Both persons and vessels can form ‘tents’ to bring uncleanness, but not to [protect objects so that they] remain clean. How so? There are four people carrying a chest: If there is uncleanness beneath it, vessels upon it become unclean. If there is uncleanness upon it, vessels beneath it become unclean. Rabbi Eliezer declares them clean. [If the chest] is placed upon four vessels, even if they are vessels made of dung, vessels of stone, or vessels of [unbaked] earth, If there is uncleanness beneath [the chest], vessels upon it become unclean. If there is uncleanness beneath it, vessels upon it become unclean. [If the chest] is placed on four stones or on any living creature, If there is uncleanness beneath it, vessels upon it remain clean. If there is uncleanness upon it vessels beneath it remain clean.
If corpse-bearers were passing along a portico and one of them shut a door and locked it with a key, If the door can remain in its position on its own,[the contents of the house] remain clean, But if not, they become unclean. Similarly [in the case of] a barrel of dried figs or a basket of straw placed in a window, If the dried figs or the straw can remain in their position on their own, [the contents of the room] remain clean, But if not they become unclean. [In the case of] a house partitioned off by wine-jars, which had been plastered with clay, If the clay can remain in its position on its own, [the space partitioned off] remains clean, But if not, it becomes unclean.
A wall serving a house is treated as if it was separate halves. How so? A wall serving an open space, that has uncleanness within it: If it is in the inward half, the house is unclean, But what is above [the wall] remains clean. If it is in the outward half, the house remains clean, But what is above [the wall] becomes unclean. If it is exactly in the middle, the house becomes unclean, And as for what is above, Rabbi Meir declares it unclean, But the sages declare it clean. Rabbi Judah says: the whole of the wall belongs to the house.
[In the case of] a wall between two houses and there is uncleanness within it, The house nearer to the uncleanness is unclean, And the house nearer to the clean part is clean. If [the uncleanness] is in the middle, both are unclean. If there is uncleanness in one of the [houses] and there are vessels in [the thickness of] the wall: Those in the half nearer the uncleanness are unclean, Those in the half nearer the clean [house] are clean, And those in the middle are unclean. [With regard to the] plaster-work between the house and the upper story, and there is uncleanness in it: If it is in the lower half, the house [below] is unclean and the upper story is clean If it is in the upper half, the upper story is unclean and the house is clean: If it is in the middle, both are unclean. If there is uncleanness in either [the house or the upper story] and there are vessels inside the plaster-work, Those in the half nearer the uncleanness are unclean, And those in the half nearer the clean [space] are clean. If they are in the middle, they are unclean. Rabbi Judah says: all the plaster-work is considered as part of the upper story.
[In the case of] uncleanness among the roof-beams, [with a covering] beneath it thin as thin as garlic-skin, If there is a space within of a cubic handbreadth, everything becomes unclean. If there is not a space of a cubic handbreadth, the uncleanness is considered plugged up. If the uncleanness was visible within the house, in either case the house becomes unclean.
A house serving a wall is subject to the principle of garlic-skin. How so? [In the case of] a wall between two tomb-niches or two caverns, If there is uncleanness in them and vessels in the walls, and there is a covering thin as garlic-skin over them, they remain clean. If the uncleanness is in the wall and the vessels are in them, and there is a covering thin as garlic-skin over the uncleanness, they remain clean. If there is uncleanness beneath a pillar, the uncleanness cleaves upwards and downwards.
Vessels beneath the flowerlike top [of a pillar] remain clean. Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri declares them unclean. [In the case of] the uncleanness and the vessels being [together] beneath the flowerlike top [of a pillar]: If there is a space of one cubic handbreadth there, [the vessels] become unclean; If not, they remain clean. [In the case of] two wall-cupboards, one beside the other, or one above the other, if one of them was opened, both it and the house become unclean, but its companion remains clean. The wall-cupboard is considered as if it is plugged up, and it is subject to the principle of halves for conveying uncleanness into the house.
