Chullin

There are three matters of uncleanness issuing from a corpse which convey uncleanness by two means but not by the third,1 and these are they: a ladleful of corpse-mould, a barley's bulk of bone, and the covering stone and side stones of the grave.2 A ladleful of corpse-mould conveys uncleanness by carrying and by overshadowing but not by contact;3 [uncleanness by] contact, however, is to be found with each of the others. A barley's bulk of bone conveys uncleanness by carrying and by contact but not by overshadowing;4 [uncleanness by] overshadowing, however, is to be found with each of the others. The covering stone and side stones of the grave convey uncleanness by contact and by overshadowing but not by carrying;4 [uncleanness by] carrying, however, is to be found with each of the others. A THIGH-BONE OF A CARCASS OR OF A [DEAD] REPTILE, etc. Our Rabbis taught: It is written: [He that toucheth] the carcass thereof,5 but not a stopped up thigh-bone. I might think [that the same is the case] even if it was pierced, the verse therefore says: He that toucheth . . . shall be unclean,5 that is,6 whatever can be touched is unclean7 but whatever cannot be touched is clean. R. Zera said to Abaye. In that case a carcass with the hide still upon it should not convey uncleanness?8 — [He replied,] Just go and see how many apertures there are in it!9 R. Papa said to Raba. In that case the kidney [of a carcass], so long as it is surrounded with fat, should not convey uncleanness?10 — [He replied:] Just go and see how many fibers run through it!11 R. Oshaia raised the question. What is the position if a man intended to pierce [the bone] but did not pierce it? Does the absence of piercing make it incomplete,12 or not? He later answered the question himself: the absence of piercing does not make it incomplete.13 MISHNAH. THE EGG OF A REPTILE IN WHICH THERE HAS FORMED AN EMBRYO IS CLEAN;14 IF IT WAS PIERCED, HOWEVER SMALL THE HOLE WAS, IT IS UNCLEAN.15 WITH REGARD TO A MOUSE WHICH IS HALF FLESH AND HALF EARTH.16 IF A MAN TOUCHED THE FLESH HE BECOMES UNCLEAN, BUT IF HE TOUCHED THE EARTH HE REMAINS CLEAN. R. JUDAH SAYS, EVEN IF HE TOUCHED THE EARTH THAT IS OVER AGAINST THE FLESH HE BECOMES UNCLEAN. GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught: The unclean17 includes the egg of a reptile and the thigh-bone of a reptile. I might think [that it is the same] even if there had not formed an embryo in it, the verse therefore adds: The creeping things,17 that is, just as the creeping thing is fully formed so the reptile's egg must also be fully formed. I might think [that it is the same] even if they had not been pierced, the verse therefore states: Whosoever doth touch them . . . shall be unclean,17 that is, whatever can be touched is unclean, but whatever cannot be touched is clean. How much must be pierced? A hairbreadth, for then it could be touched with a hair. 18 WITH REGARD TO A MOUSE WHICH IS HALF FLESH etc. R. Joshua the son of Levi said, provided the entire length [of the creature] had developed.19 Others, however, report this statement in reference to the last clause thus: R. JUDAH SAYS, EVEN IF HE TOUCHED THE EARTH THAT IS OVER AGAINST THE FLESH HE BECOMES UNCLEAN. Thereupon R. Joshua the son of Levi said, provided the entire length [of the creature] had been developed. He who reports it in reference to the first clause will with more reason apply it also to the last clause,20 but he who reports it in reference to the last clause will hold that in the first clause even though the entire length [of the creature] had not been developed [whosoever touches the fleshy part thereof becomes unclean]. Our Rabbis taught: Since Scripture mentioned ‘the mouse’21 I would have said that it included the sea-mouse for it bears the name ‘mouse’. There is, however, an argument [against this]: [Scripture] declared the weasel unclean and the mouse unclean, therefore as the weasel refers only to those that live upon the land22 so the mouse refers only to those that live upon the land. Or you might argue in this way: [Scripture] declared the weasel unclean and the mouse unclean, therefore as the weasel refers to every creature which bears the name weasel, so the mouse refers to every creature which bears the name mouse, and so it will include the sea-mouse since it bears the name mouse! The text therefore teaches: Upon the earth.23 But if I had only the expression ‘upon the earth’ to go by, I might say that while upon the earth it24 can render unclean, but if it went down into the sea it24 cannot render anything unclean! three matters stated, only two of these means apply, the actual two varying with each case, but not all three. however, Shittah Mekubbezeth, n. 9. serves as a protection to what is inside, and as such conveys the uncleanness. reading is, ‘The absence of piercing makes it incomplete’; for which see Sh. Mek., n. 5, and Maim. Yad, Aboth Hatumeah, II, 12. foodstuff and as such conveys uncleanness. Zoologie des Talmuds, p. 345. Cf. also Sanh. 91a. In the process of generation there would be a time when it is half flesh and half earth. dead, shall be unclean until the even. body, in either case he becomes unclean. V. Rashi a.l. whosoever touches the fleshy part which has already developed becomes unclean. thereof would become unclean. weasel, and the mouse, and the toad after its kind.