Mishnah Categories

(1) Moshe received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to Yehoshua, and Yehoshua to the Elders, and the Elders to the Prophets, and the Prophets transmitted it to the Men of the Great Assembly. They said three things: Be deliberate in judgment, raise up many disciples and make a fence for the Torah.

(1) These are the things that have no measure: Peah [corner of the field which, while harvesting, must be left for the poor], Bikurim [First-fruits that must be brought to the Temple and given to the priest], the appearance-sacrifice [brought to the Temple on Pilgrimage Festivals], acts of kindness, and the study of the Torah. These are things the fruits of which a man enjoys in this world, while the principal remains for him in the World to Come: Honoring one's father and mother, acts of kindness, and bringing peace between a man and his fellow. But the study of Torah is equal to them all.

(1) There are two [types of] transfers on Shabbat which amount to four inside, and two which amount to four outside. How so? [This is illustrated by] a poor person standing outside and a homeowner [standing] inside: [If] the poor person reaches his hand inside and puts [something] into the hand of the homeowner, or takes [something] from [the hand] and brings it outside, the poor person is liable and the homeowner is exempt. [If] the homeowner reaches his hand outside and puts [something] into the hand of the poor person, or takes [something] from [the hand] and brings it inside, the homeowner is liable and the poor person is exempt. [If] the poor person reaches his hand inside and the homeowner takes [something] from it, or puts [something] into it, and [the poor person] brings it outside, they are both exempt. [If] the homeowner reaches his hand outside and the poor person takes [something] from it, or puts [something] into it, and [the homeowner] brings it inside, they are both exempt.

(1) They [the Sages] stated a major rule they with respect to Shabbat: [If] one [entirely] forgot the principle of Shabbat, and performed many Melakhot [constructive activities forbidden on Shabbat and festivals] on many Shabbatot, he is only liable for one Chattat [an offering brought to expiate sin]. [If] one was aware of the principle of Shabbat, but performed many Melakhot on many Shabbatot he is liable for [one Chattat] for every Shabbat. [If] one knew it was Shabbat and performed many Melakhot on many Shabbatot, he is liable [to bring a separate a Chattat] for every principal Melakhah. [If] one performed many Melakhot all of which stem from the same principal Melakhah, he is bound to bring but one Chattat.

(2) The [number of] principal Melakhot is forty minus one. [The forbidden Melakhot are]: Sowing, plowing, reaping, binding sheaves, threshing, winnowing, sorting, grinding, sifting, kneading, baking, shearing wool, whitening it, combing it, dyeing it, spinning, weaving, making two loops, weaving two threads, separating two threads, tying [a knot], untying [a knot], sewing two stitches, tearing for the purpose of sewing two stitches, hunting a deer, slaughtering it, skinning it, salting it, curing its hide, scraping it, cutting it, writing two letters, erasing for the purpose of writing two letters, building, demolishing, extinguishing a flame, lighting a flame, striking with a hammer, carrying from one domain to another. These are the principal Melakhot - [they number] forty minus one.

(1) The four new years are: On the first of Nisan, the new year for the kings and for the festivals; On the first of Elul, the new year for the tithing of animals; Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Shimon say, on the first of Tishrei. On the first of Tishrei, the new year for years, for the Sabbatical years and for the Jubilee years and for the planting and for the vegetables. On the first of Shevat, the new year for the trees according to the words of the House of Shammai; The House of Hillel says, on the fifteenth thereof.

