הבגד מיטמא משום חמשה שמות – as it is explained further on: because of receptacle, because of sitting, because of overshadowing [of a tent], because of a web [and] because of three fingerbreadths square. And each one of them, its measurement is different one from the other. How so? A cloth [of wool or linen] that has a receptacle, such as the piece of leather in which jewels are bound up, that is taught In the Mishnah above (Tractate Kelim, Chapter 26, Mishnah 2), or a receptacle of [olive] oil or a receptacle of wax, its measure is with a little bit., [and because of defilement by sitting, if it was defiled] though the treading of a person with gonorrhea, its measure is not less than three handbreadths by three handbreadths square. But if it became a tent of overshadowing for a corpse, as it is written (Numbers 19:18): “[A person who is pure shall take hyssop, dip it in the water,] and sprinkle on the tent [and on all the vessels and people who were there],” there is no defiling with less than a handbreadth by a handbreadth square. But if it is a belt/אבנט or a girdle/חגור, it becomes defiled because of the web, even though it does not have the measurement to be fit to be called a cloth, for it does not have the width of three fingers, even so, it is impure because it is a web. And we derive it from a sack. Just as a sack is spun and woven, even all that is spun and woven. And all of the rest of the defilements, the cloth is not defiled nor does it defile with less than three fingers square, for it is not important neither to the poor nor the rich and is not called a cloth.

משום ארבעה שמות – that it lacks the measurement of three fingerbreadths square.

העור משום שלשה – for it lacks [the measurement] because of three fingerbreadths square and because of a web.

העץ משום שנים – that it lacks the defilement of tents, as it is taught I the Mishnah in [Tractate Shabbat, Chapter 2, Mishnah 3] the Chapter במה מדליקין/With what do we kindle [Shabbat candles]? “No product from a tree can contract “tent” uncleanness [except for flax].” And it also doesn’t have because of a web, and also because of three fingerbreadths square.

החרס משום אחד – because it is a receptacle alone But it doesn’t have all of these that we have mentioned (of the rest of the five). And it also does not have [defilement through] treading, as it is written concerning the treading of a person with gonorrhea (Leviticus 15:5): “Anyone who touches his bedding [shall wash his clothes, bathe in water, and remain impure until evening].” He makes an analogy between “his bedding” to him, just as he who has ritual purity in the ritual bath/Mikveh, even all who have purity in the ritual bath, excluding earthenware that does not have purity in a ritual bath that does not become lying for a person with gonorrhea/a flux.

איל לו אחרויים – that an earthenware vessel is not susceptible to receive ritual impurity from its outside, as it is written (Leviticus 11:33): “And if any of hose fall into an earthen vessel, everything inside shall be impure [and -the vessel – itself you shall break].” If it came in contact with defilement from its outside, it was not defiled at all.

שהוא מיטמא משום אריג – which is not the case with a hide, for even if he cut it into thin straps and wove them, it is not considered a web/weaving.

הבגד מימטמא – for becoming defiled through contact with a corpse and for all the rest of the defilements except for that of treading, because of three fingerbreadth square, because it is appropriate for poor people, and it is derived by implication from as is it written (Leviticus 13:47): “[When an eruptive affection occurs in] a cloth, [of wool or linen fabric].” But for uncleanness by treading, we require something that is appropriate for sitting, and with less than three handbreadths by three handbreadths, it is not appropriate for seating.

השק – that is woven from hair or feathers of goats, its measure whether for someone who had been defiled through contact with a corpse or for treading is not less than four handbreadths by four handbreadths.

ושוין – to defile through defilement of treading/Midras and through defilement by contact with a corpse. A sack, or a hide or a mat.

שייריו ארבעה – regarding this matter, it is stated [by Rabbi Meir] that its remnants are four [handbreadths]. When it became worn out and torn and there remained from it a measurement of four handbreadths, but at the beginning of its weaving, it doesn’t become susceptible to receive ritual defilement until it is completely woven. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Meir.

היה ושה שנים מן הבגד – two handbreadths.

ואחד מן השק – one handbreadth.

