Mishnah 1
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1)

(a)What does the Tana mean when he says ...

1. ... Kol ha'Me'orav la'Mikvah, ke'Mikvah?

2. ... that one may Tovel Keilim in the holes and cracks in the side of a cave *K'mah Shehein*?

(b)However, he precludes Ukas ha'Mikvah from this ruling. What is Ukas ha'Me'arah?

(c)What does he then say about them?

(d)Why does he refer to a Mikvah as Me'arah?

1)

(a)When the Tana says ...

1. ... Kol ha'Me'orav la'Mikvah, ke'Mikvah, he means that - the holes and crevices of a Mikvah have the same status as the Mikvah itself (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

2. ... that one may Tovel Keilim in the holes and cracks in the side of a cave K'mah Shehein, he means that - they do not require the Shi'ur of Shefores ha'Nod (discussed in the previous Perek) to join them.

(b)However, he precludes Ukas ha'Mikvah - holes in the floor of the cave whose water is joined, but which has a roof [see Tos. Yom-Tov]) from this ruling ...

(c)... which, he maintains, require ki'Shefoferes ha'Nod, to be considered part of the Mikvah.

(d)And he refers to a Mikvah as Me'arah - because in those times, most people Toveled in caves.

2)

(a)How does R. Yehudah qualify the Tana Kama's latter ruling? On what condition may one Tovel in the Uka anyway?

(b)Like whom is the Halachah?

(c)Why is that?

2)

(a)R. Yehudah qualifies the Tana Kama's latter ruling - by considering the Ukah part of the Mikvah, even without the Shi'ur of ki'Shefoferes ha'Nod, provided the roof that divides between the cave and the Ukah is so weak that it will cave in the moment one Tovels in it.

(b)The Halachah - is like R. Yehudah ...

(c)... because whenever the Mishnah used the word 'Eimasai' in connection with a ruling of R. Yehudah, it means that he is coming to explain the Tana Kama's statement, not to dispute it.

Mishnah 2
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3)

(a)If one Tovels a bucket-full of Keilim in one go, on what condition does the Tana declare the Keilim Tahor, even if the opening of the bucket is less than a Shefoferes ha'Nod?

(b)On which principle is this ruling based?

(c)What does he say in a case where it does not?

3)

(a)If one Tovels a bucket-full of Keilim in one go, the Tana declares the Keilim Tahor, even if the opening of the bucket is less than a Shefoferes ha'Nod - provided the bucket itself is Tamei and requires Tevilah ...

(b)... based on the principle of - Migu (since the Tevilah is effective regarding the bucket, it is also effective regarding the Keilim that are inside it [see Tos. Yom-Tov]).

(c)If the bucket does not require Tevilah - then the water inside the bucket will not mix with the water in the Mikvah and the Keilim remain Tamei (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

Mishnah 3
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4)

(a)The Mishnah now discusses three Mikva'os, side by side, each containing twenty Sa'ah of water, one of them Mayim She'uvim, into which three Tamei people enter, one in each, causing the water to spill over until the water in all three Mikva'os joins. On what condition does the Tana declare Tahor both the Mikva'os and the people who Toveled?

(b)Why is that?

(c)What does the Tana say in a case where the Mikvah containing Mayim She'uvim is in the middle?

(d)What are the ramifications of this ruling with regard to the two outer Mikva'os?

(e)Why do the two outer Mikva'os not attain the status of Mayim She'uvim?

4)

(a)The Mishnah now discusses three Mikva'os, side by side, each containing twenty Sa'ah of water, one of them Mayim She'uvim, into which three Tamei people enter, one in each, causing the water to spill over until the water in all three Mikva'os joined. The Tana declares Tahor both the Mikva'os and the people who Toveled - provided the Mikvah containing Mayim She'uvim is at the side ...

(b)... because then the two other Mikva'os will have combined to form a Kasher Mikvah of forty Sa'ah before joining it (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

(c)Should the Mikvah containing Mayim She'uvim be in the middle however - the Tana rules that both the people and the Mikva'os remain Tamei.

