A10. Ritual Purification, Cleanness, Separation & Health. [Make a Comment]
We are to guard our physical & spiritual health, and be separate from the heathen nations through ritual purifications & cleanness.
This precept is derived from His Word (blessed be He):
Key Scriptures
Leviticus 11:8
(Maimonides RP96; Chinuch C161)
You are not to eat meat from these or touch their carcasses; they are
unclean for you.
Leviticus 11:24
(Maimonides RP96; Chinuch C161)
The following will make you unclean; whoever touches the carcass of them
will be unclean until evening
Leviticus 11:29-30
(Maimonides RP97; Chinuch C159)
The following are unclean for you among the small creatures that swarm on
the ground: the weasel, the mouse, the various kinds of lizards, the gecko,
the land crocodile, the skink, the sand-lizard and the chameleon.
Leviticus 11:33-34
(Maimonides RP96; Chinuch C160)
If one of them falls into a clay pot, whatever is in it will become unclean,
and you are to break the pot. Any food permitted to be eaten that water
from such a vessel gets on will become unclean, and any permitted liquid in
such a vessel will become unclean.
Leviticus 11:39
( Chinuch C161)
If an animal of a kind that you are permitted to eat dies, whoever touches
its carcass will be unclean until evening.
Leviticus 12:2-5
(Maimonides RP100; Chinuch C166, C363)
Tell the people of Isra'el: 'If a woman conceives and gives birth
to a boy, she will be unclean for seven days with the same uncleanness as in
niddah, when she is having her menstrual period. On the eighth day, the
baby's foreskin is to be circumcised. She is to wait an additional
thirty-three days to be purified from her blood; she is not to touch any
holy thing or come into the sanctuary until the time of her purification is
over. But if she gives birth to a girl, she will be unclean for two weeks,
as in her niddah; and she is to wait another sixty-six days to be purified
from her blood.'
Leviticus 13:1-59
(Maimonides RP101-102, RN307; Chinuch C169, C170-172)
ADONAI said to Moshe and Aharon, "If someone develops on his skin a
swelling, scab or bright spot which could develop into the disease
tzara'at, he is to be brought to Aharon the cohen or to one of his sons
who are cohanim. The cohen is to examine the sore on his skin; if the hair
in the sore has turned white, and the sore appears to go deep into the skin,
it is tzara'at, and after examining him the cohen is to declare him
unclean. If the bright spot on his skin is white, but it does not appear to
go deep into the skin, and its hair has not turned white, then the cohen is
to isolate him for seven days. On the seventh day the cohen is to examine
him again, and if the sore appears the same as before and has not spread on
the skin, then the cohen is to isolate him for seven more days. On the
seventh day the cohen is to examine him again, and if the sore has faded and
hasn't spread on the skin, then the cohen is to declare him clean - it
is only a scab, so he is to wash his clothes and be clean. But if the scab
spreads further on the skin after he has been examined by the cohen and
declared clean, he is to let himself be examined yet again by the cohen.
The cohen will examine him, and if he sees that the scab has spread on his
skin, then the cohen will declare him unclean; it is tzara'at. If a
person has tzara'at, he is to be brought to the cohen. The cohen is to
examine him, and if he sees that there is a white swelling in the skin which
has turned the hair white and inflamed flesh in the swelling, then it is
chronic tzara'at on his skin, and the cohen is to declare him unclean;
he is not to isolate him, because it is already clear that he is unclean.
If the tzara'at breaks out all over the skin, so that, as far as the
cohen can see, the person with tzara'at has sores everywhere on his
body, from his head to his feet; then the cohen is to examine him, and if he
sees that the tzara'at has covered his entire body, he is to pronounce
the person with the sores clean - it has all turned white, and he is clean.
But if one day inflamed flesh appears on him, he will be unclean. The cohen
will examine the inflamed flesh and declare him unclean; the inflamed flesh
is unclean; it is tzara'at. However, if the inflamed flesh again turns
white, he is to come to the cohen. The cohen will examine him, and if he
sees that the sores have turned white, then the cohen is to declare clean
the person with the sores; he is clean. If a person has on his skin a boil
that heals in such a way that in place of the boil there is a white swelling
or a reddish-white bright spot, it is to be shown to the cohen. The cohen
is to examine it; if he sees that it appears to be more than skin-deep, and
its hair has turned white, then the cohen is to pronounce him unclean - the
disease of tzara'at has broken out in the boil. But if the cohen looks
at it and doesn't see any white hairs in it, and it isn't more
than skin-deep but appears faded, the cohen is to isolate him for seven
days. If it spreads on the skin, the cohen is to declare him unclean; it is
the disease. But if the bright spot stays where it was and has not spread,
it is the scar of the boil; and the cohen is to declare him clean. Or if
someone has on his skin a burn caused by fire; and the inflamed flesh where
it was burned has become a bright spot, reddish-white or white, then the
cohen is to examine it; and if he sees that the hair in the bright spot has
turned white and that it appears to be deeper than the skin around it, it is
tzara'at; it has broken out in the burn, and the cohen is to declare
him unclean; it is a sore from tzara'at. But if the cohen examines it
and sees no white hair in the bright spot, and it is no lower than the skin
around it but looks faded, then the cohen is to isolate him for seven days.