(1) Fifteen classes of women exempt their rivals and their rivals' rivals ad infinitum from Chalitzah [the ceremony releasing the widow of a childless man from the obligation of Levirate marriage] and Yibum [Levirate marriage wherein a man weds his childless brother's widow]. And these are they: His [the Yavam - the surviving brother's] daughter, and his daughter's daughter, and his son's daughter, and his wife's daughter, and her [his wife's] son's daughter, and her [his wife's] daughter's daughter, and his mother-in-law, and his mother-in-law's mother, and his father-in-law's mother, and his maternal sister, and his mother's sister, and his wife's sister, and his maternal brother's wife, and the wife of his brother who was not alive [when the younger brother lived], and his daughter-in-law. These exempt their rivals and their rivals' rivals from Chalitzah and from Yibum ad infinitum. [If] any of these [women] died, or refused [as adults to remain in marriages they were forced into as minors], or were divorced, or were found to be barren, their rivals are permitted [to the Yavam]. But regarding his mother-in-law, and his mother-in-law's mother, and his father-in-law's mother you cannot say that they were found to be barren or that they refused.

(1) A woman is acquired in three ways, and she acquires herself in two ways. She is acquired through money, through a document, or through sexual intercourse. Through money: Beit Shammai say, "With a dinar [a specific unit of money] or with the equivalent value of a dinar." And Beit Hillel say, "With a perutah or with the equivalent value of a perutah." How much is a perutah? One eighth of an Italian issar [a specific unit of money equal to one twenty-fourth of a dinar]. And she acquires herself through a bill of divorce or through the death of the husband. A yevamah [a widow whose brother-in-law performed levirate marriage with her] is acquired through sexual intercourse, and acquires herself through chalitzah [the ceremony performed by the widow of a childless man as an alternative way to release herself from the obligation to wait for levirate marriage] or through the death of the yavam [one upon whom has fallen the obligation to perform levirate marriage].

(1) [There are] four categories of damages: The ox, the pit, the grazer, and the fire. The [characteristics] of the ox are not similar to the [characteristics] of the grazer. And the [characteristics] of the grazer are not similar to the [characteristics] of the ox. Nor are either of these, which have a living spirit, similar to the fire, which has no living spirit. Nor are any of these, which move and do damage, similar to the pit, which does not move and does damage. What is common among them is that they do damage, and the responsibility for their supervision is upon you. And when they do damage, the damager must pay from the best of the land.

(1) One who injures his fellow is liable concerning him for five categories [of payment]: damages, pain, healthcare, unemployment, and shame. For damages, how [is this calculated?] One who puts out his eye, cuts off his hand, breaks his leg—we see him as if he were a slave sold in the marketplace, and we evaluate how much he was worth [the injury] and how much he is worth now. Pain? When he burned him with a spit or a nail—even on his fingernail—anything where there is no [permanent] wound, we evaluate how much a similar person would want to pay to be spared this [pain]. Healthcare? When he strikes him, he is liable for his healthcare costs. If swellings arose on him, if they were because of the strike, then he is liable; but if it was not because of the strike, he is exempt. If the swelling healed and then reopened and then healed and reopened, he is liable for his healthcare. If it healed entirely, he is exempt from his healing. Unemployment? We see him as if he were a guard of gourds, since he already gave him the value [for the loss] of his hand or his leg. Shame? All depends on the one who shames and the one who is shamed. One who shames a naked person, a blind person or a sleeping person is liable. If a sleeping person embarrasses, he is exempt. One who falls from the roof and caused damage and shamed, he is liable for damages and exempt for shame, as it is written, "[when two men fight and the wife of one comes out to save her husband,] and she puts out her hand and seizes his genitals (lit. damages his shame) [you shall cut off her hand]" (Deuteronomy 25:11-12). No one is liable for shame unless one intended to cause it.

(1) Monetary cases [are judged] by three [judges]. [Cases of] theft and personal injury [are judged] by three [judges]. [Suits for] damages or half-damages, [crimes for which one would] pay double, or pay quadruple or quintuple, [are judged] by three [judges]. [Cases of] rape, seduction, and slander [are judged] by three [judges]- these are the words of Rabbi Meir. But the Sages say, [a case of] slander [is judged] by twenty-three [judges], because this is a capital case.

