Commentary for Meilah 34:48

ראשון ושני לגבי שלישי בני חדא ביקתא אינון:

ALL KINDS OF DRINKS CAN COMBINE WITH ONE ANOTHER TO MAKE UP THE FOURTH [OF A LOG] IN ORDER TO RENDER THE BODY UNFIT OR TO MAKE UP A MOUTHFUL WITH REGARD TO THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. <big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>It has been taught: R'Simeon said, What is the reason?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the combination of different degrees of uncleanness, referring to the first clause of the MISHNAH:');">³²</span> Because things unclean in the second degree can become unclean in the first degree.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Tosef. Toh. I, 1.');">³³</span> But can indeed a thing unclean in the second degree become unclean in the first degree? Surely this is an impossibility?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A thing unclean through contact with that of the second degree of uncleanness is itself only of the third degree!');">³⁴</span> - Said Raba: This is what is meant: What caused the object to be rendered unclean in the second degree? Surely it was something unclean in the first degree!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And because of this origin a combination of the two degrees should be possible.');">³⁵</span> R'Ashi said: Things unclean in the first degree and those unclean in the second degree in relation to uncleanness of the third degree are considered as belonging to one category.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., one valley'. Both lead after all to uncleanness of the third degree, whether it be direct or not.');">³⁶</span> [

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