On the seventh day the cohen is to examine him; if it has spread on the
skin, then the cohen is to declare him unclean; it is a sore from
tzara'at. But if the bright spot stays where it was and has not
spread on the skin but appears faded, it is a swelling due to the burn; and
the cohen is to declare him clean; because it is only a scar from the burn.
If a man or woman has a sore on the head or a man in his beard, then the
cohen is to examine the sore; if he sees that it appears to be deeper than
the skin around it, with yellow, thin hair in it, then the cohen is to
declare him unclean; it is a crusted area, a tzara'at of the head or
beard. If the cohen examines the diseased crusted area and sees that it
appears not to be deeper than the skin around it, and without any black hair
in it, then the cohen is to isolate for seven days the person with the
diseased crusted area. On the seventh day the cohen is to examine the sore,
and if he sees that the crusted area hasn't spread, that it has no
yellow hair in it, and that the crusted area is not deeper than the skin
around it; then the person is to be shaved, except for the crusted area
itself, and the cohen is to isolate him for seven more days. On the seventh
day the cohen is to examine the crusted area; and if he sees that the
crusted area has not spread on the skin and does not appear to be deeper
than the skin around it, then the cohen is to declare him clean; he is to
wash his clothes and be clean. But if the crusted area spreads after his
purification, then the cohen is to examine him; and if he sees that the
crusted area has spread on the skin, the cohen is not to look for yellow
hair; he is unclean. But if the crusted area's appearance doesn't
change, and black hair grows up in it, then the crusted area is healed; he
is clean; and the cohen is to declare him clean. If a man or woman has
bright spots on his skin, bright white spots; then the cohen is to examine
them. If he sees that the bright spots on the skin are dull white, it is
only a rash that has broken out on the skin; he is clean. If a man's
hair has fallen from his scalp, he is bald; but he is clean. If his hair
has fallen off the front part of his head, he is forehead-bald; but he is
clean. But if on the bald scalp or forehead there is a reddish-white sore,
it is tzara'at breaking out on his bald scalp or forehead. Then the
cohen is to examine him; if he sees that there is a reddish-white swelling
on his bald scalp or forehead, appearing like tzara'at on the rest of
the body, he is a person with tzara'at; he is unclean; the cohen must
declare him unclean; the sore is on his head. Everyone who has
tzara'at sores is to wear torn clothes and unbound hair, cover his
upper lip and cry, 'Unclean! Unclean!' As long as he has sores,
he will be unclean; since he is unclean, he must live in isolation; he must
live outside the camp. When tzara'at infects an article of clothing,
whether it be a woolen or a linen garment, on the threads or the woven-in
parts of either linen or wool, or on a hide or item made of leather; then if
the stain on the garment, hide, threads, woven-in parts or leather item is
greenish or reddish, it is an infection of tzara'at and is to be shown
to the cohen. The cohen is to examine the stain and isolate the article
that has the infection for seven days. On the seventh day he is to examine
the stain; if the stain has spread on the garment, threads, woven-in parts
or leather, whatever its use, the infection is a contagious tzara'at;
the garment is unclean. He is to burn the garment, threads, woven-in parts
of either wool or linen, or item of leather having the infection; for it is
a contagious tzara'at; it must be burned up completely. But if, when
the cohen examines it, he sees that the infection has not spread on the
garment or in the threads, woven-in parts or leather item, then the cohen is
to order that the article having the infection be washed and isolated for
seven more days. The cohen is to examine it after the stain has been
washed, and if he sees that the stain has not changed color, then, even
though the stain has not spread, it is unclean; you are to burn it up
completely - it is rotten, no matter whether the spot is on the outside or
on the inside. If the cohen examines it and sees that the stain has faded
after being washed, then he is to tear the stain out of the garment,
leather, threads or woven-in parts. If it appears again in the garment,
threads, woven-in parts or leather item, it is contagious, and you are to
burn up completely the article that had the stain. But if the infection is
gone from the garment, threads, woven-in parts or leather item that you
washed, then it is to be washed a second time, and it will be clean. This
is the law concerning infections of tzara'at in a garment of wool or
linen, or in the threads or the woven-in parts, or in any leather item -
when to declare it clean and when to declare it unclean."