טהור – for that which is inferior does not complete the measurement of that which is important, that the inferior’s measurement is greater. But the more highly regarded completes the measurement of the inferior, for even a little bit of that which is highly regarded is susceptible to receive ritual impurity.

מן החמור (more stringent) – that it is sufficient for it in a small measurement.

מן הקל (from a category more lenient) – that requires a greater measurement. And especially like this arrangement that is written in the Mishnah, they combine to the [more] lenient of them: the cloth and the sack, the sack and the hide, the hide and the matting. But the cloth and the hide or the cloth and the matting, or the sack and matting do not combine, for one who attaches them, has annulled his thinking with regard to every person. But however, to make of them a patch on the pack-saddle/cushion – consisting of patches – of a donkey, all of them combine, that from whichever of them will trim a handbreadth and make it a path on the pack-saddle/cushion of a donkey, they combine, for he is not strict for there, if it is from two species.

מכולם – from any of them that he will trim (from the list provided in the first two Mishnayot of this chapter) one handbreadth by one handbreadth, it is appropriate to become defiled through sitting, For those measurements that are taught in the Mishnah above, the cloth is three [handbreadths] by three [handbreadths] square for uncleanness through treading and the sack is four [handbreadths] by four [handbreadths] square, etc., it would not other than with a piece of cloth or sack or hide or matting that was not cut or repaired for sitting. But trimming, that is cutting and repair from one of all of them one-handbreadth by one-handbreadth square in order to sit upon it, is impure through sitting, for occasionally one trims and makes patches from one of them for the pack-saddle/cushion of a donkey and sits upon it, but it will not be other than a handbreadth by a handbreadth.

מכל מקום – and even from the sides. But Rabbi Shimon holds that from the sides is not appropriate for sitting. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Shimon [but according to the Sages – anyone who trims anywhere one-handbreadth by one-handbreadth, it is impure.].

נפה וכברה (sifter or a sieve) – they are [made] of [leather] hides. And sometimes we make a sifter from hair, and its law is like the law for a sack. And similarly, sometimes they make a sieve from ropes of parings/shavings used for basket work and of bulrushes/reed-grass, and its law is like that of matting.

עד שיקצע (until one trims it/cuts off rough ends) – that he will cut and repair for sitting (see Tractate Kelim, Chapter 20, Mishnah 4). And the Halakha is according to the Sages.

אע"פ שאין בו גבוה טפח – and even though it is [the seat] of an adult, it does not become susceptible to receive ritual purity until it is less than a handbreadth, as is taught in the Mishnah above in the Chapter “The Table and the Delphica” [Chapter 22, Mishnah 3], a seat for a child is appropriate for sitting even with less than a handbreadth. [Without legs, the seat is unsusceptible.]

עד שיהיו בו כעשיר – if it is from cloth – until it will be three-handbreadths by three-handbreadths square, according to the measurement of the defilement of a cloth for uncleanness through treading.

ונמדד כפול – three [handbreadths] in front of him, and three [handbreadths] in back of him, I is found that when he stretches it out, it is six [handbreadths] in length by three [handbreadths] in width square, and its length is double its width.

אלו נמדדים כפולים – that it needs the measurement to be from two sides. Since it is their manner to use them from two sides, if the measurement is from one side, it is not effective. Another explanation, that it is measured double, that a cloth in the place of cut, it is the manner that the threads go out from it and it becomes ruined and is easily torn, and it is the manner of sewers to double a bit around the cut and sew. And this is measured double as it has been taught, for after it is doubled, there needs to be enough in order to its measurement, but if there isn’t enough for its measurement, even though that if one would loosen the stitch and stretch it out, there would be enough for its measurement. It is not effective.

אנפליא (socks) – socks that reach until the knee. Whether they are of cloth or of hide/leather.

פמוליניא (knee breeches/long stockings) – like a kind of large undergarments/trousers that go from the loins until the thighs, and they have straps.

כובע – that is on the head.

וכיס של פונדא (money belt) – a region that is hollow, and it is similar to a pocket that is made for receiving.

מטלית – patch.

שטלייה על השפה – that one sewed on the hem around the neck.

