The olive of which [the Rabbis] spoke [is] neither large nor small but of medium size, which is an aguri. The barley of which [the Rabbis] spoke [is] neither large nor small but of medium size, which is a desert [barley]. The lentil of which [the Rabbis] spoke [is] neither large nor small but of medium size, which is an Egyptian [lentil]. All movable objects convey tumah when they are as thick as an ox-goad, [one that is] neither big nor small but one of medium size. What is [meant by] one of medium size? Any one that has a circumference of one handbreadth.

The amah of which [the Rabbis] spoke is a medium amah. Two [one-] amah [measuring sticks] were [kept] in Shushan HaBirah, one at [its] northeastern corner, and one at [its] southeastern corner. [The one] at the northeastern corner was longer than [the amah] of Moses by a half-fingerbreadth. [The one] at the southeastern corner was longer than that one by [another] half-fingerbreadth; [this second measuring stick] is thus found to be longer than [the amah] of Moses by a full fingerbreadth. And why did [the Rabbis] speak of one large [amah measure] and one small [amah measure]? So that the craftsmen would take [contracts] according to the small [amah measure] and return [the finished products] according to the large [amah measure], in order that they should not come to [commit] me’ilah.