Mishnah Oktzin

1 Something that serves as a handle but does not protect, both contracts impurity and conveys impurity, but it is not included. If it protects but is not a handle, it contracts and conveys impurity and is included. If it neither protects nor serves as a handle, it neither contracts nor conveys impurity.

2 Roots of garlic, onions or leeks that are still moist, or their tops, whether they are moist or dry, and the central stalk that is within the edible part, the roots of lettuce, the radish and the turnip, according to Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Judah says that only the large roots of the radish are included, but its fibrous roots are not included. The roots of the mint, rue, wild herbs and garden herbs that have been uprooted in order to be planted elsewhere, and the spine of an ear of grain, and its husk. Rabbi Elazar adds the earth covering of roots. All these things contract and convey impurity and are included.

3 The following both contract and convey impurity, but do not join together together with the rest: Roots of garlic, onions or leeks when they are dry, the stalk that is not within the edible part, the twig of a vine a handbreadth long on either side, the stem of the cluster of any length, the tail of the cluster stripped of grapes, the stem of the broom of the palm tree to a length of four handbreadths, the stalk of the ear of grain to a length of three handbreadths, and the stalk of all things that are cut, to a length of three handbreadths. In the case of those things not usually cut, their stalks and roots of any size. As for the outer husks of grains, they convey and contract impurity, but do not join together.

4 The following neither convey nor contract impurity and do not join together: The roots of cabbage stalks, young shoots of beet growing out of the root, and similar turnip-heads, Produce whose roots are ordinarily cut off but in this case were pulled up with their roots. Rabbi Yose declares them all susceptible to impurity, but he declares cabbage stalks and turnip heads not susceptible.

5 Stalks of all foods that have been threshed on the threshing floor are clean. Rabbi Yose declares them unclean. A sprig of a vine when stripped of its grapes is clean, but if one grape alone is left on it, it is unclean. A twig of a date palm stripped of its dates is clean, but if one date remains on it, it is unclean. Similarly, with beans, if a pod was emptied it is clean, but if even one bean remains, it is unclean. Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah declares the pod of the broad bean clean, but declares unclean the pods of other beans, since it is of use for handling the beans.

6 Stems of figs and dried figs, kelusim, and carobs both contract and convey impurity, and they join together. Rabbi Yose adds the stalks of the gourd. The stems of pears and krutumelin pears, quinces, and crabapples, the stalks of the gourd and the artichoke to the length of one handbreadth. Rabbi Elazar bar Zadok says two handbreadths. All these contract and convey impurity, but do not join together. As for other stems, they are neither subject to impurity nor able to convey it.

1 Leaves of olives pickled together with the olives remain clean, because they were pickled only for their appearance. The fibrous substance on a zucchini and the flower-like substance on it are clean. Rabbi Judah says that as long as it is still with the merchant, it is unclean.

2 All kinds of pits contract and convey impurity but do not join together. The pits of fresh dates, even when detached from the edible part, do join together, but those of dried dates do not join together. Accordingly, the stems of dried dates do join together, but those of fresh dates do not join together. If only part of a pit is detached, then only that part near the edible portion joins together. Similarly with a bone on which there is flesh, only that part that is close to the edible part joins together. If a bone has flesh only on one of its sides: Rabbi Ishmael says: we consider it as if the flesh encompasses it like a ring. But the sages say: only that part close to the edible part is included, as is the case, for example with savory, hyssop and thyme.

3 If a pomegranate or melon has partly rotted, what is rotten does not join together. And if the fruit is sound at both ends but has rotted in the middle, the sound ends does not join together. The stem of a pomegranate does join together, but the fibrous substance in it does not join together. Rabbi Eliezer says: also the comb is not susceptible to impurity.

4 All kinds of peels convey and contract impurity, and join together. Rabbi Judah says: an onion has three skins: the innermost one whether whole or pierced with holes joins together. The middle one when whole joins together, but when it is pierced with holes does not join together. The outermost skin is not susceptible to impurity in either case.

5 If one chops up fruit for cooking, even if the chopping had not been completely finished, it is not regarded as connected. If he intended to pickle or to boil it, or to set it on the table, then it is regarded as connected. If he began to take the pieces apart, only that part of the food which he began to take apart is not considered connected. Nuts that have been strung together, or onions that have been piled together, are considered connected. If he began to take the nuts apart, or to strip the onions, they are not connected. Shells of nuts and almonds are considered connected with the edible part until they are crushed.

6 The shell of a roasted egg is considered connected until it is cracked. The shell of a hard-boiled egg is considered connected until it is entirely broken up. A marrowbone is considered connected until it is completely crushed. A pomegranate that has been divided into sections is connected until it has been knocked with a stick. Similarly, the loose stitches used by launderers or a garment that has been stitched together with threads of kilayim, are connected until one begins to loosen them.

7 The outer leaves of vegetables: if they are green they join together, but if they have whitened they do not join together. Rabbi Elazar bar Zadok says: the white leaves of cabbage join together because they are edible. The same applies to lettuce leaves, because they preserve the edible part.

