mentioned in yesterday's mishnah (six handbreadths and one fingerbreadth). The only exceptions were the golden incense altar, the horns of the outer altar, the surround (a protrusion around the outer altar), and the base of the altar. All of these were measured with the five handbreadth cubit.

והקרן – of the bronze altar. For it had on its four corners four stones of a cubit in height and a cubit by a cubit in thickness. And that cubit was with the cubit that was five [handbreadths in length].

Rabbi Judah says: the cubit used for the building was one of six handbreadths and that for the vessels one of five handbreadths. Rabbi Judah says that all of the measurements made in the building of the Temple itself were based on the six handbreadths cubit, while those used for making the vessels, used the smaller cubit of five handbreadths.

והסובב והיסוד – of the bronze altar. And in the third chapter of [Tractate] Middot, they are explained (see Tractate Middot, Chapter three, Mishnah one).

אמת בנין – such as the wall of the Temple and the altar of the burnt-offering.

אמת כלים – such as the Ark, and the table and the Golden Altar. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Meir.

במדה דקה (a smaller measure) – of the wilderness, it is called the smaller measure, because there is the Jerusalem wilderness and the Tzipori/Sepphoris [measurement] (in the Upper Galilee), but the wilderness one is smaller than all of them.

Introduction In previous mishnayot we learned all of the halakhot in which the medium measure was used. In today's mishnah we learned that sometimes smaller measures were used, and sometimes the measure used depended upon the person for whom the halakhah was relevant.

מדות הלח – a Hin (i.e., twelve LOG or 72 egg bulks) and one-half of a Hin.

Sometimes they stated a smaller measure: Liquid and dry measures were measured with the Italian standard which was the one that was used in the wilderness. The dry and liquid measures used in the Temple, for instance the measures of wine, oil and flour that accompanied sacrifices (see Menahot 9:1-2) were all measured using an Italian standard that was considered to be the same as that used in the Temple.

והיבש – the Issaron (i.e., one-tenth of an Ephah) and the half-Issaron.

Sometimes they stated a measure that varied according to the individual concerned: One who takes the handful of a minhah, One who takes both hands full of incense, One who drinks a cheek full on Yom Kippur, And the two meals for an eruv, For other halakhot, the size of the measure depends upon the individual person. The mishnah lists four such cases. The first is the priest who removes a handful from the minhah offering (Leviticus 2:2). The size of the handful depends on the person. The same is true with the two handfuls of incense on Yom Kippur (see Leviticus 16:12). If one drinks a cheek full of liquid on Yom Kippur he is liable for karet. The size of this amount obviously depends upon the size of the individual's cheek. Finally, when it comes to Shabbat border eruvim (an eruv set to allow a person to travel further outside of his city on Shabbat, see Introduction to Eruvin) the food set aside as the eruv must consist of two meals. The amount of food necessary for the meal depends on how much the person setting the eruv eats.

באיטלקי in the Italian measurement of Greece, and this is the wilderness one that existed at the time of Moses.

The remainder of this mishnah is found in Eruvin. It is clearly brought here because once we mention the amount of food necessary for an eruv meal, the mishnah deals briefly with a debate concerning the issue. According to Rabbi Meir, the eruv must consist of enough food for two weekday meals. Rabbi Judah says the food should be enough for Shabbat meals and not weekday meals. Seemingly we would think that a person eats more on Shabbat than during the week, so Rabbi Judah would be stricter than Rabbi Meir. However, the mishnah says that both intended to be lenient. In order to understand this, we need to explain that the eruv’s minimum measurement was set according to the amount of bread eaten at a typical meal. According to Rabbi Meir, on Shabbat one eats a lot of different types of food and a lot of bread to accompany the food. Therefore, on Shabbat one eats more, and the minimum amount of food for the eruv is set according to the bread eaten during the week, a lesser amount. According to Rabbi Judah, since on Shabbat there are many side dishes a person eats less bread than he would during the week when there are less side dishes. Therefore, Rabbi Judah sets the minimum amount of bread for the eruv according to what one eats on Shabbat. According to Rabbi Shimon, two meals are equivalent to two-thirds of a loaf when three loaves are made from a kav of wheat. A loaf is therefore 1/3 of a kav and 2/3 of a loaf is two meals. Rabbi Yohanan ben Baroka gives a minimum amount of bread that must be used for the eruv. This amount of bread is what is sufficient for two meals. It is the size of a loaf that can be bought for one pundion (a coin) when 4 se’ah (24 kav, a measure of volume) of wheat are sold for a sela (a coin worth 48 pundion). If we do the math, we can see that a kav of wheat is bought for two pundionim, meaning that one pundion will buy half a kav of wheat, which according to Rabbi Yohanan ben Baroka is sufficient for two meals. This is a larger amount than that set by Rabbi Shimon.