אָדָם וְכֵלִים נַעֲשִׂין אֹהָלִין לְטַמֵּא, אֲבָל לֹא לְטַהֵר. כֵּיצַד. אַרְבָּעָה נוֹשְׂאִין אֶת הַנִּדְבָּךְ, טֻמְאָה תַחְתָּיו, כֵּלִים שֶׁעַל גַּבָּיו טְמֵאִין. טֻמְאָה עַל גַּבָּיו, כֵּלִים שֶׁתַּחְתָּיו טְמֵאִים. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר מְטַהֵר. נָתוּן עַל אַרְבָּעָה כֵלִים, אֲפִלּוּ כְלֵי גְלָלִים, כְּלֵי אֲבָנִים, כְּלֵי אֲדָמָה, טֻמְאָה תַחְתָּיו, כֵּלִים שֶׁעַל גַּבָּיו טְמֵאִים. טֻמְאָה עַל גַּבָּיו, כֵּלִים שֶׁתַּחְתָּיו טְמֵאִים. נָתוּן עַל אַרְבָּעָה אֲבָנִים, אוֹ עַל דָּבָר שֶׁיֶּשׁ בּוֹ רוּחַ חַיִּים, טֻמְאָה תַחְתָּיו, כֵּלִים שֶׁעַל גַּבָּיו טְהוֹרִין. טֻמְאָה עַל גַּבָּיו, כֵּלִים שֶׁתַּחְתָּיו טְהוֹרִין:
Both persons and vessels can form ‘tents’ to bring uncleanness, but not to [protect objects so that they] remain clean. How so? There are four people carrying a chest: If there is uncleanness beneath it, vessels upon it become unclean. If there is uncleanness upon it, vessels beneath it become unclean. Rabbi Eliezer declares them clean. [If the chest] is placed upon four vessels, even if they are vessels made of dung, vessels of stone, or vessels of [unbaked] earth, If there is uncleanness beneath [the chest], vessels upon it become unclean. If there is uncleanness beneath it, vessels upon it become unclean. [If the chest] is placed on four stones or on any living creature, If there is uncleanness beneath it, vessels upon it remain clean. If there is uncleanness upon it vessels beneath it remain clean.
קוֹבְרֵי הַמֵּת שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹבְרִים בְּאַכְסַדְרָה, וְהֵגִיף אַחַד מֵהֶן אֶת הַדֶּלֶת וּסְמָכוֹ בַמַּפְתֵּחַ, אִם יָכוֹל הַדֶּלֶת לַעֲמֹד בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ, טָהוֹר. וְאִם לָאו, טָמֵא. וְכֵן חָבִית שֶׁל גְּרוֹגָרוֹת אוֹ קֻפָּה שֶׁל תֶּבֶן שֶׁהֵן נְתוּנוֹת בְּחַלּוֹן, אִם יְכוֹלִין הַגְּרוֹגָרוֹת וְהַתֶּבֶן לַעֲמֹד בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָן, טְהוֹרִין. וְאִם לָאו, טְמֵאִין. בַּיִת שֶׁחֲצָצוֹ בְקַנְקַנִּים וְטָח בְּטִיחַ, אִם יָכוֹל הַטִּיחַ לַעֲמֹד בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ, טָהוֹר. וְאִם לָאו, טָמֵא:
If corpse-bearers were passing along a portico and one of them shut a door and locked it with a key, If the door can remain in its position on its own,[the contents of the house] remain clean, But if not, they become unclean. Similarly [in the case of] a barrel of dried figs or a basket of straw placed in a window, If the dried figs or the straw can remain in their position on their own, [the contents of the room] remain clean, But if not they become unclean. [In the case of] a house partitioned off by wine-jars, which had been plastered with clay, If the clay can remain in its position on its own, [the space partitioned off] remains clean, But if not, it becomes unclean.
