Meilah 4:4 - 4:5

שני שמות (two categories) – two separate negative commandments.

בקל שבשניהם (the lesser of the two of them)- that is to say, it combines for [ritual] defilement even with the lesser requisite measurement, as for example, that it would combine for less than the equivalent of a lentil’s bulk of a creeping reptile to complete the equivalent of an olive’s bulk of a carrion, and all the more so, that it would not combine to the requisite greater measurement. And similar, half of an olive’s bulk of a dead corpse does not combine to a half of an olive’s bulk of carrion to become impure, even for the impurity until evening.

אוכל שנטמא באב – this is the offspring of a first degree of uncleanness.

שנטמא בולד הטומאה – this is the offspring of second degree of uncleanness.

מצטרפין זה עם זה – to the equivalent of an egg’s bulk, which is the measurement of impurity for foodstuffs.

לטמא בקל שבשניהם – to become third-degree [of uncleanness] in the manner that the second [degree of uncleanness] becomes third [degree of uncleanness], which is the lesser of the two of them. But it does not combine to that which would become second [degree of uncleanness] like it makes the first [degree of uncleanness] become second [degree of uncleanness], for if so, it was like the greater/more stringent of the two of them.

לפסול את הגויה – a person (i.e., a Kohen) who consumes ritually impure foods at the volume of half-a-loaf [of bread] which is an egg and a half [in volume] according to the words of Maimonides, and two eggs’ [bulk] according to the words of my Rabbis/Teachers, his body is made invalid from eating heave-offering/Terumah and invalidates the Terumah through his contact until he immerses [in a Mikveh].

במזון שתי סעודות לעירוב (see also Tractate Eruvin, Chapter 8, Mishnah 2) – A person who wants to walk more than two-thousand cubits on Shabbat makes a joining of borders/ עירובי תחומין and places the food for two [Sabbath] meals in the place where he desires that he will establish his Eruv, and he walks from the place of his Eruv and beyond [another] two-thousand cubits. And this is six eggs according to Maimonides and eight eggs according to my Rabbis/Teachers.

בכביצה לטמא טומאת אוכלין – for food does not defile with less than an egg, as it is written (Leviticus 11:34): “As to any food that may be eaten, [if shall become impure if it came in contact with water],” that implies a food that is eaten at once, and the Sages estimated that the esophagus does not hold more than the egg of a chicken.

בכגרוגרת להוצאת שבת (see also Tractate Shabbat, Chapter 7, Mishnah 4) – a person who removes foodstuffs on the Sabbath from one domain to another is not liable with less than a dry fig’s bulk.

בככותבת ביום הכיפורים (see also Tractate Yoma, Chapter 8, Mishnah 2)– The Biblical verse changed it and wrote (Leviticus 16:29): "תענו" /”you shall practice self-denial,” but did not write “תאכלו “/”you shall [not] eat,” that implies that the All-Merciful was not stringent other than with self-denial/affliction, and the Sages estimated that with a date a person’s mind is set at ease, ut less than a date, a person’s mind is not set at ease.

לפסול את הגויה ברביעית – a person who drinks impure liquids at a volume of a quarter-LOG, his (i.e., the Kohen’s) body is invalidated from consuming heave-offering/Terumah and invalidates Terumah through his contact until he immerses [in a Mikveh]

וכמלוא לוגמיו (a mouthful, a quantity of liquid filling up one’s cheek) – that he drinks a quantity filling up his cheek on Yoom Kippur is liable. Less than this, he is exempt (see Tractate Yoma, Chapter 8, Mishnah 2).