Regarding a limb from a dead or live body without enough flesh, that Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish disagree about, how large is it? The Gemara proves how Reish Lakish thinks the nazir shaves even if it is less than the size of a barley and it is a uniquely derived halacha from a drasha on a verse. When the Mishna says that one begins the count from the beginning, it in unclear whether they mean on day seven of purification or day eight. The Gemara derives from the language of the next Mishna that in this Mishna, the count begins on the eighth day after the sacrifices are brought, in accordance with the opinion of the rabbis, against Rabbi Eliezer. The Mishna now lists all the cases that the nazir doesn’t shave and within that, there are two categories – one where the days aren’t counted as nazirite days, even though the days beforehand aren’t cancelled and a second where it has no effect on the counting of the nazirite days. The Gemara begins to define the cases in the Mishna – what are sechachot and praot? One of the items on the list is one who is in a place outside of Israel, as the rabbis deemed all territory outside of Israel impure. Can we learn from our Mishna the answer to the following question – did the rabbis deem it impure for concerns of graves (gusha) or was it a deterrent to prevent people from leaving Israel (avira)? This attempt is rejected.
This month’s learning is sponsored by Jonathan Loring in honor of his wife, Leah Ackner and their children Zev and Meira. “From the first day I met my wife in Hebrew class at JTS to watching her show kindness when we volunteered together to help those in need and even when I had to wait 9 years for a first date, my wife has always been an inspiration to me and everyone she meets. Thank you for these 20 years and B’Ezrat Hashem to many more! I love you wifesy.”
This month’s learning is dedicated for a refuah shleima for Pesha Etel bat Sarah
This week’s learning is sponsored by Robert and Paula Cohen in loving memory of Chaim Avraham HaKohen ben Alter Gershon HaKohen.
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This month’s learning is sponsored by Jonathan Loring in honor of his wife, Leah Ackner and their children Zev and Meira. “From the first day I met my wife in Hebrew class at JTS to watching her show kindness when we volunteered together to help those in need and even when I had to wait 9 years for a first date, my wife has always been an inspiration to me and everyone she meets. Thank you for these 20 years and B’Ezrat Hashem to many more! I love you wifesy.”
This month’s learning is dedicated for a refuah shleima for Pesha Etel bat Sarah
This week’s learning is sponsored by Robert and Paula Cohen in loving memory of Chaim Avraham HaKohen ben Alter Gershon HaKohen.
Nazir 54
דְּאָמַר מָר: טוּמְאָה בּוֹקַעַת וְעוֹלָה, בּוֹקַעַת וְיוֹרֶדֶת. וְאִילּוּ גַּבֵּי נְגִיעָה, אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה, תַּנְיָא: ״(וְכׇל) הַנּוֹגֵעַ בַּעֶצֶם אוֹ בֶחָלָל״, ״בַּעֶצֶם״ — זֶה עֶצֶם כִּשְׂעוֹרָה, ״אוֹ בֶחָלָל״ — זֶה אֵבֶר הַנֶחְלָל מִן הַחַי וְאֵין בּוֹ לְהַעֲלוֹת אֲרוּכָה,
As the Master said: Ritual impurity in a sealed grave breaks through and ascends and breaks through and descends, so that the grave imparts impurity like the corpse itself. While with regard to contact with these sources of impurity, Rav Yehuda said that it is taught in a baraita that the verse “and upon him that touched a bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave” (Numbers 19:18) is expounded as follows: “A bone”; this is a bone that is a barley-grain–bulk. “Or the slain”; this is a limb slain, i.e., severed, from the living, which does not contain enough flesh for it to heal.
״אוֹ בְּמֵת״ — זֶה אֵבֶר הַנֶחְלָל מִן הַמֵּת, ״אוֹ בְקָבֶר״ — אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: זֶה קֶבֶר שֶׁלִּפְנֵי הַדִּיבּוּר.
The baraita continues its interpretation of the verse. “Or the dead”; this is a limb slain from a corpse, which is not covered by enough flesh for it to heal were he alive. “Or the grave”; Reish Lakish said: This is a grave that contained a corpse from before the time the command of these halakhot was given to the Jewish people. These graves render people and items ritually impure by contact, but do not carry the halakhot of impurity imparted in a tent.
הַאי אֵבֶר מִן הַמֵּת, הֵיכִי דָמֵי? אִי דְּאִית בֵּיהּ עֶצֶם כִּשְׂעוֹרָה הַיְינוּ הַנּוֹגֵעַ בַּעֶצֶם! אֶלָּא דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ עֶצֶם כִּשְׂעוֹרָה, וַאֲפִילּוּ הָכִי רַחֲמָנָא רַבְּיֵיהּ!
The Gemara asks: With regard to this limb from a corpse, which is listed above as imparting ritual impurity by contact, what are the circumstances of the case? If the limb contains a bone that is a barley-grain–bulk, this is included in the halakha of one who touches a bone, and it was already taught that a bone imparts impurity by contact. Rather, it must be that it does not contain a bone that is a barley-grain–bulk, and even so the Merciful One includes it in the halakhot of impurity, despite the fact that it does not contain enough flesh. This indicates that a nazirite shaves for a limb of this kind, in accordance with the opinion of Reish Lakish.
אָמַר לָךְ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לְעוֹלָם דְּאִית בֵּיהּ. וְאִם אֵינוֹ עִנְיָן לְמַגָּעוֹ — תְּנֵהוּ עִנְיָן לְמַשָּׂאוֹ.
The Gemara responds: In answer to this proof of Reish Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan could have said to you: Actually, you should explain that it does contain a bone the volume of a barley-grain-bulk, and if it does not need to refer to the matter of its contact, as the verse explicitly states: “Anyone who touches a bone,” have it refer to the matter of its carrying, i.e., that one who carries it is also rendered ritually impure.
וּמַזֶּה בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי וְסוֹתֵר וְכוּ׳.
§ The mishna taught with regard to any nazirite who became impure from one of the listed sources of impurity: And a priest sprinkles the ashes of the red heifer on him on the third and on the seventh days, and he negates all the previous days he counted toward his naziriteship, and he does not begin counting a fresh term of naziriteship until after he becomes pure and brings his offerings.
אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ: הָא דְּקָתָנֵי ״עַד שֶׁיִּטְהַר״, בַּשְּׁבִיעִי קָאֵי — עַד דְּעָבֵיד הֶעֱרֵב שֶׁמֶשׁ, וּמַנִּי — רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הִיא. אוֹ דִילְמָא בַּשְּׁמִינִי קָאֵי, וּמַאי ״עַד שֶׁיִּטְהַר״ — עַד שֶׁיָּבִיא קׇרְבְּנוֹתָיו. וּמַנִּי — רַבָּנַן הִיא?
A dilemma was raised before the Sages: What is the meaning of that which is taught that a nazirite does not start counting until he is purified? Does the mishna refer to one who is standing on the seventh day of his purification and mean: Until he performs the requisite waiting for sunset? And whose opinion is it? It is the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer, who rules that a nazirite starts counting from the eighth day, even before he brings his offerings. Or perhaps it is referring to one who is standing on the eighth day. And then, what is the meaning of: Until he is purified? It means: Until he brings his offerings. And who is the author of this opinion? It is the Rabbis, who maintain that he begins his fresh period of naziriteship only after he has sacrificed his offering of impurity (see 18b).
תָּא שְׁמַע, מִדְּקָתָנֵי סֵיפָא: ״מַתְחִיל וּמוֹנֶה מִיָּד״, הָא רֵישָׁא מַאי ״עַד שֶׁיִּטְהַר״ — עַד שֶׁיָּבִיא קׇרְבְּנוֹתָיו, וּמַנִּי — רַבָּנַן הִיא דְּאָמְרִי: נְזִירוּת דְּטׇהֳרָה עַד שְׁמִינִי לָא חָיְילָא.
The Gemara answers: Come and hear a resolution of this dilemma from the fact that it teaches in the latter clause of the next mishna that a nazirite who does not have to bring an offering starts counting immediately after the conclusion of his seven days of purification. The Gemara infers from this mishna: If so, what is the meaning of the different term used in the first clause: Until he is purified? It means until he brings his offerings, and whose opinion is it? It is that of the Rabbis, who say that the naziriteship of purity does not commence until the eighth day.
