Rambam - 3 Chapters a Day

A column of liquid being poured is not considered as joined, neither to an impure entity nor to one that is pure.

What is implied? If one was pouring pure liquids into an impure container or even on the carcass of a crawling animal itself, the column of liquid being poured is pure. If one would collect some of the liquids that are being poured while they are in the air, what he collects is pure. Needless to say, that the liquids in the container from which one is pouring are pure.

When does the above apply? When one is pouring cold liquids to cold liquids, hot liquids to hot liquids, or hot liquids to cold ones. If, however, one pours pure cold liquids into impure hot liquids, the column of liquids being poured is considered as joined. The liquids are considered as a primary derivative of impurity. They impart impurity to the container in which they are held.

Why did the Sages say that when one who pours cold liquids into hot liquids, the liquids are considered as joined? Because the vapors of the hot liquids ascend like a pillar of smoke. It becomes intermingled with the column of liquid being poured and the liquid in the upper container, causing it to become impure. For the vapor ascending from the hot liquid is also considered as liquid.

For this reason, when a woman whose hands were pure was stirring a hot pot that was impure and liquid collected on her hand because of the vapor of the pot, her hands contract impurity. It is as if they touched the liquids in the pot. Similarly, if her hands were impure, she stirred a hot pot, and liquid collected on her hand because of the vapor of the pot, all of the contents of the pot contract impurity, as if she touched the liquids in the pot.

When honey from Zif and Tzapachat is poured, the column of honey is considered as joined even if one is pouring from a cold container to a cold container. The rationale is that the honey remains attached to them and they are extended like glue. Therefore the column of all other foods which are poured are not considered as joined even if they are very thick, e.g., cooked groats, melted fat, or the like, because they do not remain attached. Similarly, with regard to other liquids, a column of poured liquid is not considered as joined unless one is pouring from cold to hot, as we explained.

Similarly, a column of liquid is not considered as joined to a pure entity.

What is implied? If one poured impure water from a stone container or the like into a mikveh, we do not say that when the edge of the column being poured reaches the water, it is purified. Instead, it is considered as impure until it is all connected to the mikveh from one side, as we explained.

Similarly, when there is an incline that has tangible moisture upon it, the moisture is not considered as joined to other liquids on that incline, neither to render them impure or pure. Liquids that are collected on the ground, by contrast, are all considered as joined, whether this renders them impure or pure.

When a kneading trough is on an incline, there is tangible moisture on it, and there are three impure pieces of food, together an egg-sized portion in size, positioned on it, one below the other, they are not combined. If there are two, they are combined. If there was standing liquid beneath the food, even if the pieces are all the size of mustard seeds, the liquid combines them all.

We have already explained that a person who immersed to purify himself on the same day does not impart impurity to ordinary foods at all. Instead, he disqualifies foods that are terumah and liquids that are terumah, making them all tertiary derivatives. Similarly, if he touches sacrificial foods or sacrificial liquids, he disqualifies them and causes them to be considered as fourth degree derivatives.

There are certain situations where articles are not considered as joined when one of them is touched by a person who immersed that day even though they are considered as joined with regard to all forms of impurity. Instead, if a person who immersed that day touched them, he disqualifies only the article he touched. If, instead of such a person, those articles had been touched by another impure person, he would have disqualified all of them. Even if the person who touched them merely partook of impure foods or drank impure liquids and thus his impurity is light, he disqualifies everything. In contrast, a person who immersed that day does not disqualify it. Needless, to say, if a person is a primary source of impurity or a primary derivative of impurity, he imparts impurity to everything.

Why was leniency granted to a person who immersed that day? Because he already purified himself and he is lacking only nightfall to attain purity.

A further leniency was granted with regard to a person who immersed that day. There are foods that are designated for human consumption and hence susceptible to all types of impurity, but they are pure if touched by a person who immersed that day. They are barley and spelt when they are not shelled. If, however, they are shelled, and, similarly, wheat, even if it is not shelled, black cumin, and sesame seeds are disqualified when touched by a person who immersed that day. Needless to say, they contract all forms of impurity.

