ב"ה
Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
Tum'at Met - Chapter 6
Tum'at Met - Chapter 6
1When one makes keilim out of the bones of a fish or its skin, they are not susceptible to ritual impurity, neither according to Scriptural Law, nor according to Rabbinic Law. Similar concepts apply with regard to the green moss that appears at the surface of the water1 and the like. For all entities that come from the sea are pure,2 as will be explained in Hilchot Keilim.3אעַצְמוֹת הַדָּג וְעוֹרוֹ, הָעוֹשֶׂה מֵהֶן כֵּלִים - אֵינָן מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה כְּלָל, לֹא מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה וְלֹא מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים. וְכֵן יְרוֹקָה שֶׁעַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהּ; שֶׁכָּל מַה שֶּׁבַּיָּם טָהוֹר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בְּהִלְכוֹת כֵּלִים.
Accordingly, when one makes a tent from the skin of a fish or from moss growing in the sea, the tent itself is not susceptible to impurity although it conveys impurity to everything under it like other tents.לְפִיכָךְ הָעוֹשֶׂה אֹהֶל מֵעוֹר הַדָּג אוֹ מִצֶּמֶר שֶׁגָּדֵל בַּיָּם - אֵין עַצְמוֹ שֶׁל אֹהֶל זֶה מְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמֵּבִיא אֶת הַטֻּמְאָה לְכָל אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה תַחְתָּיו כִּשְׁאָר אֹהָלִים.
2Keilim made from animal turds,4 stone implements, or implements made from earth,5 are not susceptible to ritual impurity, neither according to Scriptural Law, nor according to Rabbinic Law. This applies to the impurity stemming from a human corpse and to other types of impurity.בכְּלֵי גְלָלִים, וּכְלֵי אֲבָנִים, וּכְלֵי אֲדָמָה - אֵינָן מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה, לֹא מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה וְלֹא מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים, בֵּין טֻמְאַת מֵת, בֵּין שְׁאָר הַטֻּמְאוֹת.
Similarly, containers that are made to be left in place semi-permanently, e.g., a chest, a cabinet, a container shaped like a beehive which can contain 40 se’ah6 of a liquid7 and have a base8 are not susceptible to ritual impurity, neither according to Scriptural Law,9 nor according to Rabbinic Law. They are called: oversized wooden containers.וְכֵן כְּלִי עֵץ הֶעָשׂוּי לְנַחַת, כְּגוֹן הַתֵּבָה וְהַמִּגְדָּל וְהַכַּוֶּרֶת שֶׁהֵן מַחְזִיקִין אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה בַּלַּח וְיִהְיֶה לָהֶם שׁוּלַיִם - אֵינָן מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה כְּלָל, לֹא מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה וְלֹא מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן הַנִּקְרָאִין "כְּלִי עֵץ הַבָּא בְמִדָּה".
3When implements are made from wood, those which are flat10 are pure, while those that can serve as a container11 are susceptible to impurity.12גכְּלֵי עֵץ - פְּשׁוּטֵיהֶם טְהוֹרִים, מְקַבְּלֵיהֶם טְמֵאִים.
Similarly, with regard to earthenware implements: those which are flat are pure, while those that can serve as a container are susceptible to impurity. The latter are susceptible to impurity only from their inner space13 or when moved by a zav.14 Even when a corpse touches the outer surface of an earthenware container, the container does not contract impurity. If any of the sources of impurity enter the inner space of such a container, they impart impurity even though they do not touch the container.כְּלֵי חֶרֶס - פְּשׁוּטֵיהֶן טְהוֹרִין, וּמְקַבְּלֵיהֶן טְמֵאִין; וְאֵינָן טְמֵאִין אֶלָּא מֵאֲוִירָן, אוֹ בְּהֶסֵּט הַזָּב. אֲפִלּוּ נָגַע כְּלִי חֶרֶס בְּמֵת מִגַּבּוֹ, אֵינוֹ מִתְטַמֵּא; וְאִם נִכְנְסָה טֻמְאָה מִן הַטֻּמְאוֹת בַּאֲוִירוֹ, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נָגְעָה בּוֹ - נִטְמָא.
