Audio by Shimi Berger

Mishnah Yadayim 2:4: If there is an uncertainty as to whether they [i.e. the waters which one used to wash one's hands] have been used for any occupation or have not been used for any occupation, or an uncertainty as to whether they contained the required measure [for washing] or did not contain the required measure, or an uncertainty as to whether they were impure or pure [waters], their uncertainties [in all these cases] are pure, since they [i.e. the Sages] said: The uncertainty of hands regarding whether they can be rendered impure, or render impurity, or be rendered pure, is pure [i.e. in all those circumstances of uncertainty they are assumed to be pure]. Rabbi Yose says: regarding [the uncertainty as to] whether they can be rendered pure, they are impure. How so? If one's hands were pure, and before him are two impure loaves, and there is an uncertainty as to whether he touched or did not touch [the impure loaf]; or if one's hands were impure, and before him are two pure loaves, and there is an uncertainty as to whether he touched or did not touch [either of the loaves]; or if one of one's hands was impure and the other pure, and before him are two pure loaves, and he touched one of them, and there is an uncertainty as to whether he touched with the impure [hand] or with the pure one; or if one's hands were pure, and before him are two loaves, one impure and one pure, and he touched one of them, and there is an uncertainty as to whether he touched the impure one or the pure one; or if one of one's hands was impure and one pure, and before him are two loaves, one impure and one pure, and he touched both of them, and there is an uncertainty as to whether [he touched] the impure [loaf] with the impure [hand] and the pure [loaf] with the pure [hand], or the pure [loaf] with the impure [hand] and the impure [loaf] with the pure [hand]. The hands [in all of these cases of uncertainty] are they were [i.e. with regard to their purity status, remaining either pure or impure], and the loaves [as well] are as they were

סָפֵק נַעֲשָׂה בָהֶם מְלָאכָה סָפֵק לֹא נַעֲשָׂה בָהֶם מְלָאכָה, סָפֵק יֵשׁ בָּהֶם כַּשִּׁעוּר סָפֵק שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם כַּשִּׁעוּר, סָפֵק טְמֵאִים סָפֵק טְהוֹרִין, סְפֵקָן טָהוֹר, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָמְרוּ, סְפֵק הַיָּדַיִם לִטָּמֵא וּלְטַמֵּא וְלִטָּהֵר, טָהוֹר. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, לִטָּהֵר, טָמֵא. כֵּיצַד. הָיוּ יָדָיו טְהוֹרוֹת וּלְפָנָיו שְׁנֵי כִכָּרִים טְמֵאִים, סָפֵק נָגַע סָפֵק לֹא נָגַע, הָיוּ יָדָיו טְמֵאוֹת וּלְפָנָיו שְׁנֵי כִכָּרִים טְהוֹרִים, סָפֵק נָגַע סָפֵק לֹא נָגַע. הָיוּ יָדָיו אַחַת טְמֵאָה וְאַחַת טְהוֹרָה וּלְפָנָיו שְׁנֵי כִכָּרִים טְהוֹרִים, נָגַע בְּאַחַד מֵהֶם, סָפֵק בַּטְּמֵאָה נָגַע סָפֵק בַּטְּהוֹרָה נָגַע. הָיוּ יָדָיו טְהוֹרוֹת וּלְפָנָיו שְׁנֵי כִכָּרִים, אֶחָד טָמֵא וְאֶחָד טָהוֹר, נָגַע בְּאַחַד מֵהֶן, סָפֵק בַּטָּמֵא נָגַע סָפֵק בַּטָּהוֹר נָגַע. הָיוּ יָדָיו אַחַת טְמֵאָה וְאַחַת טְהוֹרָה וּלְפָנָיו שְׁנֵי כִכָּרִים אֶחָד טָמֵא וְאֶחָד טָהוֹר, נָגַע בִּשְׁתֵּיהֶן, סָפֵק טְמֵאָה בַטָּמֵא וּטְהוֹרָה בַטָּהוֹר, אוֹ טְהוֹרָה בַטָּמֵא וּטְמֵאָה בַטָּהוֹר, הַיָּדַיִם כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ וְהַכִּכָּרִים כְּמוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ:

Mishnah Yadayim 3:1: If one's hand enters into a blighted house [i.e. a leperous house], the hands are [rendered to be of a] primary [degree of impurity], according to Rabbi Akiva. And the Sages say: the hands are [rendered with a] secondary [degree of impurity]. Anything that renders garments impure instantly upon contact, renders the hands to be of a primary [degree of] impurity, according to Rabbi Akiva. And the Sages say: [it renders the hands] to be [of a] secondary [degree of impurity]. They said to Rabbi Akiva, "Where is there any place that we find that the hands are [rendered impure in a] primary [degree]?" He said to them, "And how [else] is it possible that they can be rendered [impure in a] primary [degree] without one's body having been rendered impure, except in this instance!" Food items and vessels which were rendered impure by liquids, render the hands to be of a secondary [degree of] impurity, according to Rabbi Yehoshua. And the Sages say: that which was rendered impure by an Origin of impurity renders the hands impure; [and that which was rendered impure] by a derivative impurity does not render the hands impure. Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel said, "It happened that a woman came before my father, and said to him, 'My hands entered into the air-space of an [impure] earthenware vessel.' He said to her, 'My daughter, through what was its impurity [caused]?' But I did not hear what she said to him." The Sages said, "The matter is elucidated: that which was rendered impure by an Origin of impurity renders the hands impure; [and that which was rendered impure] by a derivative impurity does not render the hands impure."

הַמַּכְנִיס יָדָיו לְבַיִת הַמְנֻגָּע, יָדָיו תְּחִלּוֹת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, יָדָיו שְׁנִיּוֹת. כֹּל הַמְטַמֵּא בְגָדִים בִּשְׁעַת מַגָּעוֹ, מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם לִהְיוֹת תְּחִלּוֹת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, לִהְיוֹת שְׁנִיּוֹת. אָמְרוּ לוֹ לְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, הֵיכָן מָצִינוּ שֶׁהַיָּדַיִם תְּחִלָּה בְכָל מָקוֹם. אָמַר לָהֶם, וְכִי הֵיאַךְ אֶפְשָׁר לָהֶן לִהְיוֹת תְּחִלָּה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן נִטְמָא גוּפוֹ, חוּץ מִזֶּה. הָאֳכָלִין וְהַכֵּלִים שֶׁנִּטְמְאוּ בְמַשְׁקִין, מְטַמְּאִין אֶת הַיָּדַיִם לִהְיוֹת שְׁנִיּוֹת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, אֶת שֶׁנִּטְמָא בְאַב הַטֻּמְאָה, מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם. בִּוְלַד הַטֻּמְאָה, אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם. אָמַר רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, מַעֲשֶׂה בְאִשָּׁה אַחַת שֶׁבָּאָת לִפְנֵי אַבָּא, אָמְרָה לוֹ, נִכְנְסוּ יָדַי לַאֲוִיר כְּלִי חֶרֶשׂ. אָמַר לָהּ, בִּתִּי, וּבַמֶּה הָיְתָה טֻמְאָתָהּ, וְלֹא שָׁמַעְתִּי מָה אָמְרָה לוֹ. אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים, מְבֹאָר הַדָּבָר. אֶת שֶׁנִּטְמָא בְאַב הַטֻּמְאָה, מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדַיִם. בִּוְלַד הַטֻּמְאָה, אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא אֶת הַיָּדָיִם:

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