Rabbotai,
The Gemara discusses a situation in which a beheimah is used to cover an aron hameis. One view is that the tumah is transmitted and the behaima is tamei. I always thought that the only living creature that can become tamei or transmit tumah is a Jew. A nochri or a beheimah or chaya or bird or any other live thing can't become tamei. Is our case an exception or do I have the rule wrong?
Gmar tov and shana tova,
Sam Kosofsky
Dear Sam,
You're basically right about living creatures not becoming Tamei. (A Nochri has certain Tum'ah mid'Rabanan.)
See Ohalos 15:9 and Rambam Tum'as Mes 6:4 that things that don't become Tamei, like stone, fish skin, and live animals are Tamei for Golel when they are still on the grave. After being removed, no Tum'ah remains.
We see then that Golel gives Tumah to even non-Tum'ah objects.
All the best,
Reuven Weiner