(2) [Cases regarding transgressions punishable by] lashing, by three. In the name of Rabbi Yishmael it was said, by twenty-three. Intercalating the month by three; intercalating the year, by three, these are the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel says, They begin with three, deliberate with five, and finish with seven. But if they finish with three, [the year] has been intercalated.

(3) The laying of the hands by the elders, and the breaking of the neck of the calf [are performed] by three [judges], these are the words of Rabbi Shimon. But Rabbi Yehudah says, by five. Chalitzah (declination of levirate marriage) and mi'un (rejection of youth betrothal), by three. Fourth year produce or the second tithe with unknown value, by three. [Redemption of] dedications [for the Temple], by three. Valuations of chattel, by three. Rabbi Yehudah says: one [of the judges] must be a priest. [Redemption of] real estate, by nine and a priest. Similarly with [redemption of the value of] a man.

(4) Capital cases, by twenty-three. Bestiality, by twenty-three, as it says (Leviticus 20:16) "and you shall kill the woman and the beast," and it says, (Leviticus 20:15) "and you shall kill the beast." An ox to be stoned, by twenty-three, as it is written (Exodus 21:29) "the ox shall be stoned and its owner shall also be put to death," as is the death of the owner, so is the death of the ox. The wolf and the lion, the bear and the tiger, the leopard and the snake, are put to death by twenty-three. Rabbi Eli'ezer says: Whoever is the first to kill [the animal] has performed a meritorious deed. Rabbi Akiva says: they are put to death by twenty-three.

(5) They may not judge a tribe, or a false prophet, or a high priest, except by a court of seventy-one. They may not [declare] an optional war, except by a court of seventy-one. They may not add [annex] to the city [Jerusalem] or [Temple] Courtyards, except by a court of seventy-one. They may not make a Sanhedrin for [individual] tribes, except by a court of seventy-one. They may not proclaim a wayward city [a city whose inhabitants are mostly idolatrous Jews], except by a court of seventy-one. They may not make a wayward city on the border, nor may they [make] three wayward cities, only one or two.

(6) The great Sanhedrin [Highest court, charged with deciding cases and appeals that had national significance. It was comprised of 71 scholars who had received the full traditional rabbinical ordination, and its decisions fixed Jewish practice for subsequent generations.][was comprised of] seventy-one [judges], and a small [Sanhedrin] twenty-three [judges]. From where [do we derive] that the great [Sanhedrin] [comprises] seventy-one [judges]? As it says, (Numbers 11:16) "gather for me seventy men from the elders of Israel," and Moses [set] over them, behold, [the number of judges adds to] seventy-one. Rabbi Yehudah says: seventy. And from where [do we derive] that a small [Sanhedrin] [comprises] twenty-three [judges]? As it says, (Numbers 35:24-25) "the assembly shall judge... the assembly shall deliver." The assembly judges and the assembly delivers- behold [the number of judges adds to] twenty. From where [do we derive] that the assembly is ten? As it says, (Numbers 14:27) "Until when shall I bear this wicked assembly." This excludes Joshua and Caleb. And from where [do we derive that we] add three more? This is implied by the [verse], as it says, (Exodus 23:2) "Do not follow the many to do evil." Should I learn to follow them to do good? If so, why does it say (Exodus 23:2) "Following the many to distort [justice]" - your following to do good is not like your following to do evil. Following to do good [i.e. acquittal] is by one, following to do evil [i.e. conviction] is by two. Since a court cannot [contain an] even [number of members], we add [to the number of judges] one more- behold this is twenty-three. And how many [inhabitants] must a city have before it may have a Sanhedrin? One hundred and twenty. Rabbi Nechemiah says, two hundred and thirty, [each judge] corresponding to a chief of a group of ten.

(1) The Origins of impurity: the sheretz [one of eight creeping creatures, whose identities are debated, and whose carcasses transmit ritual impurity upon contact], semen, that which is rendered impure by a dead body, the metzora [victim of a Divinely inflicted skin disease] while he is in his days of counting, a small amount of purifying water that is not enough to perform the sprinkling ceremony - can render persons and vessels impure through touch, and pottery vessels through the air, but they do not render impure when they are carried.