כֹּתֶל הַמְשַׁמֵּשׁ אֶת הַבַּיִת, יִדּוֹן מֶחֱצָה לְמֶחֱצָה. כֵּיצַד. כֹּתֶל שֶׁהוּא לָאֲוִיר וְהַטֻּמְאָה בְתוֹכוֹ, מֵחֶצְיוֹ וְלִפְנִים, הַבַּיִת טָמֵא, וְהָעוֹמֵד מִלְמַעְלָן טָהוֹר. מֵחֶצְיוֹ וְלַחוּץ, הַבַּיִת טָהוֹר, וְהָעוֹמֵד מִלְמַעְלָן טָמֵא. מֶחֱצָה לְמֶחֱצָה, הַבַּיִת טָמֵא. וְהָעוֹמֵד מִלְמַעְלָן, רַבִּי מֵאִיר מְטַמֵּא, וַחֲכָמִים מְטַהֲרִין. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, כָּל הַכֹּתֶל לַבָּיִת:
A wall serving a house is treated as if it was separate halves. How so? A wall serving an open space, that has uncleanness within it: If it is in the inward half, the house is unclean, But what is above [the wall] remains clean. If it is in the outward half, the house remains clean, But what is above [the wall] becomes unclean. If it is exactly in the middle, the house becomes unclean, And as for what is above, Rabbi Meir declares it unclean, But the sages declare it clean. Rabbi Judah says: the whole of the wall belongs to the house.
כֹּתֶל שֶׁבֵּין שְׁנֵי בָתִּים וְהַטֻּמְאָה בְתוֹכוֹ, בַּיִת הַקָּרוֹב לַטֻּמְאָה, טָמֵא. וְהַקָּרוֹב לַטָּהֳרָה, טָהוֹר. מֶחֱצָה לְמֶחֱצָה, שְׁנֵיהֶם טְמֵאִין. טֻמְאָה בְאַחַד מֵהֶן וְכֵלִים בַּכֹּתֶל, מֵחֶצְיוֹ וּכְלַפֵּי טֻמְאָה, טְמֵאִין. מֵחֶצְיוֹ וּכְלַפֵּי טָהֳרָה, טְהוֹרִין. מֶחֱצָה לְמֶחֱצָה, הֲרֵי הֵן טְמֵאִין. מַעֲזִיבָה שֶׁבֵּין הַבַּיִת לָעֲלִיָּה, טֻמְאָה בְתוֹכָהּ, מֵחֶצְיָהּ וּלְמַטָּן, הַבַּיִת טָמֵא וַעֲלִיָּה טְהוֹרָה. מֵחֶצְיָהּ וּלְמַעְלָן, הָעֲלִיָּה טְמֵאָה וְהַבַּיִת טָהוֹר. מֶחֱצָה לְמֶחֱצָה, שְׁנֵיהֶן טְמֵאִין. טֻמְאָה בְאַחַד מֵהֶן וְכֵלִים בַּמַּעֲזִיבָה, מֵחֶצְיָהּ וּכְלַפֵּי טֻמְאָה, טְמֵאִין. מֵחֶצְיָהּ וּכְלַפֵּי טָהֳרָה, טְהוֹרִין. מֶחֱצָה לְמֶחֱצָה, הֲרֵי הֵן טְמֵאִין. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, כָּל הַמַּעֲזִיבָה לָעֲלִיָּה:
[In the case of] a wall between two houses and there is uncleanness within it, The house nearer to the uncleanness is unclean, And the house nearer to the clean part is clean. If [the uncleanness] is in the middle, both are unclean. If there is uncleanness in one of the [houses] and there are vessels in [the thickness of] the wall: Those in the half nearer the uncleanness are unclean, Those in the half nearer the clean [house] are clean, And those in the middle are unclean. [With regard to the] plaster-work between the house and the upper story, and there is uncleanness in it: If it is in the lower half, the house [below] is unclean and the upper story is clean If it is in the upper half, the upper story is unclean and the house is clean: If it is in the middle, both are unclean. If there is uncleanness in either [the house or the upper story] and there are vessels inside the plaster-work, Those in the half nearer the uncleanness are unclean, And those in the half nearer the clean [space] are clean. If they are in the middle, they are unclean. Rabbi Judah says: all the plaster-work is considered as part of the upper story.
