Commentary for Pesachim 169:12

ת"ש אבר שיצא מקצתו חותך עד שמגיע לעצם וקולף עד שמגיע לפרק וחותך וא"א גזרו ביה רבנן טומאה כי חתיך ליה מאי הוי הא קמטמא ליה

He who recited, as much as an olive [took the same standard] as its prohibition,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That quantity involves punishment if it is eaten.');">¹⁵</span> while he who recites, as much as an olive, [takes the same standard] as its uncleanness.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As much as an egg is the smallest quantity which defiles by Biblical law. Hence when the Rabbis enacted that this defiles the hands, they adopted the same standard.');">¹⁶</span>

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