מַתְנִי׳ אֲבָל הַסְּכָכוֹת, וְהַפְּרָעוֹת, וּבֵית הַפְּרָס,
MISHNA: The previous mishna listed the sources of ritual impurity for which a nazirite must shave. This mishna adds: However, the nazirite does not shave for these: The hanging branches over a corpse, i.e., a tree overhanging a body that a nazirite passes, but it is uncertain which branches are over a corpse; and the projecting stones from fences when the place of the impurity is unknown; and a beit haperas, a place that contained a grave and was plowed. In the latter case, the entire area around the grave is impure from a corpse due to an uncertainty, as it might contain human bones.
וְאֶרֶץ הָעַמִּים, וְהַגּוֹלֵל, וְהַדּוֹפֵק, וּרְבִיעִית דָּם, וְאֹהֶל, וְרוֹבַע עֲצָמוֹת, וְכֵלִים הַנּוֹגְעִים בְּמֵת, וּבִימֵי סְפָרוֹ, וּבִימֵי גְמָרוֹ — עַל אֵלּוּ אֵין הַנָּזִיר מְגַלֵּחַ.
The mishna continues its list: And the land of the nations, i.e., a nazirite left Eretz Yisrael for another land. The Sages decreed that all land outside of Eretz Yisrael is ritually impure. And the grave cover; and the grave walls upon which the cover rests; and a quarter-log of blood from a corpse; and a tent; and a quarter-kav of bones of a corpse; and vessels that are touching a corpse. And if the nazirite is in the days of his counting, i.e., the seven days a leper must count after purification from his leprosy; or in his days of full leprosy, when he is a full-fledged leper, for these the nazirite does not shave. This is the case even if he is rendered impure by one of the sources listed in the previous mishna.
וּמַזֶּה בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי,
And in those cases listed that involve ritual impurity from a corpse, one sprinkles the purification water upon him on the third and on the seventh days of his purification,
וְאֵינוֹ סוֹתֵר אֶת הַקּוֹדְמִים, וּמַתְחִיל וּמוֹנֶה מִיָּד, וְקׇרְבָּן אֵין לוֹ. בֶּאֱמֶת אָמְרוּ: יְמֵי הַזָּב וְהַזָּבָה וִימֵי הֶסְגֵּרוֹ שֶׁל מְצוֹרָע, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ עוֹלִין לוֹ.
and he does not negate the earlier days of his naziriteship, but they are considered part of his naziriteship term. And he starts counting the rest of his naziriteship to complete his term immediately after his purification, and he has no obligation to sacrifice an offering of impurity for these sources of ritual impurity. Actually they said an ancient tradition that these days of the impurity of the zav (Leviticus 15:1–15) and the zava (Leviticus 15:25–30) and the days of the confinement of a leper before he is confirmed as a full-fledged leper (Leviticus 13:4–5) count for him toward the period of his naziriteship.
גְּמָ׳ וְאֵלּוּ הֵן הַסְּכָכוֹת — אִילָן הַמֵּיסֵךְ עַל הָאָרֶץ. וּפְרָעוֹת — הַיּוֹצְאוֹת מִן הַגָּדֵר.
GEMARA: The Gemara explains the terms hangings and projections by citing a mishna (Oholot 8:2). And these are the hangings: A tree that overhangs the earth. And the projections are stones that protrude from a fence.
וְאֶרֶץ הָעַמִּים. אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ: אֶרֶץ הָעַמִּים, מִשּׁוּם אַוֵּירָא גָּזְרוּ עָלֶיהָ, אוֹ דִילְמָא מִשּׁוּם גּוּשָּׁא גָּזְרוּ עָלֶיהָ?
§ The mishna further taught: And the land of the nations does not render a nazirite obligated to shave, despite the fact that it is considered ritually impure. The Gemara inquires with regard to the nature of this impurity. A dilemma was raised before the Sages: Did the Sages decree the land of the nations impure with regard to the air, i.e., is one rendered impure merely by being there? Or perhaps they decreed it impure with regard to the earth, i.e., one who touches the ground or overlays it becomes impure.
תָּא שְׁמַע: וּמַזֶּה בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי. וְאִי אָמְרַתְּ מִשּׁוּם אַוֵּירָא, הַזָּאָה לְמָה לִי?
The Gemara suggests: Come and hear a resolution to this question from the mishna, which lists one who enters the land of the nations and states: And one sprinkles on him on the third and on the seventh days. And if you say that the decree was with regard to the air, why do I need this sprinkling? He neither touched something ritually impure nor overlaid it.
