Hebrew Literature Part 30

"She is disallowed." R. Eliezer "allowed her." "And if the priest did not wash his hands and his feet?" "She is disallowed." R. Eliezer "allowed her." "If she was not slaughtered by the High-priest?" "She is disallowed." R. Judah "allowed her." "If any of his garments were wanting?" "She is disallowed." And the rites were performed in white vestments.

2. "If the priest burned her out of her prepared place, or in two places, or burned two in one place?" "She is disallowed." "If he sprinkled her blood but not straight in front of the DOOR?" "She is disallowed." "If he sprinkled her blood the sixth time for the seventh-he then turned and sprinkled the seventh?" "She is disallowed." "If the priest sprinkled the seventh time for the eighth-he then turned and sprinkled the eighth?" "She is allowed."

3. "If the priest burned the red heifer without wood, or with every sort of wood, even with stubble and dung?"(734) "She is allowed." "If he skinned and cut her?" "She is allowed." "If he slaughtered her on condition of eating from her flesh and drinking from her blood?" "She is allowed." Rabbi Eliezer said, "intention does not disallow the heifer."

4. All who are busied about the heifer from the beginning to the end render their garments legally unclean. And any work gained from her renders her disallowed. If any illegality happened during her slaughter, she does not render their garments unclean. If it happened during the sprinkling of her blood, everyone busied before her disallowance renders his garments unclean. After her disallowance he does not render his garments unclean. It follows that her difficulty is his convenience. They who are busied about her are always liable for a trespa.s.s-offering. They may add wood to her during her burning. And her business is done in the day and by a priest. Every work for gain with her causes her disallowance until she be reduced to ashes. And work for gain causes disallowance in the water also, until the ashes be strewn upon it.

Chapter V

1. He who brings earthen vessels for the ashes of the heifer must wash them, and place them in the furnace over night. Rabbi Judah said, "even if he bring them from his house they are allowed. Since everyone is trusted about the heifer. But in the heave-offering he opens the furnace and takes out the vessels." R. Simon said, "from the second(735) row." R. Jose said, "from the third row."

2. He who washes vessels for the ashes of the red heifer, in water unsuitable for purification, must dry them. If he wash them in water suitable for purification, it is not necessary to dry them. If he add therein water for purification, whether of one sort or the other sort of water, he must dry them.

3. A pumpkin bottle which is washed in water unsuitable for purification, may be used for purification, till it becomes legally unclean. When it is unclean, they may no longer purify in it. R. Joshua said, "if one purify in it at first, one may purify in it to the last; if it cannot purify at last, it cannot purify at first." Whether it be clean or unclean, one must not add therein water for purification.

4. "A hollow reed cut for the ashes of the red heifer?" R. Eliezer said, "it must be washed at once." R. Joshua said, "it must be rendered legally unclean, and afterward washed." Everyone is suitable for purifying excepting a deaf person, an idiot, and a child. R. Judah "allows a child, but disallows a woman and a neuter."

5. Water may be prepared for purification in every vessel, even in vessels of dung, in vessels of stone and vessels of clay and in a boat. Water must not be prepared for purification in the sides of vessels nor in the bottom of a vase nor in the cork of a barrel nor in one's fists, since they are not used for filling water, and they must not purify with them. And the water of the ashes of the heifer is not sprinkled without a vessel. There is no safety from defilement in the covering(736) bound except in proper vessels-there is no safety from the defilement of earthen vessels except in proper vessels.

6. An egg-shaped vessel of the potters is allowed for the purifying water.

R. Jose "disallows it." "The egg (sh.e.l.l) of a hen?" R. Meier and R. Judah "allow it," but the Sages "disallow it."

7. "A trough in a rock?" "They do not fill water with it, they do not purify in it, and they do not sprinkle from it, and it does not need the covering bound, and it does not disallow(737) the purifying-pool." "If there were a vessel united (to it) with lime?" "They may fill water with it, they may purify in it, and sprinkle from it, and it needs a covering bound, and (if it becomes legally unclean) it disallows the purifying pool." "It had a hole in the bottom, and it was stuffed with a rag?" "The water in it is disallowed, because it is not (entirely) surrounded with the vessel." "If the hole were in the side, and it was stuffed with a rag?" "The water within it is allowed, because it is surrounded with the vessel." "If a rim of mud was made for it, and the water rose up to it?"