(d)The ramifications of this ruling with regard to the two outer Mikva'os are that - in spite of their having joined more than three Lugin of Mayim She'uvim, they do not have the status of Mayim She'uvim, and will be Kasher the moment one supplements the forty Sa'ah with rain-water.

(e)The two outer Mikva'os do not attain the status of Mayim She'uvim - because the Mayim She'uvim joined them by means of Hamshachah and was not poured into them from vessels (see also Tos. Yom-Tov).

Mishnah 4
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5)

(a)What does the Mishnah say about a sponge containing three Lugin of Mayim She'uvim that fell into an incomplete Mikvah?

(b)On what condition will the same apply to a bucket containing three Lugin of Mayim She'uvim?

(c)What is the reason for these rulings?

5)

(a)The Mishnah rules that a sponge containing three Lugin of Mayim She'uvim that fell into an incomplete Mikvah - does not render it Pasul, and the same will apply to ...

(b)... a bucket containing three Lugin of Mayim She'uvim that fell into it - provided the water is absorbed in the walls of the bucket.

(c)The reason for these rulings is - because Chazal only decreed on three Lugin that are entirely visible, but not where it is absorbed in a sponge or in the walls of a vessel (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

Mishnah 5
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6)

(a)According to the Tana Kama, what size hole must there be in a large wooden cupboard in the sea, to permit Toveling Keilim in it?

(b)What is the reason for this? To which earlier ruling can it be compared?

(c)According to R. Yehudah, a large cupboard requires a hole of four Tefachim. What is considered a large cupboard in this regard?

(d)What size hole does he require in the case of a small one?

(e)Like whom is the Halachah?

6)

(a)According to the Tana Kama, a hole in a large wooden cupboard in the sea, which will permit Toveling Keilim in it - must be the size of Shefoferes ha'Nod (see Tiferes Yisrael) ...

(b)... because then the water in the cupboard is considered joined to the sea (like the Din of 'Uka' in Mishnah 1); otherwise not (see Mishnah Achronah).

(c)According to R. Yehudah, a large cupboard - that is nine Tefachim tall requires a hole of four Tefachim (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

(d)In the case of a small one, he requires a hole that measures the majority of the cupboard.

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

7)

(a)The Tana permits Toveling inside a basket or a box (Kupah) [see Tos. Yom-Tov]), in the sea or a Mikvah. To what type of box is he referring?

(b)What is the reason for this ruling?

(c)What does he say about water that is flowing into the basket or box via a pipe (see Tiferes Yisrael)?

(d)And he also permits removing them as they are (without turning them upside down). How much water does the Mikvah under discussion contain?

(e)Why might we have thought otherwise?

7)

(a)The Tana permits Toveling inside a basket or a box (Kupah [see Tos. Yom-Tov]), in the sea or a Mikvah. The type of box he is referring to is - a wickerwork basket made of reeds.

(b)The reason for this ruling is - because the basket and the box are full of holes that let the water in, rendering the water inside them Bateil to the sea water.

(c)He rules that water that is flowing into the basket or box via a pipe (see Tiferes Yisrael) - does not render the Mikvah Pasul (because of Mayim She'uvim (see Tiferes Yisrael).

(d)And he also permits removing them as they are (without turning them upside down) - even if the water in the Mikvah measures exactly forty Sa'ah.

(e)We might otherwise have thought that - the water that falls back into the Mikvah when one removes the basket, is Mayim She'uvim which renders the Mikvah Pasul (like it would if it was a regular K'li (see Tiferes Yisrael).

Mishnah 6
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8)

(a)The Mishnah declares Tahor small vessels that one Toveled inside a large shard from a Tamei broken earthenware vessel (Gist'ra [see Tiferes Yisrael & Tos. Yom-Tov citing the Rosh]). What is the case?

(b)Why, is it that, the moment one lifts the vessels out of the water, they become Tamei?

(c)On what condition would they remain Tahor?

8)

(a)The Mishnah declares Tahor small vessels that one Toveled inside a large shard from a Tamei broken earthenware vessel (Gist'ra [see Tiferes Yisrael & Tos. Yom-Tov citing the Rosh]). The case is - where the Gist'ra is standing upwards in the Mikvah its top basically above the level of the water, but because it is broken, some of its jagged edge is submerged.