אם פשוטה (if it is flat) – that it is not sewn from both sides but rather either from in front or from behind. And for the second explanation, that it is not doubled from the thread surrounding the seam.

הבגד שארג בו שלשה טפחים על שלשה טפחים (the cloth on which one wove three by three square handbreadths) – in close confinement, which is the measurement to be susceptible to uncleanness through treading. But after they were defiled through treading when they are closely confined, he competed upon it the weaving of all of the cloth, and now all of the cloth is impure through treading which is an attachment of three [handbreadths] by three [handbreadths] square that were defiled prior to the weaving of all the cloth.

נטל חוט אחד מתחלתו – from the first three [handbreadths] by three [handbreadths] square that were defiled by treading.

טהור – the entire cloth [is pure] from uncleanness of treading.

אבל טמא מגע מדרס – because it came in contact with the first three [handbreadths] by three [handbreadths] square prior to its measure being reduced/diminished.

נטל חוט אחד מתחילתו ואח"כ השלים עליו את כל הבגד טמא מגע מדרס – and even though it reduced/diminished its measure prior to completing the entire cloth, nevertheless, the entire cloth is impure through contact with Midrash/treading uncleanness. For this Tanna/teacher holds that a cloth of three [handbreadths] by three [handbreadths] square that was divided after it was defiled through treading, is impure through contact with treading, as is found later on in our chapter (see Mishnah 10 of this chapter). Therefore, when it reduced/diminished its measurement of three [handbreadths] by three [handbreadths] square, it remained impure through contact with treading uncleanness, and when he completed the entire cloth, the cloth is attached to impurity through contact of treading, and all that is attached/connected to something impure, is impure like it.

וכן בגד שארג בו שלש אצבעות – in close confinement, that this is its measure to be defilement in all of the defilements together except for that of leaning, but with this, it is not defiled in any defilement that is in the world.

שלש על שלש שנתמעט טהור – it is completely [pure], and is not appropriate for anything, neither for the poor nor the rich, therefore, it is pure from all defilements.

ועשאו וילון – a curtain that is front of the opening, as for example, that he made something that by means of it is pure from uncleanness through treading, according to the School of Shammai from when it is sewn, but according to the School of Hillel, from when it is tied up. But according to Rabbi Akiba, from when one fixed it, as is taught in the Mishnah above in [Tractate Kelim] the Chapter, “The Mattresses and the Pillows”/"הכרים והכסתות" (Chapter 20) [Mishnah 6[.

טהור מן המדרס – that it is annulled from the law of lying and sitting, but it is appropriate to the defilement of contact, because the attendant warms himself in it and wraps himself in his rims.

וכי באיזה מדרס נגע זה – meaning to say, since it is ritually pure from the defilement of treading when he made it into a curtain, it is completely pure and there doesn’t remain in it any defilement. For anything that were shards of vessels are pure from their defilement completely.

אלא אם כן נגע בו הזב – if the person with gonorrhea/flux came in contact with this curtain, he defiles it with the defilement of the contact of a person with gonorrhea. But from the power of defilement of treading that was in it initially, there is no defilement here at all. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yossi.

שלשה על שלשה שנחלק – a cloth which has in it three handbreadths by three handbreadths which had been defiled by treading uncleanness of a person with gonorrhea, and afterwards, it was divided, and there isn’t in any one of them by the way of the measurement of defilement by treading, in this, there is a dispute between the first Tanna/teacher and Rabbi Yossi, that the first Tanna/teacher holds that he is impure through contact with treading, but Rabbi Yossi holds that he is pure completely. But the cloth of three [handbreadths] by three [handbreadths] that that was separated from a large cloth that was [defiled] through treading, everyone admits that at the time of their separation from their “father”, it received the defilement from their “father.” And the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yossi.

בריא וצורר מלח (sound and capable of wrapping up salt) – this is our reading. A cloth that is placed in the trash is voided from the designation/nature of a cloth, unless it has two things: that it is sound and strong and appropriate to wrap in it a quarter Kab of salt. But if it is found in the house, since it wasn’t thrown in the garbage, it is still valuable/regarded but one qualification is enough, either it is sound/firm even though it is not capable of wrapping up salt or it wraps up salt even though it is not sound/firm.