(2) Higher than these: the nevelah [an animal which died without proper slaughter] and purifying water of which there is enough to perform the sprinkling ceremony, as they render impure a person through carrying and clothing through touch, and without clothes [on an unclothed area of a person], by touch.

(3) Higher than these: one who has intercourse with a niddah [a woman who is menstruating or has menstruated, but has not yet immersed], for he renders impure the bottom [layer] of what lies beneath him in like degree to the top. Higher than this: the abnormal genital discharge of a zav [man with an abnormal genital discharge], his spittle, his semen, and his urine, and the blood of the menstruant, for they convey impurity both by contact and by carrying. Higher than these: the impurity of a saddle, for it conveys impurity even to what lies beneath a heavy stone. Higher than a saddle: what one lies upon, since contact with it is equal to carrying it. Higher than what one lies upon: a zav; for a zav conveys impurity to what he lies upon, while what he lies upon does not convey the same level of impurity to that upon which it lies.

(4) Higher than the zav is the zavah [a woman with an abnormal genital discharge], for she conveys impurity to one who has intercourse with her. Higher than the zavah: the metzora, for he renders impure by entering. Higher than the metzora: bone the size of a barley grain, for it coneys seven-day impurity. More severe than all of these: a corpse, for it conveys impurity via overshadowing, which nothing else can do.

(6) There are ten degrees of holiness. The land of Israel is holier than any other land. Wherein lies its holiness? In that from it are brought the omer [barley offering brought on the second day of Passover], the first fruits, and the two loaves [offered on Shavuot], which may not be brought from any other land.

(7) The walled cities are still more holy, in that they must send forth the metzoraim from their midst, and they may carry around a corpse therein as far as necessary, but once it is taken out, they may not bring it back.

(8) Inside the wall [of Jerusalem] is more holy than these, because there the less holy [offerings] and the second tithe are eaten. The Temple Mount has greater sanctity, because men and women with discharges, menstruating women, and women who have given birth may not enter there. The Cheil [a low fence around the Temple, which served as a boundary, beyond which entry to those impure was prohibited] has higher sanctity, because gentiles and people contaminated with corpse impurity may not enter there. The women's courtyard has higher sanctity, because a tevul yom may not enter there, but they are not liable for a sin offering for doing so. The Israelites' courtyard has higher sanctity, because one who lacks atonement may not enter there, and is liable for a sin offering for doing so. The priests' courtyard has higher sanctity, because the Israelites may not enter there except at the time of their [ritual] requirements: the laying on of hands, the slaughter, and the wave-offering.

(9) Between the porch and the altar has still higher sanctity, because [priests] with blemishes and loosened hair may not enter there. The sanctuary has higher sanctity, because no one may enter there who has not washed their hands and feet. The holy of holies has greater sanctity than these, because no one may enter there except the High Priest on the Day of Atonement at the time of the service. Rabbi Yose said: In five ways [the area] between the porch and the altar is equal to the sanctuary because [priests] with blemishes, loosened hair, who have consumed wine, and who have not washed their hands and feet may not enter there, and they separate themselves from between the porch and the altar at the time of [the offering of the] incense.

(1) There are six levels of mikvaot [gatherings of water collected by natural means and immersed in for purification], each [subsequent] one higher than the other: [The first and lowest level is] water collected in shallow pools [in the ground]. If an impure person drank [from one], and a pure person drank [from it afterwards], he is impure. If an impure person drank, and someone filled up a pure vessel [from those waters afterwards], it [the vessel] is impure. If an impure person drank, and then loaf of terumah fell in, if one rinsed [the loaf], it is impure; and if one did not rinse it, it is pure.