טֻמְאָה בֵין הַקּוֹרוֹת וְתַחְתֶּיהָ כִקְלִפַּת הַשּׁוּם, אִם יֶשׁ שָׁם פּוֹתֵחַ טֶפַח, הַכֹּל טָמֵא. אִם אֵין שָׁם פּוֹתֵחַ טֶפַח, רוֹאִין אֶת הַטֻּמְאָה כְּאִלּוּ הִיא אֹטֶם. הָיְתָה נִרְאֵית בְּתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת, בֵּין כָּךְ וּבֵין כָּךְ, הַבַּיִת טָמֵא:
[In the case of] uncleanness among the roof-beams, [with a covering] beneath it thin as thin as garlic-skin, If there is a space within of a cubic handbreadth, everything becomes unclean. If there is not a space of a cubic handbreadth, the uncleanness is considered plugged up. If the uncleanness was visible within the house, in either case the house becomes unclean.
בַּיִת הַמְשַׁמֵּשׁ אֶת הַכֹּתֶל, יִדּוֹן כִּקְלִפַּת הַשּׁוּם. כֵּיצַד. כֹּתֶל שֶׁבֵּין שְׁנֵי כוּכִין, אוֹ בֵין שְׁתֵּי מְעָרוֹת, טֻמְאָה בַבָּתִּים וְכֵלִים בַּכֹּתֶל וַעֲלֵיהֶם כִּקְלִפַּת הַשּׁוּם, טְהוֹרִין. טֻמְאָה בַכֹּתֶל וְכֵלִים בַּבָּתִּים וְעָלֶיהָ כִקְלִפַּת הַשּׁוּם, טְהוֹרִין. טֻמְאָה תַחַת הָעַמּוּד, טֻמְאָה בוֹקַעַת וְעוֹלָה, בּוֹקַעַת וְיוֹרָדֶת:
A house serving a wall is subject to the principle of garlic-skin. How so? [In the case of] a wall between two tomb-niches or two caverns, If there is uncleanness in them and vessels in the walls, and there is a covering thin as garlic-skin over them, they remain clean. If the uncleanness is in the wall and the vessels are in them, and there is a covering thin as garlic-skin over the uncleanness, they remain clean. If there is uncleanness beneath a pillar, the uncleanness cleaves upwards and downwards.
כֵּלִים שֶׁתַּחַת הַפֶּרַח, טְהוֹרִים. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן נוּרִי מְטַמֵּא. הַטֻּמְאָה וְהַכֵּלִים שֶׁתַּחַת הַפֶּרַח, אִם יֶשׁ שָׁם פּוֹתֵחַ טֶפַח, טְמֵאִין. וְאִם לָאו, טְהוֹרִין. שְׁנֵי פַרְדַּסְקִים זֶה בְצַד זֶה, אוֹ זֶה עַל גַּב זֶה, נִפְתַּח אַחַד מֵהֶן, הוּא וְהַבַּיִת טָמֵא, וַחֲבֵרוֹ טָהוֹר. וְרוֹאִין אֶת הַפַּרְדַּסְקִין כְּאִלּוּ הוּא אֹטֶם, יִדּוֹן מֶחֱצָה לְמֶחֱצָה לְהָבִיא אֶת הַטֻּמְאָה לַבָּיִת:
Vessels beneath the flowerlike top [of a pillar] remain clean. Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri declares them unclean. [In the case of] the uncleanness and the vessels being [together] beneath the flowerlike top [of a pillar]: If there is a space of one cubic handbreadth there, [the vessels] become unclean; If not, they remain clean. [In the case of] two wall-cupboards, one beside the other, or one above the other, if one of them was opened, both it and the house become unclean, but its companion remains clean. The wall-cupboard is considered as if it is plugged up, and it is subject to the principle of halves for conveying uncleanness into the house.