Mishnah Yadayim 1

Mishnah Yadayim ("Hands"), in the order Tohorot (Purities). The impurity of the hands and their washing, and which scriptures "make the hands impure" (the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes among them). The Mishnah is the first written code of Jewish oral law, compiled in the land of Israel about AD 200 under Rabbi Judah the Prince; it is rabbinic law and teaching, not scripture. English by Joshua Kulp (Mishnah Yomit), Hebrew from the Torat Emet edition.

1[A minimum of] a quarter [of a log] of water must be poured over the hands for one [person] and even for two. A minimum of half a log must be poured over the hands for three or four persons. A minimum of one log [is sufficient] for five, ten, or one hundred persons. Rabbi Yose says: as long as there is not less than a quarter of a log left for the last person among them. More [water] may be added to the second water, but more may not be added to the first water.

מֵי רְבִיעִית נוֹתְנִין לַיָּדַיִם, לְאֶחָד, אַף לִשְׁנַיִם. מַחֲצִית לֹג, לִשְׁלשָׁה אוֹ לְאַרְבָּעָה. מִלֹּג, לַחֲמִשָּׁה וְלַעֲשָׂרָה וּלְמֵאָה. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יִפְחֹת לָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁבָּהֶם מֵרְבִיעִית. מוֹסִיפִין עַל הַשְּׁנִיִּים וְאֵין מוֹסִיפִין עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים: (9264)

2Water may be poured over the hands out of any kind of vessel, even out of vessels made of animal dung, out of vessels made of stone or out of vessels made of clay. Water may not be poured from the sides of [broken] vessels or from the bottom of a ladle or from the stopper of a jar. Nor may one pour [water] over the hands of his fellow out of his cupped hands. Because one may not draw, nor sanctify, nor sprinkle the water of purification, nor pour water over the hands except in a vessel. And only vessels closely covered with a lid protect [their contents from uncleanness]. And only vessels protect [their contents from uncleanness] inside earthenware vessels.

בְּכָל הַכֵּלִים נוֹתְנִין לַיָּדַיִם, אֲפִלּוּ בִכְלֵי גְלָלִים, בִּכְלֵי אֲבָנִים, בִּכְלֵי אֲדָמָה. אֵין נוֹתְנִין לַיָּדַיִם, לֹא בְדָפְנוֹת הַכֵּלִים, וְלֹא בְשׁוּלֵי הַמַּחַץ, וְלֹא בִמְגוּפַת הֶחָבִית. וְלֹא יִתֵּן לַחֲבֵרוֹ בְחָפְנָיו, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין מְמַלְּאִין וְאֵין מְקַדְּשִׁין וְאֵין מַזִּין מֵי חַטָּאת וְאֵין נוֹתְנִים לַיָּדַיִם אֶלָּא בִכְלִי. וְאֵין מַצִּילִין בְּצָמִיד פָּתִיל אֶלָּא כֵלִים, שֶׁאֵין מַצִּילִין מִיַּד כְּלִי חֶרֶשׂ אֶלָּא כֵלִים: (10381)

3Water which had become so unfit that it could not be drunk by a beast: If it was in a vessel it is invalid, But if it was in the ground it is valid. If there fell into [the water], dye, or gum or sulphate of copper and its color changed, it is invalid. If a person did any work with it or soaked his bread in it, it is invalid. Shimon of Teman says: even if he intended to soak his bread in one water and it fell into another water the water is valid.

הַמַּיִם שֶׁנִּפְסְלוּ מִשְּׁתִיַּת הַבְּהֵמָה, בְּכֵלִים, פְּסוּלִים. וּבְקַרְקָעוֹת, כְּשֵׁרִים. נָפַל לְתוֹכָן דְּיוֹ, קוֹמוֹס, וְקַנְקַנְתּוֹם וְנִשְׁתַּנּוּ מַרְאֵיהֶן, פְּסוּלִין. עָשָׂה בָהֶם מְלָאכָה אוֹ שֶׁשָּׁרָה בָהֶן פִּתּוֹ, פְּסוּלִין. שִׁמְעוֹן הַתִּמְנִי אוֹמֵר, אֲפִלּוּ נִתְכַּוֵּן לִשְׁרוֹת בָּזֶה וְנָפַל לַשֵּׁנִי, כְּשֵׁרִים: (12660)

4If he cleansed vessels with the water or scrubbed measures with it, [the water] is invalid. If he rinsed with it vessels which had already been rinsed or new vessels, it is valid. Rabbi Yose declares [the water] invalid if they were new vessels.

הֵדִיחַ בָּהֶם אֶת הַכֵּלִים אוֹ שֶׁמִּחָה בָהֶם אֶת הַמִּדּוֹת, פְּסוּלִים. הֵדִיחַ בָּהֶם כֵּלִים מוּדָחִים אוֹ חֲדָשִׁים, כְּשֵׁרִים. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי פוֹסֵל בַּחֲדָשִׁים: (4128)

5Water in which the baker dips his loaves is invalid; but if he moistened his hands in the water it is valid. All are fit to pour water over the hands, even a deaf-mute, an imbecile, or a minor. A person may place the jug between his knees and pour out the water, or he may turn the jug on its side and pour it out. A monkey may pour water over the hands. Rabbi Yose declares these [latter] two cases invalid.

הַמַּיִם שֶׁהַנַּחְתּוֹם מַטְבִּיל בָּהֶם אֶת הַגְּלֻסְקִין, פְּסוּלִים. וּכְשֶׁהוּא מֵדִיחַ אֶת יָדָיו בָּהֶן, כְּשֵׁרִים. הַכֹּל כְּשֵׁרִים לִתֵּן לַיָּדַיִם, אֲפִלּוּ חֵרֵשׁ שׁוֹטֶה וְקָטָן. מַנִּיחַ חָבִית בֵּין בִּרְכָּיו וְנוֹטֵל. מַטֶּה חָבִית עַל צִדָּהּ וְנוֹטֵל. וְהַקּוֹף נוֹטֵל לַיָּדַיִם. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי פוֹסֵל בִּשְׁנֵי אֵלּוּ: (8656)

English translation: Joshua Kulp, Mishnah Yomit (Conservative Yeshiva), via Sefaria, licensed CC BY; changes made (line breaks, spacing, a typo, and Kulp's study notes removed from five mishnayot). Hebrew: Torat Emet 357, public domain; Bikkurim chapter 4 from Dan Be'eri's edition of the Kaufmann manuscript, public domain.