Meilah 4:4-5
משנה מעילה ד:ד-ה
Seder: Kodashim | Tractate: Meilah | Chapter: 4
📖 Mishna
Mishna 4:4
משנה ד:ד
Hebrew:
הַפִּגּוּל וְהַנּוֹתָר אֵין מִצְטָרְפִין זֶה עִם זֶה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם שְׁנֵי שֵׁמוֹת. הַשֶּׁרֶץ וְהַנְּבֵלָה, וְכֵן הַנְּבֵלָה וּבְשַׂר הַמֵּת, אֵין מִצְטָרְפִין זֶה עִם זֶה לְטַמֵּא אֲפִלּוּ כַקַּל שֶׁבִּשְׁנֵיהֶם. הָאֹכֶל שֶׁנִּטְמָא בְאַב הַטֻּמְאָה וְשֶׁנִּטְמָא בִוְלַד הַטֻּמְאָה, מִצְטָרְפִין זֶה עִם זֶה לְטַמֵּא כַקַּל שֶׁבִּשְׁנֵיהֶם:
English:
Sacrificial meat that is piggul and sacrificial meat that is notar do not join together to constitute the requisite measure of an olive-bulk, due to the fact that they belong to two separate categories of prohibition. The flesh of the carcass of the creeping animal and the flesh of the animal carcass, and likewise the flesh of the animal carcass and the flesh of the corpse, do not join together to transmit ritual impurity, not even for the more lenient of the two impurities, i.e., the impurity that requires the greater measure. The food that became ritually impure through contact with a primary source of ritual impurity, thereby assuming first-degree ritual impurity, and the food that became ritually impure through contact with a secondary source of ritual impurity, thereby assuming second-degree ritual impurity, join together to constitute the requisite measure of an egg-bulk to transmit impurity in accordance with the more lenient of the two, i.e., second-degree ritual impurity.
קלאוד על המשנה:
This mishna applies Rabbi Yehoshua’s principle from the previous mishna to specific cases where items do not combine, and then introduces an important exception.
Piggul and notar do not combine with each other, despite both being prohibitions related to sacrificial meat. The reason is that they are “two names” (shnei shemot) — distinct categories of prohibition. Piggul results from improper intent at the time of sacrifice, while notar is a time-based disqualification. Their different origins and mechanisms make them categorically distinct, even though the practical prohibition (eating invalid sacrificial meat) looks similar.
Similarly, the flesh of a sheretz and a neveilah do not combine for impurity, nor do a neveilah and the flesh of a corpse. In each case, the items differ either in their impurity measure, their impurity duration, or both. This is a direct application of Rabbi Yehoshua’s rule.
The exception is striking: foods that became impure through contact with a primary source of impurity (av hatumah, producing first-degree impurity) and foods that became impure through a secondary source (vlad hatumah, producing second-degree impurity) do combine — but only to transmit the lesser degree of impurity (second-degree). This is because both are “impure food” and share the same measure (an egg-bulk). Their different degrees of impurity are resolved by applying the more lenient standard when they combine.
Key Terms:
- שְׁנֵי שֵׁמוֹת (Shnei Shemot) = Two separate categories — items that bear different names/classifications and therefore cannot combine
- אַב הַטֻּמְאָה (Av HaTumah) = Primary source of ritual impurity — e.g., a corpse, a sheretz, or a zav
- וְלַד הַטֻּמְאָה (Vlad HaTumah) = Secondary source of impurity — something that became impure through contact with a primary source
- כַּקַּל שֶׁבִּשְׁנֵיהֶם (KaKal SheBishneihem) = According to the more lenient of the two — when items combine, the resulting impurity follows the lesser standard
Mishna 4:5
משנה ד:ה
Hebrew:
כָּל הָאֳכָלִין מִצְטָרְפִין, לִפְסוֹל אֶת הַגְּוִיָּה בְכַחֲצִי פְרָס, בִּמְזוֹן שְׁתֵּי סְעֻדּוֹת לָעֵרוּב, בְּכַבֵּיצָה לְטַמֵּא טֻמְאַת אֳכָלִין, בְּכַגְּרוֹגֶרֶת לְהוֹצָאַת שַׁבָּת, בְּכַכּוֹתֶבֶת בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים. כָּ�� הַמַּשְׁקִין מִצְטָרְפִין, לִפְסוֹל אֶת הַגְּוִיָּה בִרְבִיעִית, וּבִמְלֹא לֻגְמָיו בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים:
English:
All the ritually impure foods join together to constitute the requisite measure to disqualify the body [hageviyya] of one who eats half of a half-loaf-bulk [peras] of the impure foods from partaking of teruma. Likewise, all foods join together to constitute the requisite measure of food sufficient for two meals, to establish a joining of Shabbat boundaries; and to form the requisite measure of an egg-bulk, to render an item impure with the ritual impurity of food; and to form the measure of a dried fig-bulk, which establishes liability for carrying out food on Shabbat; and to form the volume of a large date, which establishes liability for eating on Yom Kippur. All the liquids join together to constitute the requisite measure to disqualify the body of one who drinks a quarter-log of ritually impure liquid from partaking of teruma; and to constitute the measure of a cheekful, which establishes liability for drinking on Yom Kippur.
קלאוד על המשנה:
This mishna catalogues the various halakhic measures (shiurim) at which different foods and liquids combine, creating a comprehensive reference for the laws of combination (tziruf). It moves beyond the Temple-specific context of me’ilah to encompass broader areas of halakha.
For foods, the mishna lists five different thresholds, each with its own halakhic consequence: (1) half a peras (approximately the volume of 3-4 eggs) of impure food disqualifies a person from eating terumah; (2) food for two meals establishes an eruv techumin (extension of Shabbat boundaries); (3) an egg-bulk is the minimum for transmitting food impurity; (4) a dried fig-bulk establishes liability for carrying on Shabbat; and (5) a large date-bulk establishes liability for eating on Yom Kippur. In each case, all types of food combine to reach the threshold.
For liquids, there are two thresholds: a quarter-log of impure liquid disqualifies a person from eating terumah, and a cheekful (melo lugmav — the amount that fills one cheek) establishes liability for drinking on Yom Kippur. The practical significance is that even if one eats or drinks small amounts of many different items, they all aggregate toward the relevant threshold. This mishna thus serves as a master index of halakhic measures, connecting the principles of combination discussed throughout this chapter to the full range of Torah law.
Key Terms:
- חֲצִי פְרָס (Chatzi Peras) = Half a peras — the measure of impure food that disqualifies the eater from consuming terumah (approximately 2 egg-bulks)
- כַּבֵּיצָה (KaBeitzah) = An egg-bulk — the minimum quantity of food that can receive and transmit ritual impurity
- כַּגְּרוֹגֶרֶת (KaGrogeret) = A dried fig-bulk — the standard measure for carrying liability on Shabbat
- כַּכּוֹתֶבֶת (KaKotevet) = A large date-bulk — the measure of food that establishes liability for eating on Yom Kippur
- מְלֹא לֻגְמָיו (Melo Lugmav) = A cheekful — the measure of liquid that establishes liability for drinking on Yom Kippur, varying by individual