Chullin 48
(דברי הימים ב ה, יג) ויהי כאחד למחצצרים ולמשוררים להשמיע קול אחד:
It is written: And it came to pass when the trumpeters and singers were as one to make one loud sound.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Chron. V, 13. This verse shows that the singers in the Temple were chosen because they were able to sing 'as one' and could 'make one loud sound'. Such voices as would introduce a discordant note in the choir were eliminated.');"><sup>1</sup></span>
עד שירתת
If a man [who was unclean] by reason of a seminal emission, immersed himself [in a mikweh] but did not first urinate, when he does urinate he [again] becomes unclean.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For it is possible that when he suffered the emission not all the semen was ejaculated, but there might have remained some drops in the passage of his organ, which, when he urinates after his immersion, would pass out with the urine and make him unclean again. Cf. Lev. XV, 16.');"><sup>4</sup></span>
תנן התם
R'Jose says: If he was ill or elderly he [again] becomes unclean, but if he was young and healthy he is clean.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' These would have ejaculated the semen completely, whereas a sick or elderly person would not; only the latter, therefore, would again become unclean after urinating. ruchm jhka');"><sup>5</sup></span>
ילד עד כמה
Our Rabbis taught: He whose beard is fully grown is qualified to act as the representative of a community,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heb. , lit., 'messenger of the congregation'. This usually connotes the person who acts as the reader of the congregation in conducting the prayers. Since, however, the subsequent words, 'descend before the Ark', clearly refer to the function of the reader, the representative of the community would mean, therefore, the warden or person appointed to attend to the affairs of the community. Cf. R. Gershom and Rashi.');"><sup>6</sup></span>
ת"ר
R'Hisda asked: What is Rabbi's reason? - Because it is written: And they appointed the Levites from twenty years old and upward to have oversight of the work of the house of the Lord.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezra III, 8.');"><sup>9</sup></span>
מאימתי כשר לעבודה
He maintains that 'to have oversight' is quite a different matter.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is conceded that a Levite under the age of twenty years would not be appointed to supervise the work.');"><sup>10</sup></span>
עד שיהא בן עשרים
For R'Joshua B'Levi said: In twenty-four passages the priests are referred to as Levites, and the following is an example: And the priests the Levites the sons of Zadok.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XLIV, 15. The term 'Levites' in this verse means descendants of the tribe of Levi, or it might mean 'attendants' (Rashi) . aht');"><sup>12</sup></span>
והא האי קרא בלוים כתיב
Some say that this [Baraitha] agrees with the view of Rabbi, for he maintains that [under the age of twenty years] there is no legal disqualification whatsoever, not even by Rabbinic enactment.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The statement of Rabbi, supra, 'I say, only when he is twenty years old', is therefore to be interpreted to correspond with this Baraitha; i.e., under the age of twenty years he is not legally disqualified, hut, as the Baraitha states: 'His brother priests would not permit him to take part in the service'.');"><sup>14</sup></span>
כדר' יהושע בן לוי דאמר רבי יהושע בן לוי
Others say that Rabbi's view is that [under the age of twenty years] one is disqualified by Rabbinic enactment, and that this [Baraitha], however, agrees with the view of the Sages; for they maintain that [under the age of twenty years] there is a restriction only in the first instance, but if he did serve, the service would be valid.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Accordingly, the view of the Sages, supra, is to be qualified in the light of this Baraitha. 'From the time that he produces two hairs he is qualified', i.e., if he did serve the service would he valid, but he would not be allowed to serve in the first instance, as the Baraitha continues, 'His brother priests would not permit him to take part in the service.' ufu,');"><sup>15</sup></span>
בעשרים וארבעה מקומות נקראו כהנים לוים וזה אחד מהן
<big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>THAT WHICH CANNOT BE RENDERED UNCLEAN IN EARTHENWARE VESSELS CAN BE RENDERED UNCLEAN IN ALL OTHER VESSELS, AND THAT WHICH CANNOT BE RENDERED UNCLEAN IN ALL OTHER VESSELS CAN BE RENDERED UNCLEAN IN EARTHENWARE VESSELS.
(ויקרא כא, יז) איש מזרעך לדורותם מכאן אמר רבי אלעזר
It follows, therefore, that that which cannot be rendered unclean in earthenware vessels can be rendered unclean in all other vessels, and that which cannot be rendered unclean in all other vessels can be rendered unclean in earthenware vessels.
קטן פסול לעבודה ואפי' תם
Whence do we know this? - From [the following Baraitha] which our Rabbis taught: It is written: And every earthen vessel into which [toko] any of them falleth,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XI, 33. Heb. , 'in it', i.e., in its air-space.');"><sup>16</sup></span>
מאימתי כשר לעבודה
that is to say, even though it does not actually touch the vessel.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., even though the reptile does not come into contact with the vessel, but is merely suspended in the air-space, the vessel becomes unclean.');"><sup>17</sup></span>
משיביא שתי שערות אבל אחיו הכהנים אין מניחין אותו לעבוד עד שיהא בן כ'
You say: 'Even though it does not actually touch', but perhaps it is not so but only if it actually touches the vessel! R'Jonathan B'Abtolmos said: There is used the word 'toko'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. Whatsoever is in it (toko) shall be unclean, i.e., foodstuffs in the air-space of the earthen vessel become unclean from the vessel.');"><sup>18</sup></span>
הא רבי היא ואפי' פסול דרבנן לית ליה ואיכא דאמרי
in connection with the vessel receiving uncleanness; therefore, just as 'toko', used in connection with the vessel conveying uncleanness, means, 'even though it does not actually touch', so, too, 'toko', used in connection with the vessel receiving uncleanness, means, 'even though it does not actually touch'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that an earthenware vessel will receive uncleanness from a reptile which is suspended in its air-space, even though there has been no contact; and will also convey uncleanness, if itself unclean, to foodstuffs that are in its air-space.');"><sup>20</sup></span>