Siman - Pesachim Daf 19
- Machlokes if tziruf is d’Oraysa or d’Rabbanon
The Gemara brings a Mishnah from Chagigah that states, הכלי מצרף את מה שבתוכו– A kli combines that which is inside it, so that if some of the food in the kli becomes tamei, the tumah extends to all of the food, לקודש אבל לא תרומה – this pertains to kodesh but not to foods of terumah. Rashi explains that if a long trough has foods of kodesh at either end that are not touching each other, and one who is tamei touched the food at one end, even the kodesh food at the other end is tamei, because the trough combines them as one entity.
There is a machlokes whether צירוף is d’Oraysa or d’Rabbanon.
Rebbe Yochanan holds that it is a d’Rabbanon based on a Mishnah from Eduyos that states that Rebbe Akiva said that if a tevul yom touched part of סולת - fine flour of kodesh, or ketores, or levonah, or coals, פסל את כולן - he has passuled the entire heap. We see from here that tziruf is a d’Rabbanon because levonah and coals are inedible, and therefore can only become tamei mid’Rabbanon.
Rebbe Chanin holds tziruf is a d’Oraysa based on the passuk, כף אחת עשרה זהב מלאה קטרת – One gold ladle worth ten shekels, filled with ketores, הכתוב עשה כל מה שבכף אחת – the Torah made everything that is in the ladle into one entity. Rashi explains that this is learned from the word אחת and since it is referring to ketores, tziruf only applies to kodesh.
- Tumas yadaim does not apply in the Beis HaMikdash
It was taught in a Mishnah in Eduyos, that Rebbe Chanina Sgan HaKohanim testified concerning a needle that was discovered in the flesh of a slaughtered korban while the flesh was being cut, שהסכין והידים טהורות והבשר טמא – that the knife and hands are tahor but the flesh is tamei. Rebbe Akiva remarked, זכינו שאין טומאת ידים במקדש – We are fortunate that the decree of tumah on the hands does not apply in the Beis Hamikdash. Rashi explains that we are fortunate because if the decree of tumah on one’s hands did apply, there would be a great loss to kodshim if they were touched.
- The azarah is considered a reshus harabim
According to Rav, Rebbe Chanina’s testimony involved a lost needle that belonged to someone who was a tamei meis. The Gemara asked, based on the passuk of בחלל חרב, - the body of someone felled by a sword, the needle should have the status of an av hatumah and be able to be metamei people and keilim. Why does the Mishnah rule that the Kohen’s hands and knife are tahor?
Rav Ashi said that this ruling of the Mishnah indicates, עזרה רשות הרבים היא – The Temple Courtyard is considered a reshus harabim, and the halachah is, כל ספק טומאה ברשות הרבים ספקו טהור – When any safek tumah occurs in reshus harabim the safek is deemed tahor.