(b)The moment one lifts the vessels out of the water however - they become Tamei from the air of the K'li Cheres (which is still Tamei.

(c)They would remain Tahor however, if the K'li Cheres was fully submerged (even if there was no more than a Kolshehu of water floating above it).

9)

(a)What distinction does the Tana draws between the body and the hands of someone who Tovels in a Ma'yan that is flowing through a large Tamei oven (with no base [see Tiferes Yisrael])?

(b)Why then ...

1. ... do his hands remain Tamei?

2. ... does his body not become Tamei as well?

(c)On what condition will his hands too, remain Tahor?

9)

(a)The Tana declares - Tahor the body of someone who Tovels in a Ma'yan that is flowing through a large Tamei oven (which has no base), but his hands - Tamei.

(b)His ...

1. ... hands nevertheless remain Tamei - from the air of the oven (as we explained in the previous question).

2. ... body does not become Tamei - since a. the air of a K'li Cheres is not Metamei a person min ha'Torah, and b. Chazal only decreed this category of Tum'ah on a person's hands, but not on his body.

(c)His hands too, will remain Tahor however - if the Ma'yan covers the oven (as we explained in the previous question).

Mishnah 7
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10)

(a)The Mishnah gives the Shi'ur of Eiruv Mikva'os as ki'Shefoferes ha'Nod, ke'Avyah u'ke'Chalalah. What does ke'Avyah u'ke'Chalalah mean?

(b)Which two fingers does this comprise?

(c)What other ramifications does this ruling have, besides the fact that a Mikvah containing less than forty Sa'ah that is joined to a Kasher Mikvah is Kasher for Tevilah?

(d)And what does the Mishnah say about a case of Safek ki'Shefoferes ha'Nod?

10)

(a)The Mishnah gives the Shi'ur of Eiruv Mikva'os as ki'Shefoferes ha'Nod, ke'Avyah u'ke'Chalalah - the width of two fingers and the two fingers are able to swivel round in the hole.

(b)The two fingers - refers to the fore and the middle fingers.

(c)This ruling incorporates both a Mikvah containing less than forty Sa'ah that is joined to a Kasher Mikvah that is Kasher for Tevilah - and two Mikva'os, each containing twenty Sa'ah that combine to form a Kasher Mikvah.

(d)The Mishnah rules that in a case of Safek ki'Shefoferes ha'Nod - the Mikvah is Pasul.

11)

(a)What does the Tana say about Safek k'Zayis min ha'Meis or Safek k'Zayis min ha'Neveilah?

(b)Which third case does he include in the list?

(c)In which location will these rulings not apply?

(d)What will be the Din if the Safek Tum'ah in the R'shus ha'Yachid is ...

1. ... a Safek in de'Rabbanan?

2. ... a Safek in a Shi'ur de'Rabbanan?

11)

(a)In a case of Safek k'Zayis min ha'Meis or Safek k'Zayis min ha'Neveilah - the Tana issues the same ruling as in the previous case (S'feikan Tamei).

(b)The third case included in his list is - Safek ke'Adashah min ha'Sheretz (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

(c)These rulings do not apply - in a R'shus ha'Rabim, where we will apply the principle S'feikan Tahor.

(d)If the Safek Tum'ah in the R'shus ha'Yachid is ...

1. ... a Safek in de'Rabbanan - we will nevertheless rule S'feikan Tamei.

2. ... a Safek in a Shi'ur de'Rabbanan - then we will rule S'feikan Tahor (see Tiferes Yisrael [Bo'az]).

12)

(a)What does the Tana Kama say about something that blocks an opening of ki'Shefoferes ha'Nod?

(b)How does Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel qualify this? What are Yavchushin?

(c)Like whom is the Halachah?

12)

(a)The Tana Kama rules that anything that blocks an opening of ki'Shefoferes ha'Nod - negates the combination.

(b)Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel qualifies this - by declaring the combination intact there where the object blocking the hole is made of water (such as red Yavchushin (creatures that are actually made of water [see also Tos. Yom-Tov]).

(c)The Halachah is - like the Tana Kama (Ibid.).

Mishnah 8
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13)

(a)How does one render Kasher a Mikvah consisting of Mayim She'uvim that is either above a Mikvah of rain-water (see Tiferes Yisrael) or far away from it?