8 Onion leaves or the offshoots of onions, if there is moisture in them they are to be measured as they are. If there is empty space within them, it must be squeezed tightly together. Spongy bread is measured as it is, but if there is empty space within it, it must be pressed firmly. The flesh of a calf that has swollen, or the flesh of an old beast that has shrunk in size, are measured in the condition they are in.

9 A cucumber planted in a pot that grew beyond the pot is pure. Rabbi Shimon said, “What about its nature makes it clean? Rather, what has already become unclean remains unclean, and only what is pure can be eaten.”

10 Vessels made of cattle dung or of earth through which roots can penetrate, do not render the seeds susceptible. A perforated plant pot does not render seeds susceptible. But if it has no hole, the seeds do become susceptible. How large should the hole be? Large enough that a small root can push its way through. If it was filled with earth to its brim, it is considered a board without an edge.

1 Some things need to be rendered susceptible to impurity but they do not need intention, Other things require intention and to be rendered susceptible. Other things need intention, but do not need to be rendered susceptible, And other things need neither to be rendered susceptible nor intention. Any food that is meant for people needs to be rendered susceptible, but does not need intention.

2 Flesh that has been cut from a human, domesticated animal, wild animal, bird, or from the carrion of an unclean bird, and the fat in villages. All kinds of wild vegetables, except for truffles and mushrooms. Rabbi Judah says except for field-leeks, purslane and ornithogalum. And Rabbi Shimon excludes for cynara sycaria. Rabbi Yose excludes for Muscari comosum. All these need both intention and to be rendered susceptible to impurity.

3 The carrion of an unclean animal anywhere, and of a clean bird in villages, need intention but do not need to be rendered susceptible. The carrion of a clean animal anywhere, and that of a clean bird and also fat in the marketplaces, require neither intention nor to be rendered susceptible. Rabbi Shimon adds the carrion of the camel, rabbit, hare or pig.

4 The dill stalk after giving its flavor to a dish is no longer subject to the laws of terumah, and also no longer imparts food impurity. The young sprouts of hawthorn, of lapidum, or leaves of the wild arum, do not impart food impurity until they are sweetened. Rabbi Shimon adds the leaves of the colocynth are like them.

5 Costus, amomum, principal spices, roots of crowfoot, asafoetida, pepper and lozenges made of saffron may be bought with tithe money, but they do not convey food impurity, according to Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri said to him, “If they may be bought with second tithe money, why should they not impart food impurity? And if they do not impart food impurity, then they should also not be bought with second tithe money?”

6 Unripe figs or grapes: Rabbi Akiva says: they convey food impurity. Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri says this is only when they have reached the season when they are liable to tithes. Olives and grapes that have hardened: The House of Shammai says they are susceptible to impurity, the House of Hillel says they are not susceptible. Black cumin: The House of Shammai says it is not susceptible, the House of Hillel says it is susceptible. Similarly they dispute with regard to their liability to tithes.

7 The heart of a palm is like wood in every respect, except that it may be bought for second tithe money. Unripened dates are considered food, but are exempt from tithes.

8 When do fish become susceptible to impurity? The House of Shammai says after they have been caught. The House of Hillel says only after they are dead. Rabbi Akiva says they are not susceptible if they can still live. If a branch of a fig tree was broken off, but it was still attached by its bark, Rabbi Judah says the fruit is still not susceptible to impurity. But the sages say: it all depends on whether they could still live. Grain that has been uprooted, but is still attached to the soil even by the smallest of roots, is not susceptible to impurity.

9 The fat of the carcass of a clean animal is not regarded as unclean with carrion impurity. For this reason it must first be made susceptible. The fat of an unclean animal, however, is regarded as unclean with carrion impurity. For this reason it need not first be made susceptible. As for unclean fish and unclean locusts, intention is required in villages.

10 A beehive: Rabbi Eliezer says: it is treated as if it were land, and one can write a prozbul on its security, it is also not susceptible to impurity as long as it remains in its own place, and the one who scrapes honey from it on Shabbat is liable to a sin offering. But the sages say: it is not to be treated as if it were land, and one may not write a prozbul on its security. It is susceptible even if it remains in its own place, and the one who scrapes honey from it on Shabbat is exempt from a sin offering.

11 When do honeycombs become susceptible to impurity on account of their being regarded as liquids? The House of Shammai says from the moment he begins to smoke the bees out. But the House of Hillel says once he breaks up the honeycomb.

12 Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said, “In the world to come the Holy One, Blessed be He, will make each righteous person inherit three hundred and ten worlds, for it is written, ‘I will cause those who love me to inherit substance yesh, with a numerical value of 310, and I will fill their treasuries.Proverbs 8:21’” Rabbi Shimon ben Halafta said, “The Holy One, Blessed be He, found no vessel that could contain blessing for Israel except peace, as it is written, ‘The Lord will give strength to his people, and the Lord will bless his people with peace.Psalms 29:11’”