LEV164 In the Torah there are a number of injunctions based on a two-fold ideology: the prevention of illness and the removal of “unclean” things from areas of human habitation. [Deuteronomy 23:14]. The temporary quarantine and purification of garments, utensils, and houses prescribed in Leviticus was aimed both at eradicating the physical results of spiritual deficiencies and at preserving the physical health of the community. All the laws of Tumah-- impurity-- which required expulsion from the community and purification before re-entry [e.g.., Leviticus 15: 2- 23; Numbers 19: 7- 22] served the same dual purpose. In the same way, the Talmud, the halachic codes, and the rabbinic literature all include the discussion of health problems, nutrition, and preventive medicine as part of the religious pattern of life. Man, created in God’s image, is required to care properly for his body and is enjoined against harming himself or others through neglect of that body.

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LEV165 A man who suffered an impure issue shall bring offerings when he is cured. Offerings, as explained previously, allude to subduing our animal side in order to give prominence to our intelligent, thinking soul. When a person who has an impure issue is cured of it, it is fitting for him to bring an offering to remind him of the great harm in succumbing to his animal desires. The offering inspires him to strive with all his mind to overcome his evil inclination.

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LEV166 Spiritual impurity due to emission of semen. A man emits semen only because of lustful thoughts of his desiring body. Accordingly, the Holy Torah decrees that this occurrence causes his body spiritual impurity, for man's primary purpose is to understand wisdom and serve his Maker. Such an emission indicates that he has swerved towards mundane lust. It is fitting, therefore, that he descend into spiritual impurity for one day, so that he will cleanse his thoughts and afterwards he will purify his body.

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LEV167 See [[GEN140]] Genesis 1:28 fertile OXFORD 314

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LEV168 The Torah, in a number of places, describes the notions of tu'mah (ritual impurity or unfitness) and toharah (ritual purity or fitness). The state of tum'ah is contracted in a variety of ways: eating non-kosher animals, coming into contact with a corpse, becoming ill with a disease often translated as leprosy (that was most certainly not like the leprosy we know today), or having particular body emissions. One could also contract tum'ah by coming into certain forms of contact with someone else who was tameh (the mail adjectival form of the noun tum'ah) or te'mei'ah (the female adjectival form). Generally speaking, this state was of little consequence, except for the critical fact that, during the biblical era, one who was in a state of tum'ah was unable to offer sacrifices at the ancient Jerusalem Temple. Menstruation was one of a number of general emissions that could cause a person to contract tum'ah; male ejaculation and either male or female irregular "flux" emissions (from illness, miscarriage, and so forth) also did so. Tum'ah could be contracted from another person, and though in Leviticus 15 the consequences of this contraction are described in the simple language of cause-and-effect, the Torah (Leviticus 18:19; 20:18) twice explicitly prohibits sex with a menstruant. During the Rabbinic era, normal menstruation and irregular "flux" states became conflated, as the Rabbis decreed that a woman must--as the Torah commands for a woman with an irregular "flux" [this verse]--wait an extra week after the cessation of her regular menstrual period (B. Niddah 66a). By the time of the Mishnah, it is also simply presumed that a menstruant must immerse in water before she would once again be permitted to engage in sexual relations, as the Torah obligates one who experienced an irregular "flux" emission from illness, miscarriage, or some other non-typical occurrence to immerse in water before resuming sexual relations.(Leviticus 15). As such, according to post-Rabbinic traditional practice, a couple does not engage in sexual relations while a woman is menstruating (which, according to Ashkenazi practice, lasts a minimum of five days) and for seven days thereafter. At the end of this period, she immerses in the ritual bath and is once again permitted to engage in marital relations with her husband. This practice of sexual separation during menses has been controversial among many feminists. There are those who repudiate the practice entirely, such as Rachel Adler… other feminists, such as Haviva Ner-David, find beauty and "spiritual power" in the notion of ritually marking the body's cycles and the sexual ebb and flow in her marriage. (By Danya Ruttenberg, "Jewish Sexual Ethics")

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LEV169 It was taught: Why is their death mentioned in conjunction with Yom Kippur? To teach that just as Yom Kippur atones for the Jews, so the death of the righteous atones for the Jews (Yerushalmi Yoma 1:1)

