Все моря подобны микве [совокупности воды, в которую можно погрузиться, чтобы удалить некоторые ритуальные примеси], как сказано (Бытие 1:10): «И скопления [буквально: миквы] воды он называемые морями ", это слова рабби Меира. Раввин Иегуда говорит: [Только] великое море [то есть Средиземное море] похоже на микву . В нем говорится только «моря» [во множественном числе] относительно чего-либо, содержащего много типов морей [то есть океан, в который текут многие водоемы]. Раввин Йосе говорит: все моря очищаются [как миква] с помощью [даже только] постепенного [потока воды], но они недопустимы для зав [человека, который ритуально нечист из-за того, что у него был тип семенного выброса, и который должен погружаться в естественно текущие воды как часть процесса очищения], метзора [тот, кто подвергается ритуальной нечистоте из-за какого-либо заболевания кожи, и у которого должна быть птица, принесенная в жертву над текущими водами как часть процесса очищения], и освящать воды чатата [ритуал красной телицы , который также должен исходить из проточных вод; Раввин Йосси говорит, что моря не являются действительным источником этих трех ритуалов, которые требуют использования естественных вод].
Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
כל הימים כמקוה – for all of these words as it is taught at the conclusion [of this Mishnah]. (And also) they do not render clean when running like springs, for a Mikveh does not purify in running/moving waters, but rather in collected waters, as is written (Leviticus 11:36): “However, a spring/אך מעין [or cistern in which water is collected shall be pure,]” a spring purifies in moving/running waters but a Mikveh does not purify in moving/running waters.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Parah
Introduction
Today's mishnah returns to the topic of the preparation of the red cow. It discusses whether the seas can be used as the "living water" required for this and other purification rituals.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
ופסולין לזבין – for a man with gonorrhea/flux requires living waters, as it is written (Leviticus 14:9): “and bath his body in water; [then he shall be pure].” (see also Leviticus 16:26 and 16:28), and for the leper [as it is written (Leviticus 14:5): “[The priest shall order one of the birds slaughtered over] fresh water in an earthen vessel/אל-כלי-חרש על-מים חיים” [and for the waters of the sin offering], as it is written (Numbers 19:1): “and fresh water shall be added to them in a vessel.”
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English Explanation of Mishnah Parah
All seas are equivalent to a ritual bath (, for it is said, "And the gathering ( of the waters He called the seas" (Genesis 1:10), the words of Rabbi Meir. According to Rabbi Meir the seas are considered to be like a mikveh and not like a flowing spring, which can be used for the red cow, for zavim (those with unusual genital discharge) and for metzoraim (those with scale disease), all of whom require "living waters." In contrast to the rules governing a spring, for a mikveh to purify the water must be gathered into one place and it cannot be running. The seas are treated like a mikveh and therefore its waters purify only when they are gathered in one place. Rabbi Meir learns this from a midrash on the word "gathering" which is in Hebrew, mikveh. Genesis calls the seas a mikveh and therefore they are subject to the same rules as a mikveh and not to the rules of a live spring.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
הים הגדול כמקוה – Scripture did not call a Mikveh other than the Great Ocean, for in it Scripture refers in the Creation Story for there all the waters of Creation were gathered, and it doesn’t state “seas”/ימים – in the plural, other than because many seas are mixed in together in it, for all the streams travel to it.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Parah
Rabbi Judah says: only the Great Sea is equivalent to a ritual bath, for it says "seas" only because there are in it many kinds of seas. In contrast, Rabbi Judah limits this to the ocean, which in his case is the Mediterranean. Other seas are treated like springs and purify even when they are running. He explains that Genesis states "seas" not because it refers to all seas as a mikveh. Rather the Mediterranean is "seas" because it contains many different seas. One interpretation of this is that a fish that is caught in Akko does not have the same taste as a fish that is caught in Sidon!
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Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
ר' יוסי אומר – all the seas and the Great Ocean have the status of a spring upon them regarding the fact that they purify in moving/running waters, because the streams go and flow upon them. But they are invalid regarding the status of living waters, for Scripture calls them Mikveh. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yossi.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Parah
Rabbi Yose says: all seas afford cleanness when running, and yet they are unfit for zavim and metzoraim and for the preparation of the hatat waters. Rabbi Yose says that all seas can purify when they are running none have the same restrictions as do a mikveh. However, the seas are not considered to be "living waters" as would be a spring. Therefore, none of the seas can be used for any of the rituals that requires "living waters" the red cow, zavim and metzoraim.
