Beitzah 18a (יח.) — the Talmud in English

Rabba said: It is a rabbinic enactment

enacted by the Sages,

lest one take it in his hand and carry it four cubits in the public domain

to the ritual bath.

Abaye said to him: He has a well in his courtyard—

what is there to say?

He said to him: The enactment was made concerning a well in his courtyard—

due to a well in the public domain.

That works with regard to Shabbat; but on a Festival

when there is no prohibition against carrying an object needed for the day—

what is there to say?

And we answer:

They enacted the prohibition on a Festival due to Shabbat.

But do we enact such a decree?

But we learned in the Mishna: And they agree that one may immerse the water in a stone vessel to purify it, but one may not immerse the vessel itself.

And if it is so

that such decrees are enacted—

let us decree against immersing the water due to immersing the vessel!

And we answer:

But can you understand it that way? If he has good water—

these

waters—

why would he need to immerse them?

Rather—

the case must necessarily be one in which

he does not have

good water.

And since he does not have—

he is exceedingly careful with them

and there is no need to enact a decree.

He raised an objection to him

from that which is taught in a beraita: One may employ a stratagem and

draw

water on a Festival

with an impure bucket, and it becomes pure

by itself.

And if it is so

that such decrees are enacted,

let us decree lest he come to immerse it as it is

without drawing water!

And we answer:

It is different there, since he was not permitted

to immerse it

except by means of his bucket—

he will remember.

He raised an objection to him: A vessel that became impure on the eve of a Festival—

one may not immerse it on the Festival,

since he should have immersed it while it was still day.

But if it became impure

on the Festival—

one may immerse it on the Festival.

And if it is so—

let us decree that immersion on a Festival is prohibited due to immersion on the eve of a Festival!

And we answer:

Impurity on a Festival is an uncommon matter,

since everyone purifies themselves before the Festival.

And with regard to an uncommon matter—

the Sages did not enact a decree concerning it.

He raised an objection to him: A vessel that became impure through a primary source of ritual impurity,

whose impurity is by Torah law—

one may not immerse it on the Festival.

But if the vessel became impure

through a derivative of ritual impurity,

whose impurity is only rabbinic [for a vessel becomes impure by Torah law only through a primary source of ritual impurity]—

one may immerse it on the Festival.

And if it is so, let us decree in this case due to that case!

And we answer: A vessel that became impure through a

derivative of ritual impurity

and is consequently a secondary degree of ritual impurity—

where can you find such a case,

who would need to immerse it? It applies only

with regard to priests,

for a vessel that is a secondary degree of ritual impurity renders teruma that it touches a tertiary degree of ritual impurity. But with regard to non-sacred produce, a vessel that is a secondary degree of ritual impurity does not create a tertiary degree of ritual impurity.

Therefore there is no concern, since

priests—

are vigilant.

Come and hear, as Rav Hiyya bar Ashi said that Rav said: A menstruant who does not have pure garments

to wear after she becomes pure from her ritual impurity—and it is prohibited to immerse garments on a Festival—she

employs a stratagem and immerses while wearing her garments,

in such a manner that they do not constitute an interposition, as they are not tight against her body, and they become pure along with her.

And if it is so

that such decrees are enacted,

let us decree

that she may not immerse while wearing her garments,

lest she come to immerse

her garments

as they are!

And we answer:

It is different there, since she was not permitted

to immerse them

except by wearing them—

she will remember.

Here the Gemara returns to explain why vessels may not be immersed on Shabbat and on a Festival.

Rav Yosef said: It is a decree due to squeezing.

Abaye said to him: That works with regard to vessels—

garments—

which are subject to squeezing.

With regard to vessels that are not subject to squeezing—

what is there to say?

He said to him: They enacted a decree concerning these due to those.

He raised all these objections to him,

raised above,

and he answered him as we answered them.

Rav Beivai said:

one may not immerse vessels on a Festival or on Shabbat,

due to a decree lest he delay

immersing his impure vessels until a free time on the Festival or on Shabbat, and thereby come to stumble with impure teruma.

It is taught in a beraita in support of Rav Beivai: A vessel that became impure on the eve of a Festival—

one may not immerse it on the Festival, due to a decree lest he delay.

Rava said:

one may not immerse vessels

because it appears as though he is repairing a vessel.

And we challenge Rava:

If so, a person too

should not immerse, because it appears as though he is repairing himself! And we answer:

A person—

appears to be cooling himself,

as one who enters the water to bathe and cool off.

That works

when he immerses in

good water,

as a person indeed appears to be cooling himself.

But if he immerses in

bad water—

what is there to say?