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LEV170 Yose ben Yohanan of Jerusalem said: … let the poor be members of your household; Pirkei Avot, Perek 1, mishnah 5. The kind of hospitality that our Torah requires is possible only when we look upon the poor and on our obligation to them, as if they were members of our own household. Charity indeed begins at home, but the "home kind" of charity should not end there. The Gaon of Vilna once approached a wealthy man for a contribution for a destitute family. The man countered by paraphrasing a verse from Psalms: "I perform acts of tz'dakah at all times," (Psalms 106:3) implying that his continuous giving absolved him from making any further contributions. Amazed, the Gaon asked him how he managed to give charity constantly. The rich man, very satisfied with himself, opened the Talmud and pointed to the Rabbinic interpretation of this verse, "who do charity at all times" -- that it refers to one who feeds his young sons and daughters (T.B. Ketuboth 50a). Determined to answer the man in kind, the Gaon replied with a smile, "But there is another passage in the Torah which reads, 'Let him not come at all times to the Holy Place' [this verse]. He who hides behind the excuse of the Rabbinic interpretation of 'at all times' can never attain holiness." Taking care of your own family does not absolve you of your obligations to the poor who turn to you. But not only must you consider your obligation to the poor as compelling as your obligation to your family; you must actually treat them as such. "Let the poor of the members of your household." Do not demean the poor individual or humble him. His having to accept charity is humbling enough. Do not add to his sense of estrangement. When he comes into your house, make him feel at home. Part of the duty of hospitality is to convert the poor into members of your household. (Continued at [[DEUT470]] Deuteronomy 10:19 strangers SINAI1 56-7)

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LEV171 Kohanim and certainly others shall not enter the Beis HaMikdash for no reason. Key concept: To ensure that the Kohanim remain in awe of the greatness and holiness of the Beis HaMikdash.

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LEV172 The Kohen Gadol shall perform the special avodah of Yom Kippur. Out of kindness towards His creations, Hashem fixes one day of the year for atonement for their sins, provided that they repent. Were there not such a day of atonement, His creations’ sins would accumulate and after two or more years the world's guilt would be so great that the world would deserve to be destroyed. In His great wisdom, in order to keep the world in existence, Hashem provides one day a year when those who repent can gain complete atonement for their sins. Hashem set this day aside for atonement and sanctified it as such at the very beginning of time--when He created the world. After He designated this day and sanctified it for this important purpose, the day itself became vested with the power to assist in bestowing atonement. Thus, our Sages teach, “Yom Kippur atones.” That is, for certain minor sins, the day itself provides that atonement.

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LEV173 Simeon the Just as one of the last survivors of the Great Assembly. He used to say: The world stands on three things: on Torah, Divine worship, and acts of love and kindness. Pirkei Avot, Perek I, mishnah 2. … this great Sage emphasizes that the three pillars upon which the world of Judaism rests are Torah, the study and fulfillment of Torah; avodah, service to God, and g'milath hasadim, man's kindness in action to his fellow man. This three-fold characterization of Judaism is contained in the famous High Holiday prayer: "Penitence, prayer and charity avert the severity of the decree." Penitence is possible only where a knowledge of Torah induces a sense of guilt; prayer is, of course, the service of the heart (it too is called avodah in Hebrew); and charity is the implementation of g'milath hasadim. The importance of this teaching for the modern Jew lies in its call for totality and balance. Too often today we meet the person who trumpets forth the size of his charitable contributions and proclaims: "So long as I give charity and exhibit a generous heart, I can safely ignore the elements of Torah and avodah." We also have the person who maintains that since he goes faithfully to the synagogue every single day, he is absolved from giving to charity. What Simeon the Just would have us remember is that one is required to be a total Jew by making a total commitment to Torah, avodah, and g'milath hasadim. In the High Holiday prayer that we mentioned, the Mahzor [prayerbook-AJL] reproduces three words above the three subjects of the sentence. They are tzom, fasting; kol, voice; and mamon, money; these are approximate synonyms or associated terms for penitence, prayer and charity respectively. However, these three additions when regarded from the aspect of their numerical value [gematria-AJL], are actually equivalent, each consisting of 136. Any two together, therefore, equal 272, and all three total 408. With this in mind, we can offer an interesting interpretation of the verse, "A man of brutish instincts (ba'ar) does not know, and a fool will not comprehend this (zoth) (Psalms 92:7). The numerical value of the word ba'ar is 272, and the numerical value of zoth is 408! Substituting for these multiples of 136, meanings in terms of our triad --penitence, prayer and charity--we emerge with the points just made. We are acquainted with a man who does not know, ba'ar--272, who ignores two of the required three principles. And we even know of the fool who does not comprehend zoth--408, all three of these pillars of Judaism. There are people who feel that by remaining loyal to only one aspect of Judaism they are fulfilling their obligation. But surely this is foolishness! We can extend this approach farther, and in a similar manner interpret the verse, "With this, b'zoth, Aaron shall come into the sanctuary" [this verse]. Only with the "408" – – with the total of all three activities, should the cohen gadol, the high priest enter the holy of holies on Yom Kippur. Should he approach the Almighty with only a part of the totality of Judaism, then he cannot adequately represent his people. Anything less than total Judaism is a truncated Judaism, an unbalanced version. Judaism, in a sense, resembles a tripod, a structure resting on three legs. Remove any one of the three supports and the structure will collapse. If a person be learned but not observant, if he be charitable but not disposed to worship, then he cannot possibly experience a full religious life. Such defective religiosity is bound to be shaky and is destined to topple.

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