Moed Katan 10

Chapter 10

א קרי עליה (תהלים נ, כג) ושם דרך אראנו בישע אלהים
1 He [R'Jannai] applied to him the text: And to him who ordereth his way will I show the salvation of God.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In appreciation of his disciple's thoughtful considerateness towards himself on those special public occasions. Cf. Ta'an. ');"><sup>1</sup></span> Our Rabbis taught: 'No markings are made to indicate [the presence of] a piece of flesh<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As flesh soon shrinks to less than its (traditional) minimum size of an olive and is then impotent to cause defilement without direct contact, Num. XIX, 13-16; Ohal. II, 3.');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ב תנו רבנן אין מציינין לא על כזית מן המת ולא על עצם כשעורה ולא על דבר שאינו מטמא באהל אבל מציינין על השדרה ועל הגולגולת על רוב בנין ועל רוב מנין המת
2 [from a corpse] no larger than an olive, nor of [human] bone no larger than a barley-corn,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which is (traditionally) the minimum size for human bone to cause defilement by direct contact. V. references in previous note and Tosaf. s.v. omg .');"><sup>3</sup></span> nor of any [human] remains which do not diffuse defilement under 'tent'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Anything extending to one handbreadth over dead human remains represents the 'tent' of Num. XIX, 14, to diffuse defilement without contact, unless it is less than the minimum size.');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ג ואין מציינין על הוודאות אבל מציינין על הספיקות ואלו הן הספיקות סככות ופרעות ובית הפרס ואין מעמידין ציון במקום טומאה שלא להפסיד את הטהרות ואין מרחיקין ציון ממקום טומאה שלא להפסיד את ארץ ישראל
3 But markings are made to indicate [the presence of] a [human] spine, a skull or the major members of a skeleton or the major number of lesser bones thereof.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Any of these enumerated defile under cover without coming into direct contact with the object or grave. Any covering to the extent of one handbreadth, say his coat tail or sleeve spread, or hanging down over the spot, is enough to defile him, even if neither he nor his garment touch the unclean thing or spot.');"><sup>5</sup></span> And the markings are not made in cases of certainty<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As people take care of their own accord not to run the risk of personal defilement or the loss of sacred meats.');"><sup>6</sup></span>
ד וכזית מן המת אינו מטמא באהל והא (תניא) אלו שמטמאין באהל כזית מן המת
4 but [only] in cases of uncertainty. These are [instances of] uncertainty: Leafy bowers,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'coverings', arbours, groves, avenues or single trees whose thick branches are full of folliage, constitute a 'tent', to spread the defilement ikht to the walker; cf. Tosaf. s.v. .');"><sup>7</sup></span>
ה אמר רב פפא הכא בכזית מצומצם עסקינן דסוף סוף מיחסר חסר מוטב ישרפו עליו תרומה וקדשים לפי שעה ואל ישרפו עליו לעולם
5 jutting ledges<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., stone copings, boards and ledges projecting from cemetery walls each way within and without, constitute a 'tent'. These are doubtful, as one is not certain whether there is a corpse near by within.');"><sup>8</sup></span> and a Peras-area.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Defined lower down. On the term v. Pes., Sonc. ed. p. 492, n. 4.');"><sup>9</sup></span>
ו ואלו הן הספיקות סככות ופרעות
6 And the markings are not placed on the site of the impurity [itself], in order to avoid wasting what is [preserved as] pure;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which may be brought close to the grave and defiled before one is aware. To those pure' things belong e.g., the priest's due - terumah 'first-fruits', 'second tithe', etc. Cf. Num. XVIII, 11-13;26-30.');"><sup>10</sup></span> nor is the marking placed far away from the spot, in order to avoid wasting any space<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., declaring any of it unclean unnecessarily.');"><sup>11</sup></span>
ז סככות אילן המיסך על הארץ
7 of the Land of Israel'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Sot. 30b. ,urvy ohase');"><sup>12</sup></span> But does not flesh of an olive's size from a human body diffuse defilement under a tent?
ח פרעות אבנים פרועות היוצאות מן הגדר
8 For we learned: 'The following diffuse defilement by tent [overspreading]: Flesh of an olive's size from a human dead body.' ! - Said R'Papa, We speak here of an olive's size precisely which after all shrinks [to less]: far better is it that terumah and other mea that are pure<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Reading (instead of) , as holy sacrificial meat is not carried about.');"><sup>13</sup></span> should be burnt [unnecessarily] on one occasion<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' While the human dead flesh, soon after the burial is still of the size potent to defile.');"><sup>14</sup></span>
ט בית הפרס כדתנן החורש את הקבר הרי הוא עושה בית הפרס וכמה הוא עושה מלא מענה מאה אמה
9 than that they should be burnt continuously.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Through the unnecessary space included in the marking. Holy food or drink (wine, corn, fruit and oil) could not be given away or thrown away, it had to be burnt.');"><sup>15</sup></span> And these are [instances] of uncertainty: Leafy bowers and jutting ledges.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Explaining the above technical terms.');"><sup>16</sup></span>
י ובית הפרס מי מטמא באהל והאמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל מנפח אדם בית הפרס והולך
10 'Leafy bowers' [means] a tree which overspreads the ground<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Near a cemetery; Ohal. VIII, 2.');"><sup>17</sup></span> and 'jutting ledges' are [stones]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The word 'stones' is omitted in the above Baraitha as the fence or wall enclosure may be any of other materials.');"><sup>18</sup></span>
יא ורב יהודה בר אמי משמיה דעולא אמר בית הפרס שנידש טהור
11 projecting from wall enclosure.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Near a cemetery; Ohal. VIII, 2.');"><sup>17</sup></span> 'And a Peras-area': as we learned: 'One who runs a plough over a grave makes the site a Peras-area'; and how much thereof has he thus affected?
