Shabbat

May I bury my children,  if this is not an erroneous halachah, for the hearer heard [a ruling] and erred [therein]. [Viz.,] a peasant was passing with an ox-goad on his shoulder and one end thereof overshadowed a grave, and he was declared unclean in virtue of [the law of] utensils which overshadowed the dead.  R. Akiba said, I will rectify [it] so that the words of the Sages  may be fulfilled. [Viz.,] all movable objects induce uncleanness in their bearers by the thickness of an ox-goad; [and induce uncleanness] in themselves, by any thickness; and in other people or utensils, by the width  of a handbreadth. And R. Jannai observed: and the ox-goad of which they spoke is not a handbreadth in thickness but in circumference, and they enacted [this law] concerning its circumference on account of its thickness.  But according to R. Tarfon who said, 'May I bury my children but this halachah is incorrect!' they are less [than eighteen]? — Said R. Nahman b. Isaac, That the daughters of Cutheans are niddoth from their cradles was also enacted on that same day; and on the other [question]  he agrees with R. Meir. And another? — When one vintages [grapes] for the vat [I.C., to manufacture wine], Shammai maintains: It is made fit (to become unclean]; while Hillel ruled, It is not made fit.  Said Hillel to Shammai: Why must one vintage [grapes] in purity, yet not gather [olives] in purity?  If you provoke me, he replied, I will decree uncleanness in the case of olive gathering too. A sword was planted in the Beth Hamidrash and it was proclaimed, 'He who would enter, let him enter, but he who would depart, let him not depart!'  And on that day Hillel sat submissive before Shammai, like one of the disciples,  and it was as grievous to Israel  as the day when the [golden] calf was made. Now, Shammai and Hillel enacted [this measure], but they would not accept it from them; but their disciples came  and enacted it, and it was accepted from them. [Now,] what is the reason? — Said Ze'iri in R. Hanina's name: For fear lest he vintage it into unclean baskets.  Now, that is well on the view that an unclean vessel renders fluid effective;  but on the view that an unclean vessel does not render fluid effective, what can be said? — Rather, said Ze'iri in R. Hanina's name: For fear lest he vintage it in pitch lined baskets.  Raba said: It is a preventive measure on account of tightly cleaving, [clusters].  R. Nahman said in Rabbah b. Abbuha's name: [It is a preventive measure, for] a man sometimes goes to his vineyard to see if the grapes are ready for vintaging, takes a bunch of grapes to squeeze it, and sprinkles [the juice] on the grapes, and at the time of gathering the moisture is still dripping on them. And another? — Said