Thursday, March 29, 2018

tamei tahor ritual purity - Two supports for a stove: which one "counts"?


The mishnah in Keilim 6:1 describes a stove made in two ways: a pot resting on three metal* pegs that are either (1) attached at the ground via clay, or (2) stuck into the ground. In the first case, the clay gives the stove the status of a "clay stove", which is susceptible to tumah, whereas in the second case, there is no susceptibility to tumah.



‮העושה שלושה פטפוטין בארץ, וחיברן בטיט להיות שופת עליהן את הקדירה: טמאה. קבע שלושה מסמרין בארץ להיות שופת עליהן את הקדירה: אף על פי שעשה בראשן מקום שתהא הקדירה יושבת, טהורה.


If he put three props into the ground and joined them [to the ground] with clay so that a pot could be set on them, [the structure] is susceptible to impurity. If he set three nails in the ground so that a pot could be set on them, even though a place was made on the top for the pot to rest, [the structure] is not susceptible to impurity. (translation from Sefaria)



What is the rule when the pegs are both stuck in the ground and also connected to the ground via clay? Does the order make a difference?


If it's relevant: imagine the case such that if the ground where the pegs are stuck were removed/looser, the clay would hold up the pegs, and if the clay were removed, the pegs would stand due to being stuck in the ground.





See also this question.


* I know that some commentaries read the initial sentence as referring to clay props, but I'm asking according to those who don't (or according to everyone, if the material doesn't matter). See also the tosefta Keilim BK 5:1 which seems to support a read of metal props.




No comments:

Post a Comment

digital communications - Understanding the Matched Filter

I have a question about matched filtering. Does the matched filter maximise the SNR at the moment of decision only? As far as I understand, ...