Leviticus 14:1-36
(Maimonides RP103, RP109-111; Chinuch C173-175, C177)
ADONAI said to Moshe, "This is to be the law concerning the person afflicted
with tzara'at on the day of his purification. He is to be brought to
the cohen, and the cohen is to go outside the camp and examine him there. If
he sees that the tzara'at sores have been healed in the afflicted
person, then the cohen will order that two living clean birds be taken for
the one to be purified, along with cedar-wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop
leaves. The cohen is to order one of the birds slaughtered in a clay pot
over running water. As for the live bird, he is to take it with the
cedar-wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop and dip them and the living bird in the
blood of the bird slaughtered over running water, and sprinkle the person to
be purified from the tzara'at seven times. Next he is to set the live
bird free in an open field. He who is to be purified must wash his clothes,
shave off all his hair and bathe himself in water. Then he will be clean;
and after that, he may enter the camp; but he must live outside his tent for
seven days. On the seventh day he is to shave all the hair off his head,
also his beard and eyebrows- he must shave off all his hair; and he is to
wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; and he will be clean. On the
eighth day he is to take two male lambs without defect, one female lamb in
its first year without defect and six-and-a-half quarts of fine flour for a
grain offering, mixed with olive oil, and two-thirds of a pint of olive oil.
The cohen purifying him is to place the person being purified with these
items before ADONAI at the entrance to the tent of meeting. The cohen is to
take one of the male lambs and offer it as a guilt offering with the
two-thirds-pint of olive oil, then wave them as a wave offering before
ADONAI. He is to slaughter the male lamb at the place in the sanctuary for
slaughtering sin offerings and burnt offerings, because the guilt offering
belongs to the cohen, just like the sin offering; it is especially holy. The
cohen is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the
tip of the right ear of the person being purified, on the thumb of his right
hand and on the big toe of his right foot. Next, the cohen is to take some
of the two-thirds-pint of olive oil and pour it into the palm of his own
left hand, dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand and
sprinkle from the oil with his finger seven times before ADONAI. Then the
cohen is to put some of the remaining oil in his hand on the tip of the
right ear of the person being purified, on the thumb of his right hand, on
the big toe of his right foot and on the blood of the guilt offering.
Finally, the cohen is to put the rest of the oil in his hand on the head of
the person being purified; and the cohen will make atonement for him before
ADONAI. The cohen is to offer the sin offering and make atonement for the
person being purified because of his uncleanness; afterwards, he is to
slaughter the burnt offering. The cohen is to offer the burnt offering and
the grain offering on the altar; thus the cohen will make atonement for him;
and he will be clean. If he is poor, so that he can't afford to do
otherwise, he is to take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved, to
make atonement for him; two quarts of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a
grain offering; two-thirds of a pint of olive oil; and two doves or two
young pigeons, such as he can afford, the one for a sin offering and the
other for a burnt offering. On the eighth day, he will bring them to the
cohen for his purification, to the entrance of the tent of meeting before
ADONAI. The cohen is to take the lamb of the guilt offering and the
two-thirds of a pint of olive oil and wave them as a wave offering before
ADONAI. He is to slaughter the lamb of the guilt offering; and the cohen is
to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the tip of the
right ear of the person being purified, on the thumb of his right hand and
on the big toe of his right foot. The cohen is to take some of the olive
oil and pour it into the palm of his own left hand, and sprinkle with his
right hand some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before
ADONAI. The cohen is to put some of the oil in his hand on the tip of the
right ear of the person being purified, on the thumb of his right hand, on
the big toe of his right foot - in the same place as the blood of the guilt
offering. Finally, the cohen is to put the rest of the oil in his hand on
the head of the person being purified, to make atonement for him before
ADONAI. He is to offer one of the doves or young pigeons, such as the
person can afford, whatever his means suffice for - the one as a sin
offering and the other as a burnt offering - with the grain offering; thus
the cohen will make atonement before ADONAI for the person being purified.
Such is the law for the person who has tzara'at sores if he cannot
afford the usual elements used for his purification. ADONAI said to Moshe
and Aharon, When you have entered the land of Kena'an which I am giving
you as a possession, and I put an infection of tzara'at in a house in
the land that you possess, then the owner of the house is to come and tell
the cohen, 'It seems to me that there may be an infection in the
house.' The cohen is to order the house emptied before he goes in to
inspect the infection, so that everything in the house won't be made
unclean; afterwards, the cohen is to enter and inspect the house."
