[If] a piece of cloth measuring] three [handbreadths] by three [handbreadths was] in a trash heap, [it remains susceptible to tumah only if it is] intact and [capable of being used to] wrap salt in. [But if it was] in the house, [it is susceptible to tumah if it is] either intact or [capable of being used to] wrap salt in. How much salt must one be able to wrap [in the cloth]? A quarter [-kav]. R’ Yehudah says: Fine [salt]. But the Sages say: Coarse [salt]. Both this one and this one intend to rule leniently. R’ Shimon says: [A piece of cloth] three [handbreadths] by three [handbreadths that was] in a trash heap is the same as [a piece of cloth] three [fingerbreadths] by three [fingerbreadths that was] in a house.

[Concerning a piece of cloth measuring] three [handbreadths] by three [handbreadths] that was torn, if when being placed on a chair the flesh [of the one sitting on the chair] touches the chair, it is tahor; otherwise, it remains tamei. [Concerning a piece of cloth] three [fingerbreadths] by three [fingerbreadths], from which one thread was worn out, or on which a knot or two threads were found lying alongside each other, it is tahor. [A piece of cloth] three [fingerbreadths] by three [fin- gerbreadths] that was thrown into a trash heap is tahor. [If] it was retrieved, it is [susceptible to] tumah. Invariably, throwing it [into the trash heap] renders it tahor and retrieving it renders it [susceptible to] tumah, unless it is purple material or fine crimson. R’ Eliezer says: A patch of new cloth is similar to them. R’ Shimon says: They are all tahor. They were not mentioned except in regard to the return of a lost article.

[A piece of cloth measuring] three [fingerbreadths] by three [fingerbreadths] that was placed inside a ball, or it itself was made into a ball, it is tahor. But [a piece of cloth measuring] three [handbreadths] by three [handbreadths] that was placed inside a ball is tamei. [If] it itself was made into a ball, it is tahor, since the stitching diminishes it.

[A piece of cloth measuring] less than three [handbreadths] by three [handbreadths] that was designated [to be used] to plug a bathhouse, to pour out [the contents of] a pot, [or] to wipe clean a millstone, whether it is prepared [for use] or whether it is unprepared [for use], [the cloth] is tamei, [these are] the words of R’ Eliezer. R’ Yehoshua says: Whether it is prepared [for use], or whether it is unprepared [for use], [the cloth] is tahor. R’ Akiva says: If it is prepared [for use], [the cloth] is tamei; if it is unprepared, [the cloth] is tahor.

[If one] made an “ispilanis” plaster, whether of cloth or of leather, it is tahor. R’ Yose says: [If it is] of leather, it is tahor. [If he made] a “milugma” plaster, [if it is] of cloth, it is tahor; [but if it is] of leather, it is tamei. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Even [if it is made] of cloth, it is tamei, since it can be shaken off.

[Concerning] scroll covers, whether they are ornamented or whether they are not ornamented, they are tamei according to the opinion of Beis Shammai. Beis Hillel say: Ornamented [ones] are tahor, but those that are not ornamented are tamei. Rabban Gamliel says: Both these and these are tahor.

[If] a kerchief was tamei midras, and one gave it [over] to be [used as a cover for a] Torah scroll, it becomes tahor from midras [tumah], but it is tamei with corpse-tumah. [If] a waterskin was made into a mat or a mat was made into a waterskin, it is tahor. [If] a waterskin was made into a shepherd’s pouch or a shepherd’s pouch was made into a waterskin; [if] a pillow was made into a bedsheet or a bedsheet was made into a pillow; [if] a mattress was made into a flat sheet or a flat sheet was made into a mattress, [it remains] tamei. This is the general rule: Any [article] that is changed into [an article] of the same [type of use] retains its tumah; [if it is changed into an article] of a different [type of use], it is tahor.

[If] a patch was sewn onto a basket, it contaminates one and invalidates one. [If] one [then] separated it from the basket, the basket contaminates one and invalidates one, but the patch becomes tahor. [If] it was sewn onto a cloth, it contaminates two and invalidates one. [If] he [then] separated it from the cloth, the cloth contaminates one and invalidates one, but the patch contaminates two and invalidates one. The same applies if one sewed [a patch] onto sack or onto leather; [these are] the words of R’ Meir. R’ Shimon rules that it is tahor. R’ Yose says: [If he sewed the patch] onto leather, it is tahor; onto sack, it is tamei, since it is woven.

[The minimum measure of] three by three [fingerbreadths] that [the Rabbis] stated [regarding cloth] is [for the cloth] without the hem. These are the words of R’ Shimon. But the Sages say: [The minimum measure is] precisely three-by-three fingerbreadths. [If a patch] was sewn onto a garment on one side, it is not [considered] attached; on two sides, one opposite the other, it is [considered] attached. [If] it was sewn [onto the garment] in the shape of [the Greek letter] gamma, R’ Akiva rules that it is tamei, but the Sages rule that it is tahor. R’ Yehudah said: When are these things said? With [regard to] a cloak. But with [regard] to a shirt, [if it is sewn] at the top, it is [considered] attached; but at the bottom it is not [considered] attached.

[Concerning] clothing of poor people, although they do not measure three [fingerbreadths] by three [fingerbreadths], they [can become] tamei with midras [tumah]. [Regarding] a cloak that one began to tear, once a majority [of the cloak] is torn, [the torn parts] are no longer [considered to be] attached. Thick [cloths] and soft [cloths] are not subject to the law of three [fingerbreadths] by three [fingerbreadths].

A porter’s cushion is [susceptible to becoming] tamei with midras [tumah]. A wine strainer is not subject to [the tumah] of a seat. The hairnet of an old woman is [susceptible to becoming] tamei with midras [tumah]. The shirt of a harlot that was fashioned like netting is not susceptible to tumah. [If] one makes a garment out of a fishing net, [it] is tahor, but if [he made it] out of [the net’s] bottom, it is tamei. R’ Eliezer ben Yaakov says: Also [if] one made a garment out of a fishing net and he doubled it, it is tamei.

[Concerning] a hairnet, [if] one began [to make] it from its rim, it remains tahor until one finishes its bottom. [If] one began from its bottom, it remains tahor until one finishes its rim. Its frontlet is tamei by itself. Its strings are tamei because they are [considered] attached [to it]. [If] a hairnet became torn, if it cannot contain a majority of the hair, it is tahor.