1. When it says בגד by tzaras, it specifies wool or linen. We include any sized cloth, even 3x3 fingers width. The pasuk also includes שתי או ערב- threads unwoven.

It also says בגד by tumah from dead rodents. Tana from r yishmael taught that we learn out that it is also only by wool or linen and not other materials. There’s a dispute between Abaye and Rava if R Shimon disagrees with R yishmael and does include other materials form tumah, at least if they are bigger and 3x3 tefachim. The source to include them would be או בגד.

1. We discover another braisa from r yishmael that includes other materials for tumah. How is that reconciled with the first braisa?

Either 1. It is a dispute 2. We include materials that are 3x3 tefachim and the first braisa only excluded them from 3x3 fingers 3. The first braisa was never discussing tumah, but rather the meaning of בגד by shaatnez and it was explaining this the only fibers forbidden to be mixed and wool and linen 4. The first braisa was not discussing tumah but rather tzitzis and it was saying the only materials obligated in tzitzis are wool and linen.

1. This is a major dispute if other types of materials are obligated in tzitzis. Rava certainly holds other materials are obligated as well

2. A night garment is exempt from tzitzis but a blind persons garment is obligated in tzitzis.

3. Schach cannot come from materials succptable to tumah. Even bundles of flax, unprocessed, that are only subject to tumah by tzaras, and not other tumah, cannot be used.

4. Only material of trees good for wicks is flax. Otherwise, they don’t hold flames well

Broadcast on:

01 Apr 2020