INTRODUCTION TO MASECHES KEILIM

Rebbi began Taharos with Kelim - the Tos. Yom Tov quoting the Rambam explains, because it deals with the major points of Tum'ah, to teach us what is subject to Tum'ah and what is not.

The Tiferes Yisrael dissects the Masechta as follows:.

The first chapter (which is an introduction to the entire Seder, and does not therefore mention vessels at all) lists all the Avos ha'Tum'ah, level by level (starting from the bottom), and also all the places where one needs to guard against Tum'ah.

From chapter two until the end of chapter ten, the Mishnah deals with earthenware vessels, from chapter eleven until the end of chapter fourteen, with metal vessels and from chapter fifteen until the end of chapter nineteen, with wooden ones.

Then in chapter twenty, the Tana explains the vessels that are subject to Tum'as Midras (treading), and in chapter twenty-one, when one vessel is considered joined to one that is Tamei.

In chapter twenty-two, he deals with wooden vessels that break, in chapter twenty-three, with vessels that are subject to Tum'as Merkav (riding) and Moshav (sitting) and in chapter twenty-four, with vessels that are similar to each other, yet one is subject to Tum'as Merkav, the other to Tum'as Meis (and not Merkav), whilst the third is not subject to Tum'ah at all.

The twenty-fifth chapter deals with the differences between vessels that have an inside (receptacles) and those that don't, the twenty-sixth, with vessels that are not subject to Tum'ah at all and from twenty-seven, with vessels of leather and sack.

Finally, In chapter thirty, the Tana explains glass vessels.

Please note that, unless otherwise stated, we have incorporated the Bartenura's explanation in the Mishnah itself. It is also worth bearing in mind that throughout Shas, the Bartenura generally follows the explanations of the Rash and the rulings of the Rambam.

B'HATZLACHAH!

Main Taharos Page

---

For further information on
subscriptions, archives and sponsorships,
contact Kollel Iyun Hadaf,
daf@dafyomi.co.il