Marble slabs divided [into two], and placed one on top of the other: [If] impurity is under one of them, and even if they are raised up from the ground by a cubit, impurity breaks forth and ascends, breaks forth and descends. Slabs touching one another, or tables touching one another: They are reckoned [for purposes of impurity] in the same way that [contact with] a corpse is reckoned.

A slab [placed] at the side of a table leg, and impurity is under the slab: One who touches either the slab or the table is impure with seven-day impurity. [If] impurity is under the table: One who touches the table is impure with seven-day impurity, and [one who touches] the slab is impure with evening-impurity. A tent directly above the "square" [of the table (see Mishnah Oholot 15:2)]* is impure; that which is not directly above the "square" is pure. Rabbi Menachem b'Rabbi Yosei says, either this way or that way, they are impure, because they are adjudged like the "corner of the slab" (see ibid.).

Jars that are lying [on their side] in the open, [and] the surrounding rim of this one is on the side of the airspace of the surrounding rim* of that one, and the surrounding rim of that one is on top of the side of that this one, one handbreadth above the ground, and the surrounding rims have a handbreadth's opening [between them]: [If] impurity is below them, that which is above them is impure. On top of them, that which is on top of them and below them is impure and that which is inside them is pure. [If] they are raised one handbreadth off the ground, and their surrounding rims do not have a handbreadth's opening [between them], and impurity is under one of them, that which is below them or above them is impure. Above it, that which is above it is impure, and that which is below it is impure, and that which is inside it is pure. When do these words apply? With regard to pure [jars], but if they were impure, and they were raised off the ground by a handbreadth, [and] impurity is under one of them, [the area] under all of them is impure.

A house that was partitioned off by planks or by curtains from the sides or from the roof beams (Mishnah Oholot 15:4), and impurity is in the wall*: Vessels that are in the partition are impure, and those that are in the back side of the wall* or in the upper side of the plasterwork [which coats the ceiling] are adjudged half-and-half. [If] there are four handbreadths there, the [protective capacity of the] wall is nullified. Rebbi says, the one who says "a handbreadth" may say (alt., "may not say" (GR"A)) "four [handbreadths]," [and] the one who says "four [handbreadths]" may not say "a handbreadth." [If] they partitioned it off from its ground (i.e., from the floor of the house), and impurity is in the partition, vessels that are in the house are impure. [If] impurity is in the house, vessels that are in the partition are pure. If the partition has in their place (i.e., where the vessels are located) [a space of] a handbreadth by a handbreadth by a handbreadth high, it is pure, and if not, they are impure, and those which are in the ground are impure. [If] impurity is in the ground, vessels that are in the partition are pure and those which are in the house are impure.

A house that is filled with straw, and there is not (alt., "there is" (GR"A)) the space of a handbreadth between [the straw] and the roofbeams, and impurity is from the inside [of the house], anything that is directly [above or below] the exit-point of the impurity in the entire open space [of the exit] is impure, and [if impurity is] in the portico, [the impurity spreads] only opposite the impurity from the roofbeams and outside. And Rabbi Yosei says, straw that one does not intend to clear out in the future, behold, it is like dirt; and dirt that one does intend to clear out in the future, behold, it is like straw.

A mound of pebbles, and so too a heap of produce, and impurity is within it: Impurity breaks forth and ascends, breaks forth and descends, and if in the place of the impurity [there is a space of] a handbreadth by a handbreadth by a handbreadth high, behold, it is [adjudged to be] like a sealed grave, and it defiles all its surroundings. And what is the "courtyard of the grave" (Mishnah Oholot 15:8)? That is the marked space into which the caverns open. If it possesses the minimum measure, that which enters into it is impure*. When do these words apply? At a time that it is not open to the air, but at a time that it is open to the air, even if it does not cleave to the lintel* removed from the lintel") (Rambam to Ohol. 15:8) by even the smallest amount, it is pure, as long as it does not touch the lintel.

