Nazir 65a (סה.) — the Talmud in English

b. The area surrounding the grave is not considered fit for preparing pure food unless

he examines from it and onward for twenty cubits,

to determine whether another corpse is buried there.

And if indeed

he found one at the end of twenty cubits,

then

he examines from it and onward,

another

twenty cubits.

And why does he examine twenty cubits when he found only one at the end of twenty cubits?

Because

there is circumstantial evidence

that there are additional corpses in the surrounding area.

For had he found this corpse initially,

as an isolated corpse, he would have

removed it and its associated soil

and that would have sufficed.

But now, having already found three corpses in the surrounding area, although he found only one at this particular spot, there is concern that additional graves will be found; therefore, he examines another twenty cubits.

Gemara:

We learned in the Mishna: One who initially finds a corpse lying in its customary manner removes it and its associated soil:

Rav Yehuda said,

to explain the wording of the Mishna: “

Found” [“

one who finds a corpse”]—

excluding a known corpse!

This teaches us that he removes it only when it was not known that it was buried there.

That is, if it was known that a corpse was present in this place, he may not remove it from there.

Only a corpse whose presence was unknown may be moved, because, since its burial was unknown, it may be presumed that it was buried there only incidentally and with the intention that it be moved. “

Corpse”—

excluding one who was killed!

This teaches us that he removes its associated soil and that it creates a neighborhood of graves only when the person died naturally, because, since the corpse is lacking blood,

there is no need to remove its associated soil with it. And even if he found two additional corpses, this is not a “neighborhood of graves,” since a corpse that is lacking a part has neither associated soil nor a neighborhood of graves. “

Lying”—

excluding one who

found the corpse

sitting,

which is not the manner in which Jews bury their dead, who are buried lying down; and the reason is explained as the discussion proceeds. “

In its customary manner”—

excluding one who

found the corpse with

its head placed between its thighs,

which is not the manner in which Jews bury their dead; and the reason is explained as the discussion proceeds.

Ulla bar Ḥanina taught:

A corpse that is lacking a part:

it has no dust from a corpse, and

it has neither associated soil nor a neighborhood of graves.

The Gemara explains:

And all these—

one who is sitting or one whose head lies between his thighs—

what is the reason they do not,

that is, what is the reason that the law of our Mishna does not apply to them?

Because

we say,

meaning, because we say:

perhaps

it is a gentile

who is buried there.

If he found two, the head of one beside the feet of the other, and the head of the other beside the feet of the first,

which is not the manner in which Jews are buried—

we say: Perhaps they are gentiles, and therefore

they have neither associated soil nor a neighborhood of graves.

And if

he found three

corpses,

one was known

to have been buried here,

and two were initial,

meaning that the presence of two of the three corpses was not known—

Or

even if he found

two initial corpses and two known corpses, they have

associated soil, but they do not have a neighborhood of graves,

because there is a “neighborhood of graves” only for three known corpses or for three initial corpses.

There was an incident involving Rabbi Yishbav, who

wanted to establish a certain area as pure, and

examined it and found two known corpses and one initial corpse, and sought to make them a neighborhood of graves.

Rabbi Akiva said to him:

All the effort you expended was in vain.

For

they said that there is a neighborhood of graves only for either three known corpses or three initial corpses.

We learned in the Mishna: One who initially finds a corpse lying in its customary manner removes it and its associated soil; two,

he removes them and their associated soil.

The Gemara explains:

What are the circumstances of associated soil,

that is, where do we find that he must remove associated soil together with it?

Rav Yehuda said:

When

the verse says: “The days of Israel drew near to die, and he summoned his son Joseph and said to him, etc.: Please do not bury me in Egypt. I will lie with my fathers,

and you shall carry me from Egypt

and carry me from Egypt

and bury me in their burial place.” Why was it necessary to add and say “from Egypt”? It should have said only: “You shall carry me and bury me in their burial place.” Rather, it comes to teach:

From Egypt [

from the soil of Egypt]

take it with me!

The Gemara further explains:

And how much

is the

measure of associated soil

with regard to which we are concerned about impurity?

Rabbi Elazar explained,

son of Pedat:

He takes loose soil [

soft soil] from beneath the corpse,

and he digs

further beneath it

in

the

virgin soil to a depth of three fingerbreadths.

The Gemara raises an objection

from a beraita that we learned:

And what is the measure of associated soil

with regard to which we are concerned about impurity?

Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Tzadok, explained:

He takes,

separating from the soil in the grave:

the splinters [

fragments of the shattered marble coffin]

and the clods [

like “clods of earth”]; they are clumps of earth that he knows are not from the bones of the corpse—

and he throws away

from the soil that he took

the certainties,

meaning whatever he knows is not from the bones of the corpse,

and he places

in a concealed place

the doubtful material,

that is, the soil concerning which he is uncertain whether it contains bones of the corpse, so that those who prepare pure food will not become impure through it—

And the remainder,

which is certainly from the pulverized bones of the corpse,

joins the

measure of

the majority of the structure or the

measure of

the majority of the number [

of the corpse’s bones, which is their measure for conveying impurity through a tent],

and a quarter [

of a kav of bones consisting of the majority of the number and the majority of the structure, which likewise conveys impurity through a tent],

and

when it is decomposed, it joins

a full ladleful of dust from a corpse.

Thus, he is not concerned to remove all the loose soil and the virgin soil beneath it; this is a difficulty against Rabbi Elazar!?

And we answer:

He—

Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat—

said this in accordance with that tanna, as it was taught:

And what is the measure of associated soil?

Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Ben Azzai:

He takes loose soil and digs three fingerbreadths into virgin soil,

in accordance with the words of Rabbi Elazar.

We learned in the Mishna: If he found three, and so on, this is a neighborhood of graves;

he examines from it

and onward for twenty cubits: