Ritual Bath

1:1. There are six types of bodies of water [that may be used for immersion], one superior to another, and another one superior to that one. Water in cisterns: If an impure person drank [from it] and then a pure person drank [from it, then the pure person becomes] impure. If an impure person drank and then filled a pure vessel [with water from the cistern, then the pure vessel becomes] impure. If an impure person drank and a loaf of terumah bread fell [into the water and he then took out the bread], if he washed [his hands, then the loaf] is impure, but if he did not wash [his hands, then the loaf] is pure. [ . . . ]

6. A [body of water] superior to those [discussed previously]: Flowing rainwater [when the source of the water] did not cease. If an impure person drank [from it] and then a pure person drank [from it], [the pure person remains] pure. [ . . . ]

7. A [body of water] superior to those [discussed previously]: A ritual bath that contains [at least] forty se’ah [of water] in which [people] immerse [themselves] and immerse [vessels]. A [body of water] superior to those [discussed previously]: A natural spring with a small amount of water that was increased by the addition of drawn water¹—this is equivalent to a ritual bath with regard to purifying when its waters are collected in one location, and [this is equivalent to] a spring with regard to immersing [a vessel] in a small amount of water [less than forty se’ah].

8. A [body of water] superior to those [discussed previously]: Water that is [salty and/or warm], which purifies [even] when flowing. A [body of water] superior to those [discussed previously]: Living water [i.e., clean fresh water] in which those who had a seminal emission can immerse [to purify themselves], and which can be used to sprinkle on [and purify] people with a skin affliction, and which is fit to make water of sin [removal]. [ . . . ]

9:1. The [following substances can] block [water from touching the skin of] a person, [thereby hindering purification]: Strings of cotton, strings of flax, and cords on the heads of girls. R. Judah said: [Strings] of wool and of hair do not block because the water flows through them.

2. [The following are considered to block water from touching the skin of a person:] Entangled hair over one’s heart, beard, or female genitalia; pus around one’s eye; a scab on a cut and the bandage over it; dried sap; dried dung on one’s skin; dough under the fingernail; crumbs of dirt; miry clay; potter’s clay; and miry lime. What is “miry clay”? This is clay of cisterns, as it says: He brought me up also out of the tumultuous pit, out of the miry clay (Psalm 40:3). “Potter’s clay” is as it sounds. R. Yosi declares pure [one who immersed with] potter’s clay [on them] and declares impure [one who immersed with] dirt used for polishing [on them]. [ . . . ] And [as for] all other types of clay, one may immerse with it on them while it is moist. But one should not immerse with dust on their feet, and one should not immerse a kettle with charcoal on it unless he scrubbed it first.