A mound of pebbles that they made into a covering-stone for a grave: One who approaches it within four handbreadths is impure, the words of Rabbi Yehuda. [* And the Sages say, only the one who lays down (alt., "arranges" (GR"A)) the inner [layer of pebbles] for the needs of the grave is impure. Rebbi says, the words of Rabbi Yehuda are preferable] when one does not intend to level it*, and the words of the Sages are preferable when one does intend to level it.

[An earthenware] cask that is filled with [pure] liquids and has a tightly fitting lid, and is made to serve as the covering-stone for a grave (Mishnah Oholot 15:9): Said Rabbi Elazar b'Rabbi Shimon, concerning this, Beit Shammai render impure and Beit Hillel render pure. Said Beit Shammai to Beit Hillel: "Which more commonly contracts impurity, a person or liquids?" They said to them, "Liquids." They said to them, "And thus, if a person, for whom contracting impurity is not common, is defiled as soon as he touches it, then as to the liquids that are inside it, does it not follow that they would [also] be defiled?" Beit Hillel said to them, "Do you not concede that with regard to a pure [person] who swallowed a [pure] ring and entered the tent of a corpse, that even though [the person] is defiled with seven-day impurity, the ring is pure?" Beit Shammai said to them, "No. If you are speaking of a ring, which is not defiled through carriage by a zav, what would you say regarding liquids, which are defiled through carriage by a zav?" Beit Hillel said to them, "We are applying the logic of seven-day impurity from [another case of] seven-day impurity, and you are applying the logic of seven-day impurity from [a case of] evening-impurity. Is it not better to apply the logic of seven-day impurity from [another case of] seven-day impurity, than to apply the logic of seven-day impurity from [a case of] evening-impurity?" Another version: "A person who touches a corpse defiles vessels, and vessels that touch a corpse defile a person. A person who touches a corpse defiles earthenware vessels, but earthenware vessels that touch a corpse do not defile a person. And are these matters not deduced through a fortiori logic (kal v'chomer)? Since if a person, who is defiled by a corpse and by that which touches a corpse, to [thereby] defile that which touches him, [but nonetheless] saves that which is inside of himself (e.g., the ring), [then as to] an earthenware vessel, which cannot be defiled by a corpse or by that which touches a corpse, to [thereby] defile that which touches it, does it not logically follow that [the earthenware vessel] would save that which is inside of itself (e.g., the liquids)?" Said Rabbi Shimon, they need not have exerted themselves to that extent. [Rather,] in a place that a person conveys impurity, from there liquids [also] convey impurity, [and] in a place that liquids are saved, from there a person is [also] saved. Where a person conveys impurity in an open place, so too liquids in an open place. Where liquids are saved inside, so too a person that they placed inside* [a container], and sealed him in with a tightly fitting lid, and made him into covering-stone for a grave, is pure.

All movable objects with the thickness of an ox-goad bring in impurity. Said Rabbi Tarfon: "I will bury (ek'pach) my sons if this halacha is not distorted (m'kupechet)! I know not whence this ruling sprouted forth; rather, that the hearer heard it and erred. And it so happened with one who was passing by with an ox-goad on his shoulder, one side of which [passed] over a grave, and defiled him on account of 'one who overtents a corpse,' and the hearer heard it and erred (i.e., in deriving a ruling broader than these specific facts)." Said Rabbi Yehuda: "It so happened with one who was plowing, and shook the plow, and the skull of a corpse was found stuck in the plow, and it defiled him on account of 'one who overtents a corpse,' and the hearer heard it and erred." Said Rabbi Yehuda: "It so happened with one who was plowing, and shook the plow, and a complete skull was found stuck in the plow, and it defiled him on account of 'one who moves a corpse,' and the hearer heard it and erred."

An ox-goad that they placed on top of an animal, and one end is placed on top of a corpse and the other end is placed on top of a person, [or] one end is placed on top of a corpse and the other end is placed on top of vessels, is pure*. And [when they spoke of "a person"] they were only speaking of the person who carries [the ox-goad].