1. There are six grades of mikvaos, each higher than the other. [The first grade is] water in waterholes. [If] a tamei person drank [from it] and then a tahor person drank [from it], he becomes tamei. [If] a tamei person drank [from it] and then one drew [from it] into a tahor vessel, it becomes tamei. [If] a tamei person drank [from it] and then a loaf of terumah fell [into it] — if he rinsed [it], it becomes tamei; if he did not rinse [it], it [remains] tahor.

2. [If] one drew [from it] with a tamei vessel and then a tahor person drank [from it], he becomes tamei. [If] one drew [from it] with a tamei vessel and then one drew [from it] into a tahor vessel, it becomes tamei. [If] one drew [from it] with a tamei vessel and then a loaf of terumah fell [into it] — if he rinsed [it], it becomes tamei; if he did not rinse [it], it [remains] tahor.

3. [If] tamei water fell [into it] and then a tahor person drank [from it], he becomes tamei. [If] tamei water fell [into it] and then one drew [from it] into a tahor vessel, it becomes tamei. [If] tamei water fell [into it] and then a loaf of terumah fell [into it] — if he rinsed [it], it becomes tamei; if he did not rinse [it], it [remains] tahor. R’ Shimon says: Whether he rinsed [it] or he did not rinse [it], it becomes tamei.

4. [If] a corpse fell into it or a tamei person walked through it, and then a tahor person drank [from it], he [remains] tahor. Water in waterholes, water in cisterns, water in ditches, water in caves, water in seeps that has ceased [seeping], and mikvaos that do not contain forty se’ah [are all alike]. During the rainy season they are all [deemed] tahor. When the rains cease, those near to a town or road are [deemed] tamei, but those that are distant are [deemed] tahor until [such a time that] there are many walkers.

5. When do they become purified? Beis Shammai say: When they are increased by a greater amount and they [also] overflow. Beis Hillel say: [If] they were increased by a greater amount, even though they did not overflow. R’ Shimon says: [If] they overflowed, even though they were not increased by a greater amount. They are fit for challah and for [ritual] rinsing of the hands.

6. A higher [grade] is water in seeps that has not ceased [seeping]. [If] a tamei person drank [from it] and then a tahor person drank [from it], he [remains] tahor. [If] a tamei person drank [from it] and then one drew [from it] into a tahor vessel, it [remains] tahor. [If] a tamei person drank [from it] and then a loaf of terumah fell [into it], although he rinsed it, it [remains] tahor. [If] one drew [from it] with a tamei vessel and then a tahor person drank [from it], he [remains] tahor. [If] one drew [from it] with a tamei vessel and then one drew [from it] into a tahor vessel, it [remains] tahor. [If] one drew [from it] with a tamei vessel and then a loaf of terumah fell [into it], although he rinsed it, it [remains] tahor. [If] tamei water fell [into it] and then a tahor person drank [from it], he [remains] tahor. [If] tamei water fell [into it] and then one drew [from it] into a tahor vessel, it [remains] tahor. [If] tamei water fell [into it] and then a loaf of terumah fell [into it], although he rinsed it, it [remains] tahor. It is fit for terumah and for [ritual] rinsing of the hands.

7. A higher [grade] is a mikveh that contains forty se’ah, for in it one may immerse oneself, and [in it] one may immerse [things]. A higher [grade] is a spring that has little water and it was increased by a greater amount of drawn water. It is equal to a mikveh in that it purifies [only] with still water, and [it is equal] to a spring in that one may immerse [things] therein whatever its amount.

8. A higher [grade] is spoiled [spring]water, for it purifies [also] when in motion. A higher [grade] is living water, for therein there can be immersion of zavim, and [therewith] there can be sprinkling for metzoraim, and it is fit to consecrate therefrom purification water.

1. [If] a tamei person went down to immerse himself, [but] there is a doubt whether he immersed himself or did not immerse himself; or [alternatively] even if he [definitely] did immerse himself, there is a doubt whether there was forty se’ah [of water] or not; or [alternatively] there were two mikvaos, one containing forty se’ah and the other not, and he immersed himself in one of them but does not know in which one — these doubtful cases are [adjudged] tamei.

2. [If] a mikveh was measured and found lacking, all ritually pure foods that were prepared on its basis heretofore, whether in a private domain or in a public domain, are tamei. In regard to what are these words said? [Only] in [a case of] severe tumah. But in [a case of] mild tumah — for instance, one who ate tamei foods or drank tamei liquids, or one whose head and greater part of his body entered into drawn water, or three lugin of drawn water fell over his head and greater part of his body — [if] he went down to immerse himself, [but] there is a doubt whether he immersed himself or did not immerse himself; or [alternatively] even if he did immerse himself, there is a doubt whether there was forty se’ah [of water] or not; or [alternatively] there were two mikvaos, one containing forty se’ah and the other not, and he immersed himself in one of them but does not know in which one — these doubtful cases are [adjudged] tahor. R’ Yose declares him tamei. For R’ Yose says: Anything that has a chazakah of tumah is forever in its disqualified state until it is known that it became tahor. However, a doubtful case of whether he became tamei, or [whether he] caused tumah, is [adjudged] tahor.

3. [These are the cases of] doubt pertaining to drawn water that the Sages declared tahor: There is a doubt whether it fell [into the mikveh] or it did not fall; or [alternatively] even if it [definitely] did fall, there is a doubt whether there was forty se’ah [in the mikveh] or whether there was not; or [alternatively] there were two mikvaos, one containing forty se’ah and the other not, and it fell into one of them but he does not know into which one it fell. These doubtful cases are [adjudged] tahor, because there is something on which to depend. [But if] they each contained less than forty se’ah, and it fell into one of them and he does not know into which one it fell, this doubtful case is [adjudged] tamei, because there is nothing to depend on.

4. R’ Eliezer says: One reviis of drawn water disqualifies a mikveh at the beginning, but three lugin [when] on the surface of the water. But the Sages say: Both at the beginning and at the end the amount is three lugin.