Sifra Shemini Section 8

¹1) I might think that even a gourd which fell into the atmosphere of the oven and was not predisposed (to the acquisition of tumah) would become tamei; it is, therefore, written (Vayikra 11:34) "upon which water came." This tells me only of water (as a predisposing element). Whence do I derive the same for dew, wine, oil, blood, honey and milk? From "drink" — this is wine; "that is drunk" — this is blood, as it is written (Tehillim 110:7): "From a river, on the way, shall he drink (blood), wherefore he shall lift (his) head." Whence are other liquids derived (as predisposing elements)? From "and every drink." If "every drink," I would think (even) mulberry juice, fruit-juice, pomegranate juice, and (the juice of) all other kinds of fruits. It is, therefore, written "water." Just as "water" is characterized by the absence of a qualifying epithet, so I include dew, wine, oil, blood, honey, and milk, which have no qualifying epithets, and I exclude mulberry juice, pomegranate juice, and (the juice of) all other kinds of fruits, which have qualifying epithets. ²2) I might think that also included (are fruits that fell into waters of) holes, pits, and caves; it is, therefore, written "which shall be drunk." This tell me (as predisposing to tumah) only of waters that he filled himself. Whence do I derive the same even for those that descended of themselves? From "upon which water comes." I might think that this applies even if he did not think (to drink them; it is, therefore, written "which shall be drunk." This tells me only (of waters) that he thought to drink. Whence do I derive the same for (waters) with which he thought to knead clay and to rinse dishes? From "upon which water comes." I might think that this applies even (to waters found in) holes, pits, and caves; it is, therefore, written "in every vessel." I might think (that they predispose to tumah) even if he thought to collect them in holes, pits, and caves; it is, therefore, written "in a vessel." This tells me only of a vessel. Whence do I derive the same for trees and stones? From "in every," to include all that is separate from the ground. ³0 ⁴4) "which shall be drunk": to exclude foul drink. These are the words of R. Eliezer. They said to him: No drink is out of bounds for birds or cows, (so that foul drink, too, predisposes to tumah). ⁵5) "And every drink which shall be drunk in every vessel shall (make it) unclean." We are hereby taught that drink (which is tamei) confers tumah upon the vessels. These are the words of R. Yehudah. R. Yossi says: There is no drink-tumah for vessels mandated by the Torah, but only by the words of the scribes. R. Yehoshua b. Karchah said: I said to Yehudah: Why do we not subscribe to the words of R. Yossi beRebbi, who says that there is no drink-tumah for vessels mandated by the Torah, but only by the words of the scribes? Because there is no Torah-mandated tumah which terminates on the same day (that it is contracted), yet vessels made tamei by drink are freed from their tumah (by immersion) on the same day. Rebbi says: Know that there is no drink-tumah for vessels mandated by the Torah, but only by the words of the scribes; for there is no Torah-mandated tumah which confers tumah upon a "rinsing" vessel from the back without its midst becoming tamei, yet the midst of vessels made tamei by drink is clean. What, then, is the intent of "drink … in every vessel, it shall be unclean"? The vessels confer tumah upon the drinks! R. Eliezer says: There is no drink-tumah at all. Know this to be so; for Yossi b. Tzreidah testified about the slaughter-houses that they are clean, (the blood and the water there, not acquiring tumah). R. Akiva says: The sheretz confers tumah upon the vessels, and the vessels confer tumah upon the food, and the food confers tumah upon the drink — whereby we learn that three confer tumah through the sheretz.