The Breastplate Over Aaron's Heart and the Cleansing of the Robe

"The breastplate of judgment upon his heart" (Exodus 28:30). Rabbi Simlai said: as a reward for "and when he sees you he will rejoice in his heart" (Exodus 4:14), he merited the breastplate of judgment upon his heart. Resh Lakish said: a robe that became defiled, one inserts it [into the laundering process] with less than a three-by-three handbreadth area and launders it, because it is said, "it shall not be torn" (Exodus 28:32). Rav Adda bar Ahava objected: the thick and the thin garments are not subject to the law of three-by-three. Because of their thickness they are considered significant. But it requires seven ingredients, for Rav Nachman said in the name of Rabbah bar Avuha: blood-stains of a menstruant and the colors of plagues require seven ingredients, and it was taught that one may not bring urine into the Temple. And if you say that one absorbs them along with the seven ingredients, passing them all over it at once, but we learned: if he passed them out of order, or passed the seven of them at once, he has done nothing. And if you say that one absorbs it along with one of the ingredients, but one is required to rub three times with each and every one. One absorbs it with insipid saliva, for Resh Lakish said: saliva is required with each and every one.