or they do not contain a rebi'ith, (1) provided they are service vessels? — Said R. Adda b. Aha: (2) This means where one bales out from it. (3) But the Divine Law saith, ‘Thereat’? (4) — They should wash (5) is to include any service vessel. (6) If so, then a profane vessel too [should be fit]? — Said Abaye: You cannot say [that] a profane vessel [is fit], this being deduced from its base, a fortiori: If its base, which was anointed together with it [the laver], does not sanctify [the water poured into it]. (7) is it not logical that a profane vessel, which was not anointed with it, does not sanctify? And how do we know [that] its base [does not sanctify]? Because it was taught: R. Judah said: You might think that the base sanctifies, just as the laver sanctifies; therefore it says. Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and the base thereof of brass. (8) I have made it alike in respect of brass , but not in respect of anything else. Mar Zutra the son of R. Mari said to Rabina: As for its base, [it does not sanctify] because it is not made for its inside [to be used]; will you say [the same of] a profane vessel, which is made for its inside? (9) Rather, ‘thereat’ excludes a profane vessel. If so, [it excludes] a service vessel too? — Surely the Divine Law included [it by writing] ‘they should wash’. And what [reason] do you see [for this choice]? (10) — The one [a service vessel] needs anointing like itself [the laver], while the other does not need anointing like itself. Resh Lakish said: Whatever can make up [the prescribed quantity of] the water of a mikweh,11 makes up the water of the laver; (12) but it does not make up to a rebi'ith. (13) What does this exclude? Shall we say, it excludes miry [liquid] clay? (14) then how is it meant? If a cow would bend and drink thereof, (15) it is [fit] even for a rebi'ith too; (16) while if a cow would not bend and drink thereof, it cannot make up even [the quantity of] a mikweh too! Again, if it is to exclude red insects, (17) [these are permitted] even in the mass, (18) for surely it was taught: R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: You may perform immersion in whatever originates in the water; while R. Isaac b. Abdimi said: You may perform immersion in the eye of a fish! (19) — Said R. Papa : It excludes the case where one added a se'ah and took out a se'ah. For we learnt: If a mikweh had exactly forty se'ah and one added a se'ah and took out a se'ah, it is fit. And Rab Judah b. Shila said in R. Assi's name in R. Johanan's name: Up to the greater part thereof. (20) R. Papa said: If one cut out a rebi'ith therein, one may bathe needles and hooks, (21) since it is derived from a valid mikweh. (22) R. Jeremiah said in the name of Resh Lakish: The water of a mikweh is fit for the water of the laver. (23) Are we to say that it [the water of the laver] need not be ‘living’ water? Surely it was taught: [But its inwards and its legs shall he wash] with water, (24) but not with wine; ‘with water,’ but not with a mixture; (25) ‘with water’ includes any water, (26) and all the more [does it include] the water of the laver. Now what does ‘and all the more the water of the laver’ imply? Surely that it is ‘living’ water? (27) — No: it means, which is holy. (28) Is then its holiness an advantage? Surely the school of Samuel taught: [Only] water which has no special name [is fit], (29)

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(1). ↑ In that case it is certainly insufficient for four priests.
(2). ↑ Sh. M. emends: Ahabah.
(3). ↑ Tosaf. : the priest takes up water from the laver with a small vessel. This need not contain a rebi'ith, but the laver must contain the larger quantity. Rashi translates and explains differently.
(4). ↑ Rashi: which implies that one must wash from the laver only. Tosaf. : which implies that any other vessel used must be of the same size as the laver.
(5). ↑ Ex. XL, 32.
(6). ↑ ‘They should wash’ is superfluous, and is therefore regarded as an extension.
(7). ↑ To be used for this purpose. — This implies that the base itself could hold water.
(8). ↑ Ibid. XXX, 18.
(9). ↑ Surely not.
(10). ↑ For excluding the one and including the other; why not reverse it?
(11). ↑ V. Glos. A mikweh must contain not less than forty se'ahs water. Yet if it is short of this quantity, it can be made up with other liquids, as enumerated in Mik. VII, (1) q.v.
(12). ↑ If it contains insufficient for the lustrations of four priests.
(13). ↑ Which is required for the ordinary washing of the hands before eating food.
(14). ↑ Reading narok, as in Suk. 19b et passim. Edd. have here nadok, which Rashi translates, thin clay, such that can be poured from one vessel into another.
(15). ↑ If it is so loose that its presence in water would not deter a cow from drinking it.
(16). ↑ If the rebi'ith is partly made up of such miry clay, it is sufficient and valid for the ritual washing of the hands.
(17). ↑ Which originate in the water.
(18). ↑ Even if the whole mikweh consists of these, it is fit, whereas Resh Lakish permits them only to make up the prescribed quantity.
(19). ↑ A huge fish whose eye had dissolved in its socket.
(20). ↑ Any liquid other than water can sometimes make up the quantity and sometimes not. Thus: if the mikweh contains thirty nine se'ahs and another is added of a different liquid, it is not valid. But if it contains forty, and then a different liquid is added and a se'ah of water is removed, it remains fit. For it was fit without the added se'ah, and this se'ah becomes null (loses its identity) in the rest, and so the mikweh remains fit. Rab Judah says that it remains fit even if in this way one removes up to (but not including)the greater part of the water. But if one has a rebi'ith of water, adds a little of another liquid, and then removes the same quantity, it is not fit, because a rebi'ith is too little for the other liquid to lose its identity in it.
(21). ↑ If one cuts out a little hollow in the side of a full-sized mikweh and the water flows into it, you may purify these small objects in it, even though it is not freely joined to the larger mikweh.
(22). ↑ Lit., ‘Since it comes from the fitness of a mikweh’.
(23). ↑ Though the former is not ‘living’ (i.e. running) water, it may be drawn into the laver.
(24). ↑ Lev. I, 9.
(25). ↑ Two parts water and one part wine.
(26). ↑ Even non-running.
(27). ↑ For that is apparently its only superiority, and so the passage does not refer to the actual water of the laver, but means any living water.
(28). ↑ I.e. all the more is the water of the laver (actual) fit, seeing that it is holy.
(29). ↑ For the washing of the sacrificial parts.