1)

(a)When the Tana says Adam ve'Keilim Na'asin Ohalin le'Tum'ah, it means that - an Ohel that is supported by a person or Keilim, transmits Tum'ah from one end to the other (see also Tos. Yom-Tov).

(b)It is not however, considered an Ohel - to prevent Tum'ah from reaching the other side.

(c)To illustrate this, the Tana rules that - if four people are carrying a wide brick (see Tos. Yom-Tov) and there is a piece of Meis ...

1. ... underneath the brick - any Keilim that are on top of it are Tamei (see Tos. Yom-Tov), and the same applies ...

2. ... if they are on top of the brick (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

(d)R. Eliezer - declares the Keilim Tahor in both cases, because he holds that the Ohel is considered an Ohel Letaher in all the above cases (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

2)

(a)The Tana rules, in a case where the large brick is supported by four Keilim that are made of ...

1. ... metal - like it did in the previous case, that the Keilim are Tamei, whether the piece of Meis is on top the brick and they are on top of it or vice-versa, they are Tamei, and the same Din will apply even if the Keilim are made of ...

2. ... animal's manure, stone or earth (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

3. ... four stones or animals - then in both cases, they remain Tahor (See Tos. Yom-Tov Parah, 3:2 DH 'Sh'varim').

3)

(a)The Mishnah now discusses a burial procession that is walking through a sun-porch, and one of the Melavei ha'Meis (those accompanying the deceased) closes the door - and supports it with a key.

(b)Everything in the house remains Tahor - provided the door can still stand without the key.

(c)The person who closed the door cannot be one of the pall-bearers - because if he was, the contents of the house would already be Tamei before the door is closed (see also Tos. Yom-Tov).

4)

(a)The Tana discusses a similar case, only instead of a door-key, he refers to a jar of dry figs or a box of straw - that is blocking a window of a square Tefach, on one side of which there is a Meis, and on the other, Keilim.

(b)The Keilim on the other side of the window ...

1. ... will remain Tahor - if the figs or the straw are able to remain in their place by themselves, and ...

2. ... even if they cannot - if the jar is made of earthenware and its mouth is facing the other way (since K'lei Cheres are not subject to Tuma'ah from the back).

(c)The Keilim will become Tamei however, even if the figs or the straw can remain in their place by themselves - if the latter are still fit to be eaten or used, in which case the owner is not Mevatel them there, and they will not serve as a Mechitzah between the Meis and the Keilim (see also Tos. Yom-Tov).

(d)The Keilim will remain Tahor however, in spite of the fact that they are still fit for use - if they fill the entire gap, without the assistance of the jar.

5)

(a)The Mishnah draws the same distinction in a case where one put up a cemented wall of earthenware jars and there is a Meis on one side of the wall and Keilim on the other. The Keilim will remain Tahor - provided the cement is thick enough to be able to remain standing, even if the jars are removed ...

(b)... unless the backs of the jars are facing the Meis, in which case they will remain Tahor even if the cement is unable to stand by itself (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

(c)In the initial case - it will make no difference whether one cements the side of the Tum'ah or of the Keilim.

6)

(a)The Mishnah rules that the wall of a house is Halachically divided into two (Yidon Mechtzah le'Mechtzah') with regard to Tum'ah. On the other side of the wall is - a Chatzer or a garden (see Tos. Yom-Tov [see also Tos. Yom-Tov DH 've'ha'Tum'ah be'Socho']).

(b)The piece of Meis is lying - in a tight cavity (see Tos. Yom-Tov) in the wall.

(c)The significance of the ruling (assuming that the Tum'ah is lying in the inner half of the wall [the half that is nearer the house]) is that - the Keilim in the house are Tamei ... .

(d)... whereas Keilim that are lying on top of the wall directly above the house - are Tahor (despite the fact that it is Tum'ah Retzutzah) ...

(e)... because it is as if the Tim'ah was lying in the house (See Tiferes Yisrael).

7)

(a)The house will remain Tahor however - if the Tum'ah is lying in the outer half of the wall ...

(b)... in which case Keilim that are lying on top of the wall directly above the house will become Tamei.

(c)In a case where the Tum'ah is lying exactly in the middle, the Mishnah declares the house Tamei, and according to Chachamim, the K'li atop the wall is Tahor, like the Din in the Reisha. But R. Meir rules - that they are Tamei as well.

(d)R. Yehudah maintains that - the entire wall belongs to the house (and in all cases, the Keilim in the house become Tamei, and those on top of the wall will remain Tahor).

