1What is the minimum measure for the impurity of foods? For them to contract impurity, even the slightest amount. Even a sesame or mustard seed contracts impurity, as Leviticus 11:34 states: “Any food that shall be eaten,” including even the slightest amount.1אכַּמָּה שִׁעוּר אֹכָלִין לַטֻּמְאָה? לְטֻמְאַת עַצְמָן, כָּל שֶׁהֵן; אֲפִלּוּ שֻׁמְשׁוּם אוֹ חַרְדָּל, מִתְטַמֵּא - שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "מִכָּל הָאֹכֶל אֲשֶׁר יֵאָכֵל", כָּל שֶׁהוּא.
Food does not impart impurity to other foods or liquids or a person’s hands2 until it is the size of an egg without its shell.וְאֵין אֹכֶל טָמֵא מְטַמֵּא אֹכֶל אַחֵר אוֹ מַשְׁקִין אוֹ יָדַיִם, עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בּוֹ כַּבֵּיצָה בְּלֹא קְלִפָּתָהּ.
And a person who partakes of impure foods is not disqualified from partaking of terumah and sacrificial foods unless he partakes of a portion of impure food the size of an egg and a half.3 This is half a p’ras.וְכֵן הָאוֹכֵל אֹכָלִין טְמֵאִים - אֵינוֹ נִפְסָל עַד שֶׁיֹּאכַל כַּבֵּיצָה וּמֶחֱצָה, וְזֶה הוּא חֲצִי פְרָס.
2Even the slightest amount of liquid can contract ritual impurity and impart ritual impurity. Even a drop of an impure liquid the size of a mustard seed that touched foods, keilim, or other liquids causes them to become impure.בהַמַּשְׁקִין מִתְטַמְּאִין כָּל שֶׁהֵן, וּמְטַמְּאִין בְּכָל שֶׁהֵן; אֲפִלּוּ טִפַּת מַשְׁקִין טְמֵאִין כַּחַרְדָּל שֶׁנָּגְעָה בְּאֹכָלִין, אוֹ בְּכֵלִים, אוֹ בְּמַשְׁקִין אֲחֵרִים - נִטְמְאוּ.
Nevertheless, a person who drinks impure liquids does not become disqualified unless he drinks a revi’it, as we explained.4וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן, אֵין הַשּׁוֹתֶה מַשְׁקִין טְמֵאִין נִפְסָל עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁתֶּה רְבִיעִית, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ.
3All liquids can be combined to comprise the minimum measure and disqualify a person’s body if he drank a revi’it.גכָּל הַמַּשְׁקִין מִצְטָרְפִין לִפְסוֹל אֶת הַגְּוִיָּה לִרְבִיעִית.
All foods can be combined to comprise the minimum measure of an egg-sized portion that imparts the impurity associated with foods and to a half a pras to disqualify a person. Even wheat can be combined with flour, with dough, with figs, with meat and the like.5 Everything can be combined.וְכָל הָאֹכָלִין מִצְטָרְפִין לְכַבֵּיצָה, לְטַמֵּא טֻמְאַת אֹכָלִין, וּלְכַחֲצִי פְרָס, לִפְסוֹל אֶת הַגְּוִיָּה, אֲפִלּוּ חִטָּה עִם קֶמַח עִם בָּצֵק עִם תְּאֵנָה וּבָשָׂר וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָאֵלּוּ - הַכֹּל מִצְטָרֵף.
4When an animal’s hide is connected to its meat, the juice it secretes, the spices, the meat connected to the hide- although one had the intent to eat part of it and did not have the intent to eat the remainder, even though part of it was separated by a beast of prey6 and part of it was separated by a knife -the bones that are connected to the meat, the giddim,7 the soft portions of the horns and the hoofs, the thin feathers and the wooly hairs of a fowl, the soft portion of its nails and the beak that are embedded in its flesh: all of these contract impurity,8 impart impurity,
and are included in an egg-sized portion or half a pras.דהָעוֹר הַמְּחֻבָּר בַּבָּשָׂר, וְהַמָּרָק וְהַתְּבָלִין וְהָאֲלַל, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמִּקְצָתוֹ חִשַּׁב עָלָיו וּמִקְצָתוֹ לֹא חִשַּׁב עָלָיו, מִקְצָתוֹ פְּלָטַתּוּ חַיָּה וּמִקְצָתוֹ פְּלָטַתּוּ סַכִּין, וְהָעֲצָמוֹת הַמְּחֻבָּרוֹת בַּבָּשָׂר, וְהַגִּידִים וְהַמְּקוֹמוֹת הָרַכִּים מִן הַקְּרָנַיִם וּמִן הַטְּלָפַיִם, וְהַכְּנָפַיִם וְהַנּוֹצָה, וְהַמְּקוֹמוֹת הָרַכִּים מִן הַצִּפָּרְנַיִם וּמִן הַחַרְטוֹם הַמֻּבְלָעִין בַּבָּשָׂר - כָּל אֶחָד מֵאֵלּוּ מִתְטַמְּאִין וּמְטַמְּאִין, וּמִצְטָרְפִין לְכַבֵּיצָה, אוֹ לְכַחֲצִי פְרָס.
