## Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse Chapter 21

###### Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:1
[Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Defilement%20by%20a%20Corpse/r/21:1)

מִנַּיִן לְצָמִיד פָּתִיל שֶּׁמַּצִּיל בְּאֹהֶל הַמֵּת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יט טו) "וְכל כְּלִי פָתוּחַ אֲשֶׁר אֵין צָמִיד פָּתִיל עָלָיו טָמֵא הוּא" הָא יֵשׁ צָמִיד פָּתִיל עָלָיו טָהוֹר. וּמִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ שֶׁאֵין הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר אֶלָּא בִּכְלִי חֶרֶשׂ בִּלְבַד כְּלִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא אֶלָּא דֶּרֶךְ פִּתְחוֹ. לְפִיכָךְ אִם הָיָה פִּתְחוֹ סָתוּם וּמֻקָּף צָמִיד פָּתִיל הִצִּיל עַל כָּל שֶׁבְּתוֹכוֹ. קַל וָחֹמֶר לְכָל הַכֵּלִים שֶׁאֵין מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה שֶׁיַּצִּילוּ בְּצָמִיד פָּתִיל וְהֵם כְּלֵי גְּלָלִים כְּלֵי אֲבָנִים כְּלֵי אֲדָמָה וּכְלֵי עַצְמוֹת הַדָּג וְעוֹרוֹ וְעַצְמוֹת הָעוֹף וּכְלִי עֵץ הַבָּא בְּמִדָּה וּנְסָרִים שֶׁל עֵץ שֶׁהֵן פְּשׁוּטִין וְאֵינָן כֵּלִים וְגָלְמֵי כְּלֵי מַתֶּכֶת. כָּל אֵלּוּ מַצִּילִין בְּצָמִיד פָּתִיל. אִם הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַכְּלִי הַמֻּקָּף נִצְּלוּ קַל וָחֹמֶר לַבְּלוּעִין וְלַכֵּלִים שֶׁתַּחַת הָאֹהָלִים. מַה בֵּין אֹהָלִים לַכֵּלִים שֶׁמַּצִּילִין בְּצָמִיד פָּתִיל. שֶׁהַכֵּלִים אֵינָן מַצִּילִין אֶלָּא בְּצָמִיד פָּתִיל וְהָאֹהָלִים מַצִּילִין בְּכִסּוּי בִּלְבַד:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
What is the source that teaches that a sealed covering saves the contents of a container from contracting ritual impurity in a shelter in which a corpse is located? Numbers 19:15 states: "Any open container that does not have a sealed covering on top of it is impure." One can derive from this that if there is a sealed covering on it, it is pure.
According to the Oral Tradition, it was taught that the verse is speaking only about an earthenware container, for it is a container that contracts impurity only through its opening. Therefore, if its opening is closed with a sealed covering, all of its contents are protected.
From this, we can infer that the contents of any of the containers which are not susceptible to ritual impurity are protected when the container is closed with a sealed covering. Such containers include: containers made from cow turds, stone containers, containers made from earth, containers made from the bones or skin of a fish or the bones of a fowl, oversized wooden containers, wooden boards that are flat and are not containers, metal *keilim* which have not been completely fashioned. The contents of all of these are protected by a sealed covering.
Now if the contents of a utensil closed with a sealed covering are protected, we can infer that this also applies to *keilim* that are swallowed or under an *ohel*. What is the difference between *ohalim* and containers that protect because of a sealed covering? That the covering of the containers must be sealed close, while for an *ohel*, any covering is sufficient.


###### Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:2
[Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Defilement%20by%20a%20Corpse/r/21:2)

מַשְׁפֵּךְ שֶׁכָּפָהוּ מַצִּיל בְּכִסּוּי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁקְּצָתוֹ נָקוּב נֶקֶב קָטָן הֲרֵי הוּא כְּסָתוּם:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
If a funnel is turned upside down, it protects anything it covers from impurity. Although its other end has a small hole, it is considered as if it were closed.


###### Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:3
[Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Defilement%20by%20a%20Corpse/r/21:3)

כָּל הַכֵּלִים הַמַּצִּילִין בְּצָמִיד פָּתִיל אִם הָיוּ בָּהֶן טֶפַח עַל טֶפַח עַל רוּם טֶפַח וּכְפָאָן עַל פִּיהֶם עַל הָאָרֶץ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא מֵרֵחַ בְּצָמִיד פָּתִיל מִן הַצְּדָדִין הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ מַצִּילִין כָּל מַה שֶּׁתַּחְתֵּיהֶן עַד הַתְּהוֹם מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן כְּאֹהֶל וְהָאֹהֶל מַצִּיל. אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיָה הַכְּלִי כְּלִי חֶרֶשׂ שֶׁאֵין אָהֳלֵי כְּלִי חֶרֶשׂ מַצִּילִין. כֵּיצַד. חָבִית שֶׁכְּפוּיָה עַל פִּיהָ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמֵּרְחָהּ בְּטִיט מִן הַצְּדָדִין כָּל מַה שֶּׁתַּחְתֶּיהָ טָמֵא. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יט טו) "צָמִיד פָּתִיל עָלָיו" וְלֹא צָמִיד פָּתִיל עַל גַּבּוֹ. הִדְבִּיק פִּיהָ לַכֹּתֶל וּמֵרְחָהּ מִן הַצְּדָדִים מַצֶּלֶת עַל כָּל מַה שֶּׁבְּתוֹכָהּ וְעַל כָּל שֶׁכְּנֶגְדָהּ בַּכֹּתֶל. וְאִם לֹא מֵרֵחַ מִן הַצְּדָדִין אֵינָהּ מַצֶּלֶת שֶׁאֵין כְּלִי חֶרֶשׂ מַצִּיל מִשּׁוּם אֹהֶל כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ. אֲבָל שְׁאָר כָּל הַכֵּלִים הַמַּצִּילִין בְּצָמִיד פָּתִיל שֶׁהָיוּ פִּיּוֹתֵיהֶן דְּבוּקוֹת בְּדָפְנֵי הַבַּיִת מַצִּילִין בְּלֹא צָמִיד פָּתִיל מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן מַצִּילִין מִשּׁוּם אֹהֶל. לְפִיכָךְ צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בְּדֹפֶן הַכְּלִי טֶפַח שֶׁאֵין הַכֵּלִים מַצִּילִין עִם דָּפְנוֹת אֹהָלִים עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהֶן דֹּפֶן [טֶפַח]. הָיָה לַכְּלִי דֹּפֶן חֲצִי טֶפַח וְהָיָה יוֹצֵא מִדֹּפֶן הָאֹהֶל שָׂפָה חֲצִי טֶפַח וְהִדְבִּיק זֶה לָזֶה. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם חֲלַל טֶפַח אֵינוֹ מַצִּיל עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה טֶפַח מִמָּקוֹם אֶחָד:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
All containers that protect their contents when sealed closed also protect anything that is under them to the very depths if they are turned upside down and stood on the earth, when their inner space is a handbreadth by a handbreadth by a handbreadth, even though one did not spread clay around the sides to seal them. The rationale is, in that position, they are like an *ohel* and an *ohel* protects from impurity. The only exception is an earthenware container, for an *ohel* formed by an earthenware container does not protect from impurity.
What is implied? When an earthenware jug is turned upside down, even if one smeared clay on its sides everything under it is impure, for the prooftext speaks of "a sealed covering on top of it," and not a closed covering on its back. If one attached its opening to the wall and smeared clay on its sides, it protects everything inside of it and everything opposite its opening in the wall. If one did not smear clay on its sides, it does not protect its contents, because an earthenware container does not protect as an *ohel*, as we explained.
All of the other containers that protect their contents when sealed close protect their contents when their openings are attached to the walls of a house even when they do not have a sealed covering, because they protect as an *ohel*. Therefore it is necessary that the walls of the utensil be at least a handbreadth high, for containers do not protect their contents with their walls as an *ohel* unless the wall of the container is at least a handbreadth.
If the wall of the container was half a handbreadth, there was a border of half a handbreadth protruding from the wall, and they were attached to each other, it is not considered as an *ohel* and does not protect its contents even though there is a handbreadth of empty space. It is necessary that the handbreadth come from one entity.


###### Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:4
[Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Defilement%20by%20a%20Corpse/r/21:4)

כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמַּצִּילִין מִבִּפְנִים עִם דָּפְנוֹת הָאֹהֶל כָּךְ מַצִּילִין חוּץ לָאֹהֶל אִם סְמָכָן לָאֹהֶל שֶׁהֲרֵי הָאֹהֶל נַעֲשָׂה כִּסּוּי מִכָּל מָקוֹם. כֵּיצַד. כְּלִי מֵחַם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ דֹּפֶן טֶפַח שֶׁהִנִּיחוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי יְתֵדוֹת חוּץ לָאֹהֶל וְסָמַךְ פִּיו לְדֹפֶן הָאֹהֶל וְהָיְתָה טֻמְאָה תַּחְתָּיו כֵּלִים שֶׁבְּתוֹכוֹ טְהוֹרִין. וְאִם הָיָה סָמוּךְ לְכֹתֶל חָצֵר אוֹ לְכֹתֶל גִּנָּה אֵינוֹ מַצִּיל לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָן כֹּתֶל אֹהֶל. וּלְפִיכָךְ כֵּלִים שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַכְּלִי טְמֵאִים שֶׁהֲרֵי הֶאֱהִילוּ עַל הַטֻּמְאָה:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
Just as such containers protect their contents from impurity when they are inside an *ohel* and attached to its walls, so too, do they protect their contents when they are outside the *ohel* if they are attached to the *ohel*, for the *ohel* is considered as a covering in all instances.
What is implied? A samovar that has walls that are a cubit high was placed on its side on staves outside an *ohel* and its opening was placed immediately next to the wall of the tent. If there is impurity under it, the *keilim* inside of it are pure. If it was placed next to the wall of a courtyard or the wall of a garden, it does not protect its contents, because these are not the walls of a tent. Therefore any *keilim* in the container are impure, for they were held above the impurity.


###### Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:5
[Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Defilement%20by%20a%20Corpse/r/21:5)

קוֹרָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ פּוֹתֵחַ טֶפַח וְהִיא נְתוּנָה מִכֹּתֶל לְכֹתֶל וְטֻמְאָה תַּחְתֶּיהָ וּקְדֵרָה תְּלוּיָה מִן הַקּוֹרָה וְהָיְתָה הַקּוֹרָה נוֹגַעַת בְּפִי הַקְּדֵרָה כֻּלָּהּ וּמְכַסָּה אוֹתָהּ כֵּלִים שֶׁבַּקְּדֵרָה טְהוֹרִים שֶׁהֲרֵי הֻצְּלוּ בְּכִסּוּי הָאֹהֶל לָהֶם. וְאִם לֹא הָיָה פִּי הַקְּדֵרָה מְכֻסֶּה בַּקּוֹרָה אֶלָּא בֵּינֵיהֶם רֶוַח. כָּל מַה שֶּׁבַּקְּדֵרָה טָמֵא וְהַקְּדֵרָה עַצְמָהּ טְמֵאָה:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
If there is a beam that is a handbreadth wide running from wall to wall, there is impurity below it, a pot was hanging from the beam and the beam was touching the entire opening of the pot and covering it, the *keilim* in the pot are pure. The rationale is that they were saved by the *ohel* covering them. If the opening of the pot was not covered by the beam, but instead there was some empty space between them, everything in the pot is impure and the pot itself is impure.


###### Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:6
[Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Defilement%20by%20a%20Corpse/r/21:6)

בּוֹר שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת וְטֻמְאָה בַּבַּיִת וְכֵלִים בַּבּוֹר אִם הָיָה מְכֻסֶּה בְּנֶסֶר חָלָק אוֹ בִּכְלִי הַמַּצִּיל שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ דֹּפֶן טֶפַח הֲרֵי כָּל מַה שֶּׁבַּבּוֹר טָהוֹר. הָיָה לַבּוֹר בִּנְיָן סָבִיב לְפִיו גָּבוֹהַּ טֶפַח עַל הָאָרֶץ. בֵּין שֶׁכִּסָּהוּ בִּכְלִי הַמַּצִּיל שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ דֹּפֶן בֵּין שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה לוֹ דֹּפֶן הֲרֵי זֶה מַצִּיל שֶׁהֲרֵי יֵשׁ לוֹ דֹּפֶן טֶפַח מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
The following laws apply when there is a cistern in a building, there is impurity in the building, and there are *keilim* in the cistern. If the cistern was covered with a flat board or a container that can protect its contents from impurity because it has a wall that is a handbreadth high, everything that is in the cistern is pure. If the cistern had a border built around its opening that was a handbreadth above the ground, whether he covered it with a container that can protect from impurity because it has a wall or whether the container did not have a wall, the container protects the contents of the cistern from impurity, because there is a wall of a handbreadth from another source.


###### Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:7
[Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Defilement%20by%20a%20Corpse/r/21:7)

חַדּוּת הַבָּנוּי בְּתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת וּמְנוֹרָה בְּתוֹכוֹ וְהַפֶּרַח שֶׁלָּהּ יוֹצֵא וּמְכַסֶּה פִּי הֶחָדוּת וְנָתַן כְּלִי הַמַּצִּיל בְּאֹהֶל הַמֵּת עַל פִּי הֶחָדוּת וַהֲרֵי הוּא נִשְׁעָן עַל פֶּרַח הַמְּנוֹרָה. רוֹאִין אִם תִּנָּטֵל מְנוֹרָה וְהַכְּלִי הַמַּצִּיל עוֹמֵד הֲרֵי זֶה מַצִּיל עַל כָּל שֶׁבֶּחָדוּת. וְכֵלִים שֶׁבֵּין שְׂפַת הַכְּלִי וּשְׂפַת הֶחָדוּת טְהוֹרִים עַד הַתְּהוֹם. וְאַף הַמְּנוֹרָה טְהוֹרָה. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשְּׂפַת הַפֶּרַח נִרְאֶה בֵּין הַכִּסּוּי וְהֶחָדוּת. וְאִם לָאו הַכּל טָמֵא:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
The following rules apply when a cistern is built inside a building and there is a lamp in it with its flower protruding and covering the opening of the cistern. One placed a container that can protect from impurity in an *ohel* where a corpse is located over the opening to the cistern and it is resting on the flower of the lamp. We see if the container that can protect from impurity would remain in its position if the lamp was removed. When this is the case, it protects everything that is in the cistern from impurity. The *keilim* that are between the edge of the container that serves as a cover and the edge of the cistern are pure until the very depths. Even the lamp is pure despite the fact that the edge of the flower is visible between the covering and the cistern. If the container would not remain in position, everything is impure.


###### Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:8
[Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Defilement%20by%20a%20Corpse/r/21:8)

הֶחָדוּת הַבָּנוּי בְּתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת וּכְלִי הַמַּצִּיל נָתוּן עַל פִּיו וְהָיְתָה טֻמְאָה בֵּין שְׂפַת הַכְּלִי וּשְׂפַת הֶחָדוּת אוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הֶחָדוּת הַבַּיִת טָמֵא. שֶׁאֵין הָאֹהֶל שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת מוֹנֵעַ הַטֻּמְאָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ. הָיְתָה טֻמְאָה בַּבַּיִת כֵּלִים שֶׁבְּכָתְלֵי הֶחָדוּת אִם יֵשׁ בִּמְקוֹמָן טֶפַח עַל טֶפַח עַל רוּם טֶפַח טְהוֹרִים. וְאִם לָאו טְמֵאִים. וְאִם הָיוּ כָּתְלֵי הֶחָדוּת רְחָבִים מִשֶּׁל בַּיִת בֵּין כָּךְ וּבֵין כָּךְ טְהוֹרִים. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינָן מִכָּתְלֵי הַבַּיִת. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁמַּצִּיל הֶחָדוּת בְּתוֹכוֹ כָּךְ מַצִּיל בִּכְתָלָיו. כְּבָר בֵּאַרְנוּ שֶׁהַתַּנּוּר הַיָּשָׁן הֲרֵי הוּא כְּכָל הַכֵּלִים שֶׁהֵן מְבִיאִים אֶת הַטֻּמְאָה וְאֵינָן נַעֲשִׂין אֹהָלִים וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה אֵינוֹ מַצִּיל עַל מַה שֶּׁבְּתוֹכוֹ אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיָה מֻקָּף צָמִיד פָּתִיל כִּשְׁאָר כֵּלִים הַמַּצִּילִים. וְכֵן בֵּאַרְנוּ שֶׁהַתַּנּוּר הֶחָדָשׁ אֵינוֹ כְּכֵלִים לְעִנְיָן זֶה אֶלָּא נַעֲשֶׂה אֹהֶל. וּלְפִיכָךְ מַצִּיל עַל מַה שֶּׁבְּתוֹכוֹ בְּכִסּוּי בִּלְבַד בְּלֹא צָמִיד פָּתִיל כְּאֹהָלִים. וְכִסּוּי הַתַּנּוּר הוּא נִקְרָא סְרִידָא:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
The following laws apply when a cistern is built inside a house and a container that could protect its contents from ritual impurity was placed over its opening. If there was impurity between the edge of the container and the edge of the cistern or within the cistern, the house is impure. The rationale is that an *ohel* inside a building does not prevent the spread of impurity, as we explained.
If there was impurity in the house and there is a handbreadth by a handbreadth by a handbreadth of empty space in the cistern, the *keilim* stored in the walls of the cistern are pure. If not, they are impure.
If the width of the walls of the cistern extends outside the house, they are nevertheless pure. The rationale is that they are not the walls of the house and just as the inside of the cistern is protected from impurity, so too, its walls protect.
We have already explained that an old oven is like all other *keilim* that convey impurity and is not considered as an *ohal*. For this reason, it does not protect its contents from ritual impurity unless it is sealed close like other containers that protect their contents. We have already explained that an oven is not considered as a *k'li* in this context and does serve as an *ohel*. Therefore it protects its contents from impurity merely by covering them without the cover being sealed close like other *ohalim*. The covering of an oven is called a *serida*.


###### Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:9
[Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Defilement%20by%20a%20Corpse/r/21:9)

תַּנּוּר יָשָׁן בְּתוֹךְ הֶחָדָשׁ וּסְרִידָא עַל פִּי הֶחָדָשׁ וַהֲרֵי הַכִּסּוּי נִשְׁעָן עַל פִּי הַתַּנּוּר הַיָּשָׁן רוֹאִין אִם כְּשֶׁיִּנָּטֵל הַיָּשָׁן תִּפּוֹל הַסְּרִידָא לֹא הִצִּיל וְכָל שֶׁבְּתוֹכוֹ טָמֵא. וְאִם לָאו הַכּל טָהוֹר. הָיָה הֶחָדָשׁ בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּשָׁן וְהַסְּרִידָא מֻנַּחַת עַל פִּי הַיָּשָׁן. אִם יֵשׁ בֵּין הֶחָדָשׁ וְהַכִּסּוּי פָּחוֹת מִטֶּפַח כָּל שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הֶחָדָשׁ טָהוֹר וּכְאִלּוּ הַסְּרִידָא מֻנַּחַת עַל פִּיו:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
The following rules apply when there is impurity in a house and there is an old oven inside a new oven, a *serida* resting on the new oven and that cover is being supported by the opening of the old oven. We see whether, when the old oven was removed, the cover would fall. If so, it does not protect from impurity and everything inside of it is impure. If the cover would not fall, everything is pure.
When there is a new oven inside an old oven and the *serida* is resting on the opening of the old oven, if there is less than a handbreadth between the new oven and the cover, everything in the new oven is pure. It is considered as if the covering was resting on its opening.


###### Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:10
[Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Defilement%20by%20a%20Corpse/r/21:10)

סְרִידָא שֶׁל חֶרֶס שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ שָׂפָה וְהִיא עוֹדֶפֶת עַל פִּי הַתַּנּוּר וּמֻקֶּפֶת צָמִיד פָּתִיל אֲפִלּוּ הָיְתָה טֻמְאָה תַּחְתֶּיהָ אוֹ עַל גַּבָּהּ הַכּל טָמֵא. אֲבָל כְּנֶגֶד אֲוִירוֹ שֶׁל תַּנּוּר טָהוֹר. הָיְתָה טֻמְאָה כְּנֶגֶד אֲוִירוֹ שֶׁל תַּנּוּר מִכְּנֶגְדּוֹ עַד לָרָקִיעַ טָמֵא וְכָל מַה שֶּׁבְּתוֹכוֹ טָהוֹר:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
When there is a covering of earthenware that has a border and extends beyond the edge of the oven and the oven is closed with a sealed covering, even if there is impurity under the covering or on top of it, everything above or below the impurity is impure. Nevertheless, the portion opposite the inner space of the oven is pure.
If there is impurity on the covering above the inner space of the oven, the space above it until the heavens is impure. Anything inside of the oven is pure.


###### Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:11
[Mishneh Torah, Defilement by a Corpse 21:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishneh%20Torah%2C%20Defilement%20by%20a%20Corpse/r/21:11)

קְדֵרָה שֶׁכְּפָאָהּ עַל פִּי הֶחָבִית וּמֵרֵחַ דָּפְנוֹתֶיהָ עִם הֶחָבִית מַצֶּלֶת עַל כָּל מַה שֶּׁבְּתוֹכָהּ וְעַל מַה שֶּׁבֵּינָהּ וּבֵין שִׂפְתוֹת הֶחָבִית. הוֹשִׁיבָהּ עַל פִּי הֶחָבִית כְּדַרְכָּהּ וּמֵרֵחַ אֵינָהּ מַצֶּלֶת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַקְּדֵרָה מִתְטַמְּאָה מֵאֲוִירָהּ וְאֵין כְּלִי טָמֵא מַצִּיל כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ:

**Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007:**
When there is impurity in a house and an earthenware pot was turned over and placed on the opening of a jug and then clay was smeared on its walls and the jug to seal it close, it protects everything inside of it and everything between it and the edge of the jug from impurity.
If one placed it on the opening of the jug upright and smeared clay around it to seal it, it does not protect it. The rationale is that the pot becomes impure from its inner space and an impure utensil does not protect another utensil from impurity, as we explained.