אֶלָּא לָאו, מִשּׁוּם גּוּשָּׁא? לָא, לְעוֹלָם אֵימָא לָךְ מִשּׁוּם אַוֵּירָא, וְכִי קָתָנֵי — אַשְּׁאָרָא.
Rather, is it not with regard to the earth that the land of the nations was decreed impure? The Gemara rejects this proof: No, actually I could say to you that the decree is due to the air, and when the mishna teaches that he receives the sprinkling, it is referring to the other items listed in the mishna, e.g., the grave cover, the grave walls, and a quarter-log of blood.
הָכִי נָמֵי מִסְתַּבְּרָא, מִדְּקָתָנֵי: וְכֵלִים הַנּוֹגְעִים בְּמֵת. הָנֵי כֵּלִים בְּנֵי הַזָּאָה אִינּוּן? אֶלָּא שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ אַשְּׁאָרָא.
The Gemara comments: So too, it is reasonable that this is the case, from the fact that the mishna also teaches: And vessels that are touching a corpse. Now do people who touch these vessels require sprinkling? Does one who touches a vessel that is ritually impure from a corpse require the sprinkling of purification water? This individual is impure only until that evening. Rather, learn from this that the halakha that he is sprinkled on the third and on the seventh days does not refer to all the cases in the mishna but only to some of the others.
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Nazir 54
דְּאָמַר מָר: טוּמְאָה בּוֹקַעַת וְעוֹלָה, בּוֹקַעַת וְיוֹרֶדֶת. וְאִילּוּ גַּבֵּי נְגִיעָה, אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה, תַּנְיָא: ״(וְכׇל) הַנּוֹגֵעַ בַּעֶצֶם אוֹ בֶחָלָל״, ״בַּעֶצֶם״ — זֶה עֶצֶם כִּשְׂעוֹרָה, ״אוֹ בֶחָלָל״ — זֶה אֵבֶר הַנֶחְלָל מִן הַחַי וְאֵין בּוֹ לְהַעֲלוֹת אֲרוּכָה,
As the Master said: Ritual impurity in a sealed grave breaks through and ascends and breaks through and descends, so that the grave imparts impurity like the corpse itself. While with regard to contact with these sources of impurity, Rav Yehuda said that it is taught in a baraita that the verse “and upon him that touched a bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave” (Numbers 19:18) is expounded as follows: “A bone”; this is a bone that is a barley-grain–bulk. “Or the slain”; this is a limb slain, i.e., severed, from the living, which does not contain enough flesh for it to heal.
״אוֹ בְּמֵת״ — זֶה אֵבֶר הַנֶחְלָל מִן הַמֵּת, ״אוֹ בְקָבֶר״ — אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: זֶה קֶבֶר שֶׁלִּפְנֵי הַדִּיבּוּר.
The baraita continues its interpretation of the verse. “Or the dead”; this is a limb slain from a corpse, which is not covered by enough flesh for it to heal were he alive. “Or the grave”; Reish Lakish said: This is a grave that contained a corpse from before the time the command of these halakhot was given to the Jewish people. These graves render people and items ritually impure by contact, but do not carry the halakhot of impurity imparted in a tent.
הַאי אֵבֶר מִן הַמֵּת, הֵיכִי דָמֵי? אִי דְּאִית בֵּיהּ עֶצֶם כִּשְׂעוֹרָה הַיְינוּ הַנּוֹגֵעַ בַּעֶצֶם! אֶלָּא דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ עֶצֶם כִּשְׂעוֹרָה, וַאֲפִילּוּ הָכִי רַחֲמָנָא רַבְּיֵיהּ!
The Gemara asks: With regard to this limb from a corpse, which is listed above as imparting ritual impurity by contact, what are the circumstances of the case? If the limb contains a bone that is a barley-grain–bulk, this is included in the halakha of one who touches a bone, and it was already taught that a bone imparts impurity by contact. Rather, it must be that it does not contain a bone that is a barley-grain–bulk, and even so the Merciful One includes it in the halakhot of impurity, despite the fact that it does not contain enough flesh. This indicates that a nazirite shaves for a limb of this kind, in accordance with the opinion of Reish Lakish.
אָמַר לָךְ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לְעוֹלָם דְּאִית בֵּיהּ. וְאִם אֵינוֹ עִנְיָן לְמַגָּעוֹ — תְּנֵהוּ עִנְיָן לְמַשָּׂאוֹ.
