ב"ה

Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day

Kelim - Chapter 6

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Kelim - Chapter 6

1Whenever a k’li contracted impurity and, after it contracted impurity, it was broken to the point that its form was ruined and it could no longer serve the purpose for which it was made,1 it regains purity by being broken.2 Similarly, when keilim that were pure are broken, their broken pieces are not susceptible to ritual impurity.אכָּל כְּלִי שֶׁנִּטְמָא, וְנִשְׁבַּר אַחַר שֶׁנִּטְמָא, וְנִפְסְדָה צוּרָתוֹ וְתַשְׁמִישׁוֹ - טָהוֹר בִּשְׁבִירָתוֹ. וְכֵן כֵּלִים שֶׁנִּשְׁבְּרוּ כְּשֶׁהֵן טְהוֹרִין, שִׁבְרֵיהֶן אֵינָן מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה.
2To what extent must a wooden or bone k’li be broken before it regains ritual purity? All keilim belonging to ordinary, private persons are pure when they are broken to the extent that they cannot contain a pomegranate. What is implied? If a container was perforated to the extent that a pomegranate would fall through, it is pure.בכַּמָּה שִׁעוּר הַשֶּׁבֶר שֶׁיִּשָּׁבֵר בִּכְלִי עֵץ אוֹ כְּלִי עֶצֶם וְיִהְיֶה טָהוֹר? כָּל כְּלֵי בַּעֲלֵי בָתִּים, שִׁעוּרָן כָּרִמּוֹנִים. כֵּיצַד? מִשֶּׁיִנָּקֵב הַכְּלִי בְּמוֹצִיא רִמּוֹן, טָהוֹר.
The pomegranate about which we are speaking is one of intermediate size, one that an onlooker would neither consider large nor small and we are speaking about an instance where there are three pomegranates in a container, one touching the other.3וְהָרִמּוֹן שֶׁאָמְרוּ - בֵּינוֹנִי, לֹא גָדוֹל וְלֹא קָטָן, לְפִי דַּעַת הָרוֹאֶה; וְיִהְיוּ בַכְּלִי שְׁלֹשָׁה רִמּוֹנִים אֲחוּזִים זֶה בָזֶה.
If a k’li that had contracted impurity became perforated to the extent that an olive4 would fall from it, the owner patched it, it then was perforated again in a different place to the extent that an olive would fall from it, the owner patched it, and this pattern continued until the hole is large enough that a pomegranate would fall from it, even though it is patched entirely, it is pure, because it is a new entity.5נִקַּב הַכְּלִי בְּמוֹצִיא זַיִת וּסְתָמוֹ, וְחָזַר וְנִקַּב בְּמוֹצִיא זַיִת וּסְתָמוֹ, עַד שֶׁהִשְׁלִימוֹ לְמוֹצִיא רִמּוֹן, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא סָתוּם - טָהוֹר; שֶׁהֲרֵי נַעֲשׂוּ לוֹ פָּנִים חֲדָשׁוֹת.
3Keilim that are originally made in a manner that pomegranates would fall from them, e.g., a basket and a rope-net carrier borne by camels6 and trellises7 for vines, are susceptible to ritual impurity unless their greater portion is torn.8גכֵּלִים שֶׁעֲשָׂאָן מִתְּחִלָּה נְקוּבִין בְּמוֹצִיא רִמּוֹן, כְּגוֹן הַסַּל, וְהַפֻּחְלָץ שֶׁל גְּמַלִּים, וְהָאַפִּיפְיָרוֹת - מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה עַד שֶׁיִּקָּרַע רֻבָּן.
4Even though rods were attached to trellises above them and below them to reinforce them, the trellises are pure.9דאַפִּיפְיָרוֹת שֶׁעָשָׂה לָהֶן קָנִים לְמַעְלָה וּלְמַטָּה לְחַזֵּק, טְהוֹרוֹת.
If a frame of any size was made for them, even if the entire trellis has holes large enough for pomegranates to fall through, it is susceptible to ritual impurity.10עָשָׂה לָהֶן גַּפַּיִם כָּל שֶׁהֵן, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכֻּלָּהּ נְקוּבָה כְּמוֹצִיא רִמּוֹן - מְקַבֶּלֶת טֻמְאָה.
5The size of a hole that renders as pure all vessels too small to contain pomegranates,11 e.g., a container of a fourth of a kab,12 half a fourth of a kab, and wicker servers, is one sufficient for olives to fall through.הכָּל הַכֵּלִים שֶׁאֵינָן יְכוֹלִין לְקַבֵּל רִמּוֹנִים, כְּגוֹן הָרֹבַע וַחֲצִי הָרֹבַע וְהַקָּנוֹנִים הַקְּטַנִּים - שִׁעוּרָן בְּמוֹצִיא זַיִת.
