Pesachim 17a, b

So we are still on the topic of im/purity, which I continue to find particularly challenging (see Pesachim daf 14).  Today's daf begins with a particular example: a dead creeping animal is in the pocket of a garment that touches bread that touches stew that touches wine that touches oil.  Question: is the oil impure?  Haggai argues with the rabbis about consecrated items.  Can they impart ritual impurity?  Can they become ritually impure with fourth-degree ritual impurity?

Part of this discussion looks how the 'corpse', which carries first-degree ritual impurity, imparts that impurity.  Does the impurity directly affect the bread, or does it affect the garment which in turn affects the bread?  This is important because ritual impurity is generally only imparted to the fourth degree.  Thus the oil might be the fifth degree, and off of the hook for impurity at all. 

The rabbis question whether first-degree impurity imparted by a corpse is different from that imparted by a creeping animal.  They argue about whether or not consecrated items can impart ritual impurity at all.  As well, the rabbis suggest that there may be a potential difference between blood & water and other liquids -- the rabbis do not agree about what is Torah law and what is rabbinic law when it comes to the ability of liquids to impart ritual impurity at all.  

Next, we move into a discussion of vessels.  Blood and water (liquids of the slaughterhouse) may be of impure status if in a vessel, but pure if on the ground.  In fact, some rabbis argue that water on the ground that is 1/4 of a log or greater is ritually pure, as it can be used as a ritual bath, a mikvah.  And another idea about vessels: if touched by a ritual impurity on the external surface of the vessel, the inside of that vessel is pure, as the inside surface is the surface intended for use.  But if the inside surface is touched by an impurity, the entire vessel is impure.  Of course, all of this is hotly debated.

I found the words about the inside and outside surfaces of vessels quite helpful. Similarly, I found the first debate of today's daf quite satisfying (regarding whether bread or the pocket have acquired second degree impurity).  Silly, perhaps, but these are the questions that run through my mind as I struggle with the dapim.  But why would the vessel become impure just by being touched in one small spot?  What about the hand that washes the garment that held the creeping animal?  The implications of the halachot created based on these conversations are mind-boggling.  I can hardly imagine getting through the basics of a day in ancient times without dealing with these issues of ritual im/purity.  

Every day I'm learning a bit more... and I know that I will never feel truly confident about my understanding of Talmud, even if I complete this cycle over and over again.