All the spittle found in Jerusalem is (ritually) clean [and it is not assumed to be the spittle of a zav or of a zavah, which causes uncleanliness in man and vessels, for we follow the majority (of instances)], except for the upper marketplace, [for gentile washers were found there, and the sages decreed that the gentiles be like zavin in all respects and that their spittle is unclean. And some say it is because the upper marketplace was unfrequented by most people and tended to be frequented only by zavin and zavoth, who would isolate themselves from others.] These are the words of R. Meir. R. Yossi says: The other days of the year (i.e., not on festivals) (spittle found) in the middle (of the road) is unclean; and on the sides, clean. During the festival, in the middle, it is clean; on the sides, unclean, for since they (the zavin) are unclean, they move to the sides. [(The other days of the year), zavin and zavoth are numerous and they walk in the middle of the road; and those who are clean move to the sides of the road, where most people do not walk and they exhort all those who are unclean not to touch them. But during the festival, when most of Israel are clean, the unclean ones remove themselves to the sides so as not to make the people unclean, and the clean ones walk in the middle of the road. Therefore, during the festival, the spittle found in the middle is clean and that found on the sides is unclean. The halachah is in accordance with R. Yossi.]

All vessels found in Jerusalem — (if they were found) on the descent to the mikveh, they are unclean; on the ascent, they are clean. [There were two paths to the mikveh: one, descending; the other, ascending, so that the unclean (vessels) not touch the clean. Those found on the descent are unclean of a certainty, for they must have fallen from those bringing them for immersion]; for not as their descent is their ascent. [For in their descent they were definitely unclean, for which reason they would bring them to the mikveh; whereas in their ascent, after immersion, they are clean.] R. Yossi says: They are all clean, [for they did not decree (uncleanliness) for vessels of doubtful status in Jerusalem. The halachah is in accordance with R. Yossi] (they are all clean) except for the basket, the rake [with which the bones of the dead are collected when they are scattered], and the meritzah [an instrument for crushing and breaking the bones of the dead to place them in the basket to carry them from place to place], for they are specifically designated for burial purposes.

If one found a knife on the fourteenth (of Nissan), he may slaughter with it immediately, [for of a certainty its owner immersed it (in a mikveh) yesterday, so that at sunset (it would become clean) and he would be able to slaughter with it today, Pesach eve]; (if it were found) on the thirteenth, he immerses it again. [That is, even though it may be assumed that its owner already immersed it, the finder must immerse it again on the possibility that its owner did not immerse it, having had time to do so until towards evening. And even though they did not decree (uncleanliness) for vessels of doubtful status in Jerusalem, because of the greater stringency of kodshim, immersion was required. Rambam explains that he sprinkles upon it again on the possibility that it incurred dead body uncleanliness and was sprinkled upon the third day; and now (on the possibility of its being the seventh day), he sprinkles upon it again and then immerses it.] and (if one found) a hatchet [used for cutting flesh and hacking bones], both on this and this [the thirteenth and the fourteenth] he immerses it again. [For a hatchet is fit only for the chagigah (the festival offering) in which the breaking of bones is permitted (as opposed to the Pesach offering). The gemara (Pesachim 70a) construes the Mishnah as referring to an instance in which the Nassi is at the point of death on the thirteenth, in which instance, if he dies, the entire congregation will be unclean and will sacrifice their Pesach offering in a state of uncleanliness, so that vessels would not need to be cleansed. Therefore, a knife, which is needed for the slaughtering of the Pesach, and which is subject to only one doubt, viz., perhaps the Nassi will not die and the Pesach will be sacrificed in cleanliness — a knife would be immersed (by the owner) and it is assumed that he cleansed it on the thirteenth in order to slaughter the Pesach with it on the fourteenth. But a hatchet, where there are two doubts — perhaps the Nassi will die and they will sacrifice the Pesach in uncleanliness, in which instance a chagigah is not brought and there is no need for a hatchet, and also (the second doubt), even if he does not die, perhaps the Pesachim will be abundant and a chagigah will not be brought on the fourteenth (see Pesachim 6:3) — they will not immerse it and it is assumed that it has not been cleansed.] If the fourteenth fell out on a Sabbath, he may slaughter with it immediately, [and we do not say that since it is Shabbath he may not slaughter with it, the possibility obtaining that it is unclean, so that the Pesach is rendered unclean, and he will be found to have desecrated the Sabbath with no mitzvah having been performed. My teachers explained "he may slaughter with it immediately" as referring to the hatchet. For even though there is no chagigah on Shabbath, it may be assumed that he immersed it on Sabbath eve for the chagigah of the fifteenth.] (If he found it) on the fifteenth, he may slaughter with it immediately, [for all the people know that sprinkling and immersion are forbidden on the festival, and they immerse everything before the festival.] If it (the hatchet) were found bound to a knife, it is like the knife, [i.e., we say that he certainly immersed it with the knife. But Rambam explains: If one knife were found with another knife that he recognizes, it (the first) is regarded as the second: if unclean, unclean; if clean, clean.]