ר' יהודה אומר בדקה – always it does not become defiled until it wraps up a quarter [of a Kab] of fine salt.

וחכמים אומרים – it does not become susceptible to impurity until it wraps up coarse salt.

אלו ואלו מתכוונים להקל – Rabbi Yehuda holds that fine [salt] must be wrapped in a sound and very strong cloth, because of its heaviness, that it is heavier than the coarse salt. Therefore, he estimates until it holds the fine salt, to be lenient regarding it so that it does not become defiled. But the Rabbis hold that coarse salt requires a cloth that is even more sound, because of its pointed projections and horns that protrude. Therefore, they estimate with the coarse salt to be susceptible to be defiled, in order to be lenient on the cloth that holds the thin salt that it should not become defiled.

שוין שלשה על שלשה באשפה לשלש על שלש בבית – just the three [handbreadth] by three [handbreadth cloth] in the house is defiled through corpse uncleanness and are not defiled through treading/Midras uncleanness, so the three [handbreadth] by three [handbreadth cloth] that is in the garbage become defiled through corpse uncleanness and are not defiled through treading. For their importance has been invalidated after he threw it into the trash. And the Halakha is according to the Sages alone.

שלשה על שלשה שנקרע – and the tears were not divided from each other (i.e., they were attached).

ובשרו נוגע בכסא – if the tear is so large under that when they place the cloth upon the chair and he sat upon it, his flesh would come in contact/touch the chair.

טהור – that he nullified it from the category of a piece of cloth.

ואם לאו – that the tear is not so great that his skin would come in contact with/touch the chair, it did not void it from the category of a piece of cloth, and he is ritually impure.

שנמהה ממנו (to be tattered/to fall to pieces from it) – that [one thread] wore out from it, and its example of something tattered that was hanging over a healthy piece, as is taught in the Mishnah above at the end of chapter twenty-four (Mishnah 17) "שלשה תריסין הן"/There are three kinds of shields”: “A worn out basket in which one patched to a sound one – they follow the status of the sound one.” And when one thread wore out from a piece of cloth of three [handbreadths] by three-handbreadths squeezed in, the measurement was lessened and it is ritually pure.

או שני חוטין מתאימין (or two threads running alongside) – My teachers/Rabbis explained, that [the word] מתאימין/running alongside/adjoining refers to the knot. And such it is taught, that if there found in it two knots that are adjoining each other or two threads adjoining each other. Because if two threads that are tied one to the other in the cloth, there is no way to leave them, and this what we said in the Gemara in [Tractate Shabbat 74b) in the chapter, “The Great Principle”/כלל גדול, if it happens that there are two knots next to one another, one is loosened and the other is knotted. Two threads that run along one another, for it is the manner of the weaving that the woof enters into the warp, two threads do not enter at the same time, but rather in a place where this one enters and that one leaves, and when both of them are equivalent, the one is thought to be like the one that doesn’t exist.

החזירה – to the house.

טמאה – for he retracted in his intention/thought.

לעולם השלכתה מטהרתה וחזרתה מטמאתה (always does throwing it out purify it and recovering it renders it unclean) – meaning to say in that manner/way, it becomes susceptible for being defiled and becomes purified ten times a day.

ארגמן וזהורית טובה (purple and fine crimson silk) – it is considered but it is not nullified [from the category of cloth]. And the good crimson is colored silk CRAMIZI in the foreign language.

אף מטלית חדשה כיוצא בהן (even a new patch of that stuff) – its law is like the law of purple and fine crimson [silk], and the trash does not invalidate it from the category of a cloth.

כולן טהורין – if it was thrown into the trash, even the purple and the fine crimson [silk].

לא הוזכרו – purple and good crimson [silk] to be separated/divided from the rest of the clothing.

אלא מפני השבת אבידה – that if he found them in the trash, we don’t say that he threw them there knowingly, and they require public announcement for because of their importance, the owner do not despair [of recovering it]. But the rest of the clothing is not important, that if he found them in the garbage/trash, they don’t require public announcement. And the Halakah is according to the first Tanna/teacher.