CHAPTER III.
1. There are more weighty rules for holy things, than for the heave-offering. Because vessels may be baptized in vessels for the heave-offering, but not for holy things. The outside and inside and handle (are reckoned separately) for the heave-offering, but not for holy things. He who carries that which defiles by treading upon it, may carry the heave-offering but not the holy flesh. Treading on the garments of those who eat the heave-offering defiles for the holy flesh. The measure of the holy flesh is not as the measure of the heave-offering. Because for the holy flesh one must loose his garments and dry himself, and baptize and afterwards bind them up. But in the heave-offering he can bind them up and afterwards baptize himself.
2. Vessels completed in purity must be baptized for holy things, but not for the heave-offering. A vessel unites whatever is inside to holy things, but not to the heave-offering. The fourth degree of legal uncleanness 1 is disallowed in holy things, and the third degree in the heave-offering. In the heave-offering, if one of the hands be unclean, its fellow may be clean, but in holy things one must baptize both hands; because each renders its fellow unclean for holy things, but not for the heave-offering.
3. Men may eat with unwashen hands the dry meat of the heave-offering, but not the holy flesh. The first day mourner, and he who failed in atonement, have need of baptism for the holy flesh, but not for the heave-offering.
4. There are weighty rules for the heave-offering, because in Judah men are credited with the purity of wine and oil during the whole year. And in the time of wine-pressing and oil-pressing (men are credited) even for the
heave-offering. When the time for wine and oil pressing has passed over, and a barrel of wine is brought for the heave-offering, it must not be received. But one may let it stand over for the wine-pressing next year. But if one said, "I put into it a quarter log of holy wine," it is credited. "Jugs of wine and jugs of oil which are mixed?" "They are credited in the time of wine-pressing and oil-pressing, and seventy days before that time."
5. From Modiyith 1 and inwards, 2 men are credited for the purity of earthen vessels. From Modiyith and outwards they are not credited. "How?" "The potter, when he is selling pots, comes inwards from Modiyith." One says, "this is the potter," and "these the pots," and "these the purchasers," "it is credited." "When he went outwards?" "It is not credited."
6. The tax-gatherers when they enter the house, and also the tax-gatherers when they restore the vessels, are credited in saying, "we did not touch them." And in Jerusalem they are credited in holy things (that they did not defile them), and at the time of the feast they are credited even in the heave-offering.
7. "He who opened his barrel of wine, 3 and commenced with his dough for the use of the feast?" R. Judah said, "he may finish it" (after the feast). But the Sages say, "he must not finish it." When the feast was over, the priests looked round for the purity of the Temple court. If the feast ended on Friday, they did not look round for honour to the approaching Sabbath. R. Judah said, "even they did not look round on Thursday, because the priests are not then idle."
8. "How did they look round for the purity of the court?" "The priests baptized the vessels, which were in the Sanctuary, and used to say to the people, 'Watch and do not touch the table and the candlestick, lest you render them unclean.'" All the vessels in the Sanctuary were double and treble, because if the first became unclean, they could
bring duplicates instead of them. "All the vessels which were in the Sanctuary required baptism 1 except the golden altar, and the brazen altar, because they are as earth." The words of R. Eliezer. But the Sages say, "because they were overlaid."
Footnotes
173:1 There are reckoned six degrees of uncleanness: The father of fathers, the fathers, the first, second, third, and fourth children of defilement. There are altogether twenty-nine fathers of uncleanness, of which eleven arise from contact with a dead body.
174:1 A city about 15 miles from Jerusalem.
174:2 Towards Jerusalem.
174:3 This decision refers to the case of a dealer whose wine or flour might become legally defiled by contact with the common people.
175:1 The Tosephta relates, that when the Pharisees were baptizing the candlestick, the Sadducees used to mock them by saying, they were baptizing the sun.