Although their borders have been ruined, if there remains enough of the vessel to contain even the slightest amount, it is impure.נִגְמְמוּ שִׂפְתוֹתֵיהֶן - אִם נִשְׁאַר בָּהֶן כְּדֵי לְקַבֵּל כָּל שֶׁהוּא, טְמֵאִין.
6Breadbaskets are rendered as pure if they possess a hole large enough for a loaf of bread to fall through).13והַסַּלִּין שֶׁל פַּת, שִׁעוּרָן כְּכִכָּרוֹת שֶׁל פַּת.
7Gardeners’ bushels are rendered as pure if they possess a hole large enough for a bundle of vegetables to fall through.14 Bushels of homeowners are rendered as pure when they possess a hole large enough for a bundle of straw15 to fall through.16 Those used by bathhouse attendants are rendered as pure when they possess a hole large enough for stubble17 to fall through.18זקֻפַּת הַגַּנָּנִים - מִשֶּׁתּוֹצִיא אֲגֻדּוֹת שֶׁל יָרָק, טְהוֹרָה; וְשֶׁל בַּעֲלֵי בָתִּים, בְּמוֹצִיא תֶבֶן; שֶׁל בַּלָּנִין, בִּגְבָבָא.
8A chest for bowls that cannot hold bowls19 is nevertheless susceptible to ritual impurity, because it can hold pots.20חבֵּית קְעָרוֹת שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל קְעָרוֹת, הוֹאִיל וּמְקַבֵּל הַתַּמְחוּיִין - הֲרֵי זֶה מְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה.
Similarly, even if a chamber pot cannot contain liquids, since it can contain feces, it is susceptible to impurity.21וְכֵן בֵּית הָרְעִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל מַשְׁקִין, הוֹאִיל וּמְקַבֵּל אֶת הָרְעִי - הֲרֵי זֶה מְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה.
9Any wooden container that is divided in two is pure22 even though its walls could serve as a container, as a frying pan does, with the exception of wooden utensils that half or a portion of them is considered as an independent utensil from its fashioning at the outset.טכָּל כְּלִי עֵץ שֶׁנֶּחֱלַק לִשְׁנַיִם - טָהוֹר, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמְּקַבְּלִין עַל דָּפְנוֹתֵיהֶן בְּאִלְפָּסִין; חוּץ מִכֵּלִים שֶׁל עֵץ שֶׁחֶצְיָן אוֹ מִקְצָתָן כְּלִי בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ מִתְּחִלַּת עֲשִׂיָּתָן.
Examples of the latter include a double table that at the outset was made in two parts and it is folded over and extended,23 a pot with compartments for different types of food24 which includes many bowls, each of its compartments having complete bowls, a double bench, and the like.כְּגוֹן הַשֻּׁלְחָן הַכָּפוּל שֶׁמִּתְּחִלָּה נַעֲשָׂה שְׁנֵי חֲלָקִים וַהֲרֵי הוּא נִכְפָּל וְנִפְשָׁט, וּכְגוֹן הַתַּמְחוּי הַמִּזְנוֹן שֶׁהוּא קְעָרוֹת קְעָרוֹת וַהֲרֵי בְּכָל חֵלֶק מֵחֲלָקָיו קְעָרוֹת שְׁלֵמוֹת, וּכְגוֹן הַכִּסֵּא הַכָּפוּל, וְכָל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָאֵלּוּ.
Similarly,25 when one of the holders in a wooden case for bottles26 or cups was ruined, the one that is ruined is pure and is not considered as joined to the other holders. If a second one is ruined, it is pure and is not considered as joined to the case. If all three are ruined, they are pure. Similar laws apply in situations involving comparable types of keilim.וְכֵן בֵּית לְגִינִין, וּבֵית הַכּוֹסוֹת שֶׁל עֵץ, שֶׁנִּפְחַת אַחַת מֵהֶן - זֶה שֶׁנִּפְחַת טָהוֹר, וְאֵינוֹ חִבּוּר לִשְׁאָר הַבָּתִּים. נִפְחַת הַשֵּׁנִי - טָהוֹר, וְאֵינוֹ חִבּוּר לוֹ. נִפְחֲתוּ שְׁלָשְׁתָּן, כֻּלּוֹ טָהוֹר. וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בְּכֵלִים כָּאֵלּוּ.
