Lower Levels of Impurity - Tum'at Midaf The name of this minor form of impurity, Tum'at Midaf (lit. "slight" or "indirect contact impurity"), is etymologically related to the Biblical term Nidaf employed in the expression Aleh Nidaf - a "driven leaf". The use of the term Midaf illustrates this impurity's relative "weakness" (Vayikra 26:36, Nida 4b). This little known form of Tum'ah is the second category of impurity which is unique to the Zav ("Any man who will have a discharge - abnormal seminal emissions - from his flesh…", Vayikra 15:2, 3,13-15), Zava (a woman who had abnormal Nida-like bleeding after the conclusion of her normal menstrual period, Vayikra 15:25), Nida and Yoledet. Rambam defines Tum'at Midaf as the impurity conveyed by the Zav, Zava, Nida and Yoledet to vessels and other objects which are positioned above them. While Midras-impurity (see last week's TT), is specifically ordained in the Torah, Rambam postulates that are no specific references in the written Torah to the condition of impurity which later came to be called Tum'at Midaf. It is pure Torah She'b'al Peh. Ra'avad posits that there are two discernible meanings of the term, one D'oraita, the other D'rabanan. The Gemara asks, "Where do we derive the law concerning the impurity of what is above the Zav? It is written, 'And whoever touches anything that was under him shall be impure' (Vayikra 15:10). What does 'under him' mean? Does it mean anything under the Zav is impure? No. That is derived from "whosoever touches his bed" (Vayikra 15:5). Therefore the Pasuk must mean 'whosoever touches anything that the Zav was under, i.e. that is anything above the Zav" (Nida 32b,33a). These contaminated objects do not become "fathers of impurity" and "therefore do not render people and vessels impure", but they do become Rishonim Letum'ah - a derivative impurity of the primary grade and are capable of defiling foods and liquids (Zavim 4:6, Hil. Metam'ei Mishkav Umoshav 6:3). Consequently Midaf-impurity is a less virulent form of impurity than Midras impurity. The Kesef Mishneh explains, "In the 4th chapter of Zavim, we learn that the Zav contaminates 'chairs and saddles' (by sitting or lying on them i.e. Tum'at Midras) which can (in turn) render people and clothing impure. But only foodstuffs and liquids are rendered impure when they come into contact with 'vessels' positioned above the Zav. …Even if there were many 'barriers'… even if there were many 'vessels' (e.g. blankets), the 'vessel' on top would still be "infected" with this minor form of impurity, a Rishon Letum'ah which is incapable of contaminating people or other vessels but still capable of rendering foodstuffs and liquids impure… There is no difference in the severity of the impurity between the clothing the Zav is wearing and clothing above the Zav lying on the top of the pile under the open sky." Therefore Rambam rules, "If one of those who render impure beds and seats - i.e. the Zav, Zava, Nida or Yoledet - was below and a stone was positioned above him/her with food, drink, vessels and a even a person above the stone, all are rendered Midaf impure. They become Rishonim Letum'ah - incapable of contaminating people or other vessels but still capable of rendering impure foodstuffs and liquids" (Hil. Metam'ei Mishkav Umoshav 6: 5). In summation, the chair and saddle upon which that the Zav sits become Avot Hatum'ah, "fathers of impurity", and therefore can ritually defile people, clothes, vessels as well as foodstuffs and liquids. Clothes, vessels and people positