or they cannot hold a quarter-log of water, provided that they are service vessels. Apparently, the Basin need not hold so much water.

Rav Adda bar Aḥa says: The baraita is referring to a case where one drills a hole in the Basin and places a much smaller vessel at the hole as a conduit for the water. Even if that vessel is very small, the priest may sanctify his hands and feet from it, provided that there is enough water in the Basin for four priests.

The Gemara asks: But doesn’t the Merciful One state that the priests must wash their hands and feet “from it,” i.e., from the Basin and not from another vessel? The Gemara responds: The following verse repeats the phrase “they should wash,” to include any service vessel.

The Gemara challenges: If so, then it should be permitted for a priest to use a non-sacred vessel as well. Abaye says: You cannot say that a priest may sanctify his hands and feet from a non-sacred vessel, since the matter may be derived by a fortiori inference from the halakha concerning the base of the Basin: And just as its base, which was anointed along with it (see Exodus 40:11), is still not fit for a priest to sanctify his hands and feet with water from it, then with regard to a non-sacred vessel, which was not anointed along with the Basin, is it not right that it is not fit for a priest to sanctify his hands and feet with water from it?

The Gemara clarifies: And from where do we derive that water from the base of the Basin is unfit? As it is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda says: One might have thought that water from its base should be fit for priests to sanctify their hands and feet just as water from the Basin itself is fit to sanctify their hands and feet. Therefore, the verse states: “You shall also make a Basin of copper, and the base thereof of copper” (Exodus 30:18). The verse indicates that I have equated the base and the Basin only with regard to the requirement that they both be made of copper, but not for another matter. Rather, the base, unlike the Basin, is unfit for sanctification.

Mar Zutra, son of Rav Mari, said to Ravina: The a fortiori inference can be refuted: What is notable about its base? It is notable in that its inside is not made for use, as it is to be used only as a stand. Will you say that the halakha is the same for a non-sacred vessel, concerning which its inside is made for use? Rather, one must say that the term “from it” serves to exclude a non-sacred vessel.

The Gemara challenges: If so, “from it” should exclude a service vessel as well. The Gemara responds: But the Merciful One amplifies the halakha with the term “they should wash,” to include a service vessel.

The Gemara asks: And what did you see that led you to include a service vessel and exclude a non-sacred vessel, rather than the reverse? The Gemara responds: This, a service vessel, requires anointing like the Basin when the Tabernacle is raised (see Exodus, chapter 40), and that, a non-sacred vessel, does not require anointing like the Basin.

§ Reish Lakish says: Any liquid that may be used to complete the requisite measure of water for a ritual bath may complete the requisite measure of water for the Basin. But it may not complete the quarter-log required for ritual washing of the hands.

The Gemara asks: This statement means to exclude what as unfit for completing the requisite measure for ritual washing of the hands? If we say that it means to exclude liquefied clay, there is a difficulty, as what is this clay like? If it is such that a cow can kneel and drink from it, it is considered water and should be fit even to complete the measure of a quarter-log for ritual washing of the hands. And if a cow cannot kneel and drink from it, it should not even be fit to complete the requisite measure for a ritual bath.

Rather, say that it means to exclude red gnats that originate and grow in water. This, too, is difficult, as even by themselves they may constitute the entire measure of the ritual bath, not only to complete a deficient measure of water; as it is taught in a baraita: Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: With regard to anything that originates in the water, one may immerse in it, since it is considered as though it were water. And Rav Yitzḥak bar Avdimi says: One may immerse even in liquefied fish eye of sufficient volume.

Rav Pappa says: The statement of Reish Lakish means to exclude a case where one added a se’a and removed a se’a, as we learned in a mishna (Mikvaot 7:2): In the case of a ritual bath that contains the minimum measure of exactly forty se’a of water, and one added a se’a of liquid other than water, and then removed a se’a of the mixture, the ritual bath remains fit. The added liquid is considered nullified in the forty se’a of water, so that when one se’a of the mixture is removed, there still remain the requisite forty se’a of fit water. And Rav Yehuda bar Sheila says that Rav Asi says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says that this halakha applies up to the greater part of the measure of the ritual bath. Adding and removing such a liquid to the requisite measure for washing of the hands renders the water unfit.

Rav Pappa says: If one drilled in the wall of a ritual bath, and the sides of the hole can hold a quarter-log of liquid, one may immerse small vessels such as needles and hooks in the hole, even though it constitutes a space separate from the ritual bath, since the fitness of the water in the hole derives from the fitness of the water in the ritual bath. This halakha is parallel to the one discussed with regard to the Basin.

§ Rabbi Yirmeya says that Reish Lakish says: Water of a ritual bath is fit to be used as water of the Basin.

The Gemara asks: Is this to say that the water in the Basin does not need to be flowing water, i.e., spring water? But isn’t it taught in a baraita: The verse indicates that the innards of an offering must be washed: “With water” (Leviticus 1:9), and not with wine; “with water,” and not with wine mixed with water; “with water,” to include other types of water, even those that are not spring water. And it can be inferred a fortiori that the water used for the Basin may be used to wash the innards. What is the basis of the a fortiori inference that the water used for the Basin may also be used? Is it not that it is from a source of flowing water and therefore obviously fit for washing the innards?

The Gemara responds: No, the a fortiori inference is based on the fact that the water used for the Basin is sanctified for the service. The Gemara asks: But is sanctified water preferable, given that the Torah stipulates simply “water”? But didn’t Rabbi Shmuel teach: The word “water” used in the verse denotes specifically water whose name has no modifier;