10When the center of a wicker crate used to spread fertilizer27 is upraised and its sides are lower,28 it is still susceptible to impurity if one side is ruined, because it can still contain fertilizer from the other side. If the other side is also ruined, it is pure.29ימַשְׁפֶּלֶת שֶׁאֶמְצָעִיתָהּ גְּבוֹהָה וְזָוִיּוֹתֶיהָ יוֹרְדוֹת, וְנִפְחֲתָה מִצַּד אֶחָד - טָמֵא, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא מְקַבֶּלֶת מִצַּד הַשֵּׁנִי; נִפְחֲתָה מִצַּד הַשֵּׁנִי, טְהוֹרָה.
When part of a table or a counter for drinks30 is ruined, it is still susceptible to impurity until it was divided and separated into its component parts entirely. If one of its legs was removed, it is pure.31 This ruling also applies if the second was removed. If the third was also removed and one had the intent to eat on this table or counter like one eats on a serving board,32 it is susceptible to impurity. If not, it is pure.הַשֻּׁלְחָן וְהַדֻּלְפְּקִי שֶׁנִּפְחֲתוּ - מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה, עַד שֶׁיֵּחָלְקוּ וְיִבָּדֵל כָּל חֵלֶק מֵחֲבֵרוֹ. נִטְּלָה אַחַת מֵרַגְלֵיהֶן, טְהוֹרָה; וְכֵן אִם נִטְּלָה הַשְּׁנִיָּה. נִטְּלָה הַשְּׁלִישִׁית - אִם חִשַּׁב עֲלֵיהֶן שֶׁיֹּאכַל עַל שֻׁלְחָן זֶה אוֹ עַל דֻּלְפְּקִי זוֹ כְּמוֹ אוֹכֵל בַּטַּבְלָא, מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה; וְאִם לָאו, טְהוֹרִין.
11Wicker utensils33 whose borders have fallen off are pure.34 If even the slightest bit of the seal around their border remains, they are susceptible to impurity.35יאכְּלֵי נְסָרִים שֶׁנָּפְלוּ שִׂפְתוֹתֵיהֶן, טְהוֹרִין. וְאִם נִשְׁאַר מַחְסוֹם שִׂפְתוֹתֵיהֶן כָּל שֶׁהוּא, מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה.
12When a serving board was filled with pieces of wood that were attached to it, it is pure.36 If it is covered with boards, it is susceptible to impurity.37יבטַבְלָא שֶׁמִּלְּאָהּ עֵצִים, וּתְקָעָהּ - טְהוֹרָה; חִפָּהּ בִּנְסָרִים, מְקַבֶּלֶת טֻמְאָה.
13When a bench falls apart,38 it is pure.39 If one tied it together with straps or ropes, it is susceptible to impurity.יגסַפְסָל שֶׁנִּתְפָּרֵק, טָהוֹר; סִרְגְּלוֹ בִּמְשִׁיחוֹת אוֹ בַּחֲבָלִים, מְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה.
14A camel’s saddle-baskets that were released are pure.40 If the driver returned and tied them, they are susceptible to impurity. Thus they can become susceptible to impurity and then released from impurity even ten times a day.41ידהַסַּלִּים שֶׁל גְּמַלִּים - הִתִּירָן, טְהוֹרִין; חָזַר וּקְשָׁרָן, מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה. נִמְצְאוּ מִתְטַמְּאִין וּמִתְטַהֲרִין, אֲפִלּוּ עֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים בַּיּוֹם.
15When a table or a counter for drinks were covered with marble, but the place where cups are placed was left uncovered, it is susceptible to ritual impurity.טוהַשֻּׁלְחָן אוֹ הַדֻּלְפְּקִי שֶׁחִפָּן בְּשַׁיִשׁ, וְשִׁיֵּר בָּהֶן מְקוֹם הַנָּחַת הַכּוֹסוֹת - מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה.
If one covered the entire surface, it is pure.42 This ruling applies whether the coating is permanently affixed or not, whether it covers its frame or not, whether the table was made from valuable wood like boxwood or the like or from other wood. Since it was covered, it is pure, as we explained.43וְאִם חִפָּה הַכֹּל, טָהוֹר; בֵּין בְּצִפּוּי עוֹמֵד, בֵּין בְּצִפּוּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹמֵד, בֵּין שֶׁחִפָּה אֶת לְבִזְבְּזָיו, בֵּין שֶׁלֹּא חִפָּם, בֵּין שֶׁהָיוּ שֶׁל עֵצִים חֲשׁוּבִים כְּגוֹן אֶשְׁכְּרוֹעַ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בוֹ, בֵּין שֶׁהָיוּ שֶׁל שְׁאָר עֵצִים - הוֹאִיל וְחִפָּן כֻּלָּן, טְהוֹרִין, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ.