(b)What is the Chidush in the latter case?

(c)Based on which principle is the Pasul Mikvah Kasher?

13)

(a)One renders Kasher a Mikvah consisting of Mayim She'uvim that is either above a Mikvah of rain-water (see Tiferes Yisrael) or far away from it - by filling an earthenware or lead (see Tos. Yom-Tov) pipe with water, placing one's hand at one end (to stop the water from escaping) and joining it to both Mikva'os.

(b)The Chidush in the latter case is that - even though the Kasher Mikvah is far from the Pasul one, we do not suspect that, even as one is Toveling in the Pasul one, somebody else interrupted the flow.

(c)The Pasul Mikvah is Kasher - due to the principle of Hashakah.

14)

(a)The Mishnah specifies an earthenware or lead pipe. How about one that is made of wood, bone or glass?

(b)This ruling applies even if the water that joins them is no more than the volume of a hair (see Tos. Yom-Tov). What is the basis for this leniency?

(c)How would the Din differ if the non-Kasher Mikvah was less than forty Sa'ah, and the purpose of joining it to a Kasher Mikvah was to complement the Shi'ur?

14)

(a)The Mishnah specifies an earthenware or lead pipe (see Tos. Yom-Tov) - but not to the exclusion of one that is made of wood, bone or glass.

(b)This ruling applies even if the water that joins them is no more than the volume of a hair (see Tos. Yom-Tov) - seeing as Mayim She'uvim is purely mi'de'Rabbanan.

(c)If the non-Kasher Mikvah was less than forty Sa'ah, and the purpose of joining it to a Kasher Mikvah was to complement the Shi'ur - it would require sufficient water to flow for someone who put his hand in it to make other things wet.

15)

(a)In a case where the upper Mikvah is Kasher and the lower one is empty, what does the Tana suggest one does in order to end up with two Kasher Mikva'os?

(b)Why does the upper Mikvah not become Pasul due to all the Mayim She'uvim that is poured into it?

15)

(a)In a case where the upper Mikvah is Kasher and the lower one is empty, the Tana suggests that, in order to end up with two Kasher Mikva'os - one begins pouring buckets-full of water into the upper Mikvah, until the lower one is full.

(b)The upper Mikvah does not become Pasul due to all the Mayim She'uvim that is poured into it - because a Kasher Mikvah cannot become Pasul (See Tiferes Yisrael).

Mishnah 9
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16)

(a)What distinction does the Tana Kama draw between a wall dividing two Mikva'os that splits vertically (la'Shesi) and one that splits horizontally (la'Eirev)?

(b)What does R. Yehudah say?

(c)Like whom is the Halachah?

(d)What if the top of the wall crumbles, allowing the water of the two Mikva'os to join on top?

16)

(a)The Tana Kama rules that if a wall dividing two Mikva'os splits vertically (la'Shesi) - the Mikva'os combine, but that if it splits horizontally (la'Eirev) - they do not, unless there is a Shi'ur of at least a Shefoferes ha'Nod in one spot (see Tos. Yom-Tov DH 'she'Nisdak ... ' & 'Mitztaref').

(b)R. Yehudah - reverses the rulings (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

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

(d)If the top of the wall crumbles however, allowing the water of the two Mikva'os to join on top - then a breach measuring the thickness of a garlic peel and the width of a Shefoferes ha'Nod will suffice (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

Mishnah 10
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17)

(a)The Mishnah now discusses an Avik she'ba'Mikvah. What is an Avik? What purpose does it serve?

(b)According to R. Meir, what difference does it make whether the Avik is fixed in the floor of the Mikvah or in the wall?

(c)What is the reason for ...

1. ... the former ruling?

2. ... the latter ruling?

17)

(a)The Mishnah now discusses an Avik she'ba'Mikvah - a metal pot that is fixed to the Mikvah (see Tiferes Yisrael) with a hole that is closed with a stopper, to allow the water in the Mikvah to drain when it becomes dirty, and refilled by means of Hamshachah.

(b)According to R. Meir, an Avik that is fixed in the floor of the Mikvah - renders the Mikvah Pasul, but not if it is fitted in the wall.

