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Ohalos 3:1-2

Ohalos 3:1

If anything that conveys impurity through a tent was split and brought into a house, Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas declares it ritually clean while the Sages declare it unclean. For example, if a person touches or carries two pieces of carrion, each the volume of half an olive; if one touches a piece of corpse the volume of half an olive and simultaneously overshadows another piece the volume of half an olive; if one touches a piece of corpse the volume of half an olive and is simultaneously overshadowed by another piece the volume of half an olive; if one overshadows two pieces, each the volume of half an olive; if one overshadows a piece the volume of half an olive and is simultaneously overshadowed by another piece the volume of half an olive – in all of these cases, Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas declares one ritually clean while the Sages declare him unclean. However, if one touches a piece the volume of half an olive and something overshadows both him and another piece the volume of half an olive, or if one overshadows a piece the volume of half an olive and something overshadows both him and another piece the volume of half an olive, in these cases he is ritually clean. Rabbi Meir says that even in these cases Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas rules one clean and the Sages rule him unclean. According to Rabbi Meir, the Sages would say that everything is unclean except for contact combined with carrying or carrying combined with tent. The general rule is that if the transmissions of impurity are from the same category, the result is ritually unclean; if they’re from two different categories, the result is ritually clean.

Ohalos 3:2

If a scoop of decomposed corpse was scattered in a house, the house is rendered ritually unclean, though Rabbi Shimon declares it clean. If a reviis of blood was absorbed in a house, the house is ritually clean. If it was absorbed by a garment, then if laundering would cause a reviis of blood to come out, it is unclean; if this isn’t the case, then the garment is clean. This is because something that has been absorbed and cannot come out is clean.

Author: Rabbi Jack Abramowitz