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מסכת כלים

פרק כח משנה ב

פחות משלשה על שלשה

Less than three by three (handbreadths of cloth)

שהתקינו

that was designated

לפוק בו את המרחץ

to plug with it the bath (some say that this refers to holes in the walls of the bathhouse, others that it is the drain of the tub),

לנער בו את הקדרה

to pour with it the pot (i.e. to use as a potholder),

לקנח בו את הרחים

(or) to wipe clean the millstone (from dust),

בין מוכן

whether prepared (by placing it on a peg for this purpose)

בין שאינו מוכן

whether not prepared (by being placed behind a door),

טמא

is tamei (as, while these uses are insignificant, the cloth has not been treated with the disregard of being thrown in the trash, and so still has some value),

דברי רבי אליעזר

these are the words of Rabbi Eliezer;

רבי יהושוע אומר

Rabbi Yehoshua says

בין מן המוכן

whether prepared

בין שאינו מן המוכן

whether not prepared,

טהור

it is tahor (since the cloth was not stored in a chest, which it would have been if it was still valued);

רבי עקיבה אומר

Rabbi Akiva says

מן המוכן טמא

when prepared it is tamei,

שאינו מן המוכן טהור

that which is not prepared is tahor.

 

פרק כח משנה ג

העושה אספלנית

One who made a poultice (a soft, moist mass of material, sometimes comprised of oil, fat, or butter mixed with wax, spread on a cloth or other material and applied to the body to relieve wounds, soreness or inflammation)

בין בבגד בין בעור

whether with a cloth, whether with hide

טהורה

it is tahor (the cloth or hide is considered ruined by being soiled for this use);

רבי יוסי אומר

Rabbi Yosi says

על העור טהור

for the hide it is tahor (as he held that could not be cleaned, as opposed to the cloth which could);

מלוגמה

a masticated poultice (comprised of figs, wheat and flour that has been chewed before being spread on the cloth or leather),

בבגד טהורה

on cloth is tahor (as it could not be cleaned off)

ובעור טמאה

and on hide is tamei (as it could be cleaned);

רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says,

אף בבגד טמאה

also on a cloth will be tamei,

מפני שהיא ננערת

as it can be shaken off (after it dries).

            

לרפואת מרים חיה בת ברכה בתוך שאר חולי ישראל