יב אמר רב פפא לא קשיא כאן בשדה שאבד בה קבר כאן בשדה שנחרש בה קבר
12 The full length of a furrow, one hundred cubits [each way].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XVII, 1. (Cf. 'furlong' as the length of a furrow) .');"><sup>19</sup></span> But does a Peras-area convey defilement by tent?
יג ושדה שנחרש בה קבר בית הפרס קרי ליה אין והתנן שלשה בית הפרס הן שדה שנאבד בה קבר ושדה שנחרש בה קבר ושדה בוכין
13 Surely, Rab Judah, citing Samuel, said that one [a pilgrim] may walk across a Peras-area cautiously fanning his way [in front of him]!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' With bellows or a spade to blow away from his path, without touching any piece of splintered bone cast up by the plough. They used to vpbn bury the dead in a very shallow grave, barely three handbreadths under the surface, which were therefore easily exposed. Cf. Tosaf. s.v. and Ohal. XVIII, 5.');"><sup>20</sup></span> Moreover, R'Judah B'Ammi, in the name of 'Ulla, said that a Peras-area which has been [much] trampled is [considered as] clean?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And need not be marked or avoided. (Han.) .');"><sup>21</sup></span>
יד מאי שדה בוכין רב יהושע בר אבא משמיה דעולא אמר שדה שמפטירין בה מתים
14 - Said R'Papa: 'This [discrepancy] is not difficult [to explain]. The former statement refers to a field where a grave has become lost;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And, as it cannot be located, the whole field is considered a place of defilement.');"><sup>22</sup></span>
טו וטעמא מאי אמר אבימי משום יאוש בעלים נגעו בה
15 whereas the latter refers to a field where a grave had been run over by the plough'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The plough, we assume, crushes the bones rendering them impotent to communicate tent-defilement.');"><sup>23</sup></span> But is a field where a grave has been lost<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So according to Wilna Gaon. Cur. edd., that was ploughed over.');"><sup>24</sup></span>
טז ושדה שנחרש בה קבר לא בעי ציון והא תניא מצא שדה מצויינת ואין ידוע מה טיבה יש בה אילנות בידוע שנחרש בה קבר אין בה אילנות בידוע שאבד בה קבר
16 [correctly] called a Peras-area? - Yes [indeed], for we learned: 'There are three kinds of Peras-areas - [a] a field where a grave has been lost<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ohal. XVIII, 3.');"><sup>25</sup></span> [b] a field where a grave has been run over by the plough<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 2.');"><sup>26</sup></span>
יז ר' יהודה אומר עד שיהא שם זקן או תלמיד לפי שאין הכל בקיאין בדבר
17 and [c] the weepers' field'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 4'');"><sup>27</sup></span> What is the weepers' field? - R'Joshua<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Better D.S.; 'R. Hoshaia in the name of 'Ulla'.');"><sup>28</sup></span>
יח אמר רב פפא כי תניא ההיא בשדה שאבד בה קבר דציינוה יש בה אילנות בידוע שנחרש בה קבר אין בה אילנות בידוע שאבד בה קבר
18 B'Abba explained in the name of 'Ulla that it is a field where they bid final farewell<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The 'broad place' or forum provided on the cemetery.');"><sup>29</sup></span> to the dead.
יט וליחוש דלמא אילנות מגואי וקבר מבראי
19 And wherefore [is it held as a defiling area]? - Said [R'Hisda, as reporting]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So D.S. and Ritba.');"><sup>30</sup></span> Abimi, [It is] because there is here a possibility<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'a touch of', contingency.');"><sup>31</sup></span>
כ כדאמר עולא בעומדין על הגבולין הכא נמי בעומדין על הגבולין
20 of abandoned ownership.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Loose limbs may have been dropped in transit, which the mourners being unable to identify, leave abandoned. On the practice of collecting bones after temporary burial and transferring them to their permanent place of rest v. infra ');"><sup>32</sup></span> But does not a field where a grave has been run over by the plough require to be marked? Surely it is taught: 'If one came upon a marked field without knowing its character,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whether a grave had been lost in it, and the field cannot then be traversed by 'fanning', or whether the grave had the plough run over it in which case it may be traversed by 'fanning'.');"><sup>33</sup></span> then if there are trees on it,it is thereby indicated that a grave in it had been run over by the plough;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the sake of the trees, this shows that a field in which a grave had been run over by the plough is marked.');"><sup>34</sup></span> if there are no trees, it is thereby indicated that a grave has been lost in it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As such a field is not to be planted, Ohal. XVIII, 3; Tosef. Ohal. XVII.');"><sup>35</sup></span> R'Judah says: [The presence of trees is no criterion] until there is some elder or disciple [to attest it], for not all are well versed on the subject [of proper markings]'! - Said R'Papa: What is taught in this [latter Baraitha] refers to a field in which a grave had been lost, and which had [consequently] been marked. If there are trees on it, it is thereby indicated that a grave had been run over by the plough [subsequently]; if there are no trees on it, it is indicated that a grave had been lost in it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And had not been ploughed over.');"><sup>36</sup></span> But is there not a danger that the trees are situate within the fie and the grave was outside?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., where the soil had not been ploughed, so that it is treated like a field wherein a grave had been lost.');"><sup>37</sup></span> - as 'Ulla said [elsewhere that we speak of a case where]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ned. 42b.');"><sup>38</sup></span> the trees are situate on the boundaries [of the field] here likewise they were situate on the boundary line.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And since dead are not buried on the road, the grave must be among the trees and has been run over by the plough, when the field has been tilled for the good of the trees.');"><sup>39</sup></span>