Quiz Yourself on Keilim Chapter 6

Footnotes
1.

I.e., even though it is fit for another purpose.

2.

For it is no longer considered as a k’li. This is derived from the Torah’s statement (Leviticus 11:33) that breaking an earthenware utensil restores it to purity.
Even if the broken pieces of the impure container were formed into another k’li, that k’li is pure [the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 2:1)].

3.

In his Commentary to the Mishnah (ibid. 17:4), the Rambam states that this is speaking about an instance where the owner places the pomegranates in a container and hangs the container over his shoulder. If the pomegranates will fall through, it is not susceptible to ritual impurity.
With regard to the interpretation of the concept, three touching each other. There are commentaries which explain that this requires a larger hole than that which is necessary if there is only one pomegranate present. Others say a smaller hole is required because the weight of the two pomegranates will push the third one out. The Rambam merely quotes the wording of the mishnah without indicating which interpretation he favors (see Ra’avad and Kessef Mishneh).

4.

Which is, of course, much smaller than a pomegranate.

5.

I.e., it is considered as if the initial container was destroyed and a new container fashioned (Kessef Mishneh).

6.

Our translation is taken from the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 27:9).

7.

A woven net of shoots over which vines are draped (ibid. 17:3; see also Kilayim 8:1).

8.

Since these articles were made in a manner that they will not be able to receive pomegranates, the fact that they cannot receive them is not significant.
Although that principle is accepted, the law stated by the Rambam (which has its source in the Tosefta 13:2) is supported by the Mishnah [Keilim 17:3 (see also the following halachah), 24:9] which states that as long as loaves of bread will not fall out of a basket, it is susceptible to impurity.

9.

The trellis is not susceptible to impurity, because it is not a permanent entity. Even when it is reinforced, there will be limits to its durability.

10.

For the frame will maintain it and make it durable. Since it was made to be used in this fashion, the fact that it has holes large enough for pomegranates to fall through is not significant.

11.

I.e., are too small to contain pomegranates.

12.

A kab is four luggim and a lug is 344 cc according to Shiurei Torah and 600 cc according to Chazon Ish.

13.

If it is smaller than that, even if a pomegranate can fall through the hole, it is still able to fulfill the purpose for which it was made. Hence, it is still susceptible to ritual impurity.

14.

For this prevents the bushel from serving its purpose.

15.

Which is larger than a bundle of vegetables.

16.

For that is the purpose for which they will use this bushel.

17.

Straw mixed with chaff which would be used as kindling for the fires of the bathhouse [the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 17:1)].

18.

There is a difference of opinion among the commentaries to the mishnah if this measure is smaller than a bundle of a straw.

19.

Because of a hole.

20.

Which are substantially larger than bowls. Since the container is still functional, it is still susceptible to impurity.

21.

For it is still a functional container.

22.

It is pure, just like a broken utensil is pure.

23.

A table whose two parts are connected by hinges enabling the table to be folded in half or to be expanded to its full size. See the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 16:1).

24.

Our translation of this term is taken from the above source.

25.

I.e., like the containers originally mentioned, in contrast to the exceptions.

26.

Our translation is taken from the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 16:2).

27.

Our translation is taken from ibid. 19:10.

28.

I.e., each of the sides is considered as a separate container.

29.

Because it is no longer functional.

30.

Our translation is taken from ibid. 22:1.

31.

This is speaking about a three legged table that will not stand on only two legs.

32.

A table top that is placed directly on the ground. One must, however, have the intent to use it in this manner. Since it was not made to be used as such, unless one has such an intent, it is pure.

33.

Our translation is taken from ibid. 20:2.

34.

For they will ultimately unravel and be ruined entirely.

35.

For the seal will enable them to remain intact.

36.

Because in such a situation, it is not easy to use it (Zair Zahav to Tosefta, Keilim 19:2).

37.

Because it is functional again.

38.

I.e., its legs fall off.

39.

Enabling it to be used again.

40.

The saddle-baskets carried by a camel do not have a base. Instead, they are merely tied closed by the driver. When he desires, he releases the knot and lets the contents slide out from below. Hence, when the knot is released, these baskets are not functional as containers at all.

41.

As they are tied and untied.

42.

In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 22:1), the Rambam. follows the same rationale as stated here: that utensils that are covered are not susceptible to ritual impurity. Others explain that marble is never subject to impurity. There the Rambam acknowledges that concept, but prefers to focus on the concept that an article that is coated is not susceptible to impurity.

43.

See Chapter 4, Halachah 4.

The Mishneh Torah was the Rambam's (Rabbi Moses ben Maimon) magnum opus, a work spanning hundreds of chapters and describing all of the laws mentioned in the Torah. To this day it is the only work that details all of Jewish observance, including those laws which are only applicable when the Holy Temple is in place. Participating in one of the annual study cycles of these laws (3 chapters/day, 1 chapter/day, or Sefer Hamitzvot) is a way we can play a small but essential part in rebuilding the final Temple.
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The text on this page contains sacred literature. Please do not deface or discard.