Ilustration Credit: Elad Lifshitz, Dov Abramson Studio
Midrash מִדְרָשׁ
The Torah tells us about ways that people can become טָמֵא (tamei, impure) and also rituals to make people טָהוֹר (tahor, pure) again. But without the Beit HaMikdash, there is no way for any person to become fully tahor. Does that mean we are further away from God now?
In the Gemara (Bavli Yoma 56b-57a), R. Hanina discusses this question with someone who is described as a צְדוּקִי (Tzeduki, Sadducee). The Tzedukim did not believe in the tradition of the Rabbis, and this Tzeduki was trying to show that, without the Beit HaMikdash, the Jewish people is no longer close to God.
הַשְׁתָּא בָּרִי טְמֵאִים אַתּוּן, דִּכְתִיב: ״טוּמְאָתָהּ בְּשׁוּלֶיהָ״ (איכה א:ט).
תָּא חֲזִי מָה כְּתִיב בְּהוּ: ״הַשּׁוֹכֵן אִתָּם בְּתוֹךְ טוּמְאֹתָם״ (ויקרא טז:טז), אֲפִילּוּ בִּזְמַן שֶׁהֵן טְמֵאִין — שְׁכִינָה שְׁרוּיָה בֵּינֵיהֶן.
Now it’s clear that you are impure! As it is written, ‘Israel’s impurity is in her skirts’ (Eikhah 1:9)!
Come and see what’s written about them: ‘The One Who dwells with them in their impurity’ (Vayikra 16:16)—even when they are impure, the Shekhinah (God’s presence) rests among them.
R. Hanina uses a pasuk from our parashah to show the Tzeduki that, even if we are tamei, we are still close to God.
- Without the Beit HaMikdash, why might someone believe that the Jewish people are no longer close to God? In what ways is God close to us even without the Beit HaMikdash?
- What’s comforting about the idea that God is with us even while we are tamei? What does that teach us about God?
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