Playback speed

Tohoros 4:4-5

Tohoros 4:4

If a raven had an olive-sized piece of a corpse in its mouth and we don’t know if it overshadowed a person or utensils in a private domain, the person’s case of doubt is ruled unclean, while the utensils’ case of doubt is ruled clean. If a person drew water in ten buckets and a dead vermin was found in one of them, only that bucket is ruled unclean; the others remain clean. If a person poured liquid from one vessel to another and a dead vermin was found in the lower vessel, the higher vessel remains clean.

Tohoros 4:5

Trumah is burned because of six doubtful situations: (1) because of doubts regarding a plowed grave (beis ha’pras); (2) because of doubts regarding soil that was brought from outside Israel; (3) because of doubts regarding the garments of an unlearned person; (4) because of doubts regarding utensils that were found; (5) because of doubts regarding saliva that was found; (6) because of doubts regarding human urine that was near animal urine. If one is sure that these things were touched but unsure whether they were in fact unclean, trumah is burned. Rabbi Yosi says that trumah is also burned if one is unsure about contact in a private domain; the Sages say that trumah is suspended (i.e., neither eaten nor burned) in a private domain and ruled clean in a public domain.

Author: Rabbi Jack Abramowitz