[A piece of cloth] three [fingerbreadths] square that was stuffed into a ball or was itself made into a ball is clean. But [a piece of cloth] three [handbreadths] square that was stuffed into a ball remains unclean. If he made it into a ball itself, it is clean because the sewing reduces its size.
[A piece of cloth] less than three [handbreadths] square that was adapted for the purpose of stopping up a hole in a bath house, of emptying a cooking-pot or of wiping with it the mill stones, whether it was or was not kept in readiness for any such use, is susceptible to uncleanness, the words of Rabbi Eliezer. Rabbi Joshua says: whether it was or was not kept in readiness it is pure. Rabbi Akiba ruled: if it was kept in readiness it is susceptible, and if it was not kept in readiness it is pure.
If a bandage is made of cloth or leather it is pure. (Rabbi Yose says: with leather it is pure.) A poultice is pure if it is on cloth, but if on leather it is susceptible. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says: even if it was on cloth it remains susceptible to uncleanness because it can be shaken off.
Covers of scrolls, whether they are decorated or not, are susceptible to uncleanness according to the view of Bet Shammai. Bet Hillel says: those that are decorated are pure, but those that are not decorated are susceptible. Rabban Gamaliel says: both the former and the latter are pure.
If a head-wrap that had contracted midras uncleanness was wrapped around a scroll, it is released from midras uncleanness but it remains susceptible to corpse uncleanness. A skin that was made into a rug or a rug that was made into a skin becomes clean. A skin that was made into a [shepherd's] wallet or a [shepherd's] wallet that was made into a skin; Or a cushion cover that was made into a sheet or a sheet that was made into a cushion cover; Or a sheet cover that was made into a plain sheet or a plain sheet that was made into a sheet cover, remains unclean. This is the general rule: any object that has been changed into one of the same class remains unclean, but if into one of another class it becomes clean.
If a patch was sewn on to a basket, it conveys one grade of uncleanness and one of unfitness. If it was separated from the basket, it conveys one grade of uncleanness and one of unfitness, but the patch becomes clean. If it was sewn on to cloth it conveys two grades of uncleanness and one of unfitness. If it was separated from the cloth, it conveys one grade of uncleanness and one of unfitness, while the patch conveys two grades of uncleanness and one of unfitness. The same law applies to a patch was sewn on to sacking or leather, the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Shimon says that it is clean. Rabbi Yose says: if [it was sewn] on leather it becomes clean; but if on sacking it remains unclean, since the latter is a woven material.
The three (fingerbreadths) square of which they have spoken do not include the hem, the words of Rabbi Shimon. But the sages say: exactly three [fingerbreadths] square. If a patch was sewn on to a cloth by one side only, it is not considered as connected. If it was sewn on by two opposite sides, it is considered connected. If it was sewn on the shape of a gamma: Rabbi Akiva says that the cloth is unclean, But the sages say that it is clean. Rabbi Judah stated: When does this apply? To a cloak, but in the case of an undershirt the patch is regarded as connected if it was sewn by its upper side, but if by its lower side it is not connected.
Poor men's clothes, though made up of pieces none of which is three [fingerbreadths] square are susceptible to midras uncleanness. If a cloak began to be torn, as soon as its greater part is torn [the pieces] are not regarded as connected. Exceptionally thick or thin materials are not governed by the prescribed minimum of three [fingerbreadths] square.
A porter's pad is susceptible to midras uncleanness. A wine filter is not susceptible to uncleanness as a seat. An old woman's hair-net is susceptible to uncleanness as a seat. A prostitute's shirt which is woven like a net is not susceptible to uncleanness. A garment made of fishing net is not susceptible to uncleanness, but one made of its bag is susceptible. Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob says: if a garment is made out of a fishing net but is made double it is susceptible to uncleanness.