If an earthenware container was in the same tent as a corpse, it contracts impurity, because the impurity enters its inner space. If it had a cover fastened to it,15 it and everything in it is pure, as stated in the Torah,16 for impurity enters it only through its opening and when it is moved by a zav. In the latter instance, it is impure, because he is considered to have touched it in its entirety.17הָיָה כְּלִי חֶרֶס עִם הַמֵּת בָּאֹהֶל - נִטְמָא, שֶׁהֲרֵי הַטֻּמְאָה נִכְנְסָה בַּאֲוִירוֹ. וְאִם הָיָה מֻקָּף צָמִיד פָּתִיל, הוּא וּמַה שֶּׁבְּתוֹכוֹ טָהוֹר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְפָּרֵשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה; שֶׁאֵין טֻמְאָה נִכְנְסָה לוֹ אֶלָּא מִפִּתְחוֹ, וּבְהֶסֵּט הַזָּב, שֶׁהֲרֵי הוּא כְּמִי שֶׁנָּגַע בְּכֻלּוֹ.
4When one makes a gollel18 from an object that is not susceptible to impurity, e.g., he placed a stone, a vessel made from earth, an oversized wooden container, an earthenware container that was fastened closed, or a fish skin or its bone, on a grave, one who touches these articles19 contracts the impurity that lasts seven days, because he has touched a gollel.20 If they ceased serving as a gollel,21 or the corpse was removed from beneath them, they are pure.דהָעוֹשֶׂה גוֹלֵל מִדָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה, כְּגוֹן שֶׁהִנִּיחַ עַל גַּבֵּי הַקֶּבֶר אֶבֶן, אוֹ כְּלִי אֲדָמָה, אוֹ כְּלִי עֵץ הַבָּא בְמִדָּה, אוֹ כְּלִי חֶרֶס הַמֻּקָּף צָמִיד פָּתִיל, אוֹ עוֹר הַדָּג וְעַצְמוֹ, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָאֵלּוּ - הַנּוֹגֵעַ בָּהֶן טָמֵא טֻמְאַת שִׁבְעָה, מִשּׁוּם נוֹגֵעַ בַּגּוֹלֵל. וְאִם פֵּרְשׁוּ מִלִּהְיוֹת גּוֹלֵל, אוֹ שֶׁהֵסִיר הַמֵּת מִתַּחְתֵּיהֶן - הֲרֵי הֵן טְהוֹרִין.
Similarly, when an animal22 is tied down23 and made a gollel, anyone who touches it contracts the impurity that lasts seven days as long as it serves as a gollel. If the animal is released, it is pure, like all other animals. Similarly, if a barrel24 filled with liquids that was fastened closed was made into a gollel for a corpse, one who touches it contracts the impurity that lasts seven days. The barrel and the liquids are pure.וְכֵן בְּהֵמָה שֶׁכְּפָתָהּ וְעָשָׂה אוֹתָהּ גּוֹלֵל - הַנּוֹגֵעַ בָּהּ טָמֵא טֻמְאַת שִׁבְעָה, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהִיא גּוֹלֵל; הִתִּיר הַבְּהֵמָה, הֲרֵי הִיא טְהוֹרָה כִּשְׁאָר הַבְּהֵמוֹת. וְכֵן חָבִית שֶׁהִיא מְלֵאָה מַשְׁקִין וּמֻקֶּפֶת צָמִיד פָּתִיל, וְעָשָׂה אוֹתָהּ גּוֹלֵל לְמֵת - הַנּוֹגֵעַ בָּהּ טָמֵא טֻמְאַת שִׁבְעָה, וְהֶחָבִית וְהַמַּשְׁקִין טְהוֹרִין.
5When a beam is used as a gollel for a grave, whether it is standing upright25 or lying on its side, only the ·portion that is above the opening of the grave becomes impure. One who touches the end of it which is lying outside the grave is pure.הקוֹרָה שֶׁעֲשָׂאָהּ גּוֹלֵל לְקֶבֶר, בֵּין עוֹמֶדֶת בֵּין מֻטָּה עַל צִדָּהּ - אֵין טָמֵא אֶלָּא כְּנֶגֶד פֶּתַח הַקֶּבֶר בִּלְבָד; וְהַנּוֹגֵעַ בַּקָּצֶה הַמֻּנָּח חוּץ לַקֶּבֶר, טָהוֹר.
If one made its head a gollel for a grave and it is standing over the grave like a tree, anyone who touches it within the four handbreadths that are immediately above the grave is impure because of the laws of gollel.26 If he touches it above four handbreadths, he is pure.27עָשָׂה רֹאשָׁהּ גּוֹלֵל לְקֶבֶר, וַהֲרֵי הִיא עוֹמֶדֶת עַל הַקֶּבֶר כְּמוֹ אִילָן - הַנּוֹגֵעַ מִמֶּנָּה בְּאַרְבָּעָה טְפָחִים סָמוּךְ לַקֶּבֶר, טָמֵא מִשּׁוּם גּוֹלֵל; וּמֵאַרְבָּעָה וּלְמַעְלָה, טָהוֹר.
