Halacha
הלכה א
עַם הָאָרֶץ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיֶשְׁנוֹ בְּתוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹת הֲרֵי הוּא בְּחֶזְקַת טָמֵא וּבְגָדָיו מִדְרָס לְטָהֳרוֹת. וְאִם נָגְעוּ בְּגָדָיו בָּאֳכָלִין וּמַשְׁקִין הֲרֵי הֵן טְמֵאִין. וְאִם נָגַע בִּכְלִי חֶרֶס מֵאֲוִירוֹ טִמְּאָהוּ. וְשׂוֹרְפִין אֶת הַתְּרוּמָה עַל מַגָּעָן אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁטֻּמְאָתָן בְּסָפֵק. וְאֵינָן נֶאֱמָנִין עַל הַטָּהֳרוֹת לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָן בְּקִיאִין בְּדִקְדוּקֵי טָהֳרוֹת וְטֻמְאוֹת. וּלְעוֹלָם הוּא בְּחֶזְקָה זוֹ וְאֵינוֹ נֶאֱמָן עַל הַטָּהֳרוֹת עַד שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל עָלָיו דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוּת. וּמַה הֵן דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוּת שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל עָלָיו שֶׁיְּהֵא נִזְהָר בְּטֻמְאוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יִטָּמֵּא בָּהֶן. וּבְטָהֳרוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יְטַמֵּא אוֹתָם. וְיִזָּהֵר בִּנְטִילַת יָדַיִם וּבְטָהֳרָתָן שֶׁלֹּא יִקַּח מֵעַם הָאָרֶץ דָּבָר לַח וְלֹא יִתְאָרֵחַ אֶצְלוֹ וְלֹא יְאָרְחוֹ אֶצְלוֹ בִּכְסוּתוֹ:
כסף משנה
1.
An unlearned person, even though he is Jewish and observant of the Torah and its mitzvot, is assumed to be impure and his clothes are considered a midras if they come into contact with pure substances. If his clothes touch food or liquids, they are impure. If he touches an earthenware container from the inside, he imparts impurity to it. Terumah should be burnt if such a person touches it, even though his impurity is of doubtful status.The word of such persons is not accepted regarding the status of pure articles, because they are not knowledgeable regarding the intricacies of the laws of purity and impurity. We continue to operate under this presumption and the person's word is not accepted until he resolves to accept the restrictions of a chavair. What is meant by the restrictions of a chavair that he must resolve to accept? That he be careful with regard to sources of impurity, not to contract impurity from them; that he be careful with regard to pure articles that he not impart impurity to them; that he be careful with regard to washing hands and maintaining their purity; that he not take moist foods from an unlearned person; that he not accept his hospitality; nor offer hospitality to him while the unlearned person is wearing his own garments.
הלכה ב
הַבָּא לְקַבֵּל דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוּת חוּץ מִדָּבָר אֶחָד מֵהֶן אֵין מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתוֹ. רְאִינוּהוּ שֶׁנּוֹהֵג בְּצִנְעָה בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ מְלַמְּדִין אוֹתוֹ עִסְקֵי טֻמְאָה וְטָהֳרָה. וְאִם לֹא רְאִינוּהוּ שֶׁנּוֹהֵג בְּצִנְעָה בְּבֵיתוֹ מְלַמְּדִין אוֹתוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתוֹ. וּמְקַבְּלִין אוֹתוֹ תְּחִלָּה לְטָהֳרַת הַיָּדָיִם וְאַחַר כָּךְ מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתוֹ לְטָהֳרוֹת. וְאִם אָמַר אֵינִי מְקַבֵּל אֶלָּא לְטָהֳרַת הַיָּדָיִם מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתוֹ. קִבֵּל לְטָהֳרוֹת וְלֹא לַיָּדַיִם אַף לְטָהֳרוֹת אֵין מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתוֹ. כְּשֶׁמְּקַבְּלִין אוֹתוֹ חוֹשְׁשִׁין לוֹ כָּל שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם עַד שֶׁיִּלְמַד וְיִהְיֶה רָגִיל בְּטָהֳרוֹת. וְאַחַר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם מִשֶּׁיְּקַבֵּל דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוּת הֲרֵי בְּגָדָיו טְהוֹרִין וְכָל אֳכָלָיו וּמַשְׁקָיו טְהוֹרִין וְנֶאֱמָן עַל כָּל הַטָּהֳרוֹת כִּשְׁאָר כָּל הַחֲבֵרִים וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ תַּלְמִיד חָכָם:
כסף משנה
2.