A hair-net that one began to make from its upper hem remains pure until its bottom section is finished. If one began from its bottom section, it remains pure until its hem is finished. Its head band is susceptible to uncleanness in itself. Its strings are susceptible to uncleanness because they are connected. A hair-net that is torn becomes pure if it cannot contain the greater part of the hair.
שָׁלֹשׁ עַל שָׁלֹשׁ שֶׁנְּתָנָהּ בְּכַדּוּר, אוֹ שֶׁעֲשָׂאָהּ כַּדּוּר בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ, טְהוֹרָה. אֲבָל שְׁלֹשָׁה עַל שְׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁנְּתָנוֹ בְכַדּוּר, טָמֵא. עֲשָׂאוֹ כַדּוּר בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ, טָהוֹר, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַתֶּפֶר מְמַעֲטוֹ:
[A piece of cloth] three [fingerbreadths] square that was stuffed into a ball or was itself made into a ball is clean. But [a piece of cloth] three [handbreadths] square that was stuffed into a ball remains unclean. If he made it into a ball itself, it is clean because the sewing reduces its size.
פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁלֹשָׁה עַל שְׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁהִתְקִינוֹ לָפוֹק בּוֹ אֶת הַמֶּרְחָץ, לְנַעֵר בּוֹ אֶת הַקְּדֵרָה, לְקַנֵּחַ בּוֹ אֶת הָרֵחַיִם, בֵּין מוּכָן בֵּין שֶׁאֵינוֹ מוּכָן, טָמֵא, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר, בֵּין מִן הַמּוּכָן, בֵּין שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִן הַמּוּכָן, טָהוֹר. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, מִן הַמּוּכָן, טָמֵא. שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִן הַמּוּכָן, טָהוֹר:
[A piece of cloth] less than three [handbreadths] square that was adapted for the purpose of stopping up a hole in a bath house, of emptying a cooking-pot or of wiping with it the mill stones, whether it was or was not kept in readiness for any such use, is susceptible to uncleanness, the words of Rabbi Eliezer. Rabbi Joshua says: whether it was or was not kept in readiness it is pure. Rabbi Akiba ruled: if it was kept in readiness it is susceptible, and if it was not kept in readiness it is pure.
הָעוֹשֶׂה אִסְפְּלָנִית, בֵּין בְּבֶגֶד בֵּין בְּעוֹר, טְהוֹרָה. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, עַל הָעוֹר, טָהוֹר. מְלוּגְמָא, בְּבֶגֶד, טְהוֹרָה, וּבְעוֹר, טְמֵאָה. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, אַף בְּבֶגֶד, טְמֵאָה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא נִנְעָרֶת:
If a bandage is made of cloth or leather it is pure. (Rabbi Yose says: with leather it is pure.) A poultice is pure if it is on cloth, but if on leather it is susceptible. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says: even if it was on cloth it remains susceptible to uncleanness because it can be shaken off.
מִטְפְּחוֹת סְפָרִים, בֵּין מְצֻיָּרוֹת בֵּין שֶׁאֵינָן מְצֻיָּרוֹת, טְמֵאוֹת, כְּדִבְרֵי בֵית שַׁמַּאי. בֵּית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים, מְצֻיָּרוֹת, טְהוֹרוֹת, וְשֶׁאֵינָם מְצֻיָּרוֹת, טְמֵאוֹת. רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, אֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ טְהוֹרוֹת:
Covers of scrolls, whether they are decorated or not, are susceptible to uncleanness according to the view of Bet Shammai. Bet Hillel says: those that are decorated are pure, but those that are not decorated are susceptible. Rabban Gamaliel says: both the former and the latter are pure.
