(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) דַּבְּרוּ֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֣ישׁ אִ֗ישׁ כִּ֤י יִהְיֶה֙ זָ֣ב מִבְּשָׂר֔וֹ זוֹב֖וֹ טָמֵ֥א הֽוּא׃ (ג) וְזֹ֛את תִּהְיֶ֥ה טֻמְאָת֖וֹ בְּזוֹב֑וֹ רָ֣ר בְּשָׂר֞וֹ אֶת־זוֹב֗וֹ אֽוֹ־הֶחְתִּ֤ים בְּשָׂרוֹ֙ מִזּוֹב֔וֹ טֻמְאָת֖וֹ הִֽוא׃ (ד) כׇּל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֗ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכַּ֥ב עָלָ֛יו הַזָּ֖ב יִטְמָ֑א וְכׇֽל־הַכְּלִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־יֵשֵׁ֥ב עָלָ֖יו יִטְמָֽא׃ (ה) וְאִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִגַּ֖ע בְּמִשְׁכָּב֑וֹ יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (ו) וְהַיֹּשֵׁב֙ עַֽל־הַכְּלִ֔י אֲשֶׁר־יֵשֵׁ֥ב עָלָ֖יו הַזָּ֑ב יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (ז) וְהַנֹּגֵ֖עַ בִּבְשַׂ֣ר הַזָּ֑ב יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (ח) וְכִֽי־יָרֹ֥ק הַזָּ֖ב בַּטָּה֑וֹר וְכִבֶּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (ט) וְכׇל־הַמֶּרְכָּ֗ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִרְכַּ֥ב עָלָ֛יו הַזָּ֖ב יִטְמָֽא׃ (י) וְכׇל־הַנֹּגֵ֗עַ בְּכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִהְיֶ֣ה תַחְתָּ֔יו יִטְמָ֖א עַד־הָעָ֑רֶב וְהַנּוֹשֵׂ֣א אוֹתָ֔ם יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (יא) וְכֹ֨ל אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִגַּע־בּוֹ֙ הַזָּ֔ב וְיָדָ֖יו לֹא־שָׁטַ֣ף בַּמָּ֑יִם וְכִבֶּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (יב) וּכְלִי־חֶ֛רֶשׂ אֲשֶׁר־יִגַּע־בּ֥וֹ הַזָּ֖ב יִשָּׁבֵ֑ר וְכׇ֨ל־כְּלִי־עֵ֔ץ יִשָּׁטֵ֖ף בַּמָּֽיִם׃ (יג) וְכִֽי־יִטְהַ֤ר הַזָּב֙ מִזּוֹב֔וֹ וְסָ֨פַר ל֜וֹ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֛ים לְטׇהֳרָת֖וֹ וְכִבֶּ֣ס בְּגָדָ֑יו וְרָחַ֧ץ בְּשָׂר֛וֹ בְּמַ֥יִם חַיִּ֖ים וְטָהֵֽר׃ (יד) וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֗י יִֽקַּֽח־לוֹ֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י תֹרִ֔ים א֥וֹ שְׁנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יוֹנָ֑ה וּבָ֣א ׀ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶל־פֶּ֙תַח֙ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וּנְתָנָ֖ם אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ (טו) וְעָשָׂ֤ה אֹתָם֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֶחָ֣ד חַטָּ֔את וְהָאֶחָ֖ד עֹלָ֑ה וְכִפֶּ֨ר עָלָ֧יו הַכֹּהֵ֛ן לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה מִזּוֹבֽוֹ׃ {ס} (טז) וְאִ֕ישׁ כִּֽי־תֵצֵ֥א מִמֶּ֖נּוּ שִׁכְבַת־זָ֑רַע וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֛יִם אֶת־כׇּל־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (יז) וְכׇל־בֶּ֣גֶד וְכׇל־ע֔וֹר אֲשֶׁר־יִהְיֶ֥ה עָלָ֖יו שִׁכְבַת־זָ֑רַע וְכֻבַּ֥ס בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (יח) וְאִשָּׁ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכַּ֥ב אִ֛ישׁ אֹתָ֖הּ שִׁכְבַת־זָ֑רַע וְרָחֲצ֣וּ בַמַּ֔יִם וְטָמְא֖וּ עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ {פ}
(יט) וְאִשָּׁה֙ כִּֽי־תִהְיֶ֣ה זָבָ֔ה דָּ֛ם יִהְיֶ֥ה זֹבָ֖הּ בִּבְשָׂרָ֑הּ שִׁבְעַ֤ת יָמִים֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה בְנִדָּתָ֔הּ וְכׇל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בָּ֖הּ יִטְמָ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (כ) וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּשְׁכַּ֥ב עָלָ֛יו בְּנִדָּתָ֖הּ יִטְמָ֑א וְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־תֵּשֵׁ֥ב עָלָ֖יו יִטְמָֽא׃
(1) יהוה spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: (2) Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: When any man has a discharge issuing from his member, he is impure. ... (4) Any bedding on which the one with the discharge lies shall be impure, and every object on which he sits shall be impure. (5) Those persons who touch his bedding shall wash their clothes, bathe in water, and remain impure until evening. .... 7) Those who touch the body of the one with the discharge shall wash their clothes, bathe in water, and remain impure until evening. (8) ... (10) all those who touch anything that was under him shall be impure until evening; and all those who carry such things shall wash their clothes, bathe in water, and remain impure until evening. (11) All those whom the one with a discharge touches, without having rinsed his hands in water, shall wash their clothes, bathe in water, and remain impure until evening. (12) An earthen vessel that the one with a discharge touches shall be broken; and any wooden implement shall be rinsed with water. (13) When the one with a discharge becomes purified of his discharge, he shall