When a person seeks to accept upon himself all the practices of a chavair except one, he is not accepted. If we see he carries out these practices privately in his own home, we accept him and then we teach him the concepts of impurity and purity. If we do not see him conducting himself in this manner privately at home, we teach him and then we accept him.First, a person is accepted with regard to maintaining the purity of his hands. Afterwards, he is accepted with regard to dealing with pure objects. If he said: "I only accept upon myself, the purity of hands," he is accepted. If he sought to accept the restrictions regarding pure objects, but not those that apply to the purity of hands, we do not accept him, even for pure objects.
When he is accepted, we are cautious with regard to his conduct for 30 days until he learns the intricacies of the laws and is used to dealing with pure objects. Once 30 days have passed since he accepted the customs of a chavair, his clothes are considered as pure and all of his food and liquids are considered as pure. His word is accepted with regard to pure objects like all other chavairim even though he is not a Torah scholar.
הלכה ג
תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים הֲרֵי הֵן בְּחֶזְקַת טָהֳרָה. נֶאֱמָנִין וְאֵינָן צְרִיכִין לְקַבֵּל דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוּת אֲבָל מִשֶּׁחָרַב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ נָהֲגוּ כֹּהֲנִים סִלְסוּל בְּעַצְמָן שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ מוֹסְרִין טָהֳרוֹת אֲפִלּוּ לְתַלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים עַד שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל עָלָיו דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוּת:
כסף משנה
3.
Torah scholars are assumed to be chavairim. Their word is accepted regarding pure articles and they do not have to undertake a formal acceptance of the practices of chaveirim. Nevertheless, after the destruction of the Temple, the priests adopted an additional measure of stringency among themselves and they would not give pure objects to anyone, even Torah scholars, until they formally accepted the practices of chaveirim.הלכה ד
זָקֵן וְיוֹשֵׁב בִּישִׁיבָה אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְקַבֵּל שֶׁכְּבָר קִבֵּל בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיָּשַׁב:
כסף משנה
4.
An elder who is a member of a Talmudic academy does not need to formally accept these practices, for he already accepted them at the time he became a member of the academy.הלכה ה
הַמְקַבֵּל דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוּת צָרִיךְ לְקַבֵּל בִּפְנֵי שְׁלֹשָׁה חֲבֵרִים. וּבָנָיו וּבְנֵי בֵּיתוֹ אֵינָן צְרִיכִין לְקַבֵּל בִּפְנֵי שְׁלֹשָׁה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מְלַמְּדָן וּמַרְגִּילָן בְּדֶרֶךְ טָהֳרָה. וְאֵשֶׁת חָבֵר וּבָנָיו וּבְנֵי בֵּיתוֹ וַעֲבָדָיו הֲרֵי הֵן כְּחָבֵר. וְחָבֵר שֶׁמֵּת אִשְׁתּוֹ וּבָנָיו וּבְנֵי בֵּיתוֹ בְּחֶזְקַת חֲבֵרִים עַד שֶׁיֵּחָשְׁדוּ:
כסף משנה
5.
When a person seeks to accept the practices of a chavair, he must formalize this acceptance in the presence of three chaveirim. His sons and the members of his household need not formalize this acceptance in the presence of three chaveirim, because he will teach them and train them in the ways of purity. The wife of a chavair, his sons, the members of his household, and his servants are considered like a chavair. If a chavair dies, his wife, his sons, and the members of his household are considered as chavairim until their conduct arouses suspicion.הלכה ו
אֵשֶׁת עַם הָאָרֶץ אוֹ בִּתּוֹ שֶׁנִּשֵּׂאת לְחָבֵר וְכֵן עַבְדּוֹ שֶׁנִּמְכַּר לְחָבֵר הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ צְרִיכִין לְקַבֵּל עֲלֵיהֶן דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוּת כְּבַתְּחִלָּה. אֲבָל אֵשֶׁת חָבֵר אוֹ בִּתּוֹ שֶׁנִּשֵּׂאת לְעַם הָאָרֶץ וְכֵן עַבְדּוֹ שֶׁנִּמְכַּר לְעַם הָאָרֶץ אֵין צְרִיכִין לְקַבֵּל דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוּת כְּבַתְּחִלָּה:
כסף משנה
6.
When the widow of an unlearned person or the daughter of one marries a chavair or the servant of a such a person is sold to a chavair, the woman or the servant must accept the practices of a chavair as at the outset. When, by contrast, the widow of a chavair or his daughter marries an unlearned person or his servant is sold to an unlearned person, there is no need for them to accept the practices of a chavair as at the outset.הלכה ז
עַם הָאָרֶץ שֶׁקִּבֵּל עָלָיו דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוּת וְהָיוּ לוֹ טָהֳרוֹת כְּשֶׁהָיָה עַם הָאָרֶץ וְאָמַר אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ וַדַּאי שֶׁלֹּא נִטְמְאוּ בִּזְמַן שֶׁנִּתְעַסְּקוּ בָּהֶן אֲחֵרִים הֲרֵי הֵן אֲסוּרוֹת כְּמִקֹּדֶם וְאִם הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ נִתְעַסֵּק בָּהֶן הֲרֵי הֵן מֻתָּרוֹת לוֹ וַאֲסוּרוֹת לְכָל אָדָם. וְנִשְׁאַל הֶחָבֵר עַל טָהֳרוֹתָיו וּמוֹרֶה בָּהֶן טָהֳרָה לְעַצְמוֹ וְאֵין חוֹשְׁדִין אוֹתוֹ בְּכָךְ:
כסף משנה
7.