כִּפָּה שֶׁהוּא טָמֵא מִדְרָס, וּנְתָנוֹ עַל הַסֵּפֶר, טָהוֹר מִן הַמִּדְרָס, אֲבָל טָמֵא טְמֵא מֵת. חֵמֶת שֶׁעֲשָׂאָהּ שָׁטִיחַ, וְשָׁטִיחַ שֶׁעֲשָׂאוֹ חֵמֶת, טָהוֹר. חֵמֶת שֶׁעֲשָׂאָהּ תּוּרְמֵל וְתוּרְמֵל שֶׁעֲשָׂאוֹ חֵמֶת, כַּר שֶׁעֲשָׂאוֹ סָדִין וְסָדִין שֶׁעֲשָׂאוֹ כַּר, כֶּסֶת שֶׁעֲשָׂאָהּ מִטְפַּחַת וּמִטְפַּחַת שֶׁעֲשָׂאָהּ כֶּסֶת, טָמֵא. זֶה הַכְּלָל, כֹּל שֶׁשִּׁנָּהוּ לִשְׁמוֹ, טָמֵא. לְשֵׁם אַחֵר, טָהוֹר:
If a head-wrap that had contracted midras uncleanness was wrapped around a scroll, it is released from midras uncleanness but it remains susceptible to corpse uncleanness. A skin that was made into a rug or a rug that was made into a skin becomes clean. A skin that was made into a [shepherd's] wallet or a [shepherd's] wallet that was made into a skin; Or a cushion cover that was made into a sheet or a sheet that was made into a cushion cover; Or a sheet cover that was made into a plain sheet or a plain sheet that was made into a sheet cover, remains unclean. This is the general rule: any object that has been changed into one of the same class remains unclean, but if into one of another class it becomes clean.
מַטְלִית שֶׁטְּלָיָהּ עַל הַקֻּפָּה, מְטַמְּאָה אֶחָד וּפוֹסֶלֶת אֶחָד. הִפְרִישָׁהּ מִן הַקֻּפָּה, הַקֻּפָּה מְטַמָּא אֶחָד וּפוֹסֶלֶת אֶחָד, וְהַמַּטְלִית טְהוֹרָה. טְלָיָהּ עַל הַבֶּגֶד, מְטַמָּא שְׁנַיִם וּפוֹסֶלֶת אֶחָד. הִפְרִישָׁהּ מִן הַבֶּגֶד, הַבֶּגֶד מְטַמֵּא אֶחָד וּפוֹסֵל אֶחָד, וְהַמַּטְלִית מְטַמְּאָה שְׁנַיִם וּפוֹסֶלֶת אֶחָד. וְכֵן הַטּוֹלֶה עַל הַשַּׂק אוֹ עַל הָעוֹר, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מְטַהֵר. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, עַל הָעוֹר, טָהוֹר. עַל הַשַּׂק, טָמֵא, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא אָרִיג:
If a patch was sewn on to a basket, it conveys one grade of uncleanness and one of unfitness. If it was separated from the basket, it conveys one grade of uncleanness and one of unfitness, but the patch becomes clean. If it was sewn on to cloth it conveys two grades of uncleanness and one of unfitness. If it was separated from the cloth, it conveys one grade of uncleanness and one of unfitness, while the patch conveys two grades of uncleanness and one of unfitness. The same law applies to a patch was sewn on to sacking or leather, the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Shimon says that it is clean. Rabbi Yose says: if [it was sewn] on leather it becomes clean; but if on sacking it remains unclean, since the latter is a woven material.
