Straps of tefillin [that are] together with the tefillin render tamei hands [that touch them]. R’ Shimon says: Straps of tefillin do not render tamei hands [that touch them].

Margins of a [holy] scroll, [whether] those on top [of the scroll] or those on the bottom or at the beginning or at the end, render tamei hands [that touch them]. R’ Yehudah says: [The margin] at the end [of a scroll] does not render [hands] tamei unless one made a roller for it.

A scroll [of Scripture] that was erased but there remained eighty-five letters, as [many as there are] in the passage, ‘‘And when the ark would journey,’’ renders tamei hands [that touch it]. A sheet [of parchment] on which there are written eighty-five letters, as [many as there are] in the passage, ‘‘And when the ark would journey,’’ renders tamei hands [that touch it]. All of the Holy Scripture render tamei hands [that touch them]. Shir HaShirim and Koheles render tamei hands [that touch them]. R’ Yehudah says: Shir HaShirim renders hands tamei, but Koheles is [the subject of] a dispute. R’ Yose says: Koheles does not render hands tamei, and Shir HaShirim is [the subject of] a dispute. R’ Shimon says: [As regards] Koheles, it is one of Beis Shammai’s leniencies and Beis Hillel’s stringencies. R’ Shimon ben Azai said: I have a tradition received from the seventy-two elders, on the day that they appointed R’ Elazar ben Azariah as [head of] the Yeshivah, that [both] Shir HaShirim and Koheles render tamei hands [that touch them]. R’ Akiva said: Heaven forbid! No Jewish person ever argued about Shir HaShirim that it does not render tamei hands [that touch it], for never was the whole world worthy as [on] the day when Shir HaShirim was given to the Jews, for all of Kesuvim is holy, but Shir HaShirim is the holy of holies. If [ever] they did dispute, they only disputed regarding Koheles. R’ Yochanan the son of Yehoshua, the son of R’ Akiva’s father-in-law, said: In accordance with the words of Ben Azai, so they disputed and so they decided.

On that day they were counted and they resolved, regarding a footbath that [measures] between two lugin and nine kabin that cracked, that it is susceptible to tumas midras. For R’ Akiva says: [It is considered] a footbath as [is] its name.

On that day they said: All sacrificial offerings that were slaughtered for a designation other than their own are valid, but they are not credited to the owner as fulfillment of [his] obligation, except for the pesach- and chatas-offerings. The pesach-offering in its [proper] time, and the chatas-offering at all times. R’ Eliezer says: Also the asham-offering. The pesach-offering in its [proper] time, and the chatas- and asham-offerings at all times. R’ Shimon ben Azai said: I have a tradition received from the seventy-two elders, on the day that they appointed R’ Elazar ben Azariah as [head of] the Yeshivah, that all sacrifices that are eaten that were slaughtered for a designation other than their own are valid, but they are not credited to the owner as fulfillment of [his] obligation, except for the pesach- and chatas-offerings. Ben Azai added only the olah-offering, but the Sages did not concur with him.

On that day they said: What is [the law regarding] Ammon and Moav in the seventh [year]? R’ Tarfon decreed: Maaser ani. But R’ Elazar ben Azariah decreed: Maaser sheni. R’ Yishmael said: Elazar ben Azariah, you must demonstrate a proof, since you rule stringently, for whoever rules stringently must demonstrate a proof. R’ Elazar ben Azariah said to him: My brother Yishmael, I have not deviated from the order of the years; it is Tarfon my brother who has deviated, and he must demonstrate a proof. R’ Tarfon responded: Egypt is outside the land [of Eretz Yisrael] and Ammon and Moav are outside the land [of Eretz Yisrael]; just as [in] Egypt maaser ani [is separated] in the seventh [year], so too [in] Ammon and Moav maaser ani [must be separated] in the seventh [year]. R’ Elazar ben Azariah responded: Babylonia is outside the land [of Eretz Yisrael], and Ammon and Moav are outside the land [of Eretz Yisrael]; just as [in] Babylonia maaser sheni [is separated] in the seventh [year], so too [in] Ammon and Moav maaser sheni [must be separated] in the seventh [year]. R’ Tarfon said: [Regarding] Egypt, which is nearby [to Eretz Yisrael], they instituted maaser ani so that the poor of Israel may be sustained by it in the seventh year; so too [regarding] Ammon and Moav, which are [also] nearby [to Eretz Yisrael], let us institute maaser ani so that the poor of Israel may be sustained by them in the seventh [year]. R’ Elazar ben Azariah said to [R’ Tarfon]: Behold, it is as if you are benefiting them monetarily, but [actually] you are causing loss of lives, [for] you are restraining the heavens from letting fall dew and rain, as it says: ‘‘Should a man steal from God as you steal from Me? And you say, ‘How have we stolen from You?’ [By withholding] the tithes and the terumah.’’ R’ Yehoshua said: Behold, I shall act as a respondent on behalf of Tarfon my brother, but not with regard to his words. [Regarding] Egypt, it is a new act but [regarding] Babylonia, it is an old act, and the issue before us is [also] a new act; a new act should be judged from [another] new act, but a new act should not be judged from an old act. [Furthermore, the tithing obligation in] Egypt is an act of the Elders, but [in] Babylonia [it] is an act of Prophets, and the issue before us is [also] an act of the Elders; an act of the Elders should be judged from [another] act of the Elders, but an act of the Elders should not be judged from an act of the Prophets. [They] were counted and they resolved that [as regards] Ammon and Moav, one should separate maaser ani in the seventh [year]. When R’ Yose the son of Durmaskis came to R’ Eliezer in [the town of] Lod, [R’ Eliezer] said to him: What new [lesson] did you have today in the house of study? He answered him: They were counted and they resolved that [as regards] Ammon and Moav one should give maaser ani in the seventh [year]. R’ Eliezer wept and said: ‘‘The secret of God is with those who fear Him, and He will inform them of His covenant.’’ Go and tell them: Do not be concerned about your count. I have a tradition received from R’ Yochanan ben Zakai, who heard it from his teacher, and his teacher [heard it] from his teacher, [and so on] until a halachah received by Moses at Mount Sinai, that [regarding] Ammon and Moav one should separate maaser ani in the seventh [year].

On that day, Yehudah, an Ammonite con- vert, came and stood before them in the house of study. He said to them: What is my [status with regard] to entering into the [Jewish] congregation? Rabban Gamliel said to him: You are forbidden. R’ Yehoshua said to him: You are permitted. Rabban Gamliel said to [R’ Yehoshua]: Scripture says: ‘‘An Ammonite or a Moabite may not enter into God’s congregation; even their tenth generation,’’ etc. R’ Yehoshua said to him: But are the Ammonites and Moabites in their places? Long ago, Sancheiriv the King of Assyria came up and mixed up all the nations, as it says: ’’I have removed the boundaries of peoples and have plundered their treasures and have brought down dwellers in strongholds.’’ Rabban Gamliel said to him: [But] Scripture states: ‘‘But afterwards I will return the captivity of the children of Ammon,’’ and they have already returned. R’ Yehoshua said to him: [But] Scripture says: ‘‘I will return the captivity of my people Israel,’’ and they have not yet returned. They permitted him to enter into the [Jewish] congregation.