Pesachim

we inquire about it,1 even in the case of a utensil lying on the ground, just as though it were an object which has the understanding to be questioned. ‘While the flesh is unclean’ — By what was this flesh made fit?2 Shall we say that it was made fit by the blood? — surely R. Hiyya b. Abba said in R. Johanan's name: How do we know that the blood of sacrifices does not make [anything] fit [to be defiled]? Because it is said, thou shalt pour it out [sc. the blood] upon the earth as water:3 blood which is poured out as water renders fit; blood which is not poured out as water does not render fit.4 Again, if it was made fit by the liquids of the slaughter-house,5 — surely R. Jose b. R. Hanina said: The liquids of the [Temple] slaughterhouse, not enough that they are clean, but they cannot even make [eatables] fit? Again, if it was made fit through the prizing of sacred objects.6 — say that the prizing of sacred objects is efficacious in rendering that itself unfit, is it also [sufficient] that first and second degree should be counted therein?7 [In that case] you may solve what Resh Lakish asked: The dry portion of meal-offerings,8 do we count first and second degrees therein or not?9 — Said Rab Judah in Samuel's name: E.g..if it was an animal for a peace-offering and it was led through a river and then slaughtered, and the water is still dripping upon it.10 ‘If found in the excrements, it is all clean.’ But let the excrements defile the flesh in their turn?11 Said R. Adda b. Ahabah: It refers to thick [solid] excrements.12 R. Ashi said: You may even say that it refers to loose [fluidlike] excrements, [its non-defilement being] because it is a noisome liquid. 13 A tanna recited before R. Shesheth: A sherez defiles liquids, and the liquids defile a utensil, and the utensil defiles eatables, and the eatables defile liquids,14 and [thus] we learn three [stages of] uncleanness in the case of a sherez. But there are four? — Delete liquids in the first clause, on the contrary, delete liquids in the last clause? — We find no other Tanna who maintains [that] liquids defile utensils save R. Judah, and he retracted.15 And your sign [for remembering the order] is the brewing process.16 We learned elsewhere: If a creeping thing is found in an oven, the bread therein is a second, because the oven is a first.17 R. Adda b. Ahabah said to Raba: Let us regard this oven as though it were fined with uncleanness,18 and let the bread be a first? — Said he to him, You cannot think so,for it was taught: You might think that all utensils become unclean through the air space of an [unclean] earthen vessel: them. slaughter in order to facilitate flaying, v. Bez. 40a. slaughter (v. Bez. 40a). The needle should therefore defile the excrements, and that in turn should defile the flesh. By deleting it, however, the reading becomes: a sherez, defiles utensils.