An earthenware vessel protects all [substances from becoming tamei], according to the opinion of Beis Hillel. But Beis Shammai say: It protects only foods, liquids and earthenware vessels [from becoming tamei]. Beis Hillel said to [Beis Shammai]: Why? Beis Shammai said to them: Because it is tamei through the am haaretz, and a vessel which is tamei cannot interpose. Beis Hil-lel replied to Beis Shammai: But have you not de-clared tahor the foods and liquids that are in it?! Beis Shammai replied to them: When we declared tahor the foods and liquids that are in it, it was [only] in regard to [the am haaretz] himself that we declared [them] tahor. But if you will declare tahor the vessel, you will have declared it tahor [both] with regard to you [the chaver] and to him [the am haaretz]. And Beis Hillel reversed [themselves] to [thenceforth] rule in accordance with the opinion of Beis Shammai.

R' Chanina, administrator of the Kohanim testified [concerning] four matters: In all the days of the Kohanim, never did they re-frain from burning [sacrificial] meat that had been contaminated by a derived tumah together with [sacrificial] meat that had been contaminated by an av hatumah, although [by doing so] they added tumah to its tumah.  R' Akiva added: In all the days of the Kohanim, never did they refrain from lighting oil that had become disqualified through a tevul yom in a lamp that had been contaminated by one who was tamei from a corpse, although [by doing so] they increased its tumah.

R' Chanina, administrator of the Kohanim, said: In all my days, I never saw a hide being taken out to the place of burning. R' Akiva said: From [R' Chanina's] words we learn that if one skins a bechor and it is [then] found to be a te-reifah, then the Koha-nim may benefit from its hide. But the Sages say: “We have not seen” is not a proof. Rather, it goes out to the place of burning.

He also testified about a small village that was adjacent to Jerusalem, and there was in [this village] a certain sage who and he would lend [money] to all the villagers, and he would write in his own hand and others signed.  When the incident came before the Sages, they permitted it. [And from this testimony] you may learn incidentally that a woman may write her own get, and a man may write his own receipt, be-cause the validation of a document is [effected] only by its signers.  And [R' Chanina testified] concerning a needle that was discovered in the flesh, that the knife and the hands are tahor but the flesh is tamei. And if [the needle] was discovered in the excrement, everything is tahor.

R' Yishmael stated three things before the Sages in the academy at Yavneh: [The first testimony was] concerning a beaten egg that was put on top of a vegetable of terumah that it is a connection. But if [the egg] was like a helmet, it is not a connection.  And [R' Yishmael also testified] concerning an ear [of standing grain] in the reaped section [of the field] and the tip [of this ear] reaches the standing [section]. If it is cut together with the [other] standing grain, it belongs to the owner; but if not, it belongs to the poor.  And [R' Yishmael testified] concerning a small garden that is surrounded by trellised vines, [that] if there is in [this garden] space for the grape harvester and his basket here and space for a grape harvester and his basket here, it may be sown. And if not, it may not be sown.

Three things [the disciples] stated before R' Yishmael, and he would not state either a prohibition or a permit regarding them; and R' Yehoshua ben Masya clarified them: [They asked about] one who squeezes a boil on the Sabbath. [R' Yehoshua ben Masya clarified:] If [his intent is] to make an opening for it, he is liable, but if [his intent is] to remove the pus from it, he is not liable.  And [they asked the law] regarding one who traps a snake on the Sabbath. [R' Yehoshua ben Masya clarified:] If he is involved with it so that it will not bite him, he is not liable. But if [he traps it] for medicinal use, he is liable.  And [they asked the law] regarding sealed pots. [R' Yehoshua ben Masya clarified] that in the tent of a corpse they are tahor, but they are tamei when carried by a zav. R' Elazar ben Tzadok says: They are also tahor when carried by a zav, because their processing has not been completed.

[There are] three things [that] R' Yishmael said and R' Akiva did not agree with him: Garlic, unripe grapes or unripe grain that one crushed while it is still day, that R' Yish-mael says: He may finish after dark, but R' Akiva says: He may not finish [after dark].

[There are] three things [that the disciples] stated before R' Akiva, two [of the things they said] in the name of R' Eliezer and one [of them they said] in the name of R' Yehoshua. The two [things they said] in the name of R' Eliezer [were]: A woman may go out with a “city of gold” [on the Sabbath]; and pigeon-fliers are unfit for testimony.  And [the] one [thing said to R' Akiva] in the name of R' Yehoshua [was]: [If] a sheretz [was] in the mouth of a weasel and [the weasel] was walking over [some] loaves of terumah [so that there is a] doubt whether [the sheretz] touched [the terumah or] did not touch [it], the doubt is [ruled] tahor.

R' Akiva stated three things; concerning two [the Sages] agreed with him, and concerning one they did not agree with him. Concerning a lime-worker's sandal [the Sages agreed] that it is suscept-ible to the tumah of midras.  [And the Sages also agreed with R' Akiva] con-cerning the remnants of an oven [that they must be at least] four [tefachim in size]. For [the Sages] used to say that three tefachim was sufficient, but they conceded to [R' Akiva].  And concerning one they did not agree with him, [namely,] concerning a chair from which two of its [seat] slats were removed, one next to the other, which R' Akiva declares susceptible to tumah contamination, but the Sages declare it not susceptible to tumah contamination.

He used to say: A father merits a son with beauty, with [physical] strength, with [material] wealth, with wisdom [in Torah], and with years. And [re-garding] the number of generations [that is] before Him; for that is the time set [by him]. As it is stated: He proclaimed the generations from the beginning. [For] although it is stated with regard to the redemption from Egypt: And they will serve them and they will oppress them four hundred years, it is also stated: And the fourth generation shall return here.