"It is disallowed." "If it were so strong that the vessel could be lifted by it?" "It is allowed."

8. "There are two troughs in one stone. One of them is legally purified.

The water in the second is not purified. There are holes from one trough to the other like the pipe of a bottle, or water overflowed from above only as much as the peeling of a garlic, and the owner had purified one of them?" "The water in the second can also purify."

9. "Two stones which are placed near to each other, and one made of them a (drinking-) trough, and also two kneading-troughs, and also a drinking-trough, which was divided?" "The water, which is between them, does not purify." "If one connected them with lime or gypsum, and they can be lifted at once?" "The water, which is between them, can purify."

Chapter VI

1. "When one wishes to purify, and the ashes of purification have fallen on his hand or upon the side (of the vessel), and they afterward fell on a drinking-trough?" "They are disallowed." "If water of purification fell from a pipe on the trough?" "It is disallowed." "He took the water of purification out of the pipe, and covered the pipe or shut the door with it?" "The ashes of purification are allowed, but the water is disallowed."

"He laid it on the ground?" "It is disallowed." "He laid it in his hand?"

"It is allowed, because it is not otherwise possible."

2. "If the ashes swam on the surface of the water?" R. Meier and Rabbi Simon said, "one may take them and purify"; but the Sages say, "all ashes which have once touched water, cannot purify." "If one have sprinkled the water, and the ashes be found at the bottom?" R. Meier and R. Simon said, "He may dry them and purify"; but the Sages say, "all ashes which have (once) touched water, cannot purify."

3. "If one prepare water for purification in a trough, and there be a jug in it?" "Though its mouth be ever so narrow, the water therein can purify." "If there be a sponge?" "The water in it is disallowed." "How is one to act?" "He is to sprinkle till he come to the sponge. When he has touched the sponge, even if the water swim over it ever so little, it is disallowed."

4. "One has put in his hand or his foot, or leaves of vegetables, so that the water of purification has run over to another vessel?" "It is disallowed." If they were leaves of reeds or leaves of nuts, they are allowed. This is the rule: The thing which contracts uncleanness is disallowed; and the thing which does not contract uncleanness is allowed.

5. "If one divert a well into a vat-shaped pool or into a marsh?" "The water in them is disallowed for issues and leprosies, or to purify with it as with the water of the ashes of the heifer, since it is not filled in a vessel."

Chapter VII

1. "When five persons filled five barrels with water of purification, to purify five persons requiring purification, and they changed their mind for one purification, or they prepared for one purification, and they changed their mind for five?" "They are all allowed." "One person who filled five barrels to purify five persons requiring purification, and changed his mind for one purification?" "None is allowed but the last."

"Or he made ready for one purification, and changed his mind for five purifications?" "None is allowed but the first purification." "If he said to one, 'purify all those for thee?' " "None is allowed but the first."

"Purify all those for me?" "They are all allowed."

2. "He who fills (water of purification) with one hand, and does work with the other hand, if he fill for himself or for another person, or if he fill for both at once?" "Both are disallowed, since work disallows in filling (water of purification) whether for himself or for another."

3. "He who puts in ashes with one hand, and does work with the other hand?" "If it be for himself, it is disallowed; but if it be for another person, it is allowed." "He who while doing work puts in ashes for himself and for another?" "His own is disallowed, and the other's is allowed." "He who puts in ashes for two persons at once?" "Both are allowed."

4. "Put in ashes for me; and I will put in ashes for thee?" "The first case is allowed." "Fill water for me; and I will fill water for thee?"

