One-Page Learn · The Halachos at a glance
טֻמְאַת אֳכָלִין
Defilement of Foods 13-15
Sefer Taharah · When water on a hand, a hide, a fig or a coin counts as taken willfully, why the question is so often whether he was happy, and how water lying on the earth stays pure until somebody wants it
3
Days that water left in a drawing cylinder is still treated as willfully uprooted, after which it no longer prepares food for impurity
40
Se'ah, below which water collected on the ground contracts and imparts impurity only through willful contact
3
Liquids, water, wine and vinegar, that pass through the wall of an earthenware jug and make produce susceptible
1
Finger turned over inside the mouth, the act that uproots the saliva and renders a dried terumah fig impure
Ch 13Water that clings, and the wish that decides whether it counts
- Happy or not happy. Where a man's feet or his animal's feet were full of mud and he crossed a river and rinsed them, the water on them is uprooted willfully if he was happy and not if he was not, and rain falling on wood he brought out for that purpose is entirely willful even where rainwater is the majority. (13:2)
- Deeds without intent. The water on an animal's mouth is willful and the water on its feet is not unless he intended them rinsed, but where a deaf mute, a compromised person or a minor led it down, even that intent does not count, because their deeds are significant and their intent is not. (13:4)
- A second water, and a joke. One who immersed and then crossed a second river, or was pushed into a pool by a friend, has the first water nullified, but where the friend pushed him in jest the first water remains willfully uprooted. (13:6)
- Depth, not width. Water on the hand or measuring article of one who measures a cistern's depth is uprooted willfully and on one who measures its width is not, and a hand put in to see whether there is water takes nothing while a hand put in to see how much there is takes it willfully. (13:9)
- Lowered for something else. Water on a chain and hook lowered to lift a pitcher, or on a basket lowered for a chicken to sit on, is not uprooted willfully, as with the water on a ship, its oars, and nets, unless one shakes them out. (13:11, 13:13)
RememberThe water never changes. The only thing the law measures is what the man at the edge of it was hoping for.
Ch 14Dew, breath, and the produce that was only meant to be kept
- Foreseen is not wanted. Produce brought to the roof against worms, or bundles, dried figs and garlic brought up to be preserved, do not become susceptible when dew descends, and we do not say that since everyone knows dew will fall it is as if he exposed them to water. (14:2, 14:3)
- A child's hands. A deaf mute, a compromised person or a minor who brought produce up intending the dew does not make it susceptible, yet where minors turned the produce over on the roof it becomes susceptible, because a minor's intent that is obvious from his actions takes effect by Rabbinic law. (14:2)
- Whose moisture is it. Wheat placed on a sprinkled floor is susceptible if the water made it moist and not if the stone did, and a hot loaf set on a wine jug is unaffected if it is wheat and susceptible if it is barley, because barley is absorbent. (14:7, 14:8)
- Breath is water. One who blows on lentils to check them for cooking makes them susceptible if water collects on them, since the moisture of breath is a derivative of water, and one who eats sesame seeds with his finger does the same. (14:15)
- The pit a person likes to suck. Food bitten and dropped from the hand is not wetted willfully, but a split olive or moist date that falls from the mouth is, since he desired to suck its pit, while dry olives and dried dates are not. (14:16)
RememberKnowing the dew will come is not wanting it. Turning the figs over in it is.
Ch 15Water on the earth, water in the mouth
- Container against ground. Water in a container contracts and imparts impurity with or without desire, while water collected on the ground below 40 se'ah does so only willfully, so a corpse falling in leaves it pure, an impure man drinking renders it impure, and a terumah loaf lifted out with a washed hand becomes impure. (15:1)
- Rain resets the pool. When rain exceeds the water already collected, impure ground water becomes pure, so in the rainy season all such water is presumed pure, and once the rains cease pools near a town or thoroughfare are presumed impure. (15:2, 15:3)
- Flowing water holds nothing. Streams of rainwater still flowing, even under 40 se'ah, do not contract impurity even if an impure person drank from them or impure water was poured into them. (15:6)
- The finger and the coin. One eating a dried terumah fig with impure hands who removes a pebble from his mouth renders the fig impure only if he turns his finger over, but where a pundiyon was in his mouth because he was thirsty and he removed it with the fig, the fig is impure. (15:7)
- Pain is still wanting. A woman eating terumah while clearing coals from an impure oven who sucked a finger pricked by a splinter, or put a burnt finger in her mouth, renders the terumah in her mouth impure, because she desired to remove the liquid. (15:8)
RememberSaliva is water on the ground until someone wants it. A coin held against thirst is enough.