Kelim - Chapter 21

I.e., for aesthetic purposes, a garment is not necessarily hemmed. Instead, some of the threads protrude beyond the weave.

I.e., with regard to the laws of impurity, whether they contract impurity together with the garment or not. When they are as long as the measure stated, they contract impurity with it. If they are longer, the extra portion does not.

We have used the common translation of the term. Nevertheless, in his translation of the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 20:7), Rav Kapach explains that the Rambam uses a term that refers to a garment similar to the talitot hakatanot commonly worn today.

A fingerbreadth is 2 cm according to Shiurei Torah and 2.4 cm according to Chazon Ish.

Our translation of this and many of the other terms in this and the following halachah is taken from the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (op. cit. 29:1).

Regardless of how long they are, they are considered as part of the garment.

Used as a belt for animals (ibid.).

So that his sweat will not spoil his clothes.

We have taken our translation from the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 29:1). Today, the term simlah has other meanings.

Our translation follows the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (op. cit.:3) which explains that this term is not referring to a weight, but rather to a plumb line used by builders or carpenters to see if the walls of a building or piece of furniture are straight.

Because the additional portion is not necessary for the ordinary use of the plumb line.

Contractors who apply lime to roofs (ibid.).

I.e., craftsmen who work with plaster, making decorative designs (ibid.).

This is the ordinary length and hence, the measure that is susceptible to impurity.

The balance scale used in the Talmudic era consists of a chain either held in one's hand or suspended from the ceiling or a pillar. It was connected to the midpoint of a horizontal beam which had weighing pans held by strings suspended from its ends. Our Sages required that the heavier the article being weighed, the longer the chain which held the balance had to be so that its tipping would be more distinct. For precious items, it is not necessary for it to tip much, for even a small amount is significant.

Who usually do not weigh articles that are extremely heavy or valuable.

And is therefore not susceptible to ritual impurity.

And thus is susceptible to ritual impurity. In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 19:1), the Rambam explains that a bed was made by tying cords to the frame of a bed in a crisscross manner, creating squares. Afterwards, a mattress or straw was placed on top of the cords.

The cords that form the criss-cross support for the mattress are tied to the outside of the frame of the bed. Any portion that extends inside the frame is impure.

I.e., if the bed is impure, a person touching it contracts the impurity resulting from contact with an impure k’li.

If there is no loose rope on the outside of a knot, it is highly probable that it will become undone over time (ibid.). There, the Rambam adds that this is the measure for cords of usual thickness. If thicker cords are used, it is necessary for the free-hanging cord to be longer.

I.e., the additional portions of the cord extending beyond the bed are not considered as attached to the bed, because they do not serve a purpose. Hence, even though the bed is impure, one who touches the cord does not contract impurity (ibid.:2).

It is too short to serve a purpose.

I.e., a cord of this size serves a purpose. Hence it is considered as an integral part of the bed.

Hence, it is not considered as an integral part of the bed.

As in the previous halachah, for ten handbreadths, the length of the cord is useful, because it can be used to hang the bed (ibid.:3).

And is no longer useful for its original purpose.

I.e., the cord tied over the saddle blanket of a donkey (ibid.).

The impurity imparted by a zav has several dimensions in which it is more severe than other types of impurity. As stated in Hilchot Metamei Mishkav UMoshav 1:1, ch. 5, when a zav or the like sit or lie on a bed or other support, not only does it become a derivative of impurity, it becomes a primary source of impurity.

Since this extra portion of the mizran is an integral part of the bed, as stated in the previous halachah, its status is the same as the bed itself.

Although the mizran would not be considered as a support in its own right, since it is attached to the bed and the bed could be considered as a support, the mizran is placed in that category as well.

Since this portion of the extension of the mizran is not necessary for the bed, it is not considered as a part of it. Nevertheless, since it touches the bed, it contracts the level of impurity that results from contact with such a source of impurity.

For stepping on the mizran is equivalent to stepping on the bed itself.

In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 19:4), the Rambam interprets these concepts slightly differently.

Rambam LeAm (based on the Tosefta, Keilim 16:3) explains the rationale for this distinction as follows: a mizran is not fit to contract impurity as a support for a zav in and of itself. It is placed in that category only because it is considered as part of the bed. Beyond 10 handbreadths, it is not necessary for the bed and thus, is not considered as a part of it. Hence, it not considered as a support for a zav. With regard to other types of impurity, the mizran is itself fit to contract such impurity in its own right, regardless of its connection to the bed. Accordingly, even if it is distant from the bed, it contracts these types of impurity.
Since the mizran is connected to the bed, they are considered as a single entity with regard to other forms of impurity. Thus if one of the two contracts impurity, the other also contracts that same impurity. See Halachah 11 and notes.

The Rambam’s mentions impure liquids because their impurity is of Rabbinic origin, in contrast to the other examples whose impurity stems from Scriptural Law.

Since the mizran is now part of the bed, it is not considered as an object that touched a source of impurity, but rather as part of that source. See a parallel ruling in Hilchot Tum’at Ochalin 6:18.

Since it was not part of the bed at the time the bed contracted impurity, the impurity is not intrinsic to it. Hence, it loses that status when it is detached from the bed. Nevertheless, since it did come in contract with the source of impurity, it is impure for that reason.

I.e., the impurity stemming from contact with a human corpse.

I.e., its status is that of an article that came in contact with a k'li that contracted the impurity from contact with a human corpse.

For an object which itself is merely a derivative of impurity does not impart impurity to keilim (Hilchot Sha’ar Avot HaTum’ah 7:2).

Since the bed and the mizran were a single entity at the time they contracted that impurity, it is considered as intrinsic to both of them. Hence, the mizran retains that status even when separated. Their separation is not considered similar to the destruction of a k’li (which would purify them), because even as they are separate, each is considered as a complete k’li [the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 19:6)].

I.e., a zav stepped on it while it was a separate entity. If, however, it had been part of a bed that had been impure and then the bed broke, it regains its purity, because the k'li of which it was a part is no longer functional [the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 18:7)].

The bed and the bedpost are considered as a single entity and share the same level of impurity.

To purify it from the impurity stemming from a human corpse.

I.e., since it is considered as part of the bed, it is purified together with the bed even though it contracted impurity independently. See Hilchot Parah Adumah 12:4-5.

Like an object that touched an object that contracted impurity from a human corpse.

Hilchot Tum’at Meit 5:7.

I.e., the status of the tooth and the plow are dependent on each other like that of the bedpost and the bed [the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (op. cit.)].