פירוש על כלים 13:2

קוליגריפון (name of a batter’s tool resembling the stylus with one pointed end to pick up the bread called, “the tooth” and one flat and broad end to scrape the ashes out) – a utensil that at its one head is like teeth that we insert in bread or in meat when we remove it from the oven, And with the other head, we scrape out the coals and ashes from the oven.

Introduction Today's mishnah deals with tools that have two ends with which two different types of work can be performed.

ניטלה כפה (that has lost is palm – the flat and broad end – is susceptible to uncleanness on account of its tooth) – the wide side that is made like a spoon that that we scrape the ashes out with it.

A koligrophon whose spoon has been removed is still susceptible to impurity on account of its teeth. If its teeth have been removed it is still susceptible on account of its spoon. The koligrophon has a shovel on one end which was used to remove bread baking on the sides of an oven. On its other end are teeth, used to rake the coals in the oven. As long as one side is still functional, the entire instrument is susceptible to impurity.

טמאה – because the second head that has in it teeth that are appropriate for their use.

A makhol whose spoon is missing is still susceptible to impurity on account of its point; If its point was missing it is still susceptible on account of its spoon. A makhol has a spoon on one end for cleaning out one's ears, and a sharp other end to apply make-up to one's eyes. Again, as long as one side is still functional, the entire instrument is susceptible to impurity.

מכחול (a painting staff the spoon-shaped side of which is broken off) – its one head is pointed/sharp like a kind of thin and pointed side of a double tool to paint the eye with, and the other head is wide to clean the ear with it.

A stylus whose writing point is missing is still susceptible to impurity on account of its eraser; If its eraser is missing it is susceptible on account of its writing point. The stylus has one end used for writing and one end used for erasing.

מכתב (stylus/writing tool) – one head is pointed/sharp to write on a notebook of wax and the other head is thick and smooth to erase/rub out the writing that is engraved in the way and to smoothen it, in order that it would appropriate to return and to write once again on it.

A zomalister whose spoon is lost is still susceptible to impurity on account of its fork; If its fork is missing, it is still susceptible on account of its spoon. A zomalister seems to be the ancient version of the spork, except it had it spoon (actually a ladle for pouring soup) on one end and its fork (for taking meat out of a dish).

זומלסטרא (soup-ladle – with a spoon on one side and a fork on the other) – one head is a spoon, made to receive the filth/smell from the pot and to remove it and the other head is a kind of fork to bring out the meat.

So too with regard to the prong of a mattock. A mattock is a tool shaped like an axe and used to break up the ground before planting. Sometimes they would affix teeth to its other end to aid in breaking up ground. It is susceptible to impurity as long as one side remains.

וכן השן של מעדר (the tooth of the mattock/share of the plough) – at its one head they turn over the soil and at the other head the attach the vessel of the plough one with the other.

The minimum size for all these instruments: so that they can perform their usual work. As is normally the case, as long as the tool is still usable for its original purpose, it is still susceptible to impurity.

שיעור כולן – if the one head was removed that it is necessary that there would remain of the second head in order to be the measurement of the handle that it would be appropriate to do the work.