1)

(a)The Mishnah now discusses a ball, an Imum, a Kame'a and Tefilin that became Tamei Meis and then tore. An 'Imum' - is a shoe-form.

(b)All these objects - are made of leather and filled with hair or other stuffing.

(c)The Tana rules - that someone who touches the outside is Tamei, but someone who touches the inside - remains Tahor.

(d)The reason for this is - because the two are not joined.

(e)Yet in the same circumstances, the Tana declares Tamei someone who touches the inside of a torn saddle that became Tamei Meis - because the outer casing of the saddle is stitched, thereby joining it to the stuffing (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

2)

(a)Based on the Pasuk in Vayeira (in connection with the Akeidah) "va'Yachavosh es Chamoro", which Unklus translates as 've'Zariz ... ' - 'Zariz ha'Ashkeloni' is a wide belt that fits rounds the girth of the animal, made with pieces of wood (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

(b)Medochah is a mortar.

1. 'Medochah ha'Madis' - is a large wooden mortar (made in Medes [see Tos. Yom-Tov]), in which two seats are carved, one at either end, for the grinders to sit in whilst they grind.

2. 'Avit shel Gamal' - is a camel's saddle, whereas ...

3. ... 'Tapisan shel Sus' - is the saddle of a horse.

(c)The Tana declares all of these subject to Tum'as Merkav - meaning that it subject to Tum'as Merkav, only if it is made to straddle it with both legs whilst riding.

(d)They are not otherwise used - as a seat.

3)

(a)R. Yossi considers a horse's saddle Tamei Moshav (which is more stringent than Merkav, as we shall see shortly) - because sometimes, people remove it to sit on, in order to watch royalty playing games in the field (see Tos. Yom-Tov & Tiferes Yisrael. See also the next Perek, Mishnah 1).

(b)The Mishnah concludes that the saddle of a Na'akah (a species of wild camel) is Tamei (see Tos. Yom-Tov). Some say that it is Tamei Moshav (because it is sometimes used for sitting on) and the author of the ruling is then the Tana Kama.

(c)Others say - that it is only Tamei Merkav (but not Mishkav), in which case the author is R. Yossi (who concedes this to the Tana Kama).

(d)The Halachah is - like the Tana Kama.

4)

(a)The Mishnah rules - that Merkav is Metamei the clothes that one is wearing only via Tum'as Masa (but not via Maga), whereas Moshav is Metamei the wearer's clothes either way (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

(b)The Tana declares Tahor someone who sits on a 'Tapit shel Chamor' - (a ladder-shaped frame that fits on to the back of a donkey in order to place a load on it) Tahor - because, due to its shape, it is not fit to sit on or to ride on.

(c)It will be subject to Tum'as Moshav however, if the owner changes the distances between the holes in a way that will enable the rider to sit on the rungs or 'she'Pirtzan Zeh le'Toch Zeh' - meaning that he removed them and placed them next to one another (to form a seat).

(d)Alternatively, Tapit shel Chamor is Tahor because it is less than a Tefach wide, in which case ...

1. ... 'Shinah Bah es ha'Nekavin' means - that he widened one of the holes so that the rung is now a Tefach wide, or ...

2. ... 'she'Pirtzan Zeh le'Toch Zeh' - he joined two holes, with the same result.

5)

(a)The Mishnah rules - that the stretcher of a dead person, his cushion and his mattress are all subject to Tum'as Medras.

(b)A Meis - is not Metamei Medras ...

(c)... yet the above are - because the women tend to sit on them and weep over their dead.

6)

(a)R. Yossi rules that the chair of a Kalah - is not subject to Tum'as Medras.

(b)The same applies to a Mashber shel Chayah - (the seat on which a woman sits when she gives birth) and to the chair on which a laundry-man is 'Korem es ha'Keilim' ...

(c)... which means 'he folds his clothes' (see Tos. Yom-Tov DH 've'Kisei shel Koves' and 'Kisei shel Kalah ... ' & Meleches Shlomoh).

(d)We reconcile this Mishnah with the Mishnah in the previous Perek, which declares Tahor, the chair of a Kalah that broke (implying that otherwise it is subject to Tum'ah) - by establishing the earlier Mishnah according to the Chachamim, who disagree with R. Yossi.

(e)The Halachah is - like the Chachamim.

7)

(a)The Tana now discusses various types of nets and traps. Cherem, says the Mishnah, is Tamei because of Zuto. What is ...

1. ... 'Cherem' is - a regular fishing-net.

2. ... 'Zuto' is - a piece of woven material that is fitted to its base.

(b)'Rishtos, Michmoros, Madaf, Paltzur and Metzodos ha'Sakarin' (which are all made of wood [Rambam] he says - are subject to Tum'ah (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

(c)

1. 'Rishtos and Michmoros are regular (animal, bird and fish) traps, 'Madaf' is - a raised board, one end of which is held loosely in the air, poised above wheat or pieces of bread. Then when the bird comes to eat the food, the board falls on it and holds it fast.

2. 'Paltzur' is a kind of wooden trap, 'Metzodos ha'Sakarin' are - two large boards (formed into a dam) placed across the width of a narrow river or stream, which prevent the water coming in at one end, and the fish that have already entered from swimming out at the other end. One then drains the water and takes the fish.

8)

(a)Finally, the Mishnah deals with 'Akun, Retzov and K'luv'. Both 'Akun' and 'Retzov' are baskets. The difference between them is - that in the former, one catches fish, and in the latter, birds.

(b)'K'luv' - is a bird-cage made of peeled willow or reeds.

(c)The Tana rules - that they are Tahor.