For the meaning of Hebrew and Aramaic terms, see Glossary.
Who bad become ritually unclean and, after bathing, waited until the evening before they could eat "of the holy things" (cf. Lev. xxii. 4-7).
Whether the night is divisible into three or four watches will be discussed in the Gemara below : see pp. 6, 9 f.
The majority of the Rabbis.
According to Maimonides, in his Commentary on the Mishnah, this refers to the first light which becomes visible in the East, about 1 1/5 hours before actual sunrise. Cf. Pesah. 93 b.
Cf. Leviticus vi. and vii.
Cf. ibid. vii. 15 ff.
Lit. Where does the Tanna stand that he teaches, From what time ?
Two deductions are drawn from the verse : (1) The law of reading the Shema' since the Israelite is commanded "to talk of them" (viz. "these words which I command thee this day") on lying down and rising up ; (2) The right order is "lying down" and "rising up," i.e. evening and morning.
Hence the Jews reckon the day as commencing with the evening that precedes. See T. A. II. p. 418.
See below, p. 70.
In Mishnah II of this chapter, p. 55.
By defining the time for reading the evening Shema' as the time when the priests partake of their Terumah, the Mishnah wishes it to be understood that the priests who have been unclean regain their privilege at sunset (when the Shema' is read) whether they bring their sin-offering or not.
The Gemara requires the translation "it (the day) is clean," i.e. ended, and not "he (the man) shall be clean" from his impurity.
Meaning, the fact that the sun had not set.
I.e. the appearance of the stars.