5When an egg-sized portion of impure food was left in the sun and it shrank, it does not impart impurity.9הכַּבֵּיצָה אֹכָלִין טְמֵאִים שֶׁהִנִּיחָן בַּחַמָּה וְנִתְמַעֲטוּ - אֵינָן מְטַמְּאִין.
Similarly, an olive-sized portion from a human corpse or an animal carcass and a lentil-sized portion from a dead crawling animal that was left in the sun and shrank are pure.10וְכֵן כְּזַיִת מִן הַמֵּת אוֹ מִן הַנְּבֵלָה וְכַעֲדָשָׁה מִן הַשֶּׁרֶץ שֶׁהִנִּיחָן בַּחַמָּה וְנִתְמַעֲטוּ - טְהוֹרִין.
6When an olive-sized portion of fat, blood, notar,11 or piggul12 was left in the sun and it shrank, one is not liable for karet13 for partaking of them.14וכְּזַיִת חֵלֶב וְדָם וְנוֹתָר וּפִגּוּל שֶׁהִנִּיחָן בַּחַמָּה וְנִתְמַעֲטוּ - אֵין חַיָּבִין עֲלֵיהֶן כָּרֵת.
If he left them in the rain and they swelled, returning to the specified volume, they return to their original status, whether that involves severe impurity,15 a lesser impurity,16 or a prohibition against partaking of the substance.17הִנִּיחָן בַּגְּשָׁמִים וְנִתְפְּחוּ - חָזְרוּ לִכְמוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ, בֵּין לְטֻמְאָה חֲמוּרָה, בֵּין לְטֻמְאָה קַלָּה, בֵּין לְאִסּוּר.
7Onion leaves and onion shoots18 that are hollow which possess sap are measured according to their present size.19 If they are hollow and empty,20 their hollow should be compressed before their volume is measured.21זעֲלֵי בְצָלִים וּבְנֵי בְצָלִים שֶׁהֵן חֲלוּלִין: אִם יֵשׁ בָּהֶם רִיר, מִשְׁתַּעֲרִין כְּמוֹת שֶׁהֵן; וְאִם הָיוּ חֲלוּלִין וְרֵיקָנִים, מְמַעֵךְ אֶת חֲלָלָן.
8A puffy bread22 is measured as it is.23 If it has a cavity, the cavity should be compressed.24חפַּת סֻפְגָּנִין, מִשְׁתַּעֶרֶת כְּמוֹת שֶׁהִיא; וְאִם יֵשׁ בָּהּ חָלָל, מְמַעֵךְ אֶת חֲלָלָהּ.
9When the meat of a calf expands or the meat of an older animal shrinks,25 its volume should be measured in its present state.26טבְּשַׂר הָעֵגֶל שֶׁנִּתְפַּח, וּבְשַׂר זְקֵנָה שֶׁנִּתְמַעֵט - מִשְׁתַּעֲרִין כְּמוֹת שֶׁהֵן.
10The volume of nuts, dates, and almonds that have dried are measured in their present state.27יהָאֱגוֹז וְהַתְּמָרִים וְהַשָּׁקֵד הַמִּתְקַרְקְשִׁין, מִשְׁתַּעֲרִין כְּמוֹת שֶׁהֵן.
