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Week 125 - Sunday - 14 April 2002

EDUYOT: CHAPTER 3: MISHNAH 8

Three things does R. Zadok pronounce unclean, and the Sages pronounce clean: the nail of the moneychanger; and the chest of grist-grinders, and the nail of a sundial - R. Zadok pronounces them unclean, whilst the Sages pronounce them clean.

Kehati

This mishnah is found in Kelim (12:5), and deals with three items which, according to R. Zadok, are utensils and hence susceptible to uncleanness, and according to the Sages are not utensils.

Three things - that are mentioned below in the mishnah, does R. Zadok pronounce unclean - For he holds that they are capable of becoming unclean, and the Sages pronounce clean - For, according to them, they are incapable of becoming unclean: the nail of the money-changer - Money-changers convert one kind of currency to another or give change, and they have a nail upon which they suspend their balance scales (Rambam). Others explain that the money-changers remove the door from their shop each morning and place the door on benches outside their shops, to be used as a counter for their transactions, and they drive a nail in through the door into the bench, to keep the structure firm (Ravad), and the chest of grist -grinders - The chest used by the sellers of ground grains, which is brought to the market on a wagon; R. Zadok holds that this chest is a utensil in its own right and it can become unclean. This is true even if its owner does not yet have a wagon to transport it. The Sages, on the other hand, hold that since it must be placed on a wagon, as long as the wagon is not yet ready, the chest is still unfinished and unable to become unclean. Others refer to the nail that holds the chest to the wagon, when the chest is being transported to the market (see Ravad; Tiferet Yisrael). According to this interpretation, our mishnah deals with three types of nails, the two mentioned above, and the nail of a sundial - A stone was used as a sundial, and a nail was driven into its center, the shadow cast by the nail indicating the time as marked on numbered lines incised on the sundial. In all three cases, R. Zadok pronounces them unclean - For according to him these nails are considered to be utensils, and can thus become unclean, whilst the Sages pronounce them clean - For they hold that these nails are not classified as utensils, and thus they cannot become unclean. The halakhah follows the Sages.

EDUYOT: CHAPTER 3: MISHNAH 9

Four things Rabban Gamliel pronounces unclean, and the Sages pronounce clean: the metal pannier-cover of householders, and the hanger of metal combs, and unfinished metal vessels, and a plate divided into two parts. The Sages agree with Rabban Gamliel on a plate divided into two parts, one large and one small: the large one is unclean, and the small one is clean.

Kehati

This mishnah is in Kelim (12:6) and follows the preceding mishnah. It continues with a dispute between Tannaim as to whether various items are classified as utensils.

Four things Rabban Gamliel pronounces unclean, and the Sages pronounce clean - And these are they: the metal pannier-cover of householders - a "pannier" is a large vessel made like a basket. The use of pannier-covers by ordinary people differs from that of doctors', for the latter use the covers constantly for their different needs, and all agree that doctors' covers can become unclean. In the case of a cover used by householders, though, Rabban Gamliel and the Sages differ. Rabban Gamliel holds that since the cover can be used as a receptacle for various purposes, it is classified as a utensil and can therefore become unclean, whereas the Sages hold that since it is only a cover, it has the same rule as all other covers, and cannot become unclean; and the hanger of metal combs - These were used to scrape one's body in the bathhouse. While all agree that metal combs themselves can become unclean, there is a dispute regarding the hanger, which a small metal chain from which the comb was suspended. According to Rabban Gamliel it is a utensil and therefore it can become unclean, whereas the Sages do not consider it to be a utensil and so it cannot become unclean; and unfinished metal vessels - metal vessels which still need to be finished off, by polishing, scraping, smoothing down, etc. According to Rabban Gamliel, as the major part of the work has been done they are utensils and can become unclean, whereas the Sages hold that as long as they are not entirely finished they cannot become unclean; and a plate divided into two parts - This refers to an earthenware plate with a rim. According to Rabban Gamliel, if it is divided into two equal parts, each part is a separate utensil and can become unclean; according to the Sages, though, these are considered broken pieces of pottery and cannot become unclean. These are the four items, which Rabban Gamliel pronounces unclean and the Sages pronounce clean.

The Sages agree with Rabban Gamliel on a plate divided into two parts, one large and one small - which was broken into two parts, one of which is much greater than the other, the large one - The larger piece, is unclean - For it is still considered to be a vessel, and the small one is clean - Even according to Rabban Gamliel.

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