(c)The reason for ...

1. ... the former ruling is - because since the Avik is a K'li (even though it is not subject to Tum'ah [see Tos. Yom-Tov]) a K'li that holds all the water renders the water Mayim She'uvim.

2. ... the latter ruling is because - Mayim She'uvim that is beside a Mikvah does not render it Pasul.

18)

(a)What do the Chachamim say? In which case will the Avik disqualify the Mikvah, even if it is fitted to the side?

(b)Why is that? What is the significance of a Revi'is in this case?

(c)R. Elazar b'R. Tzadok is the most stringent of all. What does he say?

(d)Why is that?

(e)Like whom is the Halachah (See Peirush ha'Mishnayos le'ha'Rambam)?

18)

(a)According to the Chachamim, even if the Avik is fitted to the side, it will disqualify the Mikvah - if it is so low down that the Mikvah does not hold a Revi'is up to the level of the Avik ...

(b)... because min ha'Torah, a Revi'is is sufficient to Tovel small implements such as needles and forks (see Tiferes Yisrael).

(c)R. Elazar b'R. Tzadok is the most stringent of all. In his opinion - should the Avik be a receptacle, it disqualifies the Mikvah in all of the above cases (see Tiferes Yisrael) ...

(d)... because it is initially made to receive a Kol-Shehu.

(e)The Halachah is - like the Chachamim.

Mishnah 11
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19)

(a)The Mishnah discusses Metaheres she'be'Merchatz. What is Metaheres she'be'Merchatz?

(b)The Tana is talking about two Mikva'os, one containing rain-water, the other, Mayim She'uvim. What will be the Din, assuming that they are side by side, and the two waters mix via a hole in the wall that divides between them that holds more than three Lugin?

(c)What fraction of forty Sa'ah is three Lugim?

(d)What does the Rambam say about a case where the water in the Kasher Mikvah is more or less than forty Sa'ah?

(e)What is an example of this?

19)

(a)The Mishnah discusses Metaheres she'be'Merchatz - troughs of water in a bathhouse into which cold water flows to form Mikva'os, in which people Tovel, after having bathed in hot water.

(b)The Tana is talking about two Mikva'os, one containing rain-water, the other, Mayim She'uvim. Assuming that they are side by side, and the two waters mix via a hole in the wall that divides between them that holds more than three Lugin - the one containing rain-water is Kasher (since Mayim She'uvim at the side does not render a Mikvah, Pasul).

(c)Three Lugim is - one three hundred and twentieth of forty Sa'ah (based on the fact that one Sa'ah = six Kabim, and one Kav = four Lugin).

(d)In a case where the water in the Kasher Mikvah is more or less than forty Sa'ah, the Rambam rules that the water in the hole needs to be more or less correspondingly.

(e)For example, if the Kasher Mikvah contains twenty Sa'ah, then the hole need only contain one and a half Lugin (a hundred and sixtieth of that).

20)

(a)What does R. Yossi say in the same case only where the two Mikva'os are on two levels (see Tos. Yom-Tov), the upper one containing rain-water, the lower one, Mayim She'uvim?

(b)What if the upper Mikvah contains Mayim She'uvim, and the lower one, rain-water?

(c)On what grounds does R. Elazar declare the Mikvah containing rain-water Kasher, even in the latter case?

(d)Like whom is the Halachah?

20)

(a)In the same case only where the two Mikva'os are on two levels (see Tos. Yom-Tov), the upper one containing rain-water, the lower one, Mayim She'uvim - R. Yossi disqualifies the upper Mikvah, as if the Mayim She'uvim was underneath the Kasher Mikvah.

(b)If the upper Mikvah contains Mayim She'uvim, and the lower one, rain-water - the latter one is certainly Pasul (from a Kal va'Chomer, seeing as water flows downwards).

(c)R. Elazar declares the Mikvah containing rain-water Kasher, even in the latter case - because three Lugin only render a Mikvah Pasul, if they fall into it (see Tos. Yom-Tov & Meleches Shlomoh).

(d)The Halachah is - like R. Yossi.

Hadran alach 'Kol ha'Me'arav la'Mikvah'

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