Mikvaos 2:9-10

Mikvaos 2:9

If a person arranged jugs in the cistern of a mikvah and they filled with water, they should be broken (to allow the water to run into the mikvah) even if the cistern absorbed all the remaining water.

Mikvaos 2:10

Let’s say that a mikvah contains 40 seah of water and mud (i.e., 40 seah of both of these things combined). Rabbi Eliezer says that one may immerse in the water but not in the mud; Rabbi Yehoshua says that one may immerse both in the water and in the mud. This was only said about mud over which water floats. If the water was only on one side, Rabbi Yehoshua agrees that one may immerse in the water but not in the mud. Rabbi Meir says they were also only speaking of mud in which a reed will sink on its own; Rabbi Yehuda says they were speaking of mud in which a measuring rod won’t stand. Abba Elazar ben Dolai says they were speaking of mud in which a plumb bob will sink. Rabbi Eliezer says it refers to the kind of mud that can be poured through the mouth of a jug. Rabbi Shimon says it refers to mud that will pass through the tube of a water skin. Rabbi Elazar bar Tzadok says it refers to mud that can be measured in a log measure (log referring to the measure of volume – about 13 ounces).