All of the "handles" of food that are considered as joined to the food with regard to a primary source of impurity are also considered as joined with regard to a person who immersed that day. Similarly, whenever food has been sliced, but is still somewhat connected and thus is considered joined with regard to a primary source of impurity, it is also considered as joined with regard to a person who immersed that day. Whenever leniency is granted and objects are not considered as joined with regard to a person who immersed that day, they are considered as joined with regard to the impurity of hands. This is also a stringency that applies with regard to the impurity of hands that does not apply with regard to a person who immersed that day.

The following rule applies when loaves or breads were inserted into an oven and were attached to each other - although one had the intent to separate them - or one baked one loaf over another in an oven and its surface did not yet harden. If a person who immersed that day touched one of them, he only disqualifies the loaf that he touched.

Similarly, in the following instances, water was boiled and made large bubbles, groats were boiled for the first time, fresh wine began to ferment, or rice was boiled, if a person who immersed that day touched the bubbles, he disqualifies only the bubbles. With regard to other impurity, by contrast, whether lenient or stringent, everything is considered as joined.

If, however, loaves were attached to each other and the person did not intend to separate them; he baked one loaf over another and they became attached after the surfaces hardened in the oven; water bubbled and the bubbles were not empty as large bubbles are; groats boiled for a second time; aged wine fermented and produced bubbles; oil - whether fresh or aged - bubbled; lentils bubbled - all these situations are considered as joined even when touched by a person who immersed that day. Needless to say, this applies with regard to other impurities.

The following rules apply if dough is taken out at the time of baking and left to harden, so there is a projection like a nail in the midst of a loaf or the end of the dough is extended and becomes burnt while the loaf is baking; it is called a charchur. If they were smaller than a fingerbreadth in size and a person who immersed that day touched them, he disqualified the entire loaf. Similarly, if such a person touched a small granule of salt in the loaf, he disqualified the entire loaf. Needless to say, these laws apply with regard to other impurities.

If, however, there is a pebble in a loaf, a vetch bean, a large granule of salt, a charchur that is larger than a fingerbreadth, even if a primary source of impurity touches them, the loaf is pure. Needless to say, this applies with regard to a person who immersed that day.

When half of a roll is burnt and half remains edible, the two are not considered as joined. If the center of a roll became burnt, but the sides remain edible, they are not considered as joined to each other. This applies even with regard to a primary source of impurity. Needless to say, this applies with regard to a person who immersed that day.

If the sauce in which sacrificial meat was being cooked congealed around it and a person who immersed that day touched this gel, the meat is permitted. If he touched a piece of the meat, that piece and anything that ascends with it are considered joined. Similar laws apply if cooked legumes congeal on pieces of bread.

When oil is floating on wine and a person who immersed that day touches the oil, he disqualifies only the oil.

When there is an egg that is stirred placed on a vegetable that is terumah and a person who immersed that day touches the egg, he disqualifies only the stalk of the vegetable below the place he touched. If the egg bubbled like a helmet, it is not considered as joined to the vegetable.

The following laws apply when a strand from an egg congealed on the wall of a frying pan and a person who immersed that day touched it. If he touched a portion of the egg that was on the rim or further inward, it is considered as joined to the food. If the portion he touched was beyond the rim and to the outside, the egg is not considered as joined. The same laws apply with regard to cooked legumes whose broth congeals on the rim of a pot.

If there was a barrel that was perforated, whether from its base or from its side, and a person who immersed that day closed the hole with his hand, the contents of the entire barrel are disqualified.

When a person was pouring liquids from one container to another and a person who immersed that day touched the column of liquids, we estimate whether the liquids that he touched were less than a 101th portion of the entire amount. The rationale is that impure terumah that is mixed with 101 times its volume is considered insignificant because of its minimal size, as we explained in Hilchot Terumot.

The following laws apply when a person who had immersed that day was separating terumah from a cistern of wine. An open jug of wine that was terumah fell from his hand and became submerged in the cistern of wine. He sought to retrieve the jug and touched the jug of wine in the cistern. If his hand touched only from the rim of the jug and outward, the wine he touched is not considered as joined to the wine in the jug. If his hand extended beyond the rim of the jug inward, it is considered as joined.

