Shekalim 21 a, b

As an aside at the start of today's daf, we learn very much in passing that the ashes of the parah adumah are taken by people for medicinal use.  Fences are built around the laws surrounding the parah adumah to discourage this practice.  But what are those medicinal purposes, I wonder?  If the ashes were placed on wounds, would they cause the wound to heal for some scientific reason?  Or were the ashes dangerous to wounds and the rabbis were either consciously or inadvertently saving the people from further suffering?

Chapter 8 brings with it a new Mishnah focused on spit, but within the context of found objects.  I have read about this before, I believe in Eiruvin and possibly also in Pesachim.  I find it disgusting to read about spit in detail.  The rabbis are attempting to understand the status of spit inside Jerusalem and then within certain parts of Jerusalem.  They assume that most people in Jerusalem are not zavim or zavot, and thus most spit can be considered pure if it is found in certain places.  I wonder if the rabbis used this kind of 'gentle nature' argument that I am putting forward to justify women's exclusion from Talmud study.  By admitting my distaste, I'm not doing myself any favours!

The Mishna also speaks of found items, like utensils and graveyard tools.  It considers whether or not these found items are considered to be im/pure when they are found in Jerusalem.

Much of the rabbis' considerations revolve around the Festivals.  If thousands of people are pouring into the city with sins and related offerings, we should assume that many are zavim/zavot and thus found items are considered to be impure at those times.  I'll hold my commentary on this for now.  During the rest of the year, we learn that zavim/zavot walk in the middle of the street without restriction.  Those who are afraid of contracting ritual impurity walk on the sides of the road, calling out to "keep away."  Amazing that we have continued this norm of condoned bullying until so recently; those who are marginalized are bullied even as they walk down the street.

The rabbis take some time to discuss the status of animals.  They compare the blood of a neveilah, a non-kosher or not ritually slaughtered animal, with that of a sheretz (a creeping animal).  It would seem that there is more than one type of ritual impurity.  I am confused by the complexity here and I look forward - with only mild trepidation - to the masechtot that will explain this more fully.

Halacha 2 is introduced at the end of amud (b).  The Mishnah looks at found objects that are impure and whether there are ever times that these can be brought.  In particular, the parochet, the curtain separating the Holy from the Holy of Holies.  The laws are said to pertain to all of the thirteen curtains in the Temple, however.

We learn that the parochet is immersed in the courtyard mikvah if it becomes tamei due to secondary contact with impurity.  If the parochet comes into contact with a creeping animal or a neveilah, however, it must be immersed outside of the Courtyard and then dried in one of two places (depending on whether or not it is new and thus should be displayed on a roof while drying).   Following this conversation, the Mishnah details the handiwork and beauty of the parochet.  The Gemara details the threads and strands and size of the parochet.  It shares some of the details of one particular, majestic curtain.

Halacha 3 ends our daf with a new Mishnah that looks at tamei meat and how it should be managed - Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel argue whether the  meat should be burned inside the Courtyard (except for that which has become tamei through secondary contamination, which would be burned outside of the Courtyard).  Beit Hillel argues the opposite.

We will learn more about this argument, of course, when we complete Masechet Shekalim tomorrow.