11All entities whose type of impurity and minimum measures are similar can be combined with each other to reach that measure. If their impurity was similar, but not the minimum measures or the minimum measures, but not the impurity, they should not be combined, not even to impart the lesser type of impurity.יאכֹּל שֶׁטֻּמְאָתוֹ וְשִׁעוּרוֹ שָׁוִין, מִצְטָרְפִין זֶה עִם זֶה; הָיוּ טֻמְאָתָן שָׁוִין אֲבָל לֹא שִׁעוּרָן, אוֹ שִׁעוּרָן אֲבָל לֹא טֻמְאָתָן - אֵין מִצְטָרְפִין, וַאֲפִלּוּ לְטַמֵּא כַּקַּל שֶׁבִּשְׁנֵיהֶן.
What is meant by the type of its impurity, but not the minimum measure? E. g., the flesh of a corpse and the decomposed mass from it.28 What is meant by its minimum measure, but not its type? E. g., the flesh of a human corpse and the flesh of an animal carcass.29כֵּיצַד טֻמְאָתוֹ וְלֹא שִׁעוּרוֹ? כְּגוֹן בְּשַׂר הַמֵּת וְרָקָב שֶׁלּוֹ; שִׁעוּרוֹ וְלֹא טֻמְאָתוֹ? כְּגוֹן בְּשַׂר הַמֵּת וּבְשַׂר הַנְּבֵלָה.
Needless to say, impure entities that are not similar, neither in their measure and their type of impurity, e.g., the flesh of an animal carcass and the flesh of a dead crawling animal,30 are not combined.וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁאִם לֹא הָיוּ שָׁוִין לֹא בְשִׁעוּר וְלֹא בְטֻמְאָה, כְּגוֹן בְּשַׂר הַנְּבֵלָה וּבְשַׂר הַשֶּׁרֶץ - שֶׁאֵין מִצְטָרְפִין.
12The measure of all impure food is the same. For all impure foods do not impart impurity unless there is an egg-sized portion present. And their impurity is of the same type, for all impure foods impart impurity only through touch and they do not impart impurity to humans or to keilim. Therefore, they can be combined to impart impurity according to the lesser level of impurity among them.יבאֹכָלִין טְמֵאִים - שִׁעוּרָן שָׁוֶה, שֶׁכָּל אֹכֶל טָמֵא אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא אֶלָּא כַּבֵּיצָה; וְטֻמְאָתָן שָׁוָה, שֶׁכָּל אֹכֶל טָמֵא אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא אֶלָּא בַּמַּגָּע, וְאֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא לֹא אָדָם וְלֹא כֵלִים. לְפִיכָךְ מִצְטָרְפִין לְטַמֵּא כַּקַּל שֶׁבִּשְׁנֵיהֶן.
What is implied? When there was a half an egg-sized portion of food that was a primary derivative of impurity and a half of an egg-sized portion of food that was a secondary derivative that were mixed together, they are considered as an egg-sized portion that is a secondary derivative. If the mixture touches food that was terumah, it disqualifies it.כֵּיצַד? כַּחֲצִי בֵיצָה אֹכֶל רִאשׁוֹן וְכַחֲצִי בֵיצָה אֹכֶל שֵׁנִי, שֶׁבְּלָלָן זֶה בְּזֶה - הֲרֵי זֶה שֵׁנִי; וְאִם נָגַע בִּתְרוּמָה, פְּסָלָהּ.
When there was a half an egg-sized portion of food that was a secondary derivative of impurity and a half of an egg-sized portion of food that was a tertiary derivative that were mixed together, they are considered as an eggsized portion that is a tertiary derivative,31 Similar laws apply in all analogous situations. Even when there was a half an egg-sized portion of food that was a primary derivative and a half of an egg-sized portion of sacrificial food that was a fourth degree derivative that were mixed together, they are considered as an egg-sized portion that is a fourth degree derivative.32כַּחֲצִי בֵיצָה אֹכֶל שֵׁנִי וְכַחֲצִי בֵיצָה אֹכֶל שְׁלִישִׁי, שֶׁבְּלָלָן - הֲרֵי זֶה שְׁלִישִׁי. וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָזֶה. אֲפִלּוּ חֲצִי בֵיצָה אֹכֶל רִאשׁוֹן וַחֲצִי בֵיצָה אֹכֶל רְבִיעִי שֶׁל קֹדֶשׁ, שֶׁבְּלָלָן זֶה בְּזֶה - הֲרֵי הַכֹּל רְבִיעִי.
