Anything that is a yad, but not a shomer, contracts tumah and conveys tumah, but does not combine. A shomer, even if it is not a yad, contracts tumah, conveys tumah, and combines. [Anything that is] not a shomer and not a yad neither contracts tumah nor conveys tumah.

The roots of garlic, onion, and leek, when they are moist, and their protrusion whether it is moist or dry, and the stalk that is directly opposite the food, the roots of lettuce, round radish, and oblong radish, [these are] the words of R’ Meir. R’ Yehudah says: The large root of the radish combines, but its fibrous root does not combine. The roots of mint and rue, and of field greens and garden greens that one uprooted in order to transplant them, and the spine of an ear [of grain], and [the grain’s] covering. R’ Eliezer says: Also the dust covering. These contract tumah, convey tumah, and combine.

These contract tumah and convey tumah, but do not combine: The roots of garlic, onions, and leek when they are dry, and the stalk that is not directly opposite the food, and the handle of a grapevine branch, a handbreadth on either side; the handle of the cluster of grapes, whatever [its length] may be; and the tail of a cluster that one had bared; and four handbreadths of the handle of the ‘‘broom’’ of the date palm; and three handbreadths of the stalk of an ear [of grain]; and three [handbreadths of] the handle of all [crops] that are cut; and those [crops] for which it is not their norm to be cut, their handles and their roots whatever their [length] may be; and the bristles of ears [of grain]: these contract tumah and convey tumah, but do not combine.

These do not contract tumah and do not convey tumah and do not combine: The roots of kohlrabi stems, and the regenerating roots of spinach-beet and turnip, those [plants] that are normally clipped but were uprooted. R’ Yose rules all of them tamei, but rules the roots of kohlrabi stems and of turnips tahor.

All handles of foods that one crushed on the threshing floor are tahor. R’ Yose rules [the crushed stalks] tamei. A snippet of a cluster of grapes that one bared is tahor. [But] if one left a single berry on it, it is tamei. A spikelet of dates that one bared is tahor. [But] if one left on a single date it is tamei. And so too with legumes, a pod that one bared is tahor. [If] one left on a single berry, it is tamei. R’ Elazar ben Azariah rules [the pod] of fava beans tahor, and rules [the pod] of [other] beans tamei, because [a person] desires the feel of them.

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.

The Aramaic texts in Ezra and in Daniel render tamei hands [that touch them]. Aramaic [text] that one wrote in Hebrew or Hebrew [text] that one wrote in Aramaic, and Ivri script, do not render tamei hands [that touch them]. [A scroll of Scripture] never imparts tumah unless one writes it in Ashuri script, on parchment with ink.

The Sadducees say: We have a complaint against you, Perushim, for you say that holy scrolls render tamei hands [that touch them] and heretical books do not render tamei hands [that touch them]. Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai said: Is this the only thing we have against the Perushim? Why, they say [that] the bones of a donkey are tahor, but the bones of Yochanan the High Priest are tamei. They said to him: Their tumah is on account of their affection, so that a person should not make the bones of his father and mother into spoons. He said to them: [As regards] holy scrolls, too, their tumah is on account of their affection, but heretical books, which are not [held] dear, do not render tamei hands [that touch them].

The Sadducees say: We have a complaint against you, Perushim, for you declare as tahor a stream [of pouring liquid]. The Perushim say: We have a complaint against you, Sadducees, for you rule tahor a canal of water that flows from a cemetery. The Sadducees say: We have a complaint against you, Perushim, for you say: If my ox or my donkey causes damage, they are liable. But if my slave or maidservant causes damage, they are not liable. If I am liable for the damages of my ox or donkey, regarding whom I am not responsible for their mitzvos, is it not logical that I should be liable for damages of my slave or maidservant, regarding whom I am responsible for their mitzvos? They said to them: No. You can say so [regarding] my ox and my donkey, which have no understanding. But can you say so [regarding] my slave and maidservant, who do have understanding? For if I anger them, he will go and set fire to someone’s haystack and I will be liable to pay.

A Galilean Sadducee said: I have a complaint against you, Perushim, for you write the [name of the] ruler together with [the name of] Moses in a bill of divorce. The Perushim say: We have a complaint against you, Galilean Sadducee, for you write [the name of the] ruler together with the Name [of God] in one column; moreover, you write the [name of the] ruler above and the Name [of God] below, As it says: ‘‘And Pharaoh said: Who is Hashem that I should heed His voice to send out Israel.’’ And when he was smitten, what did he say?: ‘‘Hashem is the righteous One.’’