1)

(a)The Mishnah discusses a bed that is being dismantled. It became Tamei - either by contact with a corpse or with a Zav who lay on it (in which case it was an Av ha'Yim'ah before he began dismantling it ...

(b)... and it is being dismantled - in order to Tovel it, since it is too large to fit into the Mikvah.

(c)The Tana rules that ...

1. ... the person who is dismantling it (see Tos. Yom-Tov) and ...

2. ... someone who subsequently touches the ropes of the bed are Tahor - since the bed is currently incomplete ...

(d)... because the Tana is speaking about a bed minus an Aruchah (the long bed post) together with two of the legs.

(e)... and the bed nevertheless requires Tevilah - to prevent the Tum'ah from returning automatically once it is reassembled, together with the Aruchah and the legs.

2)

(a)When manufacturing a bed, the ropes are considered part of the bed - from the time that the interlacing-rope has been tied to the initial one (going down the length of the bed) with three knots.

(b)Whilst the interlacing ropes are being attached, in order to become Tamei - one must touch the rope from the knot and inwards (including the knot itself [see Tos. Yom-Tov]).

(c)The Nimei ha'Kesher - the two ends of the knot, will also render one Tamei.

(d)The Nimei ha'Kesher render Tamei the person who touches them - up to the point that they are needed to prevent the knot from coming undone.

(e)R. Yehudah defines this Shi'ur in practical terms as - three finger-breadths (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

3)

(a)The Mishnah rules that up to the ...

1. ... the first five Tefachim of rope (see Tos. Yom-Tov) that protrude from the bed after it has been completed - is Tahor (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

2. ... the second five Tefachim - is Tamei

3. ... third five Tefachim - is Tahor.

(b)The reason for the middle ruling is - because it is customary to tie the lamb for the Korban Pesach to one's bed-post.

(c)It can also be used Leshalshel es ha'Mitos, which means either to lower the bed from the attic to the roof - or to lower it into the Mikvah to be Toveled.

4)

(a)Everyone agrees that the Mizran of a bed - a thick belt-like band that one winds round the bed to hold its parts together, is subject to Tum'ah together with the bed.

(b)According to R. Meir, any excess is included up to any length. R. Yossi says - up to a maximum of ten Tefachim.

(c)The Mishnah declares Tamei, Sheyarei Mizran - the remains of a frayed and torn Mizran.

5)

(a)Some say that seven Tefachim is needed to place on the back of a donkey when it returns from a journey - when it is sweating, and needs extra covering to prevent it from feeling cold.

(b)Others interpret K'dei La'asoso Chevek la'Chamor to mean - to cover the load on a donkey's back (though neither of these explanations conforms to the above interpretation of Mizran [see Tos. Yom-Tov]).

6)

(a)The Tana now discusses the results of a Zav lying on a bed. When he refers to a Zav who is carried on a bed and on the Mizran, he means - a Zav who is carried on a bed around which a Mizran has been fixed ...

(b)... because as long as the Mizran is attached to the bed, then up to ten Tefachim beyond the bed is considered part of the bed.

(c)And when R. Meir then says Metamei Shenayim u'Posel Echad, he means that - it becomes an Av ha'Tum'ah, which makes a Rishon and a Sheini, which in turn, disqualifies Terumah without actually making it a Shelishi.

(d)If the Zav lay on the Mizran beyond ten Tefachim - then it would become a Rishon le'Tum'ah (assuming he touched it with his body), and would make a Sheini, which in turn, would disqualify Terumah.

7)

(a)R. Yossi agrees with R. Meir with regard to the first ten Tefachim outside the bed. Bearing in mind that they follow their respective opinions in the previous Mishnah, R. Yossi will hold that beyond ten Tefachim - it has the same Din as a detached Mizran (Metamei Echad u'Posel Echad) as we just explained.

(b)The Mishnah rules that if a Zav stands on the first ten Tefachim of the Mizran outside the bed - the bed becomes Tamei, whereas if he stands on it beyond that point - it remains Tahor ...

(c)... because whereas in the former case, the Mizran is considered part of the bed, in the latter case, it is not.

8)

(a)The Mishnah rules that a Mizran that one ...

1. ... ties to a bed that is Tamei Midras - becomes Tamei Midras too (because it is considered part of the bed).

2. ... first ties and then removes - becomes Tamei Maga Midras (a Rishon).