If the cistern was a giant container, even an immense tank that holds 100 kor, all of the wine is considered as joined. If a person who immersed that day touched some of the wine, he disqualifies even the terumah in a jug in the bottom of the large container.

When a person who immersed that day touches some of the flour for the meal offerings, frankincense, the incense offering, or coals, he disqualifies the entire amount that are held together in a container.

To what does the above apply? To the coals that one collects in the firepan used on Yom Kippur, for the coals in that firepan are taken into the Sanctuary. It does not apply to the coals that are taken every day, for they do not posses holiness. This is evidenced by the fact that if some of the coals are scattered when he pours from the silver firepan to the golden firepan, they do not possess holiness and are swept into the drainage canal.

When oil that is terumah is resting upon a thick stew or an unbaked cake of ordinary food and a person who immersed that day touched the oil, he disqualifies only the oil. If he mixed the oil with the stew or the dough, any place the oil reached is disqualified.

If one cooked a vegetable that was ordinary food with terumah oil and a person who immersed that day touched it, he disqualifies only the place he touches.

When there is a thick stew that is terumah and garlic and oil that are ordinary food and a person who immersed that day touched part of the stew, the oil, or the garlic, he disqualifies everything.

If the stew was ordinary food and the garlic and oil were terumah and a person who immersed that day touched a portion, he disqualifies only the place he touched. If there was a majority of garlic, the ruling depends on the majority.

When does the above apply? When the garlic is a mass in a bowl. If, however, it was spread out in a pestle and one touched a portion of it, he disqualifies only the portion that he touched. It is not considered as joined, because he desires that it be dispersed.

With regard to other condiments that are crushed into liquids like garlic is crushed into oil, if they were crushed without liquids and collected, even though they are like a single entity in a bowl, he disqualifies only the place where he touches. For the condiments are considered like a roll of dried figs, in which instance, the ruling is that if a portion of it contracted impurity, the entire roll does not contract impurity.

When a portion in the northern or southern part of a dough is designated as challah and similarly, when a portion in the northern or southern part of a zucchini was designated as terumah, the terumah or the challah are considered as joined to the entire dough or zucchini. Thus if a person who immersed that day touched part of the dough, the challah is disqualified. If the challah was removed from the remainder of the dough and then returned to it, it is not considered as joined.

When a dough that was ordinary food became mixed with terumah or became leavened with yeast that is terumah, it is not disqualified when touched by a person who immersed that day.

If the grains from which the flour used to make a dough had been exposed to liquids and thus made susceptible to ritual impurity and then the flour was kneaded with fruit juice, should a person who immersed that day touch the dough, he disqualifies only the place he touches.

When food that is the first tithe was exposed to liquids and thus made susceptible to ritual impurity and a person who immersed that day or one with impure hands touched that food, terumat ma'aser should be separated from it in a state of purity. The rationale is that the first tithe is considered as ordinary food and neither a person who immersed that day nor one whose hands are impure disqualifies ordinary food, for ordinary food that is a tertiary derivative of impurity is pure, as we explained.

Similarly, a woman who immersed that day may knead dough, cut off a portion as challah, set it aside, place it in a container, put it together with the other dough in one container so that they are considered as one entity, so that it can be separated while the two are one entity. Afterwards, she designates it as challah, saying "This is challah." Once she designates it, she should not touch it, lest she disqualify it. She should follow a similar pattern if she was kneading in a kneading trough that had been immersed that day.

When a person fills bottles that were immersed that day from a jug of wine that is from the tithes from which terumat ma'aser had not been separated and says: "May this be terumat ma'aser for the wine in the jug at nightfall," it is pure terumah. The rationale is that the separated wine does not become terumat ma'aser until nightfall, as he stipulated. And at night, the day in which they were in an intermediate state will have ended for the bottles and they will become pure.

If the jug from which the wine was taken breaks before nightfall, the wine in the bottles is considered as tevel. If the bottles break, the wine in the jug is considered as tevel.