When does the above apply? When he will cut off the upper portions of the beam in the future. If he is not planning to cut them off, the beam is considered as a gollel in its entirety.בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בִּזְמַן שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לָקֹץ אוֹתָהּ; אֲבָל אִם אֵינוֹ עָתִיד לָקֹץ אוֹתָהּ, כֻּלָּהּ גּוֹלֵל.
6If two large stones, four handbreadths by four handbreadths, were used as a gollel, when one stands over either of them, he is impure.28 If one of them was removed,29 one who stands over the other is pure.30 The rationale is that the impurity has a path through which to depart.ושְׁתֵּי אֲבָנִים גְּדוֹלוֹת שֶׁל אַרְבָּעָה אַרְבָּעָה טְפָחִים שֶׁעֲשָׂאָן גּוֹלֵל - הַמַּאֲהִיל עַל גַּבֵּי שְׁתֵּיהֶן טָמֵא. נִטְּלָה אַחַת מֵהֶן - הַמַּאֲהִיל עַל גַּבֵּי שְׁנִיָּה טָהוֹר, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לַטֻּמְאָה דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁתֵּצֵא בּוֹ.
7When one uses a mound of small stones as a gollel for a grave, only the inner layer which covers the grave per se imparts impurity. One who touches the remainder of the stones is pure.31זגַּל שֶׁל צְרוֹרוֹת שֶׁעֲשָׂאָהוּ גּוֹלֵל לְקֶבֶר - אֵין טָמֵא אֶלָּא סֵדֶר הַפְּנִימִי, שֶׁהוּא צָרְכּוֹ שֶׁל קֶבֶר; אֲבָל הַנּוֹגֵעַ בִּשְׁאָר הָאֲבָנִים, טָהוֹר.
8When a burial vault was hewed out of a large stone,32 the corpse was placed inside33 and then one covered it with a gollel, one who touches any portion of the stone is pure. One who touches the gollel is impure. To what can this be compared? To a large pit filled with corpses with a large stone covering its opening. Only the portion above the open space imparts impurity.חאָרוֹן שֶׁהוּא חָקוּק בַּסֶּלַע, וְהִנִּיחַ בּוֹ הַמֵּת, וְכִסָּהוּ בְּגוֹלֵל - הַנּוֹגֵעַ בַּסֶּלַע בְּכָל מָקוֹם, טָהוֹר; וְהַנּוֹגֵעַ בַּגּוֹלֵל, טָמֵא. לְמָה זֶה דּוֹמֶה? לְבוֹר גָּדוֹל מָלֵא מֵתִים וְאֶבֶן גְּדוֹלָה עַל פִּיהָ, שֶׁאֵין טָמֵא אֶלָּא כְּנֶגֶד חֲלָלָהּ.
If one builds a structure34 over it, it is considered as a closed grave which imparts impurity from all sides. If a burial vault35 hewn into the stone36 was wide at its bottom and narrow at its top, and a corpse was placed within,37 one who touches it from below38 is pure,39 but one who touches it from above is impure. The rationale is that the side portions above are resting over the corpse and are considered like a gollel.וְאִם בָּנָה נֶפֶשׁ עַל גַּבָּהּ - הֲרֵי זוֹ כְּקֶבֶר סָתוּם, וּמְטַמֵּא מִכָּל סְבִיבָיו. הָיְתָה הָאָרוֹן הַחֲקוּקָה בַּסֶּלַע רְחָבָה מִלְּמַטָּה וְצָרָה מִלְמַעְלָה, וְהַמֵּת בְּתוֹכָהּ - הַנּוֹגֵעַ בָּהּ מִלְּמַטָּן, טָהוֹר; וּמִלְמַעְלָן - טָמֵא, שֶׁהֲרֵי הַצְּדָדִין מִלְמַעְלָה סָמְכוּ עַל גַּבֵּי הַמֵּת, וְנַעֲשׂוּ כַּגּוֹלֵל.
