[א] "או נפש אשר תגע בכל דבר טמא". הזקנים הראשונים היו אומרים, יכול אפילו נגע אדם במגע טומאות יהא חייב? תלמוד לומר 'בנבלת חיה..בנבלת בהמה..בנבלת שרץ" – מה אלו מיוחדים שהן אבות הטומאה, יצא דבר שאין אב הטומאה.
1) (Vayikra 5:2) ("Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, or the carcass of an unclean animal, or the carcass of an unclean beast, or the carcass of an unclean creeping thing, and it be hidden from him, and he is unclean and he is guilty") "Or if a soul touch any unclean thing": The early masters were wont to say: I might think that even if one touched something that had touched an unclean thing (tamei), he was liable (for entering the sanctuary or eating consecrated food); it is, therefore, (to negate this) written "the carcass of an unclean animal," "the carcass of an unclean beast," "the carcass of an unclean creeping thing" — Just as these are unique in being avoth hatumah (primary causes of tumah), (so all that are avoth hatumah are included), excluding those which are not av hatumah).
[א] "או נפש אשר תגע בכל דבר טמא". הזקנים הראשונים היו אומרים, יכול אפילו נגע אדם במגע טומאות יהא חייב? תלמוד לומר 'בנבלת חיה..בנבלת בהמה..בנבלת שרץ" – מה אלו מיוחדים שהן אבות הטומאה, יצא דבר שאין אב הטומאה.
1) (Vayikra 5:2) ("Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, or the carcass of an unclean animal, or the carcass of an unclean beast, or the carcass of an unclean creeping thing, and it be hidden from him, and he is unclean and he is guilty") "Or if a soul touch any unclean thing": The early masters were wont to say: I might think that even if one touched something that had touched an unclean thing (tamei), he was liable (for entering the sanctuary or eating consecrated food); it is, therefore, (to negate this) written "the carcass of an unclean animal," "the carcass of an unclean beast," "the carcass of an unclean creeping thing" — Just as these are unique in being avoth hatumah (primary causes of tumah), (so all that are avoth hatumah are included), excluding those which are not av hatumah).