כפי מה שהוא אדם – whether small or large [as in the size of the person].

קומץ המנחה (the handful of the meal-offering) – as it is written (Leviticus 2:2): “[The priest] shall scoop out of it a handful [of its choice flour and oil, as well as all of its frankincense].”

וחפני קטורת (and he takes both hands full of incense) – of Yom Kippur, as it is written (Leviticus 16:12): “and two handfuls of finely ground aromatic incense.”

כמלוא לוגמיו ([and drinks] a mouthful ) – if he drank a mouthful on Yom Kippur, he is liable. And according to the mouthful of the person who drinks we measure/estimate.

כמזון שתי סעודות ולעירוב – the joining of borders is not with less than food for two meals.

מזונו לחול – like the food for two meals of a weekday when he eats a little bit, but not like the food for two meals on Shabbat that he eats more because of the sweetness of his cooking, it is found that for delicacies there is always room.

לשבת אבל לא לחול – for on the contrary, two meals of the Sabbath day are less than two meals of the weekday, because a person eats three meals on Shabbat and he doesn’t increase his eating at each meal.

ואלו ואלו מתכוונים להקל (these and those intend to give the more lenient ruling) – each one of them intendents to lessen the loaf of the Eruv.

משתי ידות לככר משלש לקב ([it should consist] of two-thirds of a loaf [of a size] three to the Kab)-it is enough for an Eruv with two-thirds of loaf of [a size] three loaves to the Kab. It is found that a complete loaf is one-third of a Kab, and its two-thirds of a loaf is a loaf of the Eruv.

מככר בפונדיון – a loaf that is purchased with a Pundiyon/Dupondium (a Roman coin equal to two I ssar/16 Perutot) from the baker when four Seah of what are worth one Sela. And four Seah are twenty-four Kab that each Seah is six Kabim. And the Sela is four Denarim and the Denar is worth six Ma’ah, and he Ma’ah is worth two Pundiyonim, therefore, the loaf that is sold for Pundiyon is one-half of Kab. But because the shopkeeper wishes to make a profit, and the costs of baking and grinding , the loaf will not be sold for a Pundiyon when they are sold four Seah for a Sela, but rather one-quarter of a Kab, and the other one-quarter goes to the profit of the shopkeeper and the expenses of baking and grinding. Therefore, a loaf that is purchased for a Pundiyon is one-quarter of a Kab, which is six eggs, and it is the measurement of two meals, which is the loaf of the Eruv. And this is the Halakha (according to Rabbi Yohanan ben Beroka).

מלא תרווד רקב (a ladleful of corpse mold) – see also – Tractate Nazir, Chapter 7, Mishnah 2 (a spoonful of Rakab) – he filled a spoon of sandy-matter of grain from the corpse after all the moistness has been depleted.

Introduction This mishnah describes six cases in which a large measure was the standard.

מלא תרווד גדול של רופאים (filled a large spoon of the physicians – two handfuls) – which is larger than all the ladles, and its measure is two handfuls.

And sometimes they stated a large measure:
A ladleful of corpse mould refers to the big ladle of physicians; Decomposing dead bodies and their rot can cause defilement within a tent. However, there must be a minimum amount of material for this defilement to spread. The minimum amount is a ladleful. The size of the ladle for this halakhah is the large ladle used by physicians.

כגריס הקלקי (like the Cilician split bean) – it is a bean that comes from a place whose name is Kilki, and the beans there are larger than all other beans. And the measure of the place of the Cilician split bean is nine lentils, three-by-three square. And the place of the lentil, is four hairs, and it is found that the place of split bean is thirty-six hairs.

The split bean in the case of skin disease refers to the Cilician kind; For a spot of skin disease to defile it must be the size of a split bean. The split bean referred to in this halakhah is of the Cilician kind (a region in Asia Minor). Evidently, this is a largish bean.

כותבת הגסה (a large date of a certain species) – larger than other date-palms, and its measure is a bit less than that of an egg.

One who eats on Yom Kippur a quantity of the bulk of a large date, refers to the size of the date and its pit; One who eats a quantity of food equivalent to a large date and its pit on Yom Kippur is liable for karet.

כמוה וכגרעינתה (the like of it together with its kernel of the stone fruit) – that one must crush its open space.

In the case of skins of wine and oil [the holes] must be as big as their large stopper; If skins containing wine and oil have holes that are as large as their large stopper they are pure.

ונודות יין ושמן (and bags of wine and oil) – of leather that were perforated, the measure of their perforation.

In the case of a light hole that was not made by man's hands the prescribed size of which is that of a large fist, the reference is to the fist of Ben Batiah Rabbi Yose said: and it is as big as a large human head. The last two sections are relevant to the laws concerning purity in tents. If a dead body is in one room vessels in another room are clean, unless there is some way for the impurity from the first room to get into the second room. If there is a hole in the wall, one not made by a person, and it lets in light from one room to the other, it allows impurity to travel to the second room if the hole is the size of a large fist. The large fist referred to here is the first of Ben Batiah. Albeck explains that this man was known for having large fists thanks Albeck! Rabbi Yose says that his fist was as large as a human head. Don King would be very excited.

כפיקה גדולה (like a large coil or tuft used as a stopper) – that they place in the spindle that women spin with.

And in the case of one made by human hands the prescribed size is that of the large drill in the Temple chamber which is the size of the Italian pondium or the Neronian sela or like the hole in a yoke. The measure is smaller if the hole was made by human hands. In such a case if the hole is the size of the large drill used to make holes in the Temple, then it conveys impurity. This drill, the mishnah notes, was the size if the Italian pundion coin, or the Neronian sela coin, or the hole put in a yoke in which the straps were placed. All three of these measures (the pundion, the sela and the hole in the yoke) are the same size.

ומאור – it is a kind of window from which the light enters into the house.

שלא נעשה בידי אדם – as for example a cavity/hole that water or reptiles make, or that the dirt fell on its own and a perforation was made there. But if he did not think of it for use or for as a source of light, its measure to bring the defilement from the tent of the corpse to the house through the path of the incision.

באגרופו של בן אבטיח – that is a man known among them and Ben Batiach is his name, that he had a large fist.

ושנעשה בידן אדם – or that a person made it to bring in the light.

נירונית (Neronian) – a coin of Nero Caesar.

כמלוא נקב בשעול (the hole in a yoke) – like [the hole made by] the larger carpenters’ borer kept in the Temple cell. And the Italian Pundiyon and the Neronian stone, and the hole in a yoke, all of them is one measurement. But there are places where they knew about one of them, but not the other, Therefore, we teach all of them.

כל שבים טהור – all the creatures that are I the sea, if he made vessels from their skin, they do not receive defilement, as it is written (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],” just as cloth is from something that grows from the earth, even too the skin that that which grows in the earth.

Introduction Today's mishnah deals with one who makes vessels out of the bones or skin of fish or other creatures that come from the sea.

חוץ מכלב המים – because all the rest of the creatures of the sea – not one of them flees to the dry land when [hunters] come to hunt them, other than the sea dog alone, therefore, it is included within the skins of the dry land, and if he made a vessel from its skin, it is susceptible to receive defilement. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Akiva.

All that live in the sea are clean, except the sea-dog because it seeks refuge on dry land, the words of Rabbi Akiba. Vessels made of skin and bones of all creatures of the sea are not susceptible to impurity only of those of land creatures. Rabbi Akiva notes that the one exception is the sea-dog (probably a seal) because it lives both in the sea and on land. Since it lives partly on the land, vessels made from its skin and bones are susceptible to impurity.