8)

(a)In the above case, but where the wall is between two rooms, assuming the Tum'ah is ...

1. ... nearer to one room than to the other, the Tana rules that - the Keilim in the room to which the Tum'ah is nearest are Tamei (whilst those in the other room are Tahor).

2. ... in the middle - he rules that both rooms are Tamei.

(b)Keilim that are atop the wall - are Tahor either way.

(c)And in a case where the Tum'ah is ...

1. ... embedded in the cement (the ceiling) that divides between the room below and the attic above - he applies the same principle Yadun Mechtzah le'Mechtzah (though he does not actually use this expression [see Tos. Yom-Tov]), and the same applies there where the Tum'ah is ...

2. ... lying in one of the two rooms and the Keilim are embedded in the cement.

9)

(a)In a case of Mechtzah le'Mechtzah - he rules Sheneihen Temei'in (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

(b)Here too, R. Yehudah holds that - all the cement belongs to the attic, and not to the room below.

(c)The Halachah is - like the Tana Kama.

10)

(a)The Mishnah discusses a piece of Meis lying on the cement between the rafters, which requires two conditions for the Keilim in the room to be Tamei. The ...

1. ... cement must be - at least as thick as a garlic peel, and ...

2. ... cavity in which the Meis is lying must measure at least one cubic Tefach.

(b)If the cavity measures less than a cubic Tefach - then it adopts the Din of Tum'ah Retzutzah, and the Tum'ah goes straight up and straight down, but does not spread out to the side (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

(c)Even if the cavity measures a cubic Tefach however, the room will become Tamei - if the cement is less than a Tefach thick (which is synonymous with saying that it can be seen from the room below [see Tos. Yom-Tov]).

11)

(a)Now the Mishnah discusses a wall that divides between two Kuchin - sepulchral chambers, or two caves.

(b)The Tana refers to this as Bayis ha'Meshamesh es ha'Kosel -because the wall was not formed, but was automatically created after the two chambers were dug out.

(c)Assuming that there is a Meis lying in one of the Batim - the caves or the Kuchin) and Keilim inside the dividing wall, or vice-versa, the Keilim will become Tamei - if the division is less than the thickness of a garlic-peel.

(d)Unlike the previous case) they remain Tahor even if there is no cavity of a cubic Tefach - because the dividing wall was not actually dug (as we explained [see also Tos. Yom-Tov]).

12)

(a)If there is a pillar in the Kuch or in the cave, the Tum'ah is lying underneath it and there are Keilim in the room (or vice-versa), the Keilim will remain Tahor - provided the Tum'ah is lying in a space of less than a cubic Tefach ...

(b)... because then the Tum'ah goes straight up and straight down (Tum'ah Retzutzah Boka'as le'Ma'lah ... ), and the same ruling will apply ...

(c)... in the same situation, but where the pillar is in a house.

13)

(a)The Tana Kama declares Tahor, Keilim that are under the Perach - the ornamental section of the pillar that juts out from the central column.

(b)They are not Tamei - due to the principle Tum'ah Retzutzah Boka'as ve'Olah ... .

(c)R. Yochanan ben Nuri rules that - they are Tamei (see Tiferes Yisrael).

14)

(a)Assuming that there is both a k'Zayis of Tum'ah and Keilim under the Perach (possibly one on either side of the pillar), the latter will be Tamei - provided the Perach juts out at least a Tefach (see Tos. Yom-Tov and Tiferes Yisrael).

(b)The pillar currently under discussion must be situated - in the street or in a garden which has no roof ...

(c)... because otherwise - the Keilim would be Tamei anyway [see Tos. Yom-Tov & Mishnah Achronah]).

15)

(a)The Mishnah now discusses two Fardaskim - two cupboards set inside the wall of the room with windows and doors, that are either beside one another or one on top of the other.

(b)The Tum'ah is - underneath one of them (or underneath the bottom one).

(c)Assuming that the door of one of them is open, the Tana declares Tamei the Keilim that are also inside it. The Keilim that are in ...

1. ... the room - are Tamei too, even if the Tum'ah is underneath the outer half of the Fardaskim [see Tos. Yom-Tov), whereas ...

2. ... the other Fardaskim - is Tahor (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

(d)In a case where both doors are shut, he rules - Ro'in es Fardaskim Ke'ilu Hu Atum, meaning that we consider both Fardaskim as if they were completely filled in, in which case it will depend whether the Tum'ah is underneath the inner half of the Fardaskim or the outer half (as we learned above in Mishnah 3 [see also Tiferes Yisrael]).