Introduction Mishnah eight contains three statements of Rabbi Akiva. The Sages agreed with two of these statements and disagreed with the other.
Rabbi Akiba declared three things; about two they agreed with him, and about one they disagreed with him.
About a lime-burner’s sandal, that it is liable to contract midras impurity; A lime-burners sandal is a special sandal that he wears over his feet in order to protect them for the burning lime. The question being raised is are these sandals normal footwear, such that they receive midras impurity. Midras impurity is a kind of impurity imparted by a zav (someone who had an abnormal genital discharge) to things which are normally walked upon. For instance if a zav steps upon a carpet it is impure, for carpets are made to be walked upon. However, if he steps upon a book it does not receive midras impurity, since people don’t normally walk on books. Rabbi Akiva teaches that although lime-burners are not made to be walked in, since they are put on a person’s feet, they can receive midras impurity.
And about the remains of a [broken] oven, that they must be four handbreadths high [in order to retain impurity], whereas they used to say three and [when he said four] they agreed with him. And about one they disagreed with him If an object that has contracted impurity breaks and is therefore no longer useful, it is no longer impure. The question is into how small pieces must an oven break for it to become pure. According to Rabbi Akiva pieces which are smaller than 4 handbreaths (about a foot) retain impurity. Before the Sages heard Rabbi Akiva’s opinion they had held that a piece 3 handbreadths retains impurity. When they heard Rabbi Akiva’s opinion, they agreed with him.
About a stool, from which two of its covering-boards had been removed, the one beside the other, which Rabbi Akiba pronounces able to contract impurity, but the Sages declare unable to contract impurity. The disagreement between the Sages and Rabbi Akiva is over a chair which had two adjoining cover-boards removed. We discussed this issue in chapter one, mishnah eleven, when we discussed the special bridal chair. Here we learn that according to The Sages, once two adjoining cover-boards are removed, it is no longer useful as a chair, and therefore it is not receptive to impurity. Rabbi Akiva hold that since the chair could still be used if there was great need for it, it can still receive impurity. In other words, it is still a chair.