If one made vessels from what grows in the sea and joined to them anything that grows on land, even if only a thread or a cord, if it is susceptible to uncleanness, they are unclean. If one made a vessel that is mostly of material from the sea, if even a small part of the vessel was made from something that comes from land, it is susceptible to impurity.

אפילו חוט אפילו משיחה (even a thread or a cord) – and as long as he connects them for himself on the road that if both of them were from what grows on the land are attached with a connection like this, the one would become defiled when its partner was defiled.

יש במה שנברא יום הראשון טומאה – this is what he said: There are things that were created on the First Day [of the Creation of the world], that one who makes vessels from them, they have ritual defilement, such as the land which was created on the first day, and earthenware vessels that are made from it are ritually defiled.

Introduction This fascinating mishnah goes through the six days of creation and discusses whether or not the laws of impurity can apply to the things that were created on each day.

בשני אין בו טומאה – for on it, the firmament was created and it lacks ritual defilement.

The laws of uncleanness can apply to what was created on the first day. The earth was created on the first day of creation. Vessels made of earthenware are susceptible to impurity. But the rules of impurity do not apply to vessels made of stone or dirt. Therefore, the mishnah states that the laws of impurity can apply to that which was created on the first day.

בשלישי – [on the third day] trees were created, and wood vessels made from them are susceptible to receive ritual defilement.

There can be no uncleanness in what was created on the second day. The heavens were created on the second day. Obviously they cannot become impure.

ברביעי – the heavenly lights were suspended [in the sky], and they lack ritual defilement.

The laws of uncleanness can apply to what was created on the third day. Trees were created on the third day and vessels made of wood are susceptible to impurity.

בחמישי – [on the Fifth day] birds and fish [were created], and if he made vessels from them, they are not susceptible to receive ritual defilement.

No there can be no uncleanness in what was created on the fourth day and on the fifth day, except for the wing of the vulture or an ostrich-egg that is plated. Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri said: why should the wing of a vulture be different from all other wings? On the fourth day the stars, moon and sun were created no impurity there. On the fifth day the birds and fish were created. Vessels made of anything that comes from birds or fish are basically not susceptible to impurity, as we learned in yesterday's mishnah. There are two exceptions. The first are lasting vessels made from the wings of vultures. The second is a metal-plated ostrich egg. Most commentators explain that these vessels are susceptible to impurity because they are similar to other vessels. In order to prevent confusion, the sages decreed that they too are susceptible. Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri questions why there should be a difference between vulture wings and other wings. Rather all wings are the same; if they are used to make lasting vessels that have receptacles, the vessels are susceptible to impurity.

חוץ מכנף העוז (except for the wing of the black eagle) – the wing of the black eagle, for the Rabbis decreed ritual defilement with vessels made from her, for one can come to switch it with other vessels.

The laws of uncleanness can apply to all that was created on the sixth day. On the sixth day land animals were created. Vessels made from their skin or bones is susceptible to impurity.

וביצת הנעמית המצופה (the glazed shell of an ostrich egg) – we translate into Aramaic the בת היענה (see Leviticus 11:16) – the egg of an ostrich is called נעמיתא/an ostrich egg. But the Rabbis decreed ritual defilement on its egg when it is a glazed shell, since without he covering, it also stands, but the rest of the eggs, even with a glazed shell, they did not make a decree, since it is not covered, it doesn’t exist at all.

כל שנברא ביום הששי טמא – beasts and animals and reptiles and mankind [were created on the Sixth day of Creation], if one made vessels from their bones or from their skins, they are susceptible to receive ritual defilement.

העושה כלי קבול מכל מקום – and even if he did not make it, it is worthy to receive [ritual defilement] other than something.

If one made a receptacle whatever its size it is susceptible to uncleanness. A vessel that has a receptacle is susceptible to impurity, no matter how small the receptacle is. Others explain the words that I have translated "whatever its size" to mean "whatever it is made of," which then refers to the law in section three even vessels made of poor quality material can be susceptible.

משכב ומושב (surface designated for lying and sitting) – for sitting a little bit, as for example, that he was leaning or suspended upon it.