(b)The Tana then discusses the same case, only where the bed is Tum'as Shiv'ah and Tum'as Erev respectively. Tum'as Shiv'ah is - where it touched a corpse or was under the same Ohel as one.

(c)In a case where ...

1. ... the owner ties the Mizran to a bed which is Tamei Tum'as Shiv'ah - it too adopts the same Tum'ah.

2. ... if he then removes it - the Mizran becomes Tamei Tum'as Erev.

3. ... the owner ties it to a bed which is Tamei Tum'as Erev - then it too becomes Tamei Tum'as Erev.

4. ... if he then removes it - the Mizran becomes Tahor.

9)

(a)The Tana also informs us in each of the three above cases, that when one removes the Mizran, the bed retains its precious status of Tum'ah. Otherwise, we might have thought - that the bed is considered like a broken bed, which is Tahor.

(b)R. Yossi holds that in a case where one ties the Mizran to a bed that is Tamei ...

1. ... Midras - the area of the Mizran beyond ten Tefachim is Tahor (from Tamei Midras [as we learned in the previous Mishnah]). He agrees however, that it is subject to ...

2. ... Tum'as Shiv'ah and ...

3. ... Tum'as Erev.

10)

(a)The Tana now discusses a similar case to the previous one, only where a Meis touched it after the Mizran was tied to the bed. Obviously, the two together share the same Tum'ah as long as they are joined. In a case where the Mizran has been removed, assuming that ...

1. ... a Meis initially touched the bed - the Mizron remains Tamei for seven days.

2. ... a Sheretz touched it - it is Tamei until nightfall.

(b)The Mishnah now rules that a bed whose two long bed-posts are removed and re-placed with new ones which subsequently break, is nevertheless Tamei - provided the owner did not change the holes into which the old bed-posts fitted.

(c)And if it is the old bed-posts that ultimately break, and not the new ones, the Mishnah rules - that the bed is Tahor ...

(d)... because they were the ones that were fitted to the bed when it became Tamei, and which render it Tahor when they are removed.

11)

(a)The Mishnah finds it necessary to teach us that a box whose opening is on top is subject to Tum'as Meis (or to any other Av ha'Tum'ah for that matter [Tiferes Yisrael]) - to preclude Tum'as Midras (as we will see later).

(b)The Tana declares a box whose top is broken - subject to Tum'ah (since it can still be used as before), and one that is broken at the base - Tahor (since it is no longer fit to use for the purpose for which it was made.

(c)Even though in the former case, it is subject to Tum'as Meis - it is not subject to Tum'as Midras.

(d)Either way, the drawers or independent compartments inside the box - remain subject to Tum'ah, since they are still fit to be used independently from the box.

12)

(a)The Tana rules that ...

1. ... a large satchel whose independent pocket tears - it remains Tamei.

2. ... if the 'eggs' of a leather flask (which serve as independent pockets) tear - they are Tahor (see Tiferes Yisrael) ...

(b)... because they can no longer hold liquid independently, like they did previously (even though they can still hold liquid together with the flask).

(c)The flask is made from - the skin of rams or he-goats.

13)

(a)We can extrapolate from the Mishnah's ruling that a box whose opening is at the side is subject to Tum'as Midras, as well as Tum'as Meis that - if the opening would be on top, it would not be Tamei ...

(b)... because Tum'as Midras only applies where the object is designated for standing, sitting or lying on, but not where the owner can say to the Zav, 'Stand up and let us get on with our work'.

(c)R. Yossi qualifies the above ruling - by confining it to where the box is less than ten Tefachim tall, but where it is more, it is not subject to Tum'as Midras, since it is uncomfortable to sit on (due to its height) ...

(d)... and the same will apply to a box with a rim which is a Tefach high.

14)

(a)In a case where the box breaks on top, the Tana rules that - it is still subject to Tum'as Meis.

(b)Should the base of the box break - R. Meir declares the box subject to Tum'as Midras (see Tos. Yom-Tov). The Chachamim - disagree ...

(c)... because, they maintain - since its major use no longer applies, Tum'as Midras does not apply either (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

15)

(a)The Mishnah discusses a Mashpeles - a large box for emptying out trash, that has a hole that lets pomegranates through.

(b)According to R. Meir - it is nevertheless subject to Tum'as Midras (seeing as it is still fit to sit in.

(c)The Chachamim maintain that - since its major use no longer applies, Tum'as Midras does not apply either.