Leviticus 14:1-32
(Maimonides RP110-111; Chinuch C173-174)
ADONAI said to Moshe, "This is to be the law concerning the person afflicted
with tzara'at on the day of his purification. He is to be brought to
the cohen, and the cohen is to go outside the camp and examine him there. If
he sees that the tzara'at sores have been healed in the afflicted
person, then the cohen will order that two living clean birds be taken for
the one to be purified, along with cedar-wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop
leaves. The cohen is to order one of the birds slaughtered in a clay pot
over running water. As for the live bird, he is to take it with the
cedar-wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop and dip them and the living bird in the
blood of the bird slaughtered over running water, and sprinkle the person to
be purified from the tzara'at seven times. Next he is to set the live
bird free in an open field. He who is to be purified must wash his clothes,
shave off all his hair and bathe himself in water. Then he will be clean;
and after that, he may enter the camp; but he must live outside his tent for
seven days. On the seventh day he is to shave all the hair off his head,
also his beard and eyebrows - he must shave off all his hair; and he is to
wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; and he will be clean. On the
eighth day he is to take two male lambs without defect, one female lamb in
its first year without defect and six-and-a-half quarts of fine flour for a
grain offering, mixed with olive oil, and two-thirds of a pint of olive oil.
The cohen purifying him is to place the person being purified with these
items before ADONAI at the entrance to the tent of meeting. The cohen is to
take one of the male lambs and offer it as a guilt offering with the
two-thirds-pint of olive oil, then wave them as a wave offering before
ADONAI. He is to slaughter the male lamb at the place in the sanctuary for
slaughtering sin offerings and burnt offerings, because the guilt offering
belongs to the cohen, just like the sin offering; it is especially holy. The
cohen is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the
tip of the right ear of the person being purified, on the thumb of his right
hand and on the big toe of his right foot. Next, the cohen is to take some
of the two-thirds-pint of olive oil and pour it into the palm of his own
left hand, dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand and
sprinkle from the oil with his finger seven times before ADONAI. Then the
cohen is to put some of the remaining oil in his hand on the tip of the
right ear of the person being purified, on the thumb of his right hand, on
the big toe of his right foot and on the blood of the guilt offering.
Finally, the cohen is to put the rest of the oil in his hand on the head of
the person being purified; and the cohen will make atonement for him before
ADONAI. The cohen is to offer the sin offering and make atonement for the
person being purified because of his uncleanness; afterwards, he is to
slaughter the burnt offering. The cohen is to offer the burnt offering and
the grain offering on the altar; thus the cohen will make atonement for him;
and he will be clean. If he is poor, so that he can't afford to do
otherwise, he is to take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved, to
make atonement for him; two quarts of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a
grain offering; two-thirds of a pint of olive oil; and two doves or two
young pigeons, such as he can afford, the one for a sin offering and the
other for a burnt offering. On the eighth day, he will bring them to the
cohen for his purification, to the entrance of the tent of meeting before
ADONAI. The cohen is to take the lamb of the guilt offering and the
two-thirds of a pint of olive oil and wave them as a wave offering before
ADONAI. He is to slaughter the lamb of the guilt offering; and the cohen is
to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the tip of the
right ear of the person being purified, on the thumb of his right hand and
on the big toe of his right foot. The cohen is to take some of the olive
oil and pour it into the palm of his own left hand, and sprinkle with his
right hand some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before
ADONAI. The cohen is to put some of the oil in his hand on the tip of the
right ear of the person being purified, on the thumb of his right hand, on
the big toe of his right foot - in the same place as the blood of the guilt
offering. Finally, the cohen is to put the rest of the oil in his hand on
the head of the person being purified, to make atonement for him before
ADONAI. He is to offer one of the doves or young pigeons, such as the
person can afford, whatever his means suffice for - the one as a sin offering
and the other as a burnt offering - with the grain offering; thus the cohen
will make atonement before ADONAI for the person being purified. Such is
the law for the person who has tzara'at sores if he cannot afford the
usual elements used for his purification."
Leviticus 14:34-54
(Maimonides R104)
When you have entered the land of Kena'an which I am giving you as a
possession, and I put an infection of tzara'at in a house in the land
that you possess, then the owner of the house is to come and tell the cohen,
'It seems to me that there may be an infection in the house. The cohen
is to order the house emptied before he goes in to inspect the infection, so
that everything in the house won't be made unclean; afterwards, the
cohen is to enter and inspect the house. He will examine the infection; and
if he sees that the infection is in the walls of the house, with greenish or
reddish depressions that seem to go in deeper than the surface of the wall,
he is to go out of the house to its door and seal up the house for seven
days. The cohen will come again on the seventh day and examine the house;
if he sees that the infection has spread over its walls, he is to order them
to remove the infected stones and throw them into some unclean place outside
the city. Next, he is to have the inside of the house thoroughly scraped,
and the scraped-off plaster is to be discarded outside the city in an
unclean place. Finally, other stones must be set in the place of the first
stones and other plaster used to replaster the house. If the infection
returns and breaks out in the house after the stones have been removed and
the house scraped and plastered; then the cohen is to enter and examine it.