When an unlearned person accepts the practices of a chavair, but had pure articles that remained from the time that he was unlearned, although he says: "I know with certainty that they did not contract impurity when others were involved with them," they are forbidden, as was their status initially. If he personally was involved with these pure articles before his status changed, the articles are permitted to him, but they are forbidden to all others.A chavair may be asked about the state of his pure articles and he may rule in his own favor, that they are permitted. We do not harbor suspicions about him in this context.
הלכה ח
חָבֵר שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה גַּבַּאי לַמֶּלֶךְ אוֹ מוֹכְסָן וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן דּוֹחִין אוֹתוֹ מֵחֲבֵרוּתוֹ. פֵּרַשׁ מִמַּעֲשָׂיו הָרָעִים הֲרֵי הוּא כְּכָל אָדָם וְצָרִיךְ לְקַבֵּל דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוּת כְּבַתְּחִלָּה:
כסף משנה
8.
When a chavair becomes a tax collector, a collector of customs duty, or the like, he is stripped of his status as a chavair. If he abandons his evil deeds, he is considered as every other person. He must accept the practices of a chavair as at the outset.הלכה ט
עַם הָאָרֶץ שֶׁקִּבֵּל עָלָיו דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוּת וְנֶחְשָׁד לְדָבָר אֶחָד אֵינוֹ חָשׁוּד אֶלָּא לְאוֹתוֹ דָּבָר. וְכָל הֶחָשׁוּד לֶחָמוּר נֶחְשָׁד עַל הַקַּל. לַקַּל לֹא נֶחְשָׁד לֶחָמוּר:
כסף משנה
9.
When an unlearned person accepted the practices of a chavair and then becomes suspect with regard to a particular matter, he is suspect only with regard to that particular matter. Nevertheless, one who became suspect with regard to a severe matter is suspect with regard to a slighter matter. If he becomes suspect for a slight matter, he is not considered suspect for a more severe matter.הלכה י
חָבֵר שֶׁנֶּחְשָׁד עַל הַטָּהֳרוֹת כְּגוֹן שֶׁמָּכַר אֳכָלִין טְמֵאִין בְּחֶזְקַת שֶׁהֵן טְהוֹרִין הֲרֵי זֶה אֵינוֹ נֶאֱמָן לְעוֹלָם עַד שֶׁיִּוָּדַע שֶׁחָזַר בִּתְשׁוּבָה גְּמוּרָה:
כסף משנה
10.
When a chavair becomes suspect with regard to permissiveness in connection with ritually pure articles, e.g., he sold ritually impure foods with the presumption that they were pure, he is no longer considered as trustworthy until it becomes known that he repented completely.הלכה יא
הֶחָשׁוּד עַל הַשְּׁבִיעִית אוֹ עַל הַתְּרוּמָה שֶׁמְּכָרָן לְשֵׁם חֻלִּין הֲרֵי זֶה חָשׁוּד עַל הַטָּהֳרוֹת שֶׁהֶחָשׁוּד עַל דָּבָר שֶׁל תּוֹרָה הֲרֵי הוּא חָשׁוּד עַל דִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים. וְהָאֳכָלִין הַטְּמֵאִין אֵין מְטַמְּאִין אֲחֵרִים אֶלָּא מִדִּבְרֵיהֶן כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר. וְכָל הֶחָשׁוּד עַל דָּבָר נֶאֱמָן לְהָעִיד בּוֹ לַאֲחֵרִים וְלָדוּן בּוֹ לַאֲחֵרִים. חֲזָקָה הִיא שֶׁאֵין אָדָם חוֹטֵא כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּהָנוּ בּוֹ אֲחֵרִים:
כסף משנה
11.
When a person is suspect with regard to the violation of the laws regarding the Sabbatical year or with regard to selling terumah as ordinary produce, he is considered to be suspect with regard to violating the restrictions concerning ritual purity. For a person who is suspect with regard to a Scriptural prohibition is considered suspect with regard to Rabbinic safeguards. And impure foods impart impurity to other entities only by virtue of Rabbinic decree, as will be explained.Any person who is suspect with regard to a particular matter is, nevertheless, permitted to deliver testimony regarding such a matter with regard to others and to serve as a judge with regard to others. The rationale is that we operate under the assumption that a person will not transgress so that others will benefit.