If one made a couch or a bed whatever its purpose it is susceptible to uncleanness. Vessels which are made to sit upon or lay upon are susceptible, no matter the actual type of sitting or laying done upon them. Commentators explain that this includes vessels which are meant to be leaned upon.

מעור המצה (from an untanned hide) – that it was not pickled nor its hides dressed with flour, nor tanned [with gall-nut].

If one made a wallet from untanned hide or from papyrus it is susceptible to uncleanness. A proper wallet is made from tanned leather. However, a wallet made from the inferior materials of papyrus or untanned leather is still usable and hence susceptible to impurity.

ומן הנייר – that is made from grasses.

A pomegranate, an acorn and a nut which children hollowed out to measure dust or fashioned them into a pair of scales, are susceptible to uncleanness, since in the case of children an act is valid though an intention is not. If an object can be used as a receptacle, all that an adult has to do for it to be susceptible is think about using it in such a manner. Thinking counts as using. However, children must actually use the object in that way for it to be susceptible. So if a child takes a piece of fruit or a nut and makes it into a receptacle it is susceptible once he uses it. But if all he does is think about using it this way, it is not susceptible.

דיש להן מעשה – since they hollowed them out [to shape a vessel].

ואין להם מחשבה (they lack the capacity to effect intention) – if they thought to fashion the dirt as it fashioned on is own, but they didn’t do any work, their intention does not bring them to ritual defilement.

קנה המאזנים (the beam of the balance) – The deceivers make it hollowed out and place in the hallowed out section, pure silver, and when they weigh it, it diverts/perverts the beam a bit and the live silver goes to the side of the thing that is being weighted and makes it heavy and overwhelms it.

The beam of a balance and a leveler that contain a receptacle for metal, carrying-stick that has a receptacle for money, a beggar's cane that has a receptacle for water, and a stick that has a receptacle for a mezuzah and for pearls are susceptible to uncleanness.
About all these Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai said: Oy to me if I should mention them, Oy to me if I don't mention them.
Sections one and two: All of these vessels are various sticks or things like sticks that can contain other things and are therefore susceptible to impurity. In addition, each could be or is generally used for a negative purpose. The beam of a balance that has room to hide metal in it can be used to deceive a buyer by tilting the scales. A leveler is used to level out measuring cups. A person could make a receptacle in the leveler in order to skim the tops of the cups and cheat the buyer.
A carrying-stick with a hidden compartment for money could be used by a worker to deceive his employer into paying him a second time. I.e. he could say search me if you find the money on me, then you paid me.
What's wrong with a beggar's cane that has a receptacle for water? The Rambam explains that the beggar can claim that he has not been drinking so that people will have pity on him.
The sticks that have a receptacle for a mezuzah or a pearl could be used to cheat a tax collector.
Albeck explains that while all of these things also have legitimate uses, since they can be used deceptively, Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakai laments having to mention them. In other words, he has to teach these halakhot because these vessels can be used in a legal way, but he wishes he could forget about them.

והמחוק (an instrument for levelling a measure of grain/a strike) – that blots out the measurement when it is heaped up. But if they make it of gourds/cucumbers and similar things like it from the light things which lighten it and are bad for the seller, but if one makes of metal which makes it heavy and bad for the purchaser. But one makes it of olives and nuts and of box-tree/ebony tree. But the deceiver makes the instrument for levelling a measure of grain of olive and of hallowed out nuts, and when he sells it, he brings in metal in order that it would be made heavy, but when he purchases, he removes it.

והאסל (a carrying yoke – in which there is a hidden receptacle for money) – a balancing pole/staff that they carry it on the shoulder. But when there are many workers, after he has received his payment/compensation, he places the compensation in the receptacle that is in the balancing pole/staff, and states to the house owner (i.e., the boss), “You did not give me my compensation,” and when they search him, they don’t give attention to search there [in the carrying pole].

קנה של עני שיש בו בית קבול מים – and he drinks from them, and when they ask him if he tasted anything, he states, “I am fasting today.” But My Rabbis explained, a receptacle for water is a receptacle for liquids, and when he is busy [with his work] with the owner/the boss in the olive press, he steals from the oil there.

מקל שיש לו בית קיבול מזוזה ומרגליות – and they use them as such in order to steal in it the taxes/tolls.