13When an egg-sized portion of food that was a primary derivative of impurity and an egg-sized portion of food that was a secondary derivative were mixed together, the entire mixture is considered as a primary derivative,33 If the mixture was divided, each portion is a secondary derivative.34יגכַּבֵּיצָה אֹכֶל רִאשׁוֹן וְכַבֵּיצָה אֹכֶל שֵׁנִי, שֶׁבְּלָלָן זֶה בְּזֶה - הַכֹּל רִאשׁוֹן; חִלְּקָן, כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶן שֵׁנִי.
If one of the portions of the mixture that was divided fell on a loaf of bread that was terumah and then the other fell upon it, they disqualify it.35נָפַל זֶה לְעַצְמוֹ וְזֶה לְעַצְמוֹ עַל כִּכָּר שֶׁל תְּרוּמָה, פְּסָלוּהוּ.
If the two fell at the same time,36 they cause it to be considered as a secondary derivative.נָפְלוּ שְׁנֵיהֶן כְּאֶחָד, עֲשָׂאוּהוּ שֵׁנִי.
14When an egg-sized portion of food that was a secondary derivative of impurity and an egg-sized portion of food that was a tertiary derivative were mixed together, the entire mixture is considered as a secondary derivative.37 If the mixture was divided, each portion is a tertiary derivative.ידכַּבֵּיצָה אֹכֶל שֵׁנִי וְכַבֵּיצָה אֹכֶל שְׁלִישִׁי, שֶׁבְּלָלָן זֶה בְּזֶה - הֲרֵי הַכֹּל שֵׁנִי; חִלְּקָן, כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶן שְׁלִישִׁי.
If one of the portions of the mixture that was divided fell on a loaf of bread that was terumah and then the other fell upon it, they do not disqualify it. If the two fell at the same time, they cause it to be considered as a tertiary derivative.נָפַל זֶה לְעַצְמוֹ וְזֶה לְעַצְמוֹ עַל כִּכָּר שֶׁל תְּרוּמָה, לֹא פְסָלוּהוּ; נָפְלוּ שְׁנֵיהֶן כְּאֶחָד - פְּסָלוּהוּ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁעֲשָׂאוּהוּ שְׁלִישִׁי.
15When an egg-sized portion of food that was a primary derivative of impurity and an egg-sized portion of food that was a tertiary derivative were mixed together, the entire mixture is considered as a primary derivative.38 If the mixture was divided, each portion is a secondary derivative. The rationale is that when a tertiary derivative touches a primary derivative, it becomes a secondary derivative.39טוכַּבֵּיצָה אֹכֶל רִאשׁוֹן וְכַבֵּיצָה אֹכֶל שְׁלִישִׁי, שֶׁבְּלָלָן זֶה בְּזֶה - רִאשׁוֹן; חִלְּקָן, זֶה שְׁנֵי וְזֶה שֵׁנִי - שֶׁהַשְּׁלִישִׁי שֶׁנָּגַע בָּרִאשׁוֹן נַעֲשָׂה שֵׁנִי.
16When two egg-sized portions of food that were primary derivatives of impurity and two egg-sized portions of food that were secondary derivatives were mixed together, the entire mixture is considered as a primary derivative. If the mixture was divided in half, each portion is a primary derivative.40 If they were divided into three or four portions, each one of them is considered a secondary derivative.41טזכִּשְׁתֵּי בֵיצִים אֹכֶל רִאשׁוֹן וְכִשְׁתֵּי בֵיצִים אֹכֶל שֵׁנִי שֶׁבְּלָלָן - הַכֹּל רִאשׁוֹן. חִלְּקָן לִשְׁנַיִם, כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶן רִאשׁוֹן; חִלְּקָן לִשְׁלֹשָׁה חֲלָקִים אוֹ לְאַרְבָּעָה, כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶן שֵׁנִי.
Similarly, when two egg-sized portions of food that were secondary derivatives of impurity and two egg-sized portions of food that were tertiary derivatives were mixed together, the entire mixture is considered as a secondary derivative. If the mixture was divided in half, each portion is a secondary derivative. If they were divided into three or four portions, each one of them is considered a tertiary derivative.וְכֵן כִּשְׁתֵּי בֵיצִים אֹכֶל שֵׁנִי וְכִשְׁתֵּי בֵיצִים אֹכֶל שְׁלִישִׁי שֶׁבְּלָלָן - הַכֹּל שֵׁנִי. חִלְּקָן לִשְׁנַיִם, כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶן שֵׁנִי; לִשְׁלֹשָׁה וּלְאַרְבָּעָה, הֲרֵי כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶן שְׁלִישִׁי.