Machshirin 3:8 - 4:1

המוריד את הגלגלים – wheel of His [Divine] Chariot (see Ezekiel, chapter 1), we translate in Aramaic, the wheels of the chariot with horses.

בשעת הקדים - at the time of the heat, the eastern wind blows, and it is the manner of wooden vessels that they split/break because of the heat, and we bring them down to the water and the splits are attached. That is, they are tightened/wedged in, like squeezed in/pressed in, that is to say, in order that they can be pounded together and that the splits are attached to each other.

הרי זה בכי יותן – the waters that are raised in them make fit the seeds to receive ritual defilement, for it is satisfactory for it that these waters are suspended in a vessel to fasten the splits.

בשעת היחף (at the season of foot sores [of animals or of threshing]- that the animal is weary and tired from the trouble of the path. And similar at the time when it is threshing in the grain, the water that she brings up upon her feet always makes the seeds fit to receive ritual defilement because they are intentional, for the waters are good for her to cool her off and to make her cold. Another explanation: At the time of foot sores and the threshing, at the time of the harvest, he wants that the animal washes its feet in order that they will be clean to thresh the grain.

השוחה לשתות, בפיו ובשפמו הרי הן בכי יותן ( he who kneels down to drink) – that is the reason, because the waters do not enter into his mouth unless they touch his moustache first, therefore we consider them [as being under the law of “when water is put on” – Leviticus 11:38).

הממלא בחבית, המים העולים אחריה (he who draws water with a jug, the water which comes up on its outer parts) – they are [considered as under the law of] “when water is put on,” (Leviticus 11:38), for it is impossible that they can enter until they reach its outer parts. But if he placed it underneath the spout [when its waters splash forth], that which comes up on its outer parts is not [considered as under the law of] “when water is put on,” for it is possible for it (i.e., the water) to spout forth continuously that it will descend into it (i.e., the jug) and not touch its outer parts.

מכונן על צוארה (the rope wound round its neck) – surrounding, like a ring that surrounds the neck of the jug. [The word] מכונן is the language of (Deuteronomy 32:6): “Fashioned you and made you endure.”

נתנה – [put] for the jug.

תחת הצנור – to receive the water.

אינן בכי יותן – the waters that are on the outer parts and on the rope, for it is not satisfactory for him other than that the waters should fall into it (i.e., the jug) alone.