If he sees that the infection has spread in the house, it is a contagious
tzara'at in the house; it is unclean. He must break down the house and
take its stones, timber and plaster out of the city to an unclean place.
Moreover, whoever enters the house at any time while it is sealed up will be
unclean until evening. Whoever lies down or eats in the house must wash his
clothes. If the cohen enters, examines and sees that the infection has not
spread in the house since it was plastered; then he is to declare the house
clean; because the infection is cured. To purify the house, he is to take
two birds, cedar-wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop leaves. He is to slaughter
one of the birds in a clay pot over running water. He is to take the
cedar-wood, the hyssop, the scarlet yarn and the live bird and dip them in
the blood of the slaughtered bird and in the running water, and sprinkle the
house seven times. He will purify the house with the blood of the bird, the
running water, the live bird, the cedar-wood, the hyssop and the scarlet
yarn. But he is to set the live bird free outside the city in an open
field; thus will he make atonement for the house; and it will be clean. Such
is the law for all kinds of tzara'at sores, for a crusted area,
Leviticus 15:1-12
(Maimonides RP104; Chinuch C178)
ADONAI said to Moshe and Aharon, "Tell the people of Isra'el,
'When any man has a discharge from his body, the discharge is unclean.
The discharge is unclean no matter whether it continues flowing or has
stopped; it is still his uncleanness. Every bed which the person with the
discharge lies on is unclean, and everything he sits on is unclean. Whoever
touches his bed is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will
be unclean until evening. Whoever sits on anything the person with the
discharge sat on is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will
be unclean until evening. Anyone who touches the body of the person with
the discharge is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be
unclean until evening. If the person with the discharge spits on someone
who is clean, the latter is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water;
he will be unclean until evening. Any saddle that the person with the
discharge rides on will be unclean. Whoever touches anything that was under
him will be unclean until evening; he who carries those things is to wash
his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.
If the person with the discharge fails to rinse his hands in water before
touching someone, that person is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in
water; he will be unclean until evening. If the person with the discharge
touches a clay pot, it must be broken; if he touches a wooden utensil, it
must be rinsed in water.'"
)
Leviticus 15:13
(Maimonides RP109)
When a person with a discharge has become free of it, he is to count seven
days for his purification. Then he is to wash his clothes and bathe his body
in running water; after that, he will be clean.
Leviticus 15:16-18
(Maimonides RP105, RP109; Chinuch C180)
If a man has a seminal emission, he is to bathe his entire body in water; he
will be unclean until evening. Any clothing or leather on which there is
any semen is to be washed with water; it will be unclean until evening. If
a man goes to bed with a woman and has sexual relations, both are to bathe
themselves in water; they will be unclean until evening.
Leviticus 15:19-24
(Maimonides RP99; Chinuch C181)
If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she
will be in her state of niddah for seven days. Whoever touches her will be
unclean until evening. Everything she lies on or sits on in her state of
niddah will be unclean. Whoever touches her bed is to wash his clothes and
bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening. Whoever touches
anything she sits on is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he
will be unclean until evening. Whether he is on the bed or on something she
sits on, when he touches it, he will be unclean until evening. If a man
goes to bed with her, and her menstrual flow touches him, he will be unclean
seven days; and every bed he lies on will be unclean.
Leviticus 15:25-30
(Maimonides RP106; Chinuch C182)
If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days not during her period, or
if her discharge lasts beyond the normal end of her period, then throughout
the time she is having an unclean discharge she will be as when she is in
niddah - she is unclean. Every bed she lies on at any time while she is
having her discharge will be for her like the bed she uses during her time
of niddah; and everything she sits on will be unclean with uncleanness like
that of her time of niddah. Whoever touches those things will be unclean;
he is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean
until evening. If she has become free of her discharge, she is to count
seven days; after that, she will be clean. On the eighth day, she is to
take for herself two doves or two young pigeons and bring them to the cohen
at the entrance to the tent of meeting. The cohen is to offer the one as a
sin offering and the other as a burnt offering; thus the cohen will make
atonement for her before ADONAI on account of her unclean discharge.
Leviticus 21:5-6
(Maimonides RN76; Chinuch C265)
Cohanim are not to make bald spots on their heads, mar the edges of their
beards or cut gashes in their flesh. Rather, they are to be holy for their
God and not profane the name of their God. For they are the ones who present
ADONAI with offerings made by fire, the bread of their God; therefore they
must be holy.
