For the source text click/tap here: Chagigah 22
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The Gemora asks: And Amei Haaretz not believed regarding immersion? [Why is it necessary for the chaver to immerse the utensil after borrowing it?] Didn’t we learn in a braisa that an am ha-aretz is believed that an immersion was done in regard to corpse tumah?
Abaye answers: He is believed in respect to his body but not in regard to his utensils. Rava answers: He is believed to say that he never immersed one utensil inside another, but he is not believed to say that he immersed the utensil inside another one, but the opening was at least the size of a skin bottle’s tube.
The Gemora cites a braisa to support Rava: An am haaretz is believed that his produce is not in a state where it is susceptible to become tamei (it never got wet), but he is not believed to say that it was susceptible to become tamei, but it didn’t occur.
The Gemara continues its line of questioning. If so, we should likewise not accept sacrificial food from amei ha’aretz, since they are not sufficiently meticulous with ritual purity, and we should therefore not care if they immerse their vessels improperly.
The Gemara responds: The am ha’aretz will have feelings of antagonism if sacrificial food is not accepted from him, and this would lead to internal discord and conflict within Israel.
We explore the leniencies and the Pharisaic purity rituals that split the chaverim from the Amei haaretz using scholarly tools of analysis of these texts as well as the broader historical framework by the landmark research of Petuchowski.