(2) If one filled an impure vessel [from water collected in such pools], and a pure person drank [from it], he is impure. If one filled using an impure vessel, and then filled a pure vessel [with the waters from the first vessel], it is impure. If one filled an impure vessel, and then a loaf of terumah fell in [the pool], if one rinsed it, it is impure; and if one did not rinse it, it is pure.

(3) If impure waters fell [into such a pool], and a pure person drank [from it], he is impure. If impure waters fell in, and one filled a pure vessel [from it], it is impure. If impure waters fell in, and then loaf of terumah fell in, if one rinsed [the loaf], it is impure; and if one did not rinse it, it is pure. Rabbi Shimon says: whether or not once rinsed it, it is impure.

(4) If a dead person fell into them [the waters of such a pool], or if someone impure walked through them, if a pure person then drank [from them], he is [still] pure. As with the waters of shallow pools, [similarly] the waters of pits, the waters of trenches, the waters of caves, runoff waters that stopped [flowing from the mountains], and mikvaot that do not contain forty se'ah [a specific unit of volume], they are all pure during the rain. Once the rain stops, those [waters] close to cities and to the roads are presumed are [presumed to be] impure; and those far away are [presumed to be] pure, but only until [the rain damage of the nearby paths is repaired such that] most people walk by them.

(5) When does their purity [that of the waters of shallow pools during the rain] begin? Beit Shamai say: from when they [the rain waters] exceed [the amount of the pools' waters] and cause overflow. Beit Hillel say: [from when] they exceed, even if they do not cause overflow. Rabbi Shimon says: [from when] they cause overflow, even if they do not exceed. [Such waters are] valid to be used for challah [a portion of a batch of bread dough given to a priest which becomes holy upon separation, and can only be consumed by priests or their household], as well as for washing [literally: taking] one's hands with them.

(6) Above these [mikvaot described, and next in the hierarchy of mikvaot,] are runoff waters that have not stopped [flowing down from the mountains]. If an impure person drank [from them], and a pure person drank [afterwards], he is [still] pure. If an impure person drank, and someone filled up a pure vessel [from those waters afterwards], it is pure. If an impure person drank, and then a loaf of terumah fell in, even if one rinsed [the loaf], it is pure. If one filled an impure vessel [from the runoff waters], and a pure person drank [from it], he is pure. If one filled using an impure vessel, and then filled a pure vessel [from the first vessel], it is pure. If one filled an impure vessel, and then a loaf of terumah fell in [the runoff waters], even if one rinsed it, it is pure. If impure waters fell [into the runoff waters], and a pure person drank [from it], he is pure. If impure waters fell in, and one filled a pure vessel [from it], it is pure. If impure waters fell in, and then a loaf of terumah fell in, even if one rinsed it, it is pure. [And these waters are] valid for [use with] terumah, as well as for washing [literally: taking] one's hands with them.

(7) Above these [mikvaot described thus far, and next in the hierarchy of mikvaot,] is a mikveh containing forty se'ah [of water], in which one can immerse one's self and immerse other item [for purification]. Above these [mikvaot, and next in the hierarchy of mikvaot,] is a natural spring whose waters are few, and are exceeded by a greater quantity of drawn waters [which were added]. This [type of spring] is equivalent to a mikveh in that it purifies [only] when it is contained [in one place, standing still and not flowing], but [it is equivalent] to a spring in that one can immerse something in it [to purity it] when there is any amount of water [i.e. there is no minimum measure required].

(8) Above these [mikvaot described thus far, and next in the hierarchy of mikvaot,] are blighted waters, which purify even when flowing. Above these are living waters [i.e. pure, potable spring waters], that with them zavim [individuals who have certain types of atypical genital discharges, which render them impure] may be purified, and lepers may be sprinkled [as part of the process of purifying them], and they [these waters] are valid for use for the chatat ritual [i.e. to sanctify them with the ashes of a red heifer as part of the purification ritual].