If a burial vault hewn into the stone was wide at its top and narrow at its bottom,40 one who touches any place on it is impure.41 If its sides are straight,42 one who touches it from the handbreadth next to the bottom of the grave and upwards, is impure. If he touches from that handbreadth and lower,43 he is pure. If one hollowed out a burial vault in a stone and inserted the corpse in it like a nail,44 one who touches anywhere on the stone’s surface is pure, except for the opening through which the corpse was inserted.45הָיְתָה הָאָרוֹן רְחָבָה מִלְמַעְלָה וְצָרָה מִלְּמַטָּה - הַנּוֹגֵעַ בָּהּ מִכָּל מָקוֹם, טָמֵא. הָיְתָה שָׁוָה - הַנּוֹגֵעַ בָּהּ מִטֶּפַח הַסָּמוּךְ לְקַרְקָעִיתָהּ וּלְמַעְלָה, טָמֵא; מִטֶּפַח וּלְמַטָּה, טָהוֹר. נִקֵּב אָרוֹן בַּסֶּלַע, וְהִכְנִיס הַמֵּת בְּתוֹכָהּ כְּמוֹ נֶגֶר - הַנּוֹגֵעַ בָּהּ מִכָּל מָקוֹם, טָהוֹר, חוּץ מִמְּקוֹם פִּתְחָהּ.
9The following laws apply to a cave in which a grave is located and to the courtyard in front of the cave. When the courtyard is open,46 one standing in it is pure as long as he does not touch the lintel of the cave. Different laws apply when the courtyard is covered.47 If there is an area four handbreadths by four handbreadths or more that is open at the side of the cave, anyone who enters the courtyard is pure. If the open space was less than four handbreadths by four handbreadths, one who enters the courtyard is impure, even though he did not touch the entrance to the cave.טמְעָרָה שֶׁהַקֶּבֶר בְּתוֹכָהּ, וְחָצֵר לִפְנֵי הַמְּעָרָה: בִּזְמַן שֶׁהֶחָצֵר לָאֲוִיר - הָעוֹמֵד בְּתוֹכָהּ טָהוֹר, וּבִלְבָד שֶׁלֹּא יִגַּע בְּמַשְׁקוֹף הַמְּעָרָה; וּבִזְמַן שֶׁהֶחָצֵר מְקֹרֶה: אִם הָיָה בָהּ [מְגֻלֶּה בְּצַד הַמְּעָרָה] אַרְבָּעָה טְפָחִים עַל אַרְבָּעָה טְפָחִים אוֹ יָתֵר - הַנִּכְנָס לְשָׁם טָהוֹר; הָיְתָה פְּחוּתָה מֵאַרְבָּעָה עַל אַרְבָּעָה - הַנִּכְנָס לְשָׁם טָמֵא, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נָגַע בְּפֶתַח הַמְּעָרָה.
Footnotes
1.
In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Shabbat 2:1), the Rambam defines this term as referring to the “moss” that grows on the side of a ship that remains in water for an extended time.
2.
In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 17:13), the Rambam refers to the Sifra. That source notes that Leviticus 11:32 mentions the keilim that contract ritual impurity and speaks of “a garment or a hide.” The Sifra infers that only entities from dry land are susceptible to impurity.
3.
Hilchot Keilim 1:3.
4.
In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 10:1), the Rambam notes that the word g’llal can also be used to refer to marble (see Ezra 5:8). Nevertheless, he explains that marble implements would also be included in the term “stone implements.” Instead, he explains that the term here refers to animal turds mixed with earth and notes that even in his day, peasants would make implements from these substances.
5.
In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 2:2), the Rambam differentiates between earthenware implements and implements made from earth. Earthenware is made from clay that is fired in a kiln and fuses together. Implements made from earth, by contrast, have not been fired in a kiln, but rather hardened in the sun or the like.
6.
A Talmudic measure equaling 24 lugim. According to his usual calculations, Shiurei Torah would consider one se’ah as 8256 cc and Chazon Ish would put that measure at 14400 cc. It must, however, be mentioned that 40 se’ah is also the minimum measure for a mikveh. Because immersion in a mikveh removes a woman from a state of impurity and permits her to engage in relations with her husband, our Rabbis have shown greater stringency regarding the measure of 40 se’ah with regard to a mikveh. See Hilchot Mikvaot 4:1.
7.
Shabbat 35a states that such a measure would contain a one and a half times that quantity of grain, because there would be an extra third above the container.
8.
On which they stand so that they will be a permanent fixture.
The leniency mentioned applies only to wooden containers of this size. Metal containers, even if they are this large, are susceptible to impurity (Hilchot Keilim 1:9).
9.
Chagigah 26b explains that when mentioning the keilim that are susceptible to ritual impurity, Leviticus 11:32 mentions a sack. Our Sages interpreted this as an exclusion, saying: “A sack can be carried either when full or empty. These oversized objects, by contrast, cannot be carried when full.” See also Hilchot Keilim, ch. 3.
