Red Heifer Chapter 8

מִי שֶׁהָיוּ מֵימָיו עַל כְּתֵפוֹ וְעָמַד וְהוֹרָה הוֹרָאָה לַאֲחֵרִים אוֹ שֶׁדָּן דִּין אוֹ שֶׁחָלְצָה בְּפָנָיו אוֹ מֵאֲנָה אוֹ שֶׁהֶרְאָה לַאֲחֵרִים אֶת הַדֶּרֶךְ אוֹ שֶׁהָרַג אֶת נָחָשׁ אוֹ עַקְרָב אוֹ נָטַל אֳכָלִין מִן הַשּׁוּק לְהַצְנִיעָם הֲרֵי הַמַּיִם פְּסוּלִין שֶׁהֲרֵי נִתְעַסֵּק בְּדָבָר אַחֵר קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּתֵּן הָאֵפֶר עַל הַמַּיִם. אֲבָל אִם נָטַל הָאֳכָלִין לְאָכְלָן וַאֲכָלָן כְּשֶׁהוּא מְהַלֵּךְ אוֹ שֶׁהָרַג נָחָשׁ אוֹ עַקְרָב הַמְעַכְּבִין אוֹתוֹ הֲרֵי הַמַּיִם כְּשֵׁרִים שֶׁזֶּה מִצֹּרֶךְ הוֹלָכַת הַמַּיִם. זֶה הַכְּלָל כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא מִשּׁוּם מְלָאכָה שֶׁעָשָׂהוּ קֹדֶם מַתַּן הָאֵפֶר בֵּין עָמַד בֵּין לֹא עָמַד פָּסַל וְדָבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִשּׁוּם מְלָאכָה אִם לֹא עָמַד כְּשֵׁרִים וְאִם עָמַד פָּסַל. הָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ בְּמַיִם וּפָרַץ בִּשְׁעַת הִלּוּכוֹ מָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ בּוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁפָּרַץ עַל מְנָת לִגְדֹּר כְּשֵׁרִים. וְאִם גָּדַר קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּתֵּן הָאֵפֶר פְּסוּלִין. וְכֵן אִם קָצָה פֵּרוֹת לֶאֱכל אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכַּוָּנָתוֹ לְהַקְצוֹת אֶת הַשְּׁאָר כְּשֵׁרִין. וְאִם הִקְצָה קֹדֶם מַתַּן הָאֵפֶר פָּסוּל:

When a person was carrying water for the ashes of the red heifer on his shoulders and he stood and delivered a halachic ruling for others, rendered a judgment, a woman performed chalitzah in his presence, a girl performed mi'un in his presence, he gave directions to others, killed a snake or scorpion that did not present a threat to him, or took food from the market to set aside, the water is disqualified. The rationale is that he occupied himself with another activity before placing the ashes on the water. If, however, he took food in order to eat and ate while he was proceeding on his way or killed a snake or scorpion that was preventing his progress, the water is acceptable, for these activities are necessary to carry the water. This is the general principle: Any activity that is considered as work which was performed before placing the ashes on the water, whether he stood still or not, disqualifies the water. When he performs an activity that is not considered as work, if he does not stand still, the water is acceptable. If he stands still, it is disqualified. If he was walking while carrying such water and, while he was walking, he made an opening to walk through, the water he is carrying is acceptable, even though he made the opening with the intent of closing it afterwards. If he closes it before placing the ashes on the water, the water is disqualified. Similarly, if he dries fruit to eat, even if later he intends to dry the remainder, the water is acceptable. If he dries the remaining fruit before placing the ashes on the water, it is disqualified.

הָיָה אוֹכֵל בִּשְׁעַת הוֹלָכַת הַמַּיִם וְהוֹתִיר וְזָרַק מַה שֶּׁהוֹתִיר לְתַחַת הַתְּאֵנָה אוֹ לְתַחַת הַמֻּקְצֶה אִם נִתְכַּוֵּן שֶׁלֹּא יֹאבְדוּ הַפֵּרוֹת הֲרֵי הַמַּיִם פְּסוּלִין שֶׁהֲרֵי עָשָׂה מְלָאכָה. וְאִם זְרָקָן לְפִי שֶּׁאֵין לוֹ צֹרֶךְ בָּהֶן הֲרֵי הַמַּיִם כְּשֵׁרִין. הַמְמַלֵּא מַיִם לְקַדְּשָׁן וּמְסָרָן לְאַחֵר לְשָׁמְרָן וְעָשׂוּ הַבְּעָלִים מְלָאכָה לֹא נִפְסְלוּ הַמַּיִם שֶׁהֲרֵי מְסָרָן לְשׁוֹמֵר. וְאִם עָשָׂה הַשּׁוֹמֵר מְלָאכָה פְּסָלָן שֶׁהֲרֵי הֵן בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ וְהוּא נִכְנַס תַּחַת הַבְּעָלִים. הָיוּ שְׁנַיִם שׁוֹמְרִין אֶת הַמַּיִם וְעָשָׂה אֶחָד מֵהֶן מְלָאכָה הַמַּיִם כְּשֵׁרִים שֶׁהֲרֵי הַשֵּׁנִי מְשַׁמֵּר. חָזַר הָרִאשׁוֹן לִשְׁמֹר וְעָמַד הַשֵּׁנִי וְעָשָׂה מְלָאכָה הַמַּיִם כְּשֵׁרִים עַד שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ כָּל הַשּׁוֹמְרִין מְלָאכָה כְּאַחַת:

The following laws apply if one was eating while carrying such water; he left over some food and cast the leftovers under a fig tree or under a net used to dry figs. If his intent was to prevent the food from perishing, the water is disqualified, because he performed work. If he cast it away because he no longer needs it, the water is acceptable. When a person drew water to sanctify it and entrusted it to a watchman to oversee, the water is not disqualified if the owner performed work, because he entrusted it to a watchman. If the watchman performs work, he disqualifies it, because the water is in his domain and he takes the place of the owner. If two people are watching such water and one performs work, the water is acceptable, because the other is watching. If the first returned to his watch and the second stood up and performed work, the water is acceptable. The water's status is maintained unless all of the watchmen perform work at the same time.

הַמְקַדֵּשׁ בְּאַחַת יָדוֹ וְעָשָׂה מְלָאכָה בַּשְּׁנִיָּה. אִם לְעַצְמוֹ קִדֵּשׁ פָּסַל שֶׁהֲרֵי עָשָׂה מְלָאכָה קֹדֶם מַתַּן אֵפֶר בְּמַיִם. וְאִם לַחֲבֵרוֹ קִדֵּשׁ הַמַּיִם כְּשֵׁרִים שֶׁאֵין זֶה פּוֹסֵל מֵימָיו שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ בַּמְּלָאכָה שֶׁעָשָׂה. שֶׁאֵין הַמְּלָאכָה פּוֹסֶלֶת בְּקִדּוּשׁ אֶלָּא בְּמַיִם. וְהוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הָעוֹשֶׂה הַשּׁוֹמֵר אוֹ הַבְּעָלִים:

The following rules apply when a person sanctifies water with one hand and performs work with another. If he sanctifies the water for himself, he disqualifies it, because he performed work before casting the ashes on the water. If he sanctified water for his colleague, the water is acceptable, because a person does not disqualify a colleague's water with the performance of such work. For the performance of work does not disqualify the act of sanctification; it disqualifies only the water, and that, only when the one performing the work is a watchman or the owner.

הַמְקַדֵּשׁ לְעַצְמוֹ וּלְאַחֵר כְּאַחַת. שֶׁלּוֹ פָּסוּל שֶׁהֲרֵי נִפְסְלוּ הַמַּיִם שֶׁל עַצְמוֹ בְּעֵסֶק שֶׁנִּתְעַסֵּק בְּקִדּוּשׁ חֲבֵרוֹ. אֲבָל אִם קִדֵּשׁ לִשְׁנַיִם כְּאַחַת שְׁנֵיהֶם כְּשֵׁרִין שֶׁאֵין מְלַאכְתּוֹ פּוֹסֶלֶת מֵי אֲחֵרִים:

When a person sanctifies water for himself and a colleague at the same time, his water is disqualified because of the activity he performed in sanctifying his colleague's water. If, however, he sanctifies water belonging to two other people at the same time, they are both acceptable, because the performance of work does not disqualify water belonging to others.

