מסכת כלים

פרק כו משנה ג

כף לוקטי קוצים

The glove of thorn-gatherers (this was made of leather to protect the hand of one who would gather thorny wood; some say it was not glove shaped, but rather a flat leather protective pad tied to the hand)

is tahor (as it was not made to contain anything).

The support belt (this was a wide belt made of leather)

and a kneepad (also of leather)

are tamei (it is unclear where or how exactly, but apparently these items had receptacles; though some say they are rabbinically tamei as they appear to have the form of a utensil; others say they are considered garments, and not mere protective gear, and so do not require a receptacle)

Protective sleeves (these went over the forearm and were of leather)

are tamei (rabbinically, as they have the appearance of utensils).

And the headbands (leather strips used to protect the head)

are tahor.

And all gloves

are tahor

except for those of branch gatherers (some interpret this as summer fruit gatherers)

because it holds the (berries of the) sumac tree;

if it tore,

if it cannot hold most of the (berry of the) sumac tree,

it is tahor.

סנדל

A sandal (made of leather, it was comprised of a hard sole, a loop that went over the toes, a pair of flaps that went up from either side of the middle of the sole and were tied to each other over the middle of the foot with a cord, and a heel-cup)

that one of its middle straps tore off (after it became tamei midras, but it can still be worn after this flap came off, by tying the remaining flap with its string over the foot to the sole on the opposite side),

and one fixed it (by replacing the flap),

(it remains) tamei midras.

If the second one (subsequently) tore off

and one fixed it

it is tahor from midras (as what remains of the original sandal could not be used without the newly attached flaps),

but it is tamei due to contact with an item that was tamei midras (this is the status of a rishon l'tumah; the first replacement strap contracted tumah as an rishon hatumah when it was reattached to the still functional and tamei midras sandal, and then was able to impart its status as a rishon to the rest of the sandal, including the newly attached opposite flap),

if he did not have an opportunity

to fix the first

before the second tore off,

טהורה

they are tahor.

If the heel cup was torn off,

or the toe-strap was removed,

or if (the toe-strap) split in two,

it is tahor.

A solyam (this footwear had a leather sole attached to the foot with straps that wound around the foot)

that tore in any place (which rendered this flimsier footwear unusable)

is tahor.

A shoe (this resembled a modern shoe in that it enclosed the front of the foot, but it had flaps like that of a sandal that tied together over the top of the middle of the foot, and was completely open in the back, without even a heel cup, like a modern slipper)

that was damaged

if it cannot hold

most of the foot (that is if the front enclosed part no longer encloses most of the top of the foot)

it is tahor.

A shoe that is on the last (the leather form that the shoemaker builds the shoe around),

Rabbi Eliezer says is tahor (as he holds its manufacture is not complete until it is removed from the last)

and the Sages rule it is tamei (as this step does not require the skill of a craftsman).

כל חמתות צרורות

All tied waterskins (i.e. if punctured and repaired by tying the hole shut)

are tahor (because such repairs are temporary),

except that (tied with the sturdier knot) of Arabs;

Rabbi Meir says

if tied temporarily (with a knot meant to be opened eventually)

they are tahor,

if tied permanently,

they are tamei;

Rabbi Yosi says,

all tied waterskins

are tahor.