Mishnah Zavim

1 If a man has seen one issue of zov: Bet Shammai says: he is to be compared to a woman who observes a day for each day. But Bet Hillel says: he is to be compared to one who has had a seminal emission. If he sees one day and on the second it stopped, and on the third day he saw two issues, or one issue that was lasting as long as two: Bet Shammai says: he is a full zav. But Bet Hillel says: he defiles those objects on which he sits or lies, and must also go into running water, but he is exempt from the sacrifice. Rabbi Elazar ben Yehudah said: Bet Shammai agrees that in such a case he is not a real zav. What do they disagree about? The case of one who saw two issues, or one issue that was lasting as long as two on one day, and stopped on the second day, and on the third day he saw another issue. Bet Shammai says: he is a real zav. But Bet Hillel says: he only defiles those objects on which he sits or lies, and must also go into running water, but he is exempt from the sacrifice.

2 If one sees an issue of semen on the third day of counting his zov: Bet Shammai says: it undoes the two preceding days. But Bet Hillel says: it undoes only that day. Rabbi Ishmael says: one who sees it on the second day, it undoes the preceding day. But Rabbi Akiva says: it does not matter whether he saw it on the second day or on the third day: Bet Shammai says: it undoes the two preceding days. And Bet Hillel says: it undoes only that day. But they agree that if he saw it on the fourth day of counting it undoes only that day. This is if he saw semen. But if he saw zov, then even if this had occurred on the seventh day, it undoes all the days that had preceded.

3 If he saw one issue on one day and two on the next day, or two on one day and one on the next day, or three on three consecutive days, or three nights, he is a full zav.

4 If he saw one issue and it stopped long enough for immersion and drying off, and after that he saw two issues, or one lasting as long as two, or if he saw two issues or one lasting as long as two, and it stopped long enough for immersion and drying off, and after that he again saw an issue, he is a full zav.

5 If he saw one issue which was as long as three, lasting as long as it takes to go from Gad-Yav to Shiloah, which is the time it would take to bathe and dry twice, he becomes a full zav. If he saw one issue which was as long as two, he defiles objects on which he lies or sits and he must immerse in running water, but he is exempt from bringing a sacrifice. Rabbi Yose said: they have not spoken of “one issue as long” unless there was sufficient to make up three.

6 If he saw one issue during the day and another at twilight, or one at twilight and the other the next day: If he knew that part of the issue occurred at daytime and part the next day, he is certain with regard to a sacrifice and uncleanness. But if it is in doubt whether part of the issue occurred at daytime and part on the next day he is certain with regard to uncleanness, but his obligation to bring a sacrifice is uncertain. If he had seen issues on two separate days at twilight, he is in doubt both with regard to defilement and with regard to a sacrifice. If he had seen only one issue at twilight, he is in doubt also with regard to his defilement.

1 All people become unclean through zivah, even converts, even slaves whether freed or not, a deaf-mute, a person without mental competence, and a minor, a eunuch whether he had been castrated by man, or was a eunuch from the time of seeing the sun. With regard to a tumtum and an androgynous person, they place on him the stringencies for a man and the stringencies for a woman: they defile through blood like a woman, and through whitish substance like a man. Their uncleanness still remains in doubt.

2 There are seven ways in which a zav is examined as long as he has not become subject to zivah: With regard to food, drink, what he had carried, whether he had jumped, whether he had been ill, what he had seen, or what he had thought. It doesn’t matter whether he had thoughts before seeing a woman, or whether he had seen a woman before his thoughts. Rabbi Judah says: even if he had watched beasts, wild animals or birds having intercourse with each other, and even when he had seen a woman’s dyed garments. Rabbi Akiva says: even if he had eaten any kind of food, whether good or bad, or had drunk any kind of liquid. They said to him: “Then there will be no zavim in the world!” He replied to them: “You are not held responsible for the existence of zavim!” Once he had become subject to zivah, no further examination takes place. Zov resulting from an accident, or that was at all doubtful, or an issue of semen, these are unclean, since there are grounds for the assumption that it is zivah. If he had a first issue they examine him. On the second issue they examine him, but on the third issue they don’t examine him. Rabbi Eliezer says: even on the third issue they examine him because of the sacrifice.

3 One who had a discharge of semen does not defile due to zivah for a period of twenty-four hours. Rabbi Yose says: only that day. A non-Jew who had a discharge of semen and then converted, he immediately becomes unclean due to zivah. A woman who had an issue of blood, or had experienced difficulty in childbirth, the time prescribed is twenty-four hours. One who strikes his slave, the “day or two” is twenty-four hours. A dog that eats a corpse’s flesh, for three days from one time of day to the same time of day, it is considered to be in its natural state.

4 A zav defiles the objects that are lain on or sat on in five ways, so that they defile people and garments: by standing, sitting, lying, hanging or leaning. What he lies on defiles a person in seven ways, so that he in turn defiles garments: by standing, sitting, lying, hanging, or leaning on it, or by touching or carrying it.

1 A zav and a clean person who sat together in a boat, or on a raft, or rode together on a beast, even though their garments did not touch, they are impure through midras. If they sat together on a plank, on a bench or on a bedframe, or on a beam, when these were not fixed tightly, Or if they had both climbed a weak tree, or were swaying on a weak branch of a strong tree, or if they were both climbing on an Egyptian ladder which was not secured by a nail, or if they sat together on a bridge, rafter or door, not secured by clay, they are unclean. Rabbi Judah says that they are clean.

2 If they were both closing or opening a door, the clean person and his clothes are unclean. But the sages say: he is not unclean unless one was shutting and the other opening it. If one was lifting the other out of a pit the clean person and his clothes are unclean. Rabbi Judah says: only if the clean person was pulling out the unclean one. If they were twisting ropes together the clean person and his clothes are unclean. But the sages say: only if the one pulled one way and the other pulled the other way. If they were both weaving together, whether they were standing or sitting, or grinding wheat, the clean person and his clothes are unclean. Rabbi Shimon says the clean person in every case is pure, except where they both were grinding with a hand-mill. If they both were unloading or loading a donkey, they are unclean if the load was heavy, but clean if the load was light. In all cases, however, they are clean for members of the synagogue, but are unclean for terumah.

3 If the zav and the clean person sat together in a large boat: What is considered a large boat? Rabbi Judah said: one that does not sway with a man’s weight. or if they sat on a plank, bench, bedframe, or beam when these were firmly secured, or if they both climbed a strong tree, a firm branch, or a Tyrian ladder, or an Egyptian ladder fixed by a nail, or if they sat on a bridge, rafter or door, when these were fastened with clay, even if only at one end, they remain clean. If the clean one struck the unclean one, he still remains clean. But if the unclean one struck the clean one, he is impure, because in that case if the clean one drew back, the unclean one would have fallen.

1 Rabbi Joshua said: if a menstruant sat in a bed with a clean woman, even the cap on her head contracts midras uncleanness. And if she sat in a boat, the vessels on the top of the mast also contract midras uncleanness. If there was on the boat a tub full of clothes: If their weight was heavy, they become unclean, But if their weight was light, they remain clean. If a zav knocked against a balcony and caused a loaf of terumah to fall down, it remains clean.

2 If he knocked against a strong beam, a window frame, water pipe, a shelf, even though it was fixed with ropes, or an oven, a flour container, the lower millstone, the base of a hand-mill, or the seʾah measure of an olive-grinder, the loaf remains clean. Rabbi Yose adds: also if he knocks against the beam of the bathhouse keeper, it remains clean.

3 If he knocked against a door, doorbolt, lock, oar, mill basket, or against a weak tree, or weak branch of a strong tree, or against an Egyptian ladder unsecured by nails, or against a bridge, beam or door, not made secure with clay, they become unclean. If he knocked against a chest, box or cupboard, they become unclean. Rabbi Nehemiah and Rabbi Shimon declare them clean in these cases.

