Keilim 20:6 - 20:7

סדין שהוא טמא מדרס – and it is appropriate to be defiled through treading, as it states, but it is not actually defiled through treading. For if so, as it is taught in the concluding section ‘of the Mishnah] “that is susceptible to uncleanness from corpse uncleanness,” let it be taught “but it is impure through contact with treading, as it is taught in the third chapter of Tractate Menahot (הקומץ רבה) [see also Tosefta Tractate Kelim Bava Metzia, Chapter 11, Halakha 9].

ועשאו וילון – a curtain for the opening, or a curtain for a ship. And specifically, when he made it through a change in action, but thought [alone] does not remove it from defilement that it was appropriate for it.

אבל טמא טמא מת – because the sun warms it (see Talmud Betzah 14a) it (i.e., the sheet) is wrapped in its rims periodically, therefore, it is not annulled from the laws of a vessel.

מאימתי טהרתו – that the law of treading is annulled from it.

משיתפר – In the Tosefta it is proven that the School of Shammai (see above, Tractate Kelim Bava Metzia 11:6) requires when it is torn and one fixes it to the measure of the opening, and one sews on it loops/couplings to hang it on a curtain or on a ship. But the School of Hillel states: “when he ties it up” and it doesn’t require tearing. But rather, one he ties on it the loops/couplings in order to suspend them upon them. And there are books that have the reading: “The School of Shammai states from when it is broken,” and that this is the reading, meaning to say, that when he breaks it and tears it in order to sew it to the measure of the opening.

ר' עקיבא אומר משיקבע – from the time that he will hang it on the opening or on the ship. And the Halakha is according to the School of Hillel.

לארכה טהורה – the length of the reed corresponding to the length of the matting [of straw], is pure, but it is not appropriate for lying, for the reeds damage the person lying down, but they are not appropriate for anything other than interlacing.

כמין כי – the Greek [letter]. That is akin to the reverse of our [letter] "כ". Meaning to say, it is always impure util he pulss the reeds from three sides. And the Halakha is according to the Sages.

עשאם לרחבה – the length of the reed to the width of the matting.

ד' טפחים – when there is between each reed four handbreadths, it is appropriate to lie upon between the two reeds.

נחלקה לרחבה – and its reeds were broken in-half.

רבי יהודה מטהר – for it is not appropriate for lying. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yehuda.

המתיר ראשי מעדנים (he who loosens the tops of reed matting) – it is custom of those who make matting that when they complete the mat, there remains a kind of border/hem. And they raise it in all two handbreadths a twisted thread and tie it so that the web will not be destroyed. For if it remains, it stands to be destroyed and would be annulled from the notion of being a vessel, and is pure.

Reed matting, ties, like (I Samuel 15:32): “Agag approached him (i.e., Samuel) with faltering steps,” meaning to say, it is tied in the manner that forbidden things are tied, and similarly (Job 38:31): “Cast you tie cords to Pleiades.”

שהם של ששה טפחים – two handbreadths between each reed matting, and a handbreadth from here and a handbreadth from there.

משתקנב (when it will have been trimmed) – that he will sever/cut and lop off the heads of the protruding membrane, and this is cutting/trimming.