שָׁלֹשׁ עַל שָׁלֹשׁ שֶׁאָמְרוּ, חוּץ מִן הַמְּלָל, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, שָׁלֹשׁ עַל שָׁלֹשׁ מְכֻוָּנֶת. טְלָיָהּ עַל הַבֶּגֶד, מֵרוּחַ אַחַת, אֵינוֹ חִבּוּר. מִשְּׁתֵּי רוּחוֹת זוֹ כְנֶגֶד זוֹ, חִבּוּר. עֲשָׂאוֹ כְמִין גַּאם, רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מְטַמֵּא, וַחֲכָמִים מְטַהֲרִין. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, בַּמֶּה דְבָרִים אֲמוּרִים, בְּטַלִּית. אֲבָל בְּחָלוּק, מִלְמַעְלָן, חִבּוּר. וּמִלְּמַטָּן, אֵינוֹ חִבּוּר:
The three (fingerbreadths) square of which they have spoken do not include the hem, the words of Rabbi Shimon. But the sages say: exactly three [fingerbreadths] square. If a patch was sewn on to a cloth by one side only, it is not considered as connected. If it was sewn on by two opposite sides, it is considered connected. If it was sewn on the shape of a gamma: Rabbi Akiva says that the cloth is unclean, But the sages say that it is clean. Rabbi Judah stated: When does this apply? To a cloak, but in the case of an undershirt the patch is regarded as connected if it was sewn by its upper side, but if by its lower side it is not connected.
בִּגְדֵי עֲנִיִּים, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם שָׁלֹשׁ עַל שָׁלֹשׁ, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ טְמֵאִין מִדְרָס. טַלִּית שֶׁהִתְחִיל בָּהּ לְקָרְעָהּ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּקְרַע רֻבָּהּ, אֵינוֹ חִבּוּר. הֶעָבִים וְהָרַכִּים, אֵין בָּהֶם מִשּׁוּם שָׁלֹשׁ עַל שָׁלֹשׁ:
Poor men's clothes, though made up of pieces none of which is three [fingerbreadths] square are susceptible to midras uncleanness. If a cloak began to be torn, as soon as its greater part is torn [the pieces] are not regarded as connected. Exceptionally thick or thin materials are not governed by the prescribed minimum of three [fingerbreadths] square.
כֶּסֶת הַסַּבָּלִין, טְמֵאָה מִדְרָס. מְשַׁמֶּרֶת שֶׁל יַיִן, אֵין בָּהּ מִשּׁוּם מוֹשָׁב. סְבָכָה שֶׁל זְקֵנָה, טְמֵאָה מִשּׁוּם מוֹשָׁב. חָלוּק שֶׁל יוֹצֵאת הַחוּץ הֶעָשׂוּי כִּסְבָכָה, טָהוֹר. הָעוֹשֶׂה בֶגֶד מִן הַחֵרֶם, טָהוֹר. וּמִזּוּטוֹ, טָמֵא. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר, אַף הָעוֹשֶׂה בֶגֶד מִן הַחֵרֶם וּכְפָלוֹ, טָמֵא:
A porter's pad is susceptible to midras uncleanness. A wine filter is not susceptible to uncleanness as a seat. An old woman's hair-net is susceptible to uncleanness as a seat. A prostitute's shirt which is woven like a net is not susceptible to uncleanness. A garment made of fishing net is not susceptible to uncleanness, but one made of its bag is susceptible. Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob says: if a garment is made out of a fishing net but is made double it is susceptible to uncleanness.
סְבָכָה שֶׁהִתְחִיל בָּהּ מִפִּיהָ, טְהוֹרָה, עַד שֶׁיִּגְמֹר אֶת קוּרְקוּרְתָּהּ. הִתְחִיל בָּהּ מִקּוּרְקוּרְתָּהּ, טְהוֹרָה, עַד שֶׁיִּגְמֹר אֶת פִּיהָ. שָׁבִיס שֶׁלָּהּ, טָמֵא בִפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ. הַחוּטִין שֶׁלָּהּ, טְמֵאִין מִשּׁוּם חִבּוּר. סְבָכָה שֶׁנִּקְרְעָה, אִם אֵינָהּ מְקַבֶּלֶת אֶת רֹב הַשֵּׂעָר, טְהוֹרָה:
A hair-net that one began to make from its upper hem remains pure until its bottom section is finished. If one began from its bottom section, it remains pure until its hem is finished. Its head band is susceptible to uncleanness in itself. Its strings are susceptible to uncleanness because they are connected. A hair-net that is torn becomes pure if it cannot contain the greater part of the hair.