4 A zav who lies across five benches, or five money-belts: If lengthwise, he makes them unclean. But breadthwise, they are clean. If he slept on them, and it was doubtful that he had turned over onto them, they are unclean. If he was lying on six seats, with two hands on two seats, two feet on another two, his head on one, with his body on another one, only that one on which his body lay is made unclean. If a zav stood on two seats: Rabbi Shimon says: if these were distant from one another, they remain clean.

5 Ten cloaks one on top of the other, if he sat on the uppermost one, all are unclean. A zav who was on one scale of a balance and in the other scale opposite there were objects fit to sit or lie on: If the zav pushed them up, they are clean. But if they pushed him up, they are unclean. Rabbi Shimon says: if there was one object it becomes unclean, but if there were many they remain clean, since none of them had supported the greater part of the zav’s weight.

6 If a zav sat in one scale of the balance, while food and liquids were in the other scale, these become unclean. In the case of a corpse, everything remains clean except for a man. This is an example of the stricter rule applying to a zav than to a corpse. And there is a stricter rule in the case of a corpse than a zav. The zav defiles all objects on which he sits or lies on, so that these likewise convey uncleanness to people and garments, and he conveys to what is above him madaf uncleanness, so that these in turn defile food and liquids. In the case of a corpse no such uncleanness is conveyed. A stricter rule also applies in the case of a corpse, since it can convey uncleanness by overshadowing, and it causes impurity lasting seven days, but in the case of a zav no such uncleanness is conveyed.

7 If he sat on a bed and there were four cloaks under the four legs of the bed, all become unclean, since the bed cannot stand on three legs. But Rabbi Shimon declares them clean. If he rode on a beast and there were four cloaks under the legs of the beast, they are clean, since the beast can stand on three legs. If there was one cloak under its two forelegs or its two hindlegs, or under a foreleg and a hindleg, it becomes unclean. Rabbi Yose says: a horse conveys uncleanness through its hindlegs and a donkey through its forelegs, since a horse leans on its hindlegs and a donkey on its forelegs. If he sat on a beam of an olive-press, the vessels in the olive-press receptacle are unclean. If he sat on a clothing press, the garments beneath it are clean. Rabbi Nehemiah declares them unclean.

1 One who touches a zav, or whom a zav touches, who moves a zav or whom a zav moves, defiles by contact food and liquids and vessels that are rinsed, but not by carrying. A general principle was stated by Rabbi Joshua: anyone who defiles garments while still in contact with their source of uncleanness also defiles foods and liquids so as to become unclean in the first grade, and the hands so that they become unclean in the second grade. But they do not defile people or earthenware vessels. After they separated from their source of uncleanness they defile liquids so as to become unclean in the first grade, and food and the hands so that they become unclean in the second grade, but they do not defile garments.

2 They stated another general principle: All that is carried above a zav becomes defiled, but all those things above which he is carried are clean except objects on which he can sit or lie on, and a person. How does this work? If a zav had his finger beneath a layer of stones and one that was clean was above, he conveys uncleanness at two degrees of remove and disqualifies terumah at one further remove. If he separated from the source of uncleanness he still defiles at one remove and disqualifies terumah at yet one further remove. If the unclean one was above, and the clean person below, he defiles at two removes, and disqualifies terumah at yet one further remove. If he separated from the source of uncleanness, he defiles at one remove and disqualifies terumah at yet one more remove. If foods or liquids, or objects on which he could sit or lie on or other articles were above, they defile at one remove, and disqualify terumah at one further remove. If they had become separated from the source of uncleanness, they defile at one remove and disqualify terumah at one more remove. All objects fit to sit or lie on that were below defile at two removes, and disqualify terumah at one more remove. If they had become separate from the source of uncleanness, they defile at two removes and disqualify terumah at one more remove. Foods and liquids and other articles that are below, remain clean.