The Gemara responds: In answer to this proof of Reish Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan could have said to you: Actually, you should explain that it does contain a bone the volume of a barley-grain-bulk, and if it does not need to refer to the matter of its contact, as the verse explicitly states: “Anyone who touches a bone,” have it refer to the matter of its carrying, i.e., that one who carries it is also rendered ritually impure.
וּמַזֶּה בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי וְסוֹתֵר וְכוּ׳.
§ The mishna taught with regard to any nazirite who became impure from one of the listed sources of impurity: And a priest sprinkles the ashes of the red heifer on him on the third and on the seventh days, and he negates all the previous days he counted toward his naziriteship, and he does not begin counting a fresh term of naziriteship until after he becomes pure and brings his offerings.
אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ: הָא דְּקָתָנֵי ״עַד שֶׁיִּטְהַר״, בַּשְּׁבִיעִי קָאֵי — עַד דְּעָבֵיד הֶעֱרֵב שֶׁמֶשׁ, וּמַנִּי — רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הִיא. אוֹ דִילְמָא בַּשְּׁמִינִי קָאֵי, וּמַאי ״עַד שֶׁיִּטְהַר״ — עַד שֶׁיָּבִיא קׇרְבְּנוֹתָיו. וּמַנִּי — רַבָּנַן הִיא?
A dilemma was raised before the Sages: What is the meaning of that which is taught that a nazirite does not start counting until he is purified? Does the mishna refer to one who is standing on the seventh day of his purification and mean: Until he performs the requisite waiting for sunset? And whose opinion is it? It is the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer, who rules that a nazirite starts counting from the eighth day, even before he brings his offerings. Or perhaps it is referring to one who is standing on the eighth day. And then, what is the meaning of: Until he is purified? It means: Until he brings his offerings. And who is the author of this opinion? It is the Rabbis, who maintain that he begins his fresh period of naziriteship only after he has sacrificed his offering of impurity (see 18b).
תָּא שְׁמַע, מִדְּקָתָנֵי סֵיפָא: ״מַתְחִיל וּמוֹנֶה מִיָּד״, הָא רֵישָׁא מַאי ״עַד שֶׁיִּטְהַר״ — עַד שֶׁיָּבִיא קׇרְבְּנוֹתָיו, וּמַנִּי — רַבָּנַן הִיא דְּאָמְרִי: נְזִירוּת דְּטׇהֳרָה עַד שְׁמִינִי לָא חָיְילָא.
The Gemara answers: Come and hear a resolution of this dilemma from the fact that it teaches in the latter clause of the next mishna that a nazirite who does not have to bring an offering starts counting immediately after the conclusion of his seven days of purification. The Gemara infers from this mishna: If so, what is the meaning of the different term used in the first clause: Until he is purified? It means until he brings his offerings, and whose opinion is it? It is that of the Rabbis, who say that the naziriteship of purity does not commence until the eighth day.
מַתְנִי׳ אֲבָל הַסְּכָכוֹת, וְהַפְּרָעוֹת, וּבֵית הַפְּרָס,
MISHNA: The previous mishna listed the sources of ritual impurity for which a nazirite must shave. This mishna adds: However, the nazirite does not shave for these: The hanging branches over a corpse, i.e., a tree overhanging a body that a nazirite passes, but it is uncertain which branches are over a corpse; and the projecting stones from fences when the place of the impurity is unknown; and a beit haperas, a place that contained a grave and was plowed. In the latter case, the entire area around the grave is impure from a corpse due to an uncertainty, as it might contain human bones.
וְאֶרֶץ הָעַמִּים, וְהַגּוֹלֵל, וְהַדּוֹפֵק, וּרְבִיעִית דָּם, וְאֹהֶל, וְרוֹבַע עֲצָמוֹת, וְכֵלִים הַנּוֹגְעִים בְּמֵת, וּבִימֵי סְפָרוֹ, וּבִימֵי גְמָרוֹ — עַל אֵלּוּ אֵין הַנָּזִיר מְגַלֵּחַ.
The mishna continues its list: And the land of the nations, i.e., a nazirite left Eretz Yisrael for another land. The Sages decreed that all land outside of Eretz Yisrael is ritually impure. And the grave cover; and the grave walls upon which the cover rests; and a quarter-log of blood from a corpse; and a tent; and a quarter-kav of bones of a corpse; and vessels that are touching a corpse. And if the nazirite is in the days of his counting, i.e., the seven days a leper must count after purification from his leprosy; or in his days of full leprosy, when he is a full-fledged leper, for these the nazirite does not shave. This is the case even if he is rendered impure by one of the sources listed in the previous mishna.
