We continue our study of the mishnayos in Maseches Keilim, and today we reach chapter 29, mishnayos 4 and 5.
These mishnayos continue the theme of the entire chapter: when dealing with handles or with cords and fringes that protrude from an object, how far is that part considered attached to the vessel and part of it - so that if the vessel becomes tamei, that part becomes tamei along with it.
Mishnah 4 - The Cord of a Scale:
The mishnah directs our attention to a particular part of a particular vessel: the balance scale. A balance scale has three components:
The two pans - the two parts that hang down, on one of which the item being weighed is placed, and opposite it the weight against which it is measured.
The horizontal beam - the rod from which the two pans hang.
The cord - a cord or string tied above the beam, by which one holds the scale while weighing.
The question, then, is how much of that cord or string, which holds up the horizontal beam and keeps it from falling to the ground, is considered part of the scale itself - so that if the scale became tamei, the cord becomes tamei as well.
The mishnah answers that it depends on the type of scale, that is, on the type of material weighed on it: "Chut mozna'yim shel zehuvim v'shel shoklei argaman tov - sheloshah bahem" - a scale used by goldsmiths, who weigh an extremely valuable substance, and likewise a scale used by those who weigh fine purple wool, expensive and specialized fabrics: the first three fingerbreadths of the cord that protrudes from the beam are considered attached to the scale itself.
The reason: since very valuable materials are being weighed here, great precision is required in the measurement - so as not to give too much and not to take too much - and therefore it is preferable that the cord suspending the scale in the air be as short as possible.
Beyond three fingerbreadths from the point where the cord connects to the scale, the cord is not considered attached, and when the scale is tamei, the portion beyond this measure does not become tamei.
Mishnah 5 - The Handle of the Kardom:
The kardom is an axe, or a type of spade. The accepted convention is to translate it as an axe, and it is held in the hand. An axe has two parts: a sharpened metal part that does the cutting, and a wooden handle.
When a person takes hold of an axe, he does not grip it at the end of the handle furthest from the metal, but rather moves his hand upward, so that a gap remains between the end of the handle and the place where his hand grips. That gap, which protrudes below the hand toward the end of the handle, is what is called "yad hakardom me'achorav" - the handle of the axe behind it.
The law is "shelosha" - "three": up to three fingerbreadths protruding beneath the hand toward the end of the handle are considered a connection, and if the axe is tamei, they too are tamei. Anything beyond that, toward the far end of the handle, is not considered a connection.
Rabbi Yose disagrees and says: "tefach - tahor" - "a handbreadth - it is tahor." That is, if the handle is so long that when a person grips it a full handbreadth protrudes behind his hand, the handle is not regarded as a handle at all. Halachically it does not count as a handle, because it is very difficult to work with a handle that long, and therefore the entire wooden portion is tahor - provided that the protruding part reaches the measure of a handbreadth.
In summary: In these two mishnayos we learned the measures of connection for two utensils: for the cord of the scales used by those who weigh gold and fine purple wool - three fingerbreadths, because of the precision required in weighing costly materials; and for the axe handle protruding behind the grip of the hand - three fingerbreadths, and according to Rabbi Yose, once the protruding part reaches a handbreadth, the handle is not considered a handle at all and all of it is tahor.