Leviticus 22:2-9
(Maimonides RN75; Chinuch C278)
Tell Aharon and his sons to separate themselves from the holy things of the
people of Isra'el which they set apart as holy for me, so that they
will not profane my holy name; I am ADONAI. Tell them, 'Any descendant
of yours through all your generations who approaches the holy things that
the people of Isra'el consecrate to ADONAI and is unclean will be cut
off from before me; I am ADONAI. Any descendant of Aharon with
tzara'at or a discharge is not to eat the holy things until he is
clean. Anyone who has touched a person made unclean by a dead body, or who
has had a seminal emission, or who has touched a reptile or insect that can
make him unclean, or a man who is unclean for any reason and who can
transmit to him his uncleanness - the person who touches any of these will
be unclean until evening and is not to eat the holy things unless he bathes
his body in water. After sunset he will be clean; and afterwards, he may
eat the holy things; because they are his food. But he is not to eat
anything that dies naturally or is torn to death by wild animals and thereby
make himself unclean; I am ADONAI. The cohanim must observe this charge of
mine; otherwise, if they profane it, they will bear the consequences of
their sin for doing so and die in it; I am ADONAI, who makes them
holy.'
Numbers 5:2-4
(Maimonides RP31, RN77; Chinuch C362-363)
"Order the people of Isra'el to expel from the camp everyone with
tzara'at, everyone with a discharge and whoever is unclean because of
touching a corpse. Both male and female you must expel; put them outside
the camp; so that they won't defile their camp, where I live among
you." The people of Isra'el did this and put them outside the camp -
the people of Isra'el did what ADONAI had said to Moshe.
Numbers 19:1-22
(Maimonides RP107-108, RN77; Chinuch C363, C397-399)
ADONAI said to Moshe and Aharon, "This is the regulation from the Torah
which ADONAI has commanded. Tell the people of Isra'el to bring you a
young red female cow without fault or defect and which has never borne a
yoke. You are to give it to El'azar the cohen; it is to be brought
outside the camp and slaughtered in front of him. El'azar the cohen is
to take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle this blood toward the
front of the tent of meeting seven times. The heifer is to be burned to
ashes before his eyes - its skin, meat, blood and dung is to be burned to
ashes. The cohen is to take cedar-wood, hyssop and scarlet yarn and throw
them onto the heifer as it is burning up. Then the cohen is to wash his
clothes and himself in water, after which he may re-enter the camp; but the
cohen will remain unclean until evening. The person who burned up the
heifer is to wash his clothes and himself in water, but he will remain
unclean until evening. A man who is clean is to collect the ashes of the
heifer and store them outside the camp in a clean place. They are to be kept
for the community of the people of Isra'el to prepare water for
purification from sin. The one who collected the ashes of the heifer is to
wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. For the people of
Isra'el and for the foreigner staying with them this will be a
permanent regulation. Anyone who touches a corpse, no matter whose dead
body it is, will be unclean for seven days. He must purify himself with
[these ashes] on the third and seventh days; then he will be clean. But if
he does not purify himself the third and seventh days, he will not be clean.
Anyone who touches a corpse, no matter whose dead body it is, and does not
purify himself has defiled the tabernacle of ADONAI. That person will be cut
off from Isra'el, because the water for purification was not sprinkled
on him. He will be unclean; his uncleanness is still on him. This is the
law: when a person dies in a tent, everyone who enters the tent and
everything in the tent will be unclean for seven days. Every open container
without a cover closely attached is unclean. Also whoever is in an open
field and touches a corpse, whether of someone killed by a weapon or of
someone who died naturally, or the bone of a person, or a grave, will be
unclean for seven days. For the unclean person they are to take some of the
ashes of the animal burned up as a purification from sin and add them to
fresh water in a container. A clean person is to take a bunch of hyssop
leaves, dip it in the water and sprinkle it on the tent, on all the
containers, on the people who were there, and on the person who touched the
bone or the person killed or the one who died naturally or the grave. The
clean person will sprinkle the unclean person on the third and seventh days.
On the seventh day he will purify him; then he will wash his clothes and
himself in water; and he will be clean at evening. The person who remains
unclean and does not purify himself will be cut off from the community
because he has defiled the sanctuary of ADONAI. The water for purification
has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean. This is to be a permanent
regulation for them. The person who sprinkles the water for purification is
to wash his clothes. Whoever touches the water for purification will be
unclean until evening. Anything the unclean person touches will be unclean,
and anyone who touches him will be unclean until evening."
Deuteronomy 23:11-12(10-11)
(Maimonides RP31, RN78; Meir MN193; Chinuch C362, C565)
If there is a man among you who is unclean because of a nocturnal emission,
he is to go outside the camp; he is not to enter the camp. When evening
arrives he is to bathe himself in water, and after sunset he may enter the
camp.
Deuteronomy 23:13-14(12-13)
(Maimonides RP192; Chinuch C566)
Also you are to have an area outside the camp to use as a latrine. You must
include a trowel with your equipment, and when you relieve yourself, you are
to dig a hole first and afterwards cover your excrement.
