Source Sheet for Mishnayos Mesechtas Chullin Part 9

(4) The hide, meat juice, sediment, dried-up meat, bones, sinews, horns and hooves join together [to make up the minimum quantity in order] to convey food-uncleanness, but not to [make up the minimum quantity in order to] convey nevelah-uncleanness. Similarly, if a man slaughtered an unclean animal for a Gentile and it still has convulsions, it can convey food-uncleanness, but it conveys nevelah-uncleanness only after it is dead, or its head has been chopped off. [Scripture] has [thus] made more cases that convey food-uncleanness than those that convey nevelah-uncleanness.

(4) One who slaughters the sacrifice [intending] to eat as much as an olive of the skin, or of the juice, or of the jelly, or of the hardened meat, or of the bones, or of the tendons, or of the horns, or of the hoofs, either after time or out of bounds, it is valid, and one is not liable on their account in respect of piggul, remnant, or uncleanness.

(6) He who vows [abstinence] from meat may eat broth and meat sediment. But Rabbi Judah prohibits. Rabbi Judah said: it once happened that Rabbi Tarfon prohibited me from eating [even the] eggs boiled [with the meat]. They replied: That is so. When is this true? When he says “This meat is prohibited to me.” For if one vows [to abstain] from something, and it is mixed up with another thing, if there is a sufficient [amount of the prohibited food] to impart its taste [to the other] it is forbidden.

(1) That which serves as a handle but does not protect, both contracts uncleanness and conveys uncleanness; but it is not included. If it protects but is not a handle, it contracts and conveys uncleanness and is included. If it neither protects nor serves as a handle, it neither contracts nor conveys uncleanness.

(5) Sanctified meat over which the porridge crusted, and a tevul yom touched the crust, the slices [of meat] are permitted. But if he touched one of the slices, that slice and all [the crust] that comes up with it form a connective the one with the other. Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri says: the two of them serve as connectives to each other. Similarly, with [cooked] beans that have formed a layer over pieces of bread. Beans or other foods cooked in a pot: when they are still separate, do not serve as connectives; but when they become a solid pulp, they do act as connectives. If they formed several solid masses, they are to be counted. If oil floats on wine and a tevul yom touched the oil, only the oil is disqualified. But Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri says: each serves as a connective with the other.

(1) If a seah of unclean terumah fell into less than a hundred seahs of hullin, or first tithe, or second tithe, or dedicated property, whether these were unclean or clean, they must all be left to rot. If the seah [of terumah] was clean, [the mixture] must be sold to priests at the price of terumah, excluding the value of that seah itself. If it fell into first tithe, he should declare terumah of tithe. And if it fell into second tithe or dedicated property, they must be redeemed. If the hullin was unclean, it may be eaten in small quantities, or roasted, or kneaded with fruit juice, or divided into pieces of dough so that the size of one egg be not in any one place.

(1) These blemishes [named above], whether permanent or transitory, make human beings unfit [to serve in the Temple]. There are more than this concerning human beings: kilon, liftan, makkaban, one whose head is angular or shekifas . A hunchback: Rabbi Judah considers him fit, Whereas the sages consider him unfit.

(6) The Sadducees say: we complain against you, Pharisees, because you say that the Holy Scriptures defile the hands, but the books of Homer do not defile the hands. Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai said: Have we nothing against the Pharisees but this? Behold they say that the bones of a donkey are clean, yet the bones of Yohanan the high priest are unclean. They said to him: according to the affection for them, so is their impurity, so that nobody should make spoons out of the bones of his father or mother. He said to them: so also are the Holy Scriptures according to the affection for them, so is their uncleanness. The books of Homer which are not precious do not defile the hands.

(4) If a woman is about to be executed, they do not wait for her until she gives birth. But if she had already sat on the birthstool, they wair for her until she gives birth. If a woman has been put to death one may use her hair. If an animal has been put to death it is forbidden to make any use of it.

(1) The eight creeping things which are mentioned in the Torah: he who hunts them or wounds them [on Shabbat] is liable; But [as for] other abominations and creeping things, he who wounds them is exempt. He who hunts them for need is liable; Not for need, he is exempt. A beast or a chicken in one’s own domain, he who hunts them is exempt. He who wounds them is liable.

(2) He did not use to break the leg, but he made a hole in it at the [knee-] joint and suspended it from there. He then began to flay it until he came to the breast. When he came to the breast he cut off the head and gave it to the one who merited [bringing it onto the ramp]. He then cut off the legs [up to the knees] and gave them to the one who merited [bringing them onto the ramp]. He then finished the flaying. He tore out the heart and squeezed out the blood in it. He then cut off the forelegs and gave them to the one who merited [bringing them onto the ramp]. He then went back to the right leg and cut it off and gave it to the one who merited [to bring it onto the ramp], and the two testicles with it. He then tore it [the remaining carcass] open so that it was all exposed before him. He took the fat and put it on top of the place where the head had been severed. He took the innards and gave them to the one to who had merited washing them. The stomach was washed very thoroughly in the washing chamber, while the entrails were washed at least three times on marble tables which stood between the pillars.

(9) How did they hang up [the sacrifices] and flay [them]?There were iron hooks fixed in the walls and in the pillars, on which they hung up [the sacrifices] and flayed [them]. If any one had no place to suspend and flay [their sacrifice], there were there thin smooth staves which he placed on his shoulder and on his fellow’s shoulder, and so hung up [the animal] and flayed [it]. Rabbi Eliezer says: when the fourteenth fell on Shabbat, he placed his hand on his fellow’s shoulder and his fellow’s hand on his shoulder, and he hung up [the sacrifice] and flayed [it].

(1) [In the case of] all things which cause defilement in a “tent”, if they [the pieces of the corpse] were divided and brought into the house, Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas pronounces [everything under the same roof-space] clean, but the Sages pronounce it unclean. How so? He who touches as much as two halves of an olive [in quantity] of an animal’s carcass or carries them; or in the case of a [human] corpse, he who touches as much as half an olive and stands over as much as half an olive; or touches as much as half an olive and as much as half an olive is above him; or if he stands over as much as two halves of an olive; or if he stands over as much as half an olive and as much as half an olive is above him Rabbi Dosa b. Harkinas pronounces him clean, and the Sages pronounce him unclean. 3A) But if he touches as much as half an olive [in quantity] and another thing was over him and over as much as half an olive; or if he stood over as much as half an olive and another thing was over him and over as much as half an olive, he is clean. Rabbi Meir said: “Also in this case Rabbi Dosa pronounces him clean and the sages pronounce him unclean. In all such cases a man is unclean unless there is an act of touching and also an act of carrying, or an act of carrying and also [the fact of] being under the same roof-space.” This is the general rule: in whatever case the means of causing defilement are of one category, he is unclean; if they are of two categories, he is clean.”

(1) All objects that defile by overshadowing which were divided and then brought into a house: Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas declares clean. But the sages declare [it] unclean. What is the case? One who touches two pieces of nevelah, each the size of half an olive, or carries them, Or, in the case of a corpse, if he touches a piece the size of half an olive and overshadows [another piece] the size of half an olive, Or if he touches [a piece] the size of half an olive and [another piece] the size of half an olive overshadows him, Or if he overshadows two [pieces, each] the size of half an olive, Or if he overshadows [a piece] the size of half an olive and [another piece] the size of half an olive overshadows him: Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas declares him clean, And the sages declare him unclean. But if he touches [a piece] the size of half an olive and another object overshadows him and [another piece] the size of half an olive, Or if he overshadows [a piece] the size of half an olive and another object overshadows him and [another piece] the size of half an olive, he is clean. Rabbi Meir says: Even here Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas declares him clean and the sages declare him unclean. Every [case] is unclean except [a case of] contact [combined] with carriage or of carriage [combined] with overshadowing. This is the general principle: every object [whose defilement] proceeds from one cause is unclean, from two causes is clean.

(9) The pesah defiles one’s hands after midnight. Piggul and remnant defile one’s hands. If he recited the blessing for the pesah, he thereby exempts the sacrifice [the hagigah]; [but] if he recited the blessing for the sacrifice [the hagigah], he does not exempt the pesah, the words of Rabbi Ishmael. Rabbi Akiva says: this does not exempt that nor does that exempt this.

(4) Above the zav is the zavah, for she conveys impurity to the man who has intercourse with her. Above the zavah is the metzora, for he conveys impurity by entering into a house. Above the metzora is a [human] bone the size of a barley grain, for it conveys impurity for seven days. More strict than all these is a corpse, for it conveys impurity by ohel (tent) whereby all the others convey no impurity.

(5) Mules of uncertain parentage are forbidden [one with another,] And a ramakh is permitted. Wild man-like creatures are [in the category of] hayyah. Rabbi Yose says: they cause impurity in a tent like a human being. The hedgehog and the bush-mole are [in the category of] hayyah. The bush-mole: Rabbi Yose says in the name of Bet Shammai: an olive's size [of its carcass] renders a person carrying it unclean, and a lentil’s size [of its carcass] renders a person touching it unclean.

