Makhshirin, Chapter Four, Mishnah Seven


Mishnah Seven

1)      If produce fell into a channel of water, and one whose hands were unclean put out his hands and took it, his hands become clean and the produce [also] remains clean.  

2)      But if his intention was that his hands should be rinsed, his hands become clean and the produce comes under the law of if water be put.



Section one: By putting his hands into the channel of water, he has purified them, assuming that only his hands were unclean (like netilat yadayim). The produce has not been made susceptible to impurity because he didn’t intentionally put the produce into the water.

Section two: If he intends to rinse the produce off, the produce is clearly susceptible to impurity. His hands are in any case purified by having been put in the water.