הַמְמַלֵּא לְעַצְמוֹ בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדָיו כְּאַחַת בְּקִדּוּשׁ אֶחָד פָּסוּל. בִּשְׁנֵי קִדּוּשִׁים כָּשֵׁר. קִדֵּשׁ לְעַצְמוֹ בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדָיו כְּאַחַת בְּקִדּוּשׁ אֶחָד כְּשֵׁרִים בִּשְׁנֵי קִדּוּשִׁין פְּסוּלִין. מִלֵּא וְקִדֵּשׁ בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדָיו כְּאַחַת לְעַצְמוֹ שְׁנֵיהֶן פְּסוּלִין. מִלֵּא לְאַחֵר בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדָיו כְּאַחַת בְּקִדּוּשׁ אֶחָד כָּשֵׁר בִּשְׁנֵי קִדּוּשִׁין פְּסוּלִין. קִדֵּשׁ לְאַחֵר בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדָיו כְּאַחַת בֵּין בְּקִדּוּשׁ אֶחָד בֵּין בִּשְׁנֵי קִדּוּשִׁין שְׁנֵיהֶן כְּשֵׁרִים. מִלֵּא וְקִדֵּשׁ בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדָיו כְּאַחַת לְאַחֵר הַמִּלּוּי פָּסוּל וְהַקִּדּוּשׁ כָּשֵׁר. זֶה הַכְּלָל כָּל מִלּוּי שֶׁעָשָׂה עִמּוֹ מְלָאכָה בֵּין שֶׁמִּלֵּא לְעַצְמוֹ בֵּין שֶׁמִּלֵּא לְאַחֵר פָּסוּל. וְכָל מַיִם שֶׁנִּתְמַלְּאוּ כְּהִלְכָתָן וְעָשָׂה מְלָאכָה קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּתֵּן אֶת הָאֵפֶר אִם הָיוּ הַמַּיִם שֶׁלּוֹ הֲרֵי הֵן פְּסוּלִין. וְאִם הָיוּ שֶׁל אַחֵר כְּשֵׁרִין. וְכָל דָּבָר שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ וְעָשָׂה מְלָאכָה בֵּין שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם שׁוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה מְלָאכָה בֵּין שֶׁאֵין [שָׁם] שׁוֹמֵר פָּסוּל. וְדָבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְּיָדוֹ וְעָשָׂה מְלָאכָה אִם יֵשׁ [שָׁם] שׁוֹמֵר לֹא פָּסַל. אִם אֵין שָׁם שׁוֹמֵר פָּסַל:

When a person fills two buckets with his two hands for himself and sanctifies them at once, they are disqualified. If he sanctifies them individually, they are acceptable. If he sanctifies water for himself with both hands at the same time in one sanctification, it is acceptable. If he sanctified two buckets at the same time, they are both disqualified. If, with his two hands, he filled one bucket of water and sanctified another existing bucket for himself, they are both disqualified. If he filled two buckets with his two hands for another person at the same time, when they are sanctified at once, they are both acceptable. If they were sanctified individually, they are disqualified. If he sanctifies water for another person with both hands at the same time as one sanctification it is acceptable. If, with his two hands, he filled one bucket of water and sanctified another existing bucket for another person, the bucket he filled is disqualified, but the bucket he sanctified is acceptable. This is the general principle: Whenever work was performed when water was drawn, whether one drew the water for himself or for another person, it is disqualified, Whenever water was drawn according to law and then one performed work before placing the ashes upon it, if the water belonged to him, it is disqualified. If it belongs to someone else, it is acceptable. In any situation when the water is in his hand and he performs work, whether there is a watchman who does not perform work or whether there is no watchman, the water is disqualified. When the water is not in his hand and he performed work, if there is a watchman, it is not disqualified. If there is no watchman, it is disqualified.

הָאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ קַדֵּשׁ לִי וַאֲקַדֵּשׁ לְךָ וְקִדְּשׁוּ זֶה לָזֶה הָרִאשׁוֹן כָּשֵׁר וְהַשֵּׁנִי פָּסוּל שֶׁהֲרֵי קִדֵּשׁ בְּשָׂכָר. אָמַר לוֹ מַלֵּא לִי וַאֲמַלֵּא לְךָ וּמִלְּאוּ זֶה לָזֶה הָרִאשׁוֹן פָּסוּל הוֹאִיל וְכַוָּנָתוֹ שֶׁיְּמַלֵּא לוֹ חֲבֵרוֹ. חֵלֶף מִלּוּי זֶה הֲרֵי זֶה כִּמְמַלֵּא לוֹ וּלְאַחֵר שֶׁהֵן פְּסוּלִין. וְהַשֵּׁנִי כָּשֵׁר שֶׁהַמִּלּוּי בְּשָׂכָר מֻתָּר וַהֲרֵי לֹא עָשָׂה מְלָאכָה אַחַר שֶׁמִּלֵּא וְאֵין בְּכַוָּנָתוֹ מִלּוּי אַחֵר:

When a person tells a colleague: "Sanctify water for me and I will sanctify water for you," and they sanctified water for each other, the first is acceptable and the second is disqualified, because he received a wage for sanctifying. If one tells the other: "Draw water for me and I will draw water for you," and they drew water for each other, the first is unacceptable. The rationale is that since his intent was that his colleague should draw water for him in exchange, it is considered as if he drew water for himself and another person at the same time, in which instance, the water is disqualified. The second bucket is acceptable, because it is permitted to receive payment for drawing water and he did not perform work after drawing the water, nor did have an intent regarding another drawing of water.

הָאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ קַדֵּשׁ לִי וַאֲמַלֵּא לְךָ שְׁנֵיהֶן כְּשֵׁרִין שֶׁהַמְּלָאכָה אֵינָהּ פּוֹסֶלֶת הַקִּדּוּשׁ וְהַמִּלּוּי בְּשָׂכָר מֻתָּר. מַלֵּא לִי וַאֲקַדֵּשׁ לְךָ שְׁנֵיהֶן פְּסוּלִין. זֶה שֶׁמִּלֵּא בַּתְּחִלָּה פָּסוּל שֶׁהֲרֵי הוּא כִּמְמַלֵּא וּמְקַדֵּשׁ כְּאַחַת וּפָסַל הַמַּיִם בַּמְּלָאכָה. וְזֶה שֶׁקִּדֵּשׁ בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה פָּסוּל שֶׁהֲרֵי קִדֵּשׁ בְּשָׂכָר וּכְאִלּוּ הֶחְזִיר חוֹב שֶׁעָלָיו:

When a person tells a friend: "Sanctify water for me and I will draw water for you," they are both acceptable. The rationale is that work does not disqualify sanctification and it permitted to receive a wage for drawing water. If one tells the other: "Draw water for me and I will sanctify water for you," they are both disqualified. The water drawn originally is disqualified, because it is considered as if he drew water and sanctified it at the same time and thus caused the water he drew to be disqualified because of the performance of work. And the water sanctified afterwards is disqualified, because it is as if he sanctified water for a wage, because it is as if he was repaying a debt for which he was liable.

הַהוֹלֵךְ לְקַדֵּשׁ הֲרֵי זֶה נוֹטֵל אֶת הַמַּפְתֵּחַ וּפוֹתֵחַ לְהוֹצִיא הָאֵפֶר. וְנוֹטֵל קַרְדֹּם אִם צָרִיךְ לַחְפֹּר בּוֹ אֵפֶר הַפָּרָה. וְנוֹטֵל סֻלָּם וּמוֹלִיךְ מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם לְהָבִיא הָאֵפֶר וְכָשֵׁר. וְאִם מִשֶּׁנָּטַל הָאֵפֶר לְקַדֵּשׁ בּוֹ כִּסָּה הַכְּלִי שֶׁהָיָה בּוֹ הָאֵפֶר. אוֹ שֶׁהֵגִיף אֶת הַדָּלֶת אוֹ שֶׁזָּקַף אֶת הַכְּלִי בָּאָרֶץ קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּשְׁלִיךְ הָאֵפֶר לַמַּיִם פָּסַל הַמַּיִם. אֲבָל הָאֵפֶר כָּשֵׁר לְקַדֵּשׁ בּוֹ מַיִם אֲחֵרִים. זָקַף אֶת הַכְּלִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ הָאֵפֶר בְּיָדוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִתְפַּזֵּר כְּשֵׁרִים מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁהֲרֵי אִם הִנִּיחוֹ בָּאָרֶץ פָּסַל. וְאִם כִּסָּהוּ פָּסַל. נָטַל אֶת הָאֵפֶר וְרָאָה שֶׁהוּא מְרֻבֶּה וְהֶחְזִיר מִמֶּנּוּ כָּשֵׁר. נָתַן הָאֵפֶר עַל הַמַּיִם וְרָאָה שֶׁהוּא מְרֻבֶּה וְנָטַל מִמֶּנּוּ לְקַדֵּשׁ מַיִם אֲחֵרִים כָּשֵׁר. קִרְסֵם עֲלֵה זַיִת לַחְתּוֹת בּוֹ הָאֵפֶר אִם בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁלֹּא יַחֲזִיק אֵפֶר הַרְבֵּה פָּסַל וְאִם בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס הָאֵפֶר בַּכְּלִי כָּשֵׁר:

When a person goes to sanctify water for the ashes of the red heifer, he may take the key to the closet where the ashes are kept and open it to take out the ashes. If it is necessary to dig out the ashes, he may take a hatchet. He may take a ladder and carry it from place to place to bring the ashes. In all these circumstances, the water and the ashes remain acceptable. If after taking the ashes for the sanctification, he covered the container in which the ashes were held, locked the door of the closet, or stood the container where the ashes were held upright on the ground before casting the ashes on the water, the water is disqualified, but the ashes are acceptable to sanctify other water. If, by contrast, he stood the container in which the ashes were held upright in his hand so that the remaining ashes would not be scattered, it is acceptable, because it is impossible to do otherwise. If he places it down on the ground, the water is disqualified and if he covers it, the water is disqualified. If he took ashes and saw that the amount was excessive and returned some, it is acceptable. If he cast the ashes on the water and then returned some, the water is acceptable. If he cast the ashes on the water and saw that the amount was excessive and took some to sanctify other water, it is acceptable. If he trimmed an olive leaf to use to cast the ashes, the ruling depends on his intent. If his intent was so that the leaf would not hold much ashes, the water is disqualified. If his intent was to direct the flow of the ashes so that they would enter the container holding the water, the water is acceptable.