הלכות כלים

The strands that emerge from the weave and those at the beginning of the sheet of fabric and at its end are called nimin. Until what measure are they considered as part of the fabric? For a sheet, for a headcovering, a scarf, or a veil, six fingerbreadths. For a cloak that is open across its entire length and which is then closed with loops, the measure of its strands is ten fingerbreadths; a thick blanket, a mantle, a cloak, three fingerbreadths. Even if the garment is impure due to the impurity of a zav or because of another form of impurity, if one touches a strand beyond these measures, he remains pure. Needless to say that if impurity touched the additional portion, the garment does not contract impurity.

There is no minimum measure for the strands that emerge from a headcovering, a mask worn by the Arabs over their faces, a belt made of goats' hair, undergarments worn by a person close to his flesh, a handkerchief, and a curtain placed over entrances like a drape.

When a plumb line contracts impurity, the twelve handbreadths of its strand are considered as joined to it. Anyone who touches a portion beyond twelve handbreadths is pure. A plumb line of carpenters is eighteen handbreadths; one used by the builders of large structures is 50 cubits. When one touches any portion beyond these measures, even if the owner desires that it be preserved, he is pure.

The length of the chain of a scale of goldsmiths, an ordinary balance scale, or a scale used by those who weigh precious purple cloth which is held by the seller, suspending the scale from his hand, is three fingerbreadths. Its horizontal beam and its strings have no specific length.
The length of the chain of the scale of sellers of scrap metal and the like is three handbreadths. Its beam and its strings are twelve handbreadths. The length of the chain of a scale used by merchants and homeowners is a handbreadth. Its beam and its strings are six handbreadths. The length of the chain of a scale used by wool merchants and those who weigh glass is two handbreadths. Its beam and its strings are nine handbreadths. Anything more than these measures is not considered as joined to the scale.

When is the cord used to tie the supports for a bed considered as joined to the bed? When one ties three squares. One who touches the cord from the point where it is tied and further inward is impure. For three fingerbreadths, the length of the cord on the outside of the knot is impure, because that measure is necessary for the knot and is considered as part of the bed. Anything outside of three fingerbreadths is pure, because it is not necessary for the k'li. Even if it is cut off, the knot will not become undone.

When a person touches a cord extending out from a bed that is impure, until the end of four handbreadths, he is pure. The rationale is that this measure is not considered as necessary for the bed, since it is not fit for any purpose. From the beginning of the fifth handbreadth until the end of the tenth handbreadth, he is impure, because the cord is used to tie the beds when they are hung from the walls. From ten handbreadths and more, he is pure, because it is more than what is necessary for the bed.

The woven band tied around a bed to reinforce the connection between its components is called a mizran. The following rules apply with regard to the portion that extends outside the bed. For ten handbreadths, it is considered as necessary for the bed. Anything more than that is not necessary for the bed.
When a mizran has worn out, if seven handbreadths of it - enough to make a girdle for a donkey - remain, it is susceptible to impurity.

When a bed was impure because it served as a support for a zav and a portion of its mizran protrudes from it, for ten handbreadths, it is a primary source of impurity like the bed itself. Everything is considered as a support to which a zav imparted impurity. Beyond ten handbreadths, the extra portion of the mizran is impure like an object that was touched by a support to which a zav imparted impurity.
When a zav steps on the extension of a mizran, if he steps on the first ten handbreadths, the entire bed is considered as a support to which a zav imparted impurity. If he steps on the portion, outside of ten handbreadths, the bed is pure.
With regard to what does the above apply? With regard to impurity stemming from serving as support for a zav. With regard to other types of impurity, even 100 cubits is considered as attached to the bed.
What is implied? When a mizran is wound around a bed and one brought its end into a structure in which a human corpse was found, the carcass of a crawling animal touched its end, or impure liquids fell on its end, the bed contracts impurity even if the end of the mizran that contracted impurity is 100 cubits away from the bed itself.

When a bed was impure because it was used as a support for a zav and one wound a mizran around it, everything contracts that impurity. If one separated them afterwards, the bed retains its original status, but the mizran is considered merely as an object that touched a support for a zav.
If the bed had contracted impurity that lasts seven days and one wound a mizran around it, everything contracts that impurity. If one separated them afterwards, the bed retains its original status, but the mizran is impure merely until nightfall. If the bed was impure until nightfall and one wound a mizran around it, everything contracts that impurity. If one separated them afterwards, the bed retains its original status, but the mizran is pure.

If there was a mizran wound around a bed and a human corpse touched them, everything contracts impurity that lasts seven days. If they are separated, they both remain impure for that time. If the carcass of a crawling animal or the like touches them, they contract impurity that lasts until nightfall. If they are separated, they both remain impure for that time.

When a bedpost that was deemed impure as a support for a zav was connected to a bed that had been pure, the entire bed is considered as such a support. If they were separated afterwards, the bedpost retains its original status and the bed is impure because of contact with such a support. Similarly, if a bedpost that had contracted impurity that lasts seven days was connected to a bed, the entire bed is impure for seven days as if a corpse had touched its bedpost. If one sprinkled the ashes of the red heifer on the bed, it is purified and the bedpost is purified together with it. If the bedpost was separated from the bed before the ashes of the red heifer were sprinkled, the bedpost retains its original status and the bed is impure until the evening.
If a bedpost that was impure until the evening was connected to a bed, everything is impure until the evening. If the bedpost was separated from the bed, the bedpost retains its original status and the bed is pure, for an article that it is impure until the evening as a derivative of impurity stemming from a corpse does not impart impurity, neither to a person, nor to a k'li, because it is merely a derivative, as we explained. Similar laws apply with regard to a tooth of a plow that contracted impurity from a corpse and was then joined to the plow.