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310
EPISTLES OF MÂNÓSKİHAR.
urine, when it becomes fetid, is to be stirred up (barà agårdõinisno), and they should not carry it forth so to the fire, so that the stench extends to the fire; because, if that stench extends to the fire, on account of the moisture and through carrying bodily refuse (higar)' on and forth to the fire, it overwhelms it ; that is taught in like manner lest, and owing to what is said, it then seemed to one that the bodily refuse and pollution of fetid bull's urine is on account of the stench. 2. But it is proper to observe it more fully mindfully, perfectly completely, and with better understanding, because that which is said by it, that the carrying of bodily refuse forth to the fire overwhelms it, is not on account of the pollution of the bull's urine, but the proportion of the sin through this; so that it becomes the origin of as much sin for him as that pollution of the bull's urine; but the stench, on account of moisture, is like him even who shall bring clean and purified water into the fire, and thereby becomes sinful.
and one of these passages probably contained the statement quoted in our text :-'On carrying forth the holy-water and also the pot (digo-k) to the fire, that is, with purified and thoroughly-washed hands; and the sin of carrying them forth with unpurified and imperfectly-washed hands. On preserving the pot and the other things, whose use is with the fire, from defilement with bodily refuse; when, through want of care, defilement occurs, and any one shall carry it unawares to the fire, he who is careless overwhelms it thereby.... On lawfully warming the bull's urine on the fire, and the sin when it is not done lawfully.'
1 See Dd. XLVIII, 19, note.
• The argument is that the urine being a consecrated liquid, its corruption is not contaminating provided it be not occasioned by foreign matter, as alluded to in $ 7); but if the stench be sufficient to extinguish or injure the fire, it is as sinful to expose the fire to its influence as it would be to injure the fire with holy-water.
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