A person who immersed after purifying himself from the impurity associated with a human corpse or the impurity that results from relations with a nidah may work in an olive press.

Similarly, other impure people who immersed themselves to regain purity may work with ordinary food that is pure with the exception of a zav and a zavah on their seventh day. Even though these individuals immersed themselves, they should not work in an olive press or become involved with pure foods lest they experience a discharge. In such an instance, they are considered impure retroactively, for the discharge disqualifies all the seven pure days, as we explained.

When oil or honey contract impurity, coagulate and become solid, and then return to a liquid state, they are considered as first degree derivatives of impurity forever, because they are liquids. This applies even if they solidify after contracting impurity.

When sauce, groats, or milk solidify, they are considered as foods and intent is required for them to become susceptible to ritual impurity. If food that was a primary derivative of impurity or an impure liquid touches them, they are considered as secondary derivatives. If there was moist liquid on them, they are considered as liquids and they are deemed primary derivatives.

If they contracted impurity while they were liquids and then froze and solidified, they are considered as secondary derivatives, like food that contracted impurity from impure liquids. Different laws apply if they contracted impurity when they were solid and then melted and became liquid. If they were exactly the size of an egg or less, the liquids are pure. If they are larger than an egg, the liquids are impure. The rationale is that when the first drop melted, it contracted impurity from the egg-sized portion of frozen liquid from which it melted. That drop will then impart impurity to all of the liquids that will melt afterwards.

Similar laws apply if a person who was impure due to contact with a human corpse squeezed a mass of olives or grapes that were made susceptible to ritual impurity. If the fruits were only the size of an egg, the liquids produced are pure, provided the person does not touch that place from which the liquids are dripping. The rationale for the leniency is that the liquids are set aside in the food; it is as if the food was a separate entity.

If the grapes or olives were larger than the size of an egg, the liquids that emerge from them are impure. For once the first drop emerged from them, it became impure due to contact with an egg-sized portion of impure food and it imparts impurity to all the liquids.

If the person squeezing the grapes was a zav, a zavah, or the like even if they squeezed only one grape which had not been made susceptible to ritual impurity, and they did not touch the liquid, the liquid is impure. The rationale is that when the first drop emerged, it became impure because it was carried by a zav. For a zav who carries food or liquids imparts impurity to them, as we explained. Similarly, when a zav milks a goat, the milk is impure. For when the first drop emerged, it became impure because it was carried by a zav.

The following laws apply when there was a pot filled with vegetables left to pickle, their leaves extended outside the pot, and a primary source or a primary derivative of impurity touched the leaf that was outside the pot in a dry place. Even though the leaf was the size of an egg, it is impure, but everything else is pure. If it is returned to the pot, it imparts impurity to all the liquids in it. As a result, the pot and all the vegetables contract impurity. More stringent rules apply if the impure person touched a leaf that was outside the pot that had liquid on it. If the leaf is the size of an egg, everything is impure. The rationale is that the leaf imparts impurity to the liquid on it. That liquid imparts impurity to all the liquids in the pot and they impart impurity to the pot.

A pot that was filled with pickled vegetables that were terumah was shaken by a person who immersed that day. He discovered liquids on his hand and was in doubt whether they were sprayed from the pot or whether a stalk from a moist vegetable in the pot touched his hand. The ruling is that the vegetables are disqualified, but the pot is pure.

The following laws apply when an impure person was partaking of grapes that had been made susceptible to ritual impurity and one grape fell into a wine press. If the grape was complete and its stem had not been removed from it, the grapes in the wine press are pure. If its stem was removed and the grapes from which he took the grape that fell were stored in a storage pit and prepared to be crushed - indicating that he desires the liquid that emerges from them - the grapes in the wine press contract impurity from the drop of liquid that emerges from the place of the stem.

Should grapes fall from the hands of the impure person and he crushed them in an open place, the liquids that emerge from them are pure if the grapes were exactly the size of an egg or less, as we explained. If there is more than an egg-sized portion, the liquid that emerges is impure. Once one drop emerges, it contracts impurity from an egg-sized portion of impure foods and then it imparts impurity to all the liquids that emerge afterwards.

The following laws apply when there was a mound of impure olives that were collected and pressed together until they were considered as joined which was thrown into an oven that was then kindled. If the olives were exactly the size of an egg or less, the oven is pure. The rationale is that impure food does not impart impurity to keilim and the oil that emerges from them is pure, as we explained. If the mound was larger than an egg, the oven contracts impurity. For when one drop emerges, it contracts impurity from an egg-sized portion of impure foods and then it imparts impurity to the oven. Therefore if the impure olives are separate and not in a mound, even if there are 100 of them, the oven is pure.

When wood that absorbed impure liquids was kindled as fuel for an oven, the oven is pure, because the liquids are considered insignificant while absorbed in the wood. Even if the person took the wood out so that rain would fall on it and thus it is considered as desirable for him that the rain fell on it, the oven is pure. The rain- water that is on the wood does not contract impurity from the liquids that are absorbed in it.

One should not kindle the oven with this wood unless one's hands are pure. This is a decree lest an impure person kindle the oven with such wood and thus the liquids on it would make the oven impure.

When the carcass of a creeping animal is found in an olive mill, only the portion which it touches contracts impurity. If there is liquid flowing, everything is impure, for once a little of the liquid becomes impure, the entire amount becomes impure and then, the oil will impart impurity to the olives.

If the carcass is found on the leaves above the olives, the workers should be questioned. If they say that they did not touch the carcass, their word is accepted. If the carcass was found on a compressed mass of olives, the entire mass becomes impure, as we explained.

If the carcass is found on separate olives, but it is touching a compressed mass the size of an egg, everything is impure. For food the size of an olive will impart impurity to liquid mixed with it. The liquid will then impart impurity to the other olives. If there were separate olives piled on other separate olives and the oil was below them, even if the carcass was touching a mass the size of an egg, only the place it touches contracts impurity.

When an unlearned person extended his hand to a winepress and touched the clusters of grapes, the clusters he touched and those around them are impure, but the clusters in the winepress as a whole are pure. For the clusters that are around the clusters that he touched separate it and the remainder of those in the winepress.

When impure people tread over the waste products of olives or grapes from which oil or wine was produced in a state of purity and afterwards, liquid emerged from them, this liquid is pure. The rationale is that originally, the oil or the wine was produced in a state of purity. If originally, the oil or the wine was produced in a state of impurity and afterwards, through the actions of these people, liquid emerged, it is impure.

The following laws apply when workers at an olive press would enter and depart and there was impure liquid on the floor of the olive press. If there is sufficient space between the liquids and the olives so that they could dry their feet on the ground, the olives are pure, because a person who touches impure liquids with limbs other than his hands is pure, even with regard to consecrated foods.

Stringency is required in the following instance. There were loaves that were consecrated. They had hollows and there were consecrated liquids in the hollows. The carcass of a creeping animal touched one of them and then the first loaf touched a second, the second, a third - even if this continues to 100, the loaves are considered as primary derivatives of impurity, because of the liquid in the hollows. Due to the cherished nature of consecrated food, they are all considered as liquids from which secondary and tertiary derivatives are not counted.

If, however, the loaves were terumah, only the third loaf is disqualified. From the third onward, the loaves are pure. If there was liquid that could be felt on all the loaves, even were the loaves terumah, they would all be impure. They are all secondary derivatives except for the first that was touched by the carcass of the creeping animal. It is a primary derivative.

The following laws apply when there is a bubble in the side of a jug and it is like another container at its side. When the bubble was perforated to the inner space of the jug and perforated on the other side outward with the two holes on the same level or the inner hole was lower than the outer hole, if both the bubble and the jug contained liquids and a primary source of impurity touched the liquids in the bubble, all of the liquids in the jug contract impurity. Also, when the jug has a sealed covering and it is located in a building where a corpse is located, it contracts impurity because of the hole in the bubble, since it reaches into its inner space.

Similarly, if the inner hole was higher than the outer hole, the jug is not protected from impurity by its sealed covering. If, however, a primary source of impurity touched the bubble, the liquids in the jug do not contract impurity and they are considered as separate from the liquids in the bubble.