(7) The blood of those who walk on two [legs] is like the blood of beasts in that it renders seeds susceptible [to impurity]. And it is like the blood of a sheretz, in that one is not liable for eating it.

(8) Rabbi Akiva further asked: If a limb hangs loose from the body of a living beast, what is the law? They replied: We have heard nothing about this, but we have heard about a limb hanging loose from the body of a man, that it is clean. And thus those that were afflicted with boils used to do in Jerusalem. He would go on the eve of Pesah to the doctor, and he would cut the limb until only contact of a hairbreadth was left; he then stuck it on a thorn and then tore himself away from it. In this manner both that man and the physician could make their pesah offering. And it seems to us that your case may be derived from this by a kal vehomer.

(3) An olive's size of flesh that separated from the limb of a living person: Rabbi Eliezer declares impure, and Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Nechunya declare pure. A barley-grain's size of bone that separates from a limb of a living person: Rabbi Nechunya declares impure, and Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua declare pure. They said to Rabbi Eliezer: Why did you see [fit] to declare an olive's worth of flesh that separated from the limb of a living person impure? He said to them: We find that the limb of a living person is like a complete dead person. Just like an olive's size of flesh that separates from a dead person is impure, so too an olive's size of flesh that separated from the limb of a living person is impure. They said to him: No. If you say that an olive's size of flesh that separated from a dead person is impure, as is a barley-grain's size of bone that separates from [a dead person], [how] will you also declare an olive's size of flesh that separated from the limb of a living person impure when you declare pure a barley-grain's size of bone that separates from [the limb of a living person]? [You yourself do not appear to judge these cases as parallel to each other, so how can you claim that to be your reasoning?] They said to Rabbi Nechunya: Why did you see fit to declare a barley-grain's size of bone that separated from the limb of a living person impure? He said to them: We find that the limb of a living person is like a complete dead person. Just like a barley-grain's worth of flesh that separates from a dead person is impure, so too a barley-grain's worth of bone that separated from the limb of a living person is impure. They said to him: No. If you say that a barley-grain's worth of bone that separated from a dead person is impure, as is an olive's size of flesh that separates from [a dead person], [how] will you also declare a barley-grain's size of bone that separated from the limb of a living person impure when you declare pure an olive's worth of flesh that separates from [a living person]? [You yourself do not appear to judge these cases as parallel to each other, so how can you claim that to be your reasoning?] They said to Rabbi Eliezer: Why did you see fit to divide your method [and be inconsistent in your reasoning]? Either they are both pure, or they are both impure! He said to them: [There are] more [chances for] flesh [to become] impure than [there are chances] for bones [to become] impure, for flesh applies to carcasses and insects, which is not so for bones. Another answer: A limb that has enough flesh on it [that were it still attached to a human being, it would be viable] imparts impurity by touching, carrying, and being under its [same] roof-space. If one diminishes the flesh [of the limb], it remains impure. If one diminishes the bone [of the limb], it [becomes] pure. They said to Rabbi Nechunya: Why did you see fit to divide your method [and be inconsistent in your reasoning]? Either they are both pure, or they are both impure! He said to them: [There are] more [chances for] bones [to become] impure than [there are chances] for flesh to become impure, for flesh separated from a living man is pure, but a limb that is separated from [a living man], and it is full [with flesh, bone, and sinews], it is impure. Another answer: An olive's worth of flesh [severed from a corpse] imparts impurity by touching, carrying, and being under its roof-space, and bones create a majority in making impure by touching, carrying, and being under its [same] roof-space, and a majority of a corpse's bones impart impurity by touching, carrying, and being under their [same] roof-space. If one diminishes [the] flesh [that has been severed from a corpse], it [becomes] pure. If one diminishes the majority of bone, even though they [now become] pure [and can no longer impart impurity on whatever is] under their same roof-space, they [still] impart impurity by touching and carrying. Another answer: Any flesh of a dead person which is less than an olive's worth is pure. But [bones that makes up] the majority of a dead person's build or [constitute] a majority of his [bone] count, even if they are only a quarter [kav (a measure)], they are impure. They said to Rabbi Yehoshua: Why did you see fit to declare both [bone and flesh from a dead person] pure? [Is not Rabbi Nechunya's reasoning correct?] He said to them: No. If you say about a corpse [that it is impure, it is because of] the laws of majority, quarter [kav], and decay [that apply to it], but [how can you] also say about a living person [that he is impure], [if] he does not have the laws of majority, quarter [kav], and decay [apply to him]? [You cannot compare that which was separated from a corpse with that which was separated from the limb of a living person, because the limbs severed from a living person are less likely to impart impurity than the corpse.]