Deuteronomy 24:8
(Maimonides RN308; Chinuch C584)
When there is an outbreak of tzara'at, be careful to observe and do
just what the cohanim, who are L'vi'im, teach you. Take care to
do as I ordered them.
2 Corinthians 6:17-18
Therefore ADONAI says, "'Go out from their midst; separate yourselves;
don't even touch what is unclean. Then I myself will receive you. In
fact, I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters.'
says ADONAI-Tzva'ot."
Supportive Scriptures - Ritual Cleanness & Purification
Genesis 7:1-9
ADONAI said to Noach, "Come into the ark, you and all your household; for I
have seen that you alone in this generation are righteous before me. Of
every clean animal you are to take seven couples, and of the animals that
are not clean, one couple; also of the birds in the air take seven couples -
in order to preserve their species throughout the earth. For in seven more
days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights; I
will wipe out every living thing that I have made from the face of the
earth." Noach did all that ADONAI ordered him to do. Noach was 600 years
old when the water flooded the earth. Noach went into the ark with his
sons, his wife and his sons' wives, because of the floodwaters. Of
clean animals, of animals that are not clean, of birds, and of everything
that creeps on the ground, couples, male and female, went in to Noach in the
ark, as God had ordered Noach.
Supportive Scriptures - Spiritual Cleanness
Isaiah 1:16-17
Wash yourselves clean! Get your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing evil,
learn to do good! Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, defend orphans, plead
for the widow.
Ezekiel 36:25-27
Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will
cleanse you from all your uncleanness and from all your idols. I will give
you a new heart and put a new spirit inside you; I will take the stony heart
out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit
inside you and cause you to live by my laws, respect my rulings and obey
them.
Psalm 51:9(7)
Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter
than snow.
Psalm 51:12(10)
Create in me a clean heart, God; renew in me a resolute spirit.
godliness, faithfulness, love, steadfastness, gentleness.')
Matthew 23:26
Blind Parush! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside may be
clean too.
2 Corinthians 7:1
Therefore, my dear friends, since we have these promises, let us purify
ourselves from everything that can defile either body or spirit, and strive
to be completely holy, out of reverence for God.
1 John 1:7-9
But if we are walking in the light, as he is in the light, then we have
fellowship with each other, and the blood of his Son Yeshua purifies us from
all sin. If we claim not to have sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the
truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins, then, since he is
trustworthy and just, he will forgive them and purify us from all
wrongdoing.
Supportive Scriptures - Healthy Living Independent of Ritual Cleanness
Exodus 15:26
He said, "If you will listen intently to the voice of ADONAI your God, do
what he considers right, pay attention to his mitzvot and observe his laws,
I will not afflict you with any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians;
because I am ADONAI your healer."
Deuteronomy 7:15
ADONAI will remove all illness from you - he will not afflict you with any
of Egypt's dreadful diseases, which you have known; instead, he will
lay them on those who hate you.
Jeremiah 33:4-8
For here is what ADONAI the God of Isra'el says concerning the houses
of this city and the palaces of the kings of Y'hudah which are about to
be destroyed and used as siege-works and ramparts, where they will come to
fight the Kasdim: "These places will eventually be filled with the corpses
of people whom I am striking down in my anger and fury, everyone whose
wickedness has caused me to hide my face from this city. However, I will
bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them peace and
truth in plenty. I will cause the captives of Y'hudah and the captives
of Isra'el to return; and I will build them up as I did at first. I
will cleanse them from all their sins, through which they offended me; and I
will pardon all their sins, through which they offended and rebelled against
me."
Proverbs 3:7-8
Don't be conceited about your own wisdom; but fear ADONAI, and turn
from evil. This will bring health to your body and give strength to your
bones.
Proverbs 4:20-22
My son, pay attention to what I am saying; incline your ear to my words.
Don't let them out of your sight, keep them deep in your heart; for
they are life to those who find them and health to their whole being.
Proverbs 17:22
A happy heart is good medicine, but low spirits sap ones strength.'
Psalm 8:17
This was done to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet
Yesha'yahu, "He himself took our weaknesses and bore our diseases"
1 Corinthians 10:31
Well, whatever you do, whether it's eating or drinking or anything
else, do it all so as to bring glory to God.
James 5:15
The prayer offered with trust will heal the one who is ill - the Lord will
restore his health; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
3 John 1:2
Dear friend, I am praying that everything prosper with you and that you be
in good health, as I know you are prospering spiritually.
