The Mishnah on Becoming a Ḥaver
He who undertakes to be a ḥaver [“comrade,” “fellow,” “member,” “associate”; member of a group which scrupulously observes the laws of Levitical cleanliness] does not sell to an ‘am ha-’arets [common person—Ed.] wet or dry [produce, either produce which has been rendered susceptible to uncleanness or produce which has not been rendered susceptible], and does not purchase from him wet [produce, produce which has been rendered susceptible to uncleanness],1 and does not accept the hospitality of an ‘am ha-’arets, and does not receive him [the ‘am ha-’arets] as his guest while he [the ‘am ha-’arets] is wearing his [the ‘am ha-’arets’]own clothes.2
Notes
[Wet produce is susceptible to impurity, but dry produce is not. Sale of produce to an ‘am ha-’arets is prohibited even if the produce is dry because it may later become wet, and the ‘am ha-’arets may make it impure, but dry produce may be purchased from an ‘am ha-’arets because it is known to be pure, and the ḥaver or initiate can keep it in that state.—Ed.]
[Clothing can transmit impurity even without direct contact.—Ed.]
Credits
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.