10.
I.e., they have neither a rim at their sides, nor a cavity [the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 2:1)].
11.
For liquids (ibid.).
In that source, the Rambam explains that this concept is derived from Leviticus 11:32 which mentions impurity being imparted to wooden (and other types of) keilim as well as to a sack. This leads to the following conclusion: Just as a sack serves as a container, only a wooden k’li that serves as a container is susceptible to impurity (Hilchot Keilim 1:10).
12.
The commentaries note that the Rambam’s source (Keilim, loc. cit.) states that utensils made from leather, bone, and glass, are also governed by these laws and questions why the Rambam does not mention them here.
13.
As stated in Leviticus 11:33; Hilchot Keilim 1:8.
14.
See Hilchot Metamei Mishkav UMoshav, ch, 8.
15.
See Chapter 21.
17.
I.e., even its inner portions.
18.
The covering for a grave (Chapter 2, Halachah 15). Or stands over them, contracting impurity through ohel, as indicated by Halachah 6.
19.
Or stands over them, contracting impurity through ohel, as indicated by Halachah 6.
20.
Even though the articles themselves remain ritually pure, they impart this impurity by Rabbinic decree.
21.
I.e., they were removed from that place.
22.
Which does not contract impurity while alive.
23.
If it is not tied down, it will move and, hence, is not considered as a gollei.
24.
Made from clay or the like. See ch. 21.
25.
And its width protrudes beyond the opening of the grave on one side. This clause speaks of the ruling when one touches a portion that protrudes beyond the opening of the grave. The following clause focuses on touching the height of the beam, not its width (Rav Yosef Corcus).
26.
The Ra’avad differs with the Rambam, because of his interpretation of Ohalot 15:8.
27.
This applies even if the portion is directly above the grave. Since it is ultimately going to be cut off, it is considered as if it were cut off already.
28.
Because one does not have to stand over the entire opening of the grave to contract ritual impurity. As long as he stands over a portion of the gollei that is of significant size, he is impure.
29.
And thus a portion of the grave was uncovered.
30.
The Kessef Mishneh quotes Rav Yosef Corcus as explaining that this refers to a person who is standing on the portion of the stone that is above the wall of the grave. If, however, he is standing above the grave itself, he is impure. His impurity results from standing above the grave, not from contact with the gollel.
31.
If, however, he stands over them, he is impure, because by standing over the upper stones, he will inevitably be standing over the lower stones as well.
32.
Which was located in that place naturally and cannot be moved (Kessef Mishneh).
33.
From the top. Accordingly, the area around the corpse is not considered as a closed grave (Kessef Mishneh).
34.
This refers to a structure that is built over the grave that protrudes above the ground [the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Ohalot 7:1)]. The Rambam’s commentary and his rulings here are based on his understanding of the Tosefta (Ohalot 10:7). The Ra’avad has a different understanding of the Toselta and hence, objects to the Rambam’s ruling.
35.
The Kessef Mishneh states that all these clauses refer to an instance where the corpse was placed in the stone from the side. As such it is possible that the stone is considered as a distinct entity and can be considered as a grave and a dofek.
36.
The commentaries understand this (and the following clauses) as referring to a stone projecting from a mountain.
37.
The corpse was placed in the upper portion of the vault. Below it, there was a bed of stone.
38.
I.e., below the corpse.
39.
For this is considered like touching the mountain which is the base for the stone.
40.
And the corpse was placed in the narrow portion on the bottom (ibid.).
41.
In this shape, the burial vault is not considered as part of the mountain, but as a distinct entity. Therefore, even the portions below the corpse are impure. One who touches the wide portion on top is impure, because it is serving as a covering for the grave (ibid.).
42.
And the corpse is placed in the upper portion (ibid.).
43.
I.e., any portion of the stone lower than the handbreadth directly beneath the corpse.
44.
In his Commentary to the Mishnah (loc. cit.), the Rambam draws a diagram where the corpse is inserted vertically into the side of mountain.
45.
For the covering of the opening is considered as a gollel.
46.
Without a covering over it. The open space allows the impurity coming from the cave to escape, as it were (Kessef Mishneh).
47.
In which instance, it is possible for the impurity from the cave to be trapped under the covering of the courtyard, as it were.
Rabbi Eliyahu Touger is a noted author and translator, widely published for his works on Chassidut and Maimonides.
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The text on this page contains sacred literature. Please do not deface or discard.