3 Whatever carries or is carried by objects on which one sits or lies on remains clean, except for a person. Whatever carries or is carried by carrion is clean, except for one that shifts it. Rabbi Eliezer says: also one that carries it. Whatever carries or is carried on a corpse remains clean, except for one that overshadows, or a person when he shifts it.

4 If part of an unclean person rests on a clean person, or part of a clean person on an unclean person, or if things connected to an unclean person rest on a clean person, or if things connected to a clean person on one unclean, he becomes unclean. Rabbi Shimon says: if part of an unclean person is on a clean person, he is unclean. But if part of a clean person is on one that is unclean, he is clean.

5 If an unclean person rests on part of an object fit to lie on, or a clean person rests on part of an object fit to lie on, it becomes unclean. If part of an unclean person rests on an object fit to lie on, or part of a clean person rests on an object fit to lie on, it remains clean. So we find that impurity enters it and goes out of it by its lesser part. Similarly, if a loaf of terumah was placed on an object fit to lie on that was unclean and there was paper in between, whether it was above or below, it remains clean. Similarly, in the case of a stone with scale disease it remains clean. Rabbi Shimon pronounced such a case unclean.

6 Anyone who touches a zav, or a zavah, a menstruant, or a woman after childbirth, or a metzora, or any object on which these had been sitting or lying, conveys uncleanness at two removes and disqualifies terumah at one further remove. If he separated, he still conveys uncleanness at one remove, and disqualifies terumah at one further remove. This is true whether he had touched, or had shifted, or had carried, or was carried.

7 If one touches the discharge of a zav, his spittle, semen or urine, or the blood of a menstruant, he conveys uncleanness at two removes, and disqualifies terumah at one more remove. If he separated, he defiles at one remove and disqualifies terumah at one more remove. This is the case whether he had touched or moved it. Rabbi Eliezer said: also if he had carried it.

8 If he carried something which was ridden on, or if he was carried on it, or he had shifted it, he defiles at two removes, and disqualifies terumah at one more remove. But if he became separated from the uncleanness, he defiles at one remove and disqualifies terumah at one more remove. If he carried nevelah carrion, or the hatat waters sufficient for a sprinkling, he defiles at two removes, and disqualifies terumah at one more remove. But if he became separated, he defiles at one remove and disqualifies terumah at one more remove.

9 Anyone who ate nevelah of a clean bird, and it still is in his gullet, defiles at two removes, and disqualifies terumah at one more remove. If he put his head within the airspace of an oven, the oven remains clean. But if he vomited or swallowed it, he defiles at one remove and disqualifies terumah at one more remove. But as long as it is still in his mouth, until he swallows it, he remains clean.

10 Anyone who touches a dead sheretz, or semen, or someone who has contracted corpse uncleanness, or a metzora during his days of counting, or hatat waters insufficient for sprinkling, or carrion, or an object ridden on by a zav, defiles at one remove and disqualifies terumah at one more remove. This is the general principle: anyone who touches anything that according to the Torah is a “father of uncleanness” defiles at one remove and disqualifies terumah at one more remove, except for the corpse of a human. If he had become separated, he defiles at one remove and renders terumah unfit at one more remove.

11 Anyone who has had a seminal emission is like one who has touched a dead sheretz. And one who has had sex with a menstruant is like one who has contracted corpse uncleanness. But one who has had sex with a menstruant is subject to a stricter rule in that he conveys minor grades of uncleanness to what he lies or sits on, so as to make foods and liquids unclean.

12 The following disqualify terumah: One who eats foods with first degree uncleanness. Or one who eats food with second degree uncleanness. And who drinks unclean liquids. And the one who has immersed his head and most of his body in drawn water. And a clean person on whose head and most of whose body there fell three logs of drawn water. And a scroll of Holy Scriptures, And unwashed hands. And one who has immersed that same day. And foods and vessels which have become defiled by liquids.