Quand commence leur pureté [celle des eaux des étangs peu profonds sous la pluie]? Beit Shamai dit: à partir du moment où elles [les eaux de pluie] dépassent [la quantité des eaux des piscines] et provoquent un débordement. Beit Hillel dit: [à partir de quand] ils dépassent, même s'ils ne provoquent pas de débordement. Rabbi Shimon dit: [à partir de quand] ils provoquent des débordements, même s'ils ne dépassent pas. [De telles eaux sont] valables pour être utilisées pour la challah [une portion d'un lot de pâte à pain donnée à un prêtre qui devient saint après la séparation, et ne peut être consommée que par les prêtres ou leur ménage], ainsi que pour le lavage [littéralement: prendre] ses mains avec eux.
Bartenura on Mishnah Mikvaot
מאימתי טהרתן – of those who are near and those who are far away.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Mikvaot
Introduction
Today's mishnah is the last mishnah that deals with the water found in pools that are less than forty seahs. The mishnah refers to a pool of water that had been made unclean and now rain has started to flow back into it. The question is at what point the pool becomes clean again.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Mikvaot
משירבו וישטפו (after they have formed the greater part and overflowed) – from when the rains fell and they (i.e., the rain water) formed the greater part over the waters that were already in them before the impure person drank [from them] or that he filled from them in a ritually impure utensil and also were overflowing, passing over the bank of the stagnant waters and they went outside, and the measurement of a overflowing is a little bit.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Mikvaot
When do they become clean? Bet Shammai say: when their contents have been increased [by more than the original quantity] and they overflow. Bet Shammai rules most strictly. In order for the pool to become clean again, the new water that has come in from the rain must be more than the original water that remained and the contents must also overflow.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Mikvaot
רבו – not according to the School of Shammai that required both of them, that they formed the greater part and overflowed, but since the rain waters formed the greater part that they came afterwards on the water that were there in them at the time of their ritual defilement, they were purified, een though they didn’t overflow and go outside.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Mikvaot
Bet Hillel say: when their contents have been increased [by more than their original quantity] even if they do not overflow. Bet Hillel says that the pool need not overflow.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Mikvaot
ר' שמעון אומר מששטפו – [from when] the rain waters [overflow] the banks/shore of the stagnant waters/puddle, and went outside, the stagnant waters/puddle is purified.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Mikvaot
Rabbi Shimon says: when they overflow although their contents have not been so increased. Rabbi Shimon rules even more leniently. If the pool was almost full and then it rained and it overflowed, the pool is clean even if there is only a small amount of rainwater.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Mikvaot
אע"פ שלא רבו – the rain waters that came afterwards on the waters that were I the stagnant waters/puddle at the time of their ritual defilement.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Mikvaot
[These] are valid [for preparing dough] for hallah and for the washing of the hands. The water in the pool is now completely clean. The mishnah emphasizes how pure the water is by stating that one could even use it to prepare hallah or two wash one's hands. The same is true for preparing terumah. In other words, the water is not at all impure.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Mikvaot
כשרים לחלה – these stagnant waters/puddles as it is taught in our Mishnah, are kosher/fit to use them for Hallah, to knead and to cook in them Hallah.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Mikvaot
וליטול מהן ידים – for everything that requires the ritual washing of the hands.
