A sandal, one of whose side-flaps tore off and one repaired it, [is] tamei midras. If the second [side-flap] tears off and one repaired it, [the sandal] is tahor from midras [tumah], but is tamei [due to] contact with a midras. If one did not manage to repair the first [side-flap] before the second one tore off, [the sandal is] tahor. If its heelpiece tore off, or the toepiece was removed, or if it split in two, it is tahor. A solyam that tore in any way is tahor. [Regarding] a shoe that tore, if it cannot contain most of the foot, it is tahor. [Regarding] a shoe that is on the last, R’ Eliezer rules it tahor, but the Sages rule it tamei. All tied waterskins are tahor, except the one of the Arabs. R’ Meir says: [Those tied with] a temporary binding are tahor. [Those tied with] a permanent binding are tamei. R’ Yose says: All tied waterskins are tahor.

The following hides [can become] tamei with midras [tumah]: A hide that one intended to use as a mat, a hide [that serves as an] apron, a hide [that serves as a] bedspread, a donkey driver’s hide, a flaxworker’s hide, a porter’s hide, a doctor’s hide, a cradle hide, a hide [to cover] the heart of a child, a hide of a pillow, [and] a hide of a mattress [are all susceptible to] midras [tumah]. [Regarding] a comb maker’s hide [and] a comber’s hide, R’ Eliezer says: [They are susceptible to] midras [tumah], but the Sages say: [They are susceptible to] corpse-tumah.

A garment case and a garment fold [are susceptible to] midras [tumah]. [Regard- ing] a case for purple wool and a fold for purple wool, Beis Shammai say: [They are susceptible to] midras [tumah]. But Beis Hillel say: [They are susceptible to] corpse-tumah. A hide that one made into a cover for a utensil is tahor. [But one used] for weights is tamei. R’ Yose in the name of his father rules tahor.

Wherever [further] processing is not lacking, thought renders [utensils] tamei. And wherever [further] processing is lacking, thought does not render [utensils] tamei, except for a saddle cover.

[Regarding] hides of a householder, thought renders them tamei. But [regarding hides] of a tanner, thought does not render them tamei. [Regarding hides] of a thief, thought renders them tamei; but [regarding hides] of a robber, thought does not render them tamei. R’ Shimon says the opposite: [Regarding hides] of a robber, thought renders them tamei. But [regarding hides] of a thief, thought does not render them tamei, since the owners have not despaired.

[Regarding] a hide that is tamei midras and one decided [to use] it for straps or for sandals, as soon as he applies the knife to it, it is tahor; [these are] the words of R’ Yehudah. But the Sages say: Until he reduces it [to] less than five handbreadths. R’ Elazar the son of R’ Tzadok says: Even if one makes a napkin from a hide, it remains tamei, but from a mattress, it is tahor.

Cloth can contract tumah in five categories; sack [can contract tumah] in four [categories]; hide [can contract tumah] in three [categories]; wood [can contract tumah] in two [categories]; and earthenware [can contract tumah] in one [category]. Earthenware is susceptible to tumah as a receptacle. Any earthenware utensil that has no interior has no exterior. Wood exceeds [earthenware] in that [wood] is subject to tumah as a seat. Similarly, [regarding] a tray that has no rim: If it is a wooden utensil, it is susceptible to tumah; but if it is an earthenware utensil, it is tahor. Hide exceeds [wood] in that [hide] is subject to roof-tumah. Sack exceeds [hide] in that [sack] is subject to tumah as a woven article. Cloth exceeds [sack] in that [cloth] is subject to tumah when it measures three [fingerbreadths] by three [fingerbreadths].

