Zevachim

and all kinds of garments?1 Because it says, ‘thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled’. You might think that I can include a skin after it was flayed? Therefore it says, ‘a garment’: as a garment is an article which contracts uncleanness, so everything which contracts uncleanness [is included].2 Wherein do they differ?3 — Said Abaye: They differ about a cloth less than three [fingerbreadths square].4 He who says [that it must be] eligible, this too is eligible, for if [its owner] desires, he can intend it [for use]. But he who maintains, anything which contracts uncleanness, this at all events cannot contract uncleanness.5 Raba said, They disagree over a garment which [its owner] intended to embroider.6 He who maintains [that it must be] eligible, this too is eligible, for if [its owner] desires, he can abandon his intention. He however who maintains, anything which can contract uncleanness: now at all events it cannot contract uncleanness. Others state,7 Raba said: They disagree about an [untrimmed] hide which he intended to trim.8 He who maintains [that it must be] eligible, this too is eligible; he however who maintains, anything which can contract uncleanness, this however cannot contract uncleanness until he trims it. And it was taught even so: R. Simeon b. Menassia said: A hide which [its owner] intended trimming is clean9 until he trims it. ONLY THE PLACE OF THE BLOOD NEEDS WASHING. How do we know it? — For our Rabbis taught: You might think that if [the blood] spurted on part of the garment, the whole garment must be washed. Therefore it states, ‘[thou shalt wash] that whereon it was sprinkled’: I ordered thee [to wash] only the place of the blood. WHATEVER IS ELIGIBLE TO CONTRACT UNCLEANNESS. This anonymous teaching agrees with R. Judah.10 AND FIT FOR WASHING excludes a vessel which requires scraping.11 WHETHER A GARMENT, SACKCLOTH, OR HIDE. Are we to say that a skin can be washed? But the following contradicts this: If dirt is upon it, one wipes it off with a rag; if it is of leather [skin], water is poured over it until it disappears.12 — Said Abaye, There is no difficulty: one agrees with the Rabbis; the other agrees with ‘others’.13 For it was taught: A garment and sackcloth are washed;14 a vessel and a skin are scraped; others maintain: A garment, sackcloth, and skin are washed; while a vessel is scraped. With whom does the following statement of R. Hiyya b. Ashi agree, [viz.:] I stood many times before Rab, and dabbed his shoes with water?15 With whom? With the Rabbis.16 Raba observed: Does anyone maintain that skin is not washable? Surely it is written, And the garment, or the warp, or the woof, or whatsoever thing of skin it be, which thou shalt wash!17 Rather said Raba: The Scriptural text and our Mishnah refer to soft [skins], whereas they disagree about hard [skins].18 But surely R. Hiyya b. Ashi said: I stood many times before Rab, and dabbed his shoes with water?19 — They were of hard [leather], and [he acted] in accordance with the Rabbis. Subsequently Raba said: My statement was incorrect. Are we to say that the text refers [only] to soft [skins]? Does it not refer [even] to foresters’ apparel which comes from overseas,20 yet the Divine Law states that it must be washed?21 Rather said Raba: Leprosy,22 since it breaks out in the article itself, moistens it and softens it.23 Raba observed: If I have a difficulty, it is this: not included, because it does not contract uncleanness, but can only be made to contract uncleanness, by the owner's intention to use it. owner intends to use it. but not in R. Eleazar's. embroider it first. This counts as unfinished, and hence not a ‘garment’; nevertheless, if the owner expressly abandons his intention, it becomes a ‘garment’. Thus it is eligible, but cannot contract uncleanness at present. intended to use it for such purpose, it immediately ranks as a utensil, even before it is trimmed, and hence can be defiled. But if he intended trimming it, it cannot become unclean until he either trims it or abandons his intention. is stated anonymously in the Mishnah, it is generally the halachah. scraping. wiped off with a cloth, but not with water, as this constitutes washing. Water, however, may be poured over skin, for that is not regarded as washing. Thus skin is not technically subject to washing. is in respect of hard.