If a parocheth (a Temple curtain) became unclean through a v'lad hatumah ("the offspring of uncleanliness," i.e., first-degree uncleanliness) [If it touched unclean liquids, the sages having decreed that unclean liquids render objects unclean, a decree by reason of the "liquid" of zav and zavah, such as his spittle and his semen which are av hatumah (proto-uncleanliness) and render men and objects unclean by Torah law], it is immersed inside [and does not need to be sent outside the Divine encampment, having become unclean only through a v'lad hatumah], and it is immediately returned, [not requiring "sunset" (for its cleanliness)]. But if it became unclean through an av hatumah [a sheretz (creeping thing) or carrion], it is immersed outside. [It must be sent out (of the Divine encampment), as stated (Eruvin 10:15): "If one brings sheretz-uncleanliness into the Temple, he is liable."], and it is spread out in the Chel [outside the azarah]. And if it was new, it was spread out on the Itzteva (the Temple portico), so the people could see how finely it was wrought.

R. Shimon b. Gamliel says in the name of R. Shimon the son of the adjutant high-priest: The thickness of the parocheth was a hand-breadth, it was woven on seventy-two cross-rods, and on each strand there were twenty-four threads. [For it was made of blue and purple and scarlet and linen, six-fold each, as explained in Yoma.] Its length was forty cubits, and its breadth, twenty [as per the entrance of the Ulam, which was forty cubits high and twenty broad.] And it was made of eighty-two thousand. [This was the number of strands of which it was made. Another interpretation: the number of golden dinars expended upon it (was eighty-two thousand). Some texts have: "eighty-six thousand young maidens were occupied in fashioning it."] Two of them were made every year, and three hundred Cohanim immersed it. [For finished articles, even though they were finished in cleanliness, require immersion for the Temple (Chagigah 3:2). The "three hundred Cohanim" of our Mishnah is an exaggeration, that many not being required to immerse it.]

The flesh of holy of holies which became unclean, whether through an av hatumah or a v'lad hatumah, whether inside (the azarah) or outside — Beth Shammai say: All is to be burned inside [in the great beth hadeshen ("the house of the ashes") in the azarah, where they burned holy of holies which had become unfit. For all that becomes unfit in holiness is burned in (a place of) holiness], except what became unclean through an av hatumah outside, [for since the uncleanliness is grave, and the unfitness occurred outside, it is not to be brought into the azarah to be burned, since it did not become unfit in holiness.] Beth Hillel say: All is burned outside, except what became unclean through a v'lad hatumah inside, [in which instance there are two (factors dictating its being burned inside): its uncleanliness having been incurred inside, and its uncleanliness being of lesser gravity. But if it became unclean through an av hatumah, its uncleanliness is not to be kept within until it is burned, but it is to be taken out immediately and burned outside.]

R. Eliezer says: What became unclean through an av hatumah, whether inside or outside, is to be burned outside; and what became unclean through a v'lad hatumah, whether inside or outside, is to be burned inside. [For since it is clean by Torah law, even if it became unclean outside, it should be burned in (a place of) holiness.] R. Akiva says: Wherever it became unclean, there it is burned.

The limbs of the tamid are placed on the lower half of the ramp to the west. [The Cohanim who won the lot to offer up the limbs of the tamid did not do so at one time, but they would place them upon the ramp and go to the lishkath hagazith (the chamber of hewn stone) to recite the Shema, and then they would return and sacrifice the limbs upon the altar. And it is taught here that they would be placed on the lower half of the ramp. For the ramp was thirty-two cubits long, and they would place it on the half going down. And the ramp was sixteen cubits broad, and they would place it on the half towards the west.] And (the limbs) of the mussafin are placed on the lower half of the ramp towards the east. And (the limbs) of the Rosh Chodesh offerings are placed on the upper half, on the rim of the altar, [i.e., the sovev (the gallery)] towards the east. Shekalim and bikkurim (first-fruits) obtain only when there is a Temple. [Shekalim, because they are used for (the purchase of) offerings, so that where there are no offerings, there are no shekalim. Bikkurim, because it is written (Exodus 23:19): "The first of the first-fruits of your land shall you bring to the house of the L rd your G d" — When you have a house (i.e., the Temple), you have bikkurim; when you do not have a house, you do not have bikkurim.]; but the grain tithe and the beast tithe and bechoroth (firstlings) obtain both when there is or is not a Temple. [For the sanctity of the land does not depart, so that terumoth and ma'aseroth must be separated. And, with the beast tithe, every tenth beast must be separated. In Bechoroth (53a) it is stated that the beast tithe was suspended, so that it not be abused.] If one consecrates shekalim and bikkurim, [which obtain only when there is a Temple — if he separates them when there is no Temple], they are (notwithstanding) consecrated. R. Shimon says: If one pronounces his bikkurim consecrated, they are not consecrated. [For since it is explicitly written: "…shall you bring to the house of the L rd your G d," even if he separated them, they are not called "bikkurim" when there is no Temple. Rambam understands this as: "If one consecrates to bedek habayith (Temple maintenance) shekalim and bikkurim that he has already (separated)." According to his interpretation, it is not clear why according to R. Shimon shekalim are consecrated and bikkurim not. The halachah is in accordance with R. Shimon.]