Shabbat

R. Simeon b. Eleazar and the Tanna of the School of R. Ishmael  said the same thing. R. Simeon b. Eleazar, as stated. The Tanna of the School of R. Ishmael: what is that? For the School of R. Ishmael taught: Since garments are mentioned in the Torah unspecified, while the Writ specified wool and flax in the case of one of them: [then] just as there, wool and flax [are specified], so all [garments] are of wool and flax.  Raba said: They differ in respect to three [handbreadths] by three in other clothes [not wool or linen]: R. Simeon b. Eleazar accepts [their liability to defilement],  whilst the Tanna of the School of R. Ishmael rejects it. Now all at least agree that an area of three [fingerbreadths] of wool or linen is subject to the defilement of leprosy. How do we know it? Because it was taught, A garment:  I know it only of a [complete] garment; whence do I learn it of [cloth] three [fingerbreadths] square? From the verse, and the garment.  Yet say that it is to include three [handbreadths] square? — Does that not follow a minori: if a warp and a woof become unclean,  is there a question of three [handbreadths] square?  If so, if it is three [fingerbreadths] square, let it also be deduced a minori?  — Rather, [this is the reply]: three [handbreadths] square, which is of use  both to the wealthy and to the poor, can be deduced a minori  three [fingerbreadths] square, which is of use to the poor only, but not to the rich,  cannot be learnt a minori: hence it is only because Scripture wrote it; but had Scripture not written it, we could not deduce it a minori. Yet say [that its purpose is] to include three [handbreadths] square of other materials? — Scripture saith, a woollen garment, or a linen garment:  only a woollen or a linen garment, but not anything else. Yet say, when it is excluded it is from [the defilement of] three [fingerbreadths] square, but three [handbreadths] square can become unclean? — Two limitations are written: 'a woollen garment or a linen garment',  [hence] one is to exclude [them] from [the defilement of] three [fingerbreadths] square, and the other to exclude them from [the defilement of] three [handbreadths] square. Now, according to Raba, who said, They differ in respect of three [handbreadths] by three in other cloths, R. Simeon b. Eleazar accepting [their liability to defilement], whilst the Tanna of the School of R. Ishmael rejects it, — how does he [R. Simeon b. Eleazar] know [the defilement of] three [handbreadths] square of other materials?