Beth Shammai dice: Uno si asciuga le mani su un asciugamano [dopo aver lavato per il pasto] e lo mette sul tavolo. [E usa l'asciugamano per tutto il pasto per asciugarsi il grasso alimentare dalle mani. Non può appoggiarlo sul cuscino su cui si siede—un decreto, affinché il cuscino non sia del tuma del primo ordine e l'acqua dell'asciugatura delle mani bagna l'asciugamano e, a contatto con il cuscino, diventi il tuma del primo ordine (come sempre accade con i liquidi), e l'asciugamano, che usa costantemente nel corso del pasto, impartisce tumah alle sue mani. Ma non c'è motivo per un tale decreto nei confronti di un tavolo, è vietato usare un tavolo di tumah di secondo ordine.] E Beth Hillel dice: (Lo posiziona) sul cuscino. [Beth Hillel sostiene che è permesso usare un tavolo di tumah di secondo ordine. Pertanto, non può posizionare l'asciugamano sul tavolo, per evitare che l'acqua nell'asciugamano diventi addomesticato attraverso il tavolo e, a sua volta, impartisca tumah al cibo. Se lo posiziona sul cuscino, tuttavia, l'unica causa di preoccupazione è che Tumah potrebbe essere impartito alle sue mani— Meglio che le sue mani diventassero addomesticate (non esistendo basi scritturali per tale tuma, la Torah non richiedesse il lavaggio delle mani per il cibo non consacrato) che quel cibo diventasse addomesticato, ci fossero basi scritturali per questo tuma di primo ordine che impartiva il secondo ordine tumah a cibo non consacrato.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
מקנח ידיו במפה – From his first hand-washing and place it on the table and wipe his hands with it throughout from the filth of the cooked food; and he should not place it [the napkin] on the cushion on which he sits, as a preventive measure, lest the cushion becomes defiled in the first-degree, and the liquid comes in close contact with the napkin on account of the drying of the hands, and that liquid when it comes in contact with the cushion becomes [defiled] in the first-[degree], and the liquids become [defiled] in the first-[degree], and defile the hands when one wipes [one’s hands] with it continuously during the meal, but concerning the table [itself], there is no preventive measure made, for it is forbidden to use a table which is defiled in the second-degree. But the School of Hillel holds that it is permitted to use a table which is impure in the second-degree. Therefore, he should not leave the napkin on the table, lest the liquids become defiled that are on the napkin on account of the table and in turn would defile the food there, and if he leaves [the napkin] on the cushion, everyone should not suspect lest his hands became defiled; better that his hands become defiled – since they are not an essential principle from Torah law, since the washing of the hands for unconsecrated objects is not from the Torah and they don’t defile foods which have an essential principle from the Torah, for [something that is] unclean from the first-degree makes something unclean in the second-degree for unconsecrated objects from the Torah [perspective].
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English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
Introduction
Another debate between the two houses, a debate which again connected to matters of purity and impurity. The mishnah refers to a towel which was used to dry one’s hands after washing them and to clean them off during eating (they ate with their hands since forks had not yet been invented). The question is where to place the towel after one has used it to dry one’s hands. It is also important to remember that in mishnaic times they ate reclining on cushions and small tables were brought in front of them on which to serve the food.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
Bet Shammai says: he wipes his hand with a towel and then places it on the table. Bet Hillel says: on the cushion. After he has washed his hands, he dries them with a towel and he places the towel on the table. Bet Shammai says he shouldn’t place the towel on the cushion upon which he is reclining lest the cushion is impure and the cushion makes the water on the towel become impure and the water in turn impurifies his hands. Bet Shammai does not fear that the table is impure because they hold that it is forbidden to eat off an impure table. Bet Hillel holds that he should place the towel on the cushion and even if his hands become impure, impure hands is not a serious form of impurity. However, he shouldn’t place the towel on the table lest the table is impure and causes the water in the towel to be impure which in turn causes the food on the table to be impure. While Bet Hillel was not concerned lest one’s hands became impure, they were concerned about the purity of the food.