count off seven days for his purification, wash those clothes, and bathe his body in fresh water; then he shall be pure. (14) On the eighth day he shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons and come before יהוה at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and give them to the priest. (15) The priest shall offer them, the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. Thus the priest shall make expiation on his behalf, for his discharge, before יהוה. (16) When a man has an emission of semen, he shall bathe his whole body in water and remain impure until evening. (17) All cloth or leather on which semen falls shall be washed in water and remain impure until evening. (18) Likewise for a woman: when a man has carnal relations with her, both shall bathe in water and remain impure until evening. (19) When a woman has a discharge, her discharge being blood from her body, she shall remain in her menstrual separation seven days; whoever touches her shall be impure until evening. (20) Anything that she lies on during her menstrual separation shall be impure; and anything that she sits on shall be impure.
Can you connect it to other causes of impurity in Judaism, like getting one's period? Is there a common thread?
Ritual purity laws highlight the power of confronting mortality and the subsequent need to ritualize the reaffirmation of life.
RABBI LAUREN EICHLER BERKUN
(from My Jewish Learning)
As a young feminist college student, I discovered that the ancient Jewish laws of menstrual impurity were not an example of gender discrimination or blood taboo. Rather, the Torah teaches that all genital discharges, female and male, are sources of tumah (ritual impurity). These laws are part of a broader symbolic system, which highlights the power of confronting mortality and the subsequent need to ritualize the reaffirmation of life.
Many scholars concur that life/death symbolism is the underlying principle behind the biblical purity system. According to this theory, one becomes impure upon contact with death or with the loss of potential life. Indeed, the greatest source of impurity is a human corpse (Numbers 19). Leprosy, a scaly white skin disease which made one look like a corpse (see Numbers 12:12), is another severe form of impurity. Genital fluids, which represent the loss of generative material from the font of life, also cause impurity (Leviticus 15).
The Source of Life
According to biblical theology, God is the Source of Life. The God of Israel embodies life, and only the living can praise God (Psalms 115). Therefore, our encounters with death or symbolic reminders of death momentarily remove us from the life-affirming rituals of God’s abode in the Temple. Only after a symbolic rebirth through immersion in the “living waters” of the mikveh (ritual bath) could one return to a state of purity.
(ב) הֲרוֹאֶה רְאִיּוֹת הַזּוֹב הַגּוֹרְמוֹת לוֹ לִהְיוֹת זָב מֵחֲמַת חלִי אוֹ אֹנֶס וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן אֵינוֹ זָב שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא טו ב) "זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ" מֵחֲמַת בְּשָׂרוֹ הוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה טָמֵא לֹא מֵחֲמַת דָּבָר אַחֵר. מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ בְּשִׁבְעָה דְּרָכִים בּוֹדְקִין אֶת הַזָּב. בְּמַאֲכָל. וּבְמִשְׁתֶּה. בְּמַשָּׂא. וּבִקְפִיצָה. בְּחלִי. וּבְמַרְאֶה. וּבְהִרְהוּר. כֵּיצַד. אָכַל אֲכִילָה גַּסָּה אוֹ שָׁתָה הַרְבֵּה. אוֹ שֶׁאָכַל אוֹ שָׁתָה אֳכָלִין אוֹ מַשְׁקִין הַמְּבִיאִין לִידֵי שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע. אוֹ שֶׁנָּשָׂא מַשּׂוֹי כָּבֵד. אוֹ שֶׁקָּפַץ מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם וּבִכְלַל דָּבָר זֶה אִם הֻכָּה עַל גַּבּוֹ. אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה חוֹלֶה. אוֹ שֶׁרָאָה אִשָּׁה וְהִתְאַוָּה שְׁכִיבָתָהּ. אוֹ שֶׁהִרְהֵר בְּעִסְקֵי בְּעִילָה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הִרְהֵר בִּבְעִילַת אִשָּׁה שֶׁהוּא מַכִּירָהּ. אִם קָדַם אֶחָד מִכָּל אֵלּוּ וְרָאָה רְאִיָּה שֶׁל זוֹב תּוֹלִין בּוֹ וְאֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא:
(2) If a person releases a discharge which would have caused him to be deemed a zav because of another sickness or because of factors beyond his control, he is not deemed a zav, as implied by Leviticus 15:2: "A man who will release discharges from his flesh." That phrase can be interpreted to mean: He will become impure "because of his flesh," and not due to any other factor.