"The latter case is allowed." "Put in ashes for me, and I will fill water for thee?" "Both cases are allowed." "Fill water for me; and I will put in ashes for thee?" "Both cases are disallowed."

5. "A person filled water for his own use, and (also) for purification?"

"He fills first for himself and binds it on the shoulder-pole; and afterward he fills that for purification." "And if he fill that for purification first, and afterward fill for himself?" "It is disallowed."

He must put his own water behind him, and the water for purification before him. "And if he put that for purification behind him?" "It is disallowed." "Both are water for purification, he put one in front and one behind him?" "It is allowed, because it is not otherwise possible."

6. "If one carry a rope in his hand?"(738) "If he go in the (straight) way, it is allowed." "If he go out of his way?" "It is disallowed." One went to Jabneth(739) during three feasts, about this matter, and in the third feast it was allowed to him as a decision for the time.

7. "If one rolled the rope round his hand?" "It is allowed; but if he rolled it after (drawing the water), it is disallowed." Said R. Jose, "this act they allowed as a decision for the time."

8. "If one put aside the barrel lest it be broken, or turned it on its mouth for the purpose of drying it, intending to fill it with water?" "It is allowed." "But if he did so to carry in it ashes?" "It is disallowed."

If one turned out potsherds from the trough, that it might contain more water, it is allowed; but if they would be no hindrance to him in the time of sprinkling, it is disallowed.

9. "One who had water on his shoulder, and he taught a decision in the law or he showed the way to others or he killed a serpent or a scorpion or he took food to put it aside?" "It is disallowed." "The food was for eating?"

"It is allowed." "The serpent or scorpion hindered him?" "It is allowed."

Said Rabbi Judah, "this is the rule: An act for work, whether a man stood or did not stand, is disallowed; and an act which is not for work, if he stood, is disallowed; but if he did not stand, it is allowed."

10. "He who handed over his water of purification to an unclean (person)?"

"It is disallowed." "But if he handed it to a legally clean person?" "It is allowed." R. Eleazar said, "even to a (person legally) unclean it is allowed, if its owner did no work."

11. "Two persons drew water for purification, and each helped the other, or each took a thorn from the other?" "For one purification it is allowed, for two purifications, it is disallowed." R. Jose said, "even for two purifications it is allowed, if it were made a condition between them."

12. "He who has broken (something) during drawing water for purification with the view of preparing it afterward?" "The water is allowed." "But if he prepared it?" "The water is disallowed."(740) "He ate with the view of drying the remainder of his food?" "The water is allowed." "But if he dried it?" "The water is disallowed." "He ate and left some, and he threw away what was left in his hand under a fig-tree, or into the place of drying, that it might not be lost?" "The water is disallowed."

Chapter VIII

1. "Two persons watched a trough containing water for purification; one of them becomes legally unclean?" "It is allowed, because it was in the safe-keeping of the second." "He became clean and the second unclean?" "It is allowed, because it was in the safe-keeping of the first." "Both became unclean at once?" "It is disallowed." "One of them did work?" "It is allowed, because it was in the safe-keeping of the second." "He stood still, and the second did work?" "It is allowed, because it was in the safe-keeping of the first." "Both worked at once." "It is disallowed."

2. If one put ashes in the water for purification, he must not put on his sandal, for if the water fall on the sandal, it becomes legally unclean, and renders him legally unclean. This is the proverb, "What makes thee unclean, cannot make me unclean, but thou canst make me unclean." "If water fall on his flesh?" "He is clean." "If it fall on his garment?" "It becomes unclean, and renders him unclean." This is the proverb, "What makes thee unclean, cannot make me unclean, but thou canst make me unclean."

3. He who burned the red heifer and the bullocks,(741) and he who sent forth the scapegoat, render garments unclean. The heifer and the bullocks, and the scapegoat which was sent forth, cannot of themselves render garments unclean. This is the proverb: "What makes thee unclean, cannot make me unclean, but thou canst make me unclean."