אוי לי אם אומר – perhaps/lest that people learn from me to deceive [others].

אוי לי אם לא אומר – perhaps/lest the deceivers will say that the Sages are not experts in the work of our hands, and through this they will come to deceive even more. And why did he say [these things]? Because it is written (Hosea 14:10): “For the paths of the LORD are smooth; The righteous can walk on them, while sinners stumble on them.”

תחתית הצורפים (the goldsmith’s anvil) – those who smelter gold and silver, their bottoms/base are a vessel which is called a frame in which an anvil is set. And it is made to place within it silver and/or gold rubbish/broken ware. But that of a smith is not made to receive, and it is not made explicitly also for sitting.

The base of the goldsmiths’ anvil is susceptible to uncleanness, but that of the blacksmiths is clean. The base of the goldsmiths' anvil is susceptible because it has a place to store small pieces of gold that break off. However, the blacksmiths' anvil has no such receptacle and therefore it is clean.

משחזת (whetting implement of stone or wood) – of wood that they sharpen/whet the knives. And they make for it a receptacle for oil that they smear [the implements] with oil to sharpen them.

A whetting-board which has a receptacle for oil is susceptible to uncleanness, but one that has none is clean. A whetting board is used for sharpening a knife. If it has a receptacle to store oil it is susceptible but if it is not it is clean.

פנקס של שעוה – that the storekeeper has and the money changer that he writes upon it with a stylus/engraving tool.

A writing-tablet that has a receptacle for wax is susceptible to uncleanness, but one that has none is clean. To write on a writing tablet one would rub wax on the tablet and carve into the wax. If the tablet has a receptacle to store the wax it is susceptible.

קש – the tails of the ears of grain, and make mats out of them.

A straw mat or a tube of straw: Rabbi Akiva rules it is susceptible to uncleanness; But Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri rules that is it clean. Rabbi Shimon says: the hollow stalk of colocynth is subject to the same law. According to Rabbi Akiva a straw mat or straw tube both last long enough to be considered a vessel and therefore they are both susceptible to impurity. Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri says that they do not last long enough, and therefore they are clean. Rabbi Shimon says the same debate between Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri also exists with regard to the hollow stalk of a colocynth plant or a mat made from colocynth. The following is the intro to colocynth that I found on Wikipedia: The colocynth, also known as bitter apple, bitter cucumber, egusi, or vine of Sodom, is a viny plant native to the Mediterranean Basin and Asia, especially Turkey (especially in regions such as İzmir), Nubia, and Trieste.

ושפופרת הקש – which is hollow and it has a receptacle.

A mat of reeds or rushes is clean. A mat made of reeds or rushes is not soft enough to sit on and is therefore not susceptible to impurity. These mats are generally used for shade.

רבי עקיבא מטמא – and even though its receptacle is small, for it is taught in the Mishnah above (see Tractate Kelim, Chapter 17, Mishnah 15), “that a person who makes a receptacle of any sort – it is ritually defiled.” And there is a difference of opinion if it is thing that is standing or not, for there is nothing unclean/defiled other than if it stands on its own. But Rabbi Akiva considers something that is standing, whereas Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri does not consider for himself something that is standing. But the Halakha is according to Rabbi Akiva.

פקועות (bitter-apple/a gourd) – a desert gourd. But there are those who say, small, bitter melons. And their reed is hollow like the tube of straw.

A reed-tube that was cut for holding anything remains clean until all the pith has been removed. If a reed tube was cut to be used as a receptacle, it is not susceptible to impurity until the pith, the stuff inside the stalk, has been removed.

חלף (rush/shoot) – it is a kind of grass and they make from it shoots/rush and mats. And they call it CHALFA in Arabic.

טהורה – from the ritual defilement of a reptile, but not from laying and sitting, for according to the Torah, if it is not made for overhanging boughs or twigs.

קנה שחתכו לקבלה – to place in it powder for painting the eye-lids/stibium.

הככי (pith/a web-like reed pith that has substance) – the white marrow that is withing the reed. But prior to this, the reed does no have susceptibility to receive defilement, and even according to the words of the Scribes.