Cloth can contract midras [tumah if it measures] three [handbreadths] by three [handbreadths], and it can contract corpse-tumah [if it measures] three [fingerbreadths] by three [fingerbreadths]. Sack [can contract tumah if it measures] four [handbreadths] by four [handbreadths]; hide [can contract tumah if it measures] five [handbreadths] by five [handbreadths]; a mat [can contract tumah if it measures] six [handbreadths] by six [handbreadths]. [This measure applies] equally to midras [tumah] and to corpse-tumah. R’ Meir says: [Regarding] sack, its remnants [can contract tumah if they measure] four [handbreadths]; but initially, [it contracts tumah] when it has been completed.

[If] one made [a piece of material with] two [handbreadths] of cloth and one [handbreadth] of sack, three [handbreadths] of sack and one [handbreadth] of hide, [or] four [handbreadths] of hide and one [handbreadth] of matting, it is tahor. [But if he made a piece of material with] five [handbreadths] of matting and one [handbreadth] of hide, four [handbreadths] of hide and one [hand- breadth] of sack, [or] three [handbreadths] of sack and one [handbreadth] of cloth, it is tamei. This is the rule: Whatever has [a different material] attached to it; [if it is] from a [material] more stringent than it, it is tamei; [if it is] from a [material] less stringent than it, it is tahor.

[If] one trims any [of these materials into a piece measuring] one handbreadth by one handbreadth, it is tamei. [If one trims] from the bottom of a basket [a piece measuring] one handbreadth by one handbreadth, it is tamei. [If he trimmed a piece] from the sides of the basket, R’ Shimon rules that it is tahor. But the Sages say: [If] one trims [a piece of the basket measuring] one handbreadth by one handbreadth in any place, it is tamei.

[Regarding] a worn-out sifter or sieve that was prepared for sitting: R’ Akiva rules it tamei. But the Sages rule it tahor unless one trims it. A child’s chair that has legs, even if it lacks the height of a handbreadth, is tamei. [Concerning] a shirt of a child, R’ Eliezer says: Any size. But the Sages say: Until it has the prescribed size, and it is measured double.

These are measured double: a shoe, knee breeches, pants, a hat, and a hollow belt. [Regarding] a patch that is attached to the border: If it is unfolded, it is measured [while it is] unfolded; if doubled, it is measured [while it is] doubled.

[If] a piece of] cloth that was woven [to the size] of three [handbreadths] by three [handbreadths] contracted midras tumah, and [subsequently] one finished the whole [piece of] cloth, and afterward one thread was removed from the original [piece of cloth], it becomes tahor from midras [tumah]; but it is tamei [due to] contact with a midras. [If] one thread was removed from the original [cloth] and subsequently one finished the whole [piece of] cloth, it is tamei [due to] contact with midras [tumah].

Similarly, [if a piece of] cloth that was woven [to the size] of three [fingerbreadths] by three [fingerbreadths] contracted corpse-tumah, and [subsequently] one finished the whole [piece of] cloth, and afterward one thread was removed from the original [cloth], it becomes tahor from corpse-tumah; but it is tamei [due to] contact with a t’mei meis. [If] one thread was removed from the original [cloth], and subsequently one finished the whole [piece of] cloth, it is tahor. Because [the Sages] said: [If a piece measuring] three [fingerbreadths] by three [fingerbreadths] is lessened, it is tahor. But [if] a piece measuring] three [handbreadths] by three [handbreadths] is lessened, even though it is not susceptible to midras tumah, it is [still] susceptible to all other forms of tumah.

[Concerning] a sheet that contracted midras tumah and was [then] made into a curtain, it becomes tahor from midras [tumah], but it is tamei [due to] contact with a midras. R’ Yose said: Why, which midras did this [sheet] touch? Rather [it contracts contact-tumah] only if the zav himself touches it, [rendering] it tamei [on account of] the zav’s touching.

[If a cloth that is] three [handbreadths] by three [handbreadths] was divided, [each half] is tahor from midras tumah, but is tamei [due to] contact with a midras. R’ Yose said: Why, which midras did this [cloth] touch? Rather [each half is tamei] only if the zav himself touched [the garment], [rendering] it tamei [on account of] the zav’s touching.