Zevachim

or they do not contain a rebi'ith,1 provided they are service vessels? — Said R. Adda b. Aha:2 This means where one bales out from it.3 But the Divine Law saith, ‘Thereat’?4 — They should wash5 is to include any service vessel.6 If so, then a profane vessel too [should be fit]? — Said Abaye: You cannot say [that] a profane vessel [is fit], this being deduced from its base, a fortiori: If its base, which was anointed together with it [the laver], does not sanctify [the water poured into it].7 is it not logical that a profane vessel, which was not anointed with it, does not sanctify? And how do we know [that] its base [does not sanctify]? Because it was taught: R. Judah said: You might think that the base sanctifies, just as the laver sanctifies; therefore it says. Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and the base thereof of brass.8 I have made it alike in respect of brass , but not in respect of anything else. Mar Zutra the son of R. Mari said to Rabina: As for its base, [it does not sanctify] because it is not made for its inside [to be used]; will you say [the same of] a profane vessel, which is made for its inside?9 Rather, ‘thereat’ excludes a profane vessel. If so, [it excludes] a service vessel too? — Surely the Divine Law included [it by writing] ‘they should wash’. And what [reason] do you see [for this choice]?10 — The one [a service vessel] needs anointing like itself [the laver], while the other does not need anointing like itself. Resh Lakish said: Whatever can make up [the prescribed quantity of] the water of a mikweh,11 makes up the water of the laver;12 but it does not make up to a rebi'ith.13 What does this exclude? Shall we say, it excludes miry [liquid] clay?14 then how is it meant? If a cow would bend and drink thereof,15 it is [fit] even for a rebi'ith too;16 while if a cow would not bend and drink thereof, it cannot make up even [the quantity of] a mikweh too! Again, if it is to exclude red insects,17 [these are permitted] even in the mass,18 for surely it was taught: R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: You may perform immersion in whatever originates in the water; while R. Isaac b. Abdimi said: You may perform immersion in the eye of a fish!19 — Said R. Papa : It excludes the case where one added a se'ah and took out a se'ah. For we learnt: If a mikweh had exactly forty se'ah and one added a se'ah and took out a se'ah, it is fit. And Rab Judah b. Shila said in R. Assi's name in R. Johanan's name: Up to the greater part thereof.20 R. Papa said: If one cut out a rebi'ith therein, one may bathe needles and hooks,21 since it is derived from a valid mikweh.22 R. Jeremiah said in the name of Resh Lakish: The water of a mikweh is fit for the water of the laver.23 Are we to say that it [the water of the laver] need not be ‘living’ water? Surely it was taught: [But its inwards and its legs shall he wash] with water,24 but not with wine; ‘with water,’ but not with a mixture;25 ‘with water’ includes any water,26 and all the more [does it include] the water of the laver. Now what does ‘and all the more the water of the laver’ imply? Surely that it is ‘living’ water?27 — No: it means, which is holy.28 Is then its holiness an advantage? Surely the school of Samuel taught: [Only] water which has no special name [is fit],29 must contain the larger quantity. Rashi translates and explains differently. be of the same size as the laver. with other liquids, as enumerated in Mik. VII, 1 q.v. poured from one vessel into another. prescribed quantity. thirty nine se'ahs and another is added of a different liquid, it is not valid. But if it contains forty, and then a different liquid is added and a se'ah of water is removed, it remains fit. For it was fit without the added se'ah, and this se'ah becomes null (loses its identity) in the rest, and so the mikweh remains fit. Rab Judah says that it remains fit even if in this way one removes up to (but not including)the greater part of the water. But if one has a rebi'ith of water, adds a little of another liquid, and then removes the same quantity, it is not fit, because a rebi'ith is too little for the other liquid to lose its identity in it. small objects in it, even though it is not freely joined to the larger mikweh. means any living water.