On this basis, our Sages said: we check a zav with regard to seven factors: food, drink, burdens, jumping, infirmity, provocative sights, and thoughts.
What is implied? If a person overate or overdrank or he ate or drank foods or beverages that lead to the discharge of seed, he carried a heavy burden, he jumped from place to place, included in this category is also his being beaten on his back, he was sick, he saw a woman and desired intimacy with her, or he thought about sexual relations even if he did not think specifically about a particular woman whom he knew - if any of these factors preceded his discovery of a zav discharge, we account the discharge to it and it does not render him impure.
גְּמָ׳ מְנָא הָנֵי מִילֵּי אָמַר רַבִּי נָתָן אָמַר קְרָא וְהַזָּב אֶת זוֹבוֹ לִרְאִיָּה שְׁלִישִׁית אִיתַּקַּשׁ לִנְקֵיבָה וְהָתַנְיָא רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר בַּשְּׁלִישִׁית בּוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ בָּרְבִיעִית אֵין בּוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ אֶלָּא בְּאֶתִּים קָמִיפַּלְגִי רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר דָּרֵישׁ אֶתִּים וְרַבָּנַן לָא דָּרְשִׁי אֶתִּים:אוֹנְסוֹ וּסְפֵיקוֹ:
GEMARA: The Gemara asks: From where are these matters derived, that one examines a zav before he has been confirmed as having a ziva, but not after? Rabbi Natan says that the verse states: “And the zav who has an issue [zav et zovo], whether it is a man or a woman” (Leviticus 15:33). This teaches that after two discharges, corresponding to the words zav and zovo, with regard to the third sighting, when one is already a zav, the verse juxtaposes the halakha of a male to that of a female: The Gemara asks: But isn’t it taught in a mishna (Zavim 2:2) that Rabbi Eliezer says: For the third discharge one still examines him; for the fourth discharge one does not examine him. Where does the verse allude to the fourth discharge? The Gemara answers: Rather, they disagree with regard to instances of the word “et,” i.e., whether or not the word “et” teaches an additional halakha, or whether it is written purely for syntactical reasons. Rabbi Eliezer expounds instances of the word “et,” and therefore he counts the phrase “zav et zovo” as three words referring to three discharges. And the Rabbis do not expound instances of the word “et,” which means that in their opinion this verse alludes to only two discharges. The mishna taught that his discharge that was due to circumstances beyond his control, and his discharge about which it is uncertain if it is ziva, are considered impure.
Pr. Yair Furstenberg investigates whether it is possible to separate our recoil from what we find disgusting and our tendency to classify it as inferior and describes the way in which physical revulsion is translated into an ethical hierarchy that shapes our view of the world.
(...)And what can be said of the status of a woman who regularly becomes a carrier of impurity that is discharged from her body? Can we make a distinction between our unease as a result of a particular bodily situation and the attribution of religious and ethical values to that situation? The development of the concept of “impurity”, which is located somewhere between disgust and revulsion on the one hand and accusation on the other, embodies the struggle with this fundamental problem. (...)
Therefore, that same physical impurity which is natural and unavoidable – the menstruating woman, the new mother, the dead and the zav – keeps God at a distance. It drives Him away.
The tendency to attribute impurity to another in order to draw social and geographic boundaries (the Diaspora even became impure during the Second Temple period) became so dominant that even the Pharisees separated themselves from the impurity of the common people who in their view could not purify themselves.
However, there were alternatives that undermined the power of impurity to create moral distinctions between people. Just prior to Christianity becoming a religion without national boundaries and without any moral distinction between the circumcised and uncircumcised, Peter the apostle, on his entry into the home of Cornelius, the Roman centurion, declared: “You understand that it is unlawful for Jews to enter the house of non-Jews; yet God has told me not to call anyone, since he is a man, impure or repulsive.“ (Acts 10:28) Thus, Peter rejected one of the foundations of the religious language of his day, which organized the world by differentiating between pure and impure.
On the other hand, and without diminishing the revulsion related to impurity, another approach appeared that placed the system of impurity on a different footing. The edicts of Antiochus required the Jews to defile the Temple with idol worship and to defile their bodies by eating impure foods. The Book of the Macabees emphasizes that many gave their lives – not for the purity of the Temple but rather in order not to defile their bodies.
In this way, another way of thinking about impurity became prevalent. This approach shifted the moral focus of impurity laws from preserving the ecological system that surrounds the Temple or the camp to preserving the purity of the individual. The new approach thus enabled the Tanaitic literature to continue the development of the laws of purity and impurity and the value of not eating impure foods even after the destruction of the Temple, a period in which the differentiation between pure and impure had lost its influence in the public and political sphere.
(experts from https://www.hartman.org.il/purity-and-impurity/)
Now your mission is to do a Jewy take of this masterpiece for our shabbaton:
Every Sperm is Tameh, Every Sperm is great!