Sotah 30

דשמעיה לר' מאיר דקאמר היא האכילתו מעדני עולם לפיכך קרבנה מאכל בהמה א"ל התינח עשירה עניה מאי איכא למימר אלא כשם שמעשיה מעשה בהמה כך קרבנה מאכל בהמה

He had heard R. Meir say: She fed him with the dainties of the world; therefore her offering is animal's fodder.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 75. ');">¹</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> היה מביא פילי של חרס ונותן לתוכה חצי לוג מים מן הכיור ר' יהודה אומר רביעית כשם שממעט בכתב כך ממעט במים

Then said he to him, You may be right about a rich woman, but what of a poor woman! But [the reason is], As her actions were the action of an animal, so her offering [consisted of] animal's fodder.

נכנס להיכל ופנה לימינו ומקום היה שם אמה על אמה וטבלא של שיש וטבעת היתה קבועה בה כשהוא מגביה ונוטל עפר מתחתיה ונותן כדי שיראה על המים שנאמר (במדבר ה, יז) ומן העפר אשר יהיה בקרקע המשכן יקח הכהן ונתן אל המים

<b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. [THE PRIEST] TAKES AN EARTHENWARE BOWL AND POURS HALF A <i>LOG</i> OF WATER INTO IT FROM THE LAVER. R. JUDAH SAYS: A QUARTER [OF A <i>LOG</i>]. JUST AS [R. JUDAH] REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF WRITING,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. next Mishnah, p. 87. ');">²</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> תנא פילי של חרס חדשה דברי רבי ישמעאל מאי טעמא דרבי ישמעאל גמר כלי כלי ממצורע מה להלן חרס חדשה אף כאן חרס חדשה

SO HE REDUCES THE QUANTITY OF WATER. [THE PRIEST] ENTERS THE TEMPLE AND TURNS RIGHT. THERE WAS A PLACE THERE A CUBIT SQUARE IN EXTENT WITH A MARBLE TABLET, TO WHICH A RING WAS ATTACHED. HE LIFTS THIS OUT, TAKES SOME DUST FROM BENEATH IT WHICH HE PUTS [INTO THE BOWL] JUST SUFFICIENT TO BE VISIBLE ABOVE THE WATER; AS IT IS SAID, AND OF THE DUST THAT IS ON THE FLOOR OF THE TABERNACLE THE PRIEST SHALL TAKE, AND PUT IT INTO THE WATER.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. V, 17. ');">³</span>

והתם מנלן דכתיב (ויקרא יד, ה) ושחט את הצפור האחת אל כלי חרש על מים חיים מה מים חיים שלא נעשתה בהן מלאכה אף כלי שלא נעשתה בו מלאכה

<b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. A Tanna taught: [The priest takes] a new earthenware bowl — such is the opinion of R. Ishmael. What is R. Ishmael's reason?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For requiring a new bowl. ');">⁴</span>

אי מה להלן מים חיים אף כאן מים חיים

— He derives it from the common use of the word 'vessel' [here and in the law] of a leper. As with the latter new earthenware was required, so here likewise was new earthenware required. Whence is it that there [with a leper it must be new]? — For it is written: And the priest shall command to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIV, 5. ');">⁵</span>

לרבי ישמעאל הכי נמי דאמר ר' יוחנן מי כיור רבי ישמעאל אומר מי מעיין הן וחכ"א משאר מימות הן

— as it must be running water which has not been previously used, so also it must be a vessel which has not been previously used. According to this argument, as there [with a leper] it had to be running water, so also here [with a suspected woman] it had to be running water! — In the view of R. Ishmael that is indeed so; for R. Johanan said the water from the laver<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Which water was used for the water of bitterness.] ');">⁶</span>

איכא למיפרך מה למצורע שכן טעון עץ ארז ואזוב ושני תולעת

was according to R. Ishmael spring-water, and the Sages declare that it can be ordinary water. It may, however, be objected [to this argument] that as with a leper it is necessary to have cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. ibid. 4. ');">⁷</span>

אמר רבה אמר קרא בכלי חרס כלי שאמרתי לך כבר

[so are these required with the water of bitterness]!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Torah does not require these things, and so the analogy is false. ');">⁸</span>

אמר רבא לא שנו אלא שלא נתאכמו פניו אבל נתאכמו פניו פסולין מאי טעמא דומיא דמים מה מים שלא נשתנו אף כלי שלא נשתנה

— Rabbah said: The text mentions in an earthen vessel,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [And not 'he shall take a vessel and put in it etc.'] ');">⁹</span>

בעי רבא נתאכמו והחזירן לתוך כבשן האש ונתלבנו מהו מי אמרינן כיון דאידחו אידחו או דילמא כיון דהדור הדור

i.e., a vessel to which I referred previously.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., in the law of the leper. Hence it is established that a new vessel is also necessary in the ceremony of the water of bitterness. ');">¹⁰</span>

ת"ש רבי אלעזר אומר עץ ארז ואזוב ושני תולעת שהפשיל בהן קופתו לאחוריו פסולין והא התם הדרי ומפשטי

Raba said: [The Rabbis in our Mishnah] did not teach [that a used vessel may be employed] except when its exterior is not blackened [by smoke]; but if its exterior is blackened it is unfit for use. What is their reason? — It is analogous to the water: just as the water must not be changed in appearance,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Although they do not insist on running water, it must not be discoloured by dirt. ');">¹¹</span>

התם דאיקלוף איקלופי

so also the vessel must not be changed in appearance. Raba asked: How is it if the earthenware had been blackened and re-whitened by being passed through the furnace again? Do we say that since it has once been rejected, it remains rejected; or perhaps, since it has been restored, it is suitable? — Come and hear: 'R. Eleazar says: If a man twisted cedar wood, scarlet and hyssop into a cord for the purpose of carrying his bundle on his back, they are unfit [to be used in the ceremony of purification];' and yet they are here again smoothed out!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When they are disconnected. So by analogy the earthenware cannot be made fit for use by re-whitening. ');">¹²</span>

נכנס להיכל ופנה לימינו וכו' מ"ט דאמר מר כל פינות שאתה פונה לא יהו אלא דרך ימין

But in that case we suppose that [some of the material] has been peeled off.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' While it was used as a cord; therefore the restoration is not complete. But in the case of the vessel there is complete restoration and so it is allowed. ');">¹³</span>

מקום היה שם אמה כו' תנו רבנן ומן העפר אשר יהיה יכול יתקן מבחוץ ויכניס

[THE PRIEST] ENTERS THE TEMPLE AND TURNS RIGHT etc. For what reason? Because a Master has declared: All the turns which thou dost make must only be to the right.

תלמוד לומר בקרקע המשכן אי בקרקע המשכן יכול יחפור בקרדומות תלמוד לומר אשר יהיה הא כיצד יש שם הבא אין שם תן שם

THERE WAS A PLACE THERE A CUBIT etc. Our Rabbis have taught: 'And of the dust that is etc.' — it is possible to think that [the priest] may prepare [dust] from outside and bring it in; therefore there is a text to state, 'On the floor of the tabernacle'. If 'on the floor of the tabernacle', it is possible to think that he may dig for it with an axe; therefore there is a text to state 'that is'. How was it done? If [dust] is there, take of it; if none is there, put some there [and take of it]. Another [Baraitha] taught: 'And of the dust that is' — this teaches that he prepares some from outside and brings it in. 'On the floor of the tabernacle' — Issi b. Judah says: It includes the floor

תניא אידך ומן העפר אשר יהיה וגו' מלמד שהיה מתקן מבחוץ ומכניס בקרקע המשכן איסי בן יהודה אומר להביא קרקע