וּמַזֶּה בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי,
And in those cases listed that involve ritual impurity from a corpse, one sprinkles the purification water upon him on the third and on the seventh days of his purification,
וְאֵינוֹ סוֹתֵר אֶת הַקּוֹדְמִים, וּמַתְחִיל וּמוֹנֶה מִיָּד, וְקׇרְבָּן אֵין לוֹ. בֶּאֱמֶת אָמְרוּ: יְמֵי הַזָּב וְהַזָּבָה וִימֵי הֶסְגֵּרוֹ שֶׁל מְצוֹרָע, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ עוֹלִין לוֹ.
and he does not negate the earlier days of his naziriteship, but they are considered part of his naziriteship term. And he starts counting the rest of his naziriteship to complete his term immediately after his purification, and he has no obligation to sacrifice an offering of impurity for these sources of ritual impurity. Actually they said an ancient tradition that these days of the impurity of the zav (Leviticus 15:1–15) and the zava (Leviticus 15:25–30) and the days of the confinement of a leper before he is confirmed as a full-fledged leper (Leviticus 13:4–5) count for him toward the period of his naziriteship.
גְּמָ׳ וְאֵלּוּ הֵן הַסְּכָכוֹת — אִילָן הַמֵּיסֵךְ עַל הָאָרֶץ. וּפְרָעוֹת — הַיּוֹצְאוֹת מִן הַגָּדֵר.
GEMARA: The Gemara explains the terms hangings and projections by citing a mishna (Oholot 8:2). And these are the hangings: A tree that overhangs the earth. And the projections are stones that protrude from a fence.
וְאֶרֶץ הָעַמִּים. אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ: אֶרֶץ הָעַמִּים, מִשּׁוּם אַוֵּירָא גָּזְרוּ עָלֶיהָ, אוֹ דִילְמָא מִשּׁוּם גּוּשָּׁא גָּזְרוּ עָלֶיהָ?
§ The mishna further taught: And the land of the nations does not render a nazirite obligated to shave, despite the fact that it is considered ritually impure. The Gemara inquires with regard to the nature of this impurity. A dilemma was raised before the Sages: Did the Sages decree the land of the nations impure with regard to the air, i.e., is one rendered impure merely by being there? Or perhaps they decreed it impure with regard to the earth, i.e., one who touches the ground or overlays it becomes impure.
תָּא שְׁמַע: וּמַזֶּה בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי. וְאִי אָמְרַתְּ מִשּׁוּם אַוֵּירָא, הַזָּאָה לְמָה לִי?
The Gemara suggests: Come and hear a resolution to this question from the mishna, which lists one who enters the land of the nations and states: And one sprinkles on him on the third and on the seventh days. And if you say that the decree was with regard to the air, why do I need this sprinkling? He neither touched something ritually impure nor overlaid it.
אֶלָּא לָאו, מִשּׁוּם גּוּשָּׁא? לָא, לְעוֹלָם אֵימָא לָךְ מִשּׁוּם אַוֵּירָא, וְכִי קָתָנֵי — אַשְּׁאָרָא.
Rather, is it not with regard to the earth that the land of the nations was decreed impure? The Gemara rejects this proof: No, actually I could say to you that the decree is due to the air, and when the mishna teaches that he receives the sprinkling, it is referring to the other items listed in the mishna, e.g., the grave cover, the grave walls, and a quarter-log of blood.
הָכִי נָמֵי מִסְתַּבְּרָא, מִדְּקָתָנֵי: וְכֵלִים הַנּוֹגְעִים בְּמֵת. הָנֵי כֵּלִים בְּנֵי הַזָּאָה אִינּוּן? אֶלָּא שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ אַשְּׁאָרָא.
The Gemara comments: So too, it is reasonable that this is the case, from the fact that the mishna also teaches: And vessels that are touching a corpse. Now do people who touch these vessels require sprinkling? Does one who touches a vessel that is ritually impure from a corpse require the sprinkling of purification water? This individual is impure only until that evening. Rather, learn from this that the halakha that he is sprinkled on the third and on the seventh days does not refer to all the cases in the mishna but only to some of the others.