Commentary
The concept of ritual cleanness (clean vs. unclean) originates early in the Bible. Most of us have an intuitive sense of what it means to be clean physically, but when something is called "clean" or "unclean" in the Bible, there is usually a spiritual statement being made about it in that only what God declares to be clean is fit to be brought into His presence. So, for example, an unblemished lamb is still considered clean and was suitable for sacrificial worship (under Moses) even if it had recently rolled in mud. A pig, on the other hand, is unclean, and was unfit for sacrificial worship even had it been scrupulously washed down with soap and water. According to the Bible, things are intrinsically clean or unclean and, in addition, things (and persons) that are otherwise ritually clean, can become unclean for a time, according to where they have been, what they have done, or what they have touched. So, for example, a man is intrinsically clean, becomes temporarily unclean by touching a corpse, and returns to being clean at nightfall. A pig, on the other hand, is intrinsically unclean and can never be made clean.
The concept of ritual cleanness is also connected to holiness (spiritual cleanness), and is exemplified by the fate of those who drank alcoholic beverages in the tent of meeting; for we read in Leviticus 10:9-10:
Don't drink any wine or other intoxicating liquor, neither you nor your sons with you, when you enter the tent of meeting, so that you will not die. This is to be a permanent regulation through all your generations, so that you will distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean
Yeshua considered the distinction between clean and unclean to be important, for he analogized it to holiness & wickedness in Luke 11:37-42:
As Yeshua spoke, a Parush asked him to eat dinner with him; so he went in and took his place at the table; and the Parush was surprised that he didn't begin by doing n'tilat yadayim before the meal. However, the Lord said to him, "Now then, you P'rushim, you clean the outside of the cup and plate; but inside, you are full of robbery and wickedness. Fools! Didn't the One who made the outside make the inside too? Rather, give as alms what is inside, and then everything will be clean for you! But woe to you P'rushim! You pay your tithes of mint and rue and every garden herb, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You have an obligation to do these things - but without disregarding the others!
Animals, objects, food, and even people are either clean or unclean and, apart from their respective acceptability in temple worship, they sometimes have an obvious connection to health as well. For example, Leviticus 13 reads like a medical text on how to diagnose and treat leprosy, and how to protect the population from its contagion. Some also try to make the case that eating non-kosher animals such as pig is unhealthy, but I do not attempt to make that case.
It is clear how all of the ritual cleanness regulations had literal applicability in the time of Moses, but what about now? We have no Tabernacle or Temple today, leprosy (looked at by most scholars today as skin infections that include leprosy) is quickly and easily curable, and there is no functioning Levitical priesthood today to enforce the Mosaic regulations. Nevertheless, the laws of ritual cleanness serve to remind us that maintaining our physical health is a godly value that we must pursue rigorously.
It is impossible to literally obey all of the ritual cleanness laws today. There remains, however, an area of analogy to these laws, and that is to conduct ourselves in such a way that we (both as Jews broadly and as Jewish or Gentile disciples of Yeshua) who are believers are distinguishable from those who are not. God also wants Jews to be distinguishable from non-Jews because He gave Israel a commission to be a "kingdom of priests" to the other nations of the world. God wants disciples of Yeshua to be distinguishable because all disciples of Yeshua (Jewish and non-Jewish disciples alike) have a responsibility to influence those who are not believers by what we say and how we are observed to live our lives.
For those of us that are Jews, we have a plethora of traditional practices to draw from, many of which come directly from the biblical laws of ritual cleanness. One that tops the list is that we do not eat anything that comes from a pig. Two others are that we do not eat any land animal that does not have a split hoof and does not chew its cud, and we do not eat anything from the water that lacks fins and scales. There are, of course, other characteristics that distinguish us as well, such as our keeping of the Sabbath and the Appointed Times, wearing fringes with blue strands, and tacking m'zuzot to the doorposts of our houses. Ritual purification ceremonies survive today in the Orthodox Jewish practice of total immersion in mikvahs (specially constructed baths of water), and in the washing of the hands and fingers before and after meals (respectively), and at other times prescribed by Rabbinical tradition. Common reasons for total immersion are purification at the end of a woman's menstrual cycle, by a woman prior to her wedding, and as part of conversion to Judaism.
For those of us that are believers but are not Jews, some (but not all) of the Jewish identifying features are appropriate. For most of us, however, it is how we are observed to maintain godly values, in the things we say, and in how we live our lives.
A list of items considered clean and unclean that are given in Leviticus 11 to Leviticus 15, Leviticus 22, & Deuteronomy 23 appear in the appendix to this Mitzvah below.
Classical Commentators
Maimonides, Meir, and HaChinuch chose a sampling of Scriptures about which to write their mitzvot on ritual (ceremonial) cleanness, leaving many unaddressed. Other than what is obvious when it pertains to leprosy, they did not connect ritual cleanness to health, or separation of the Jewish nation and, in their expositions of immersion, their emphases are more to the physical than to the spiritual.
NCLA: JMm JFm KMm KFm GMm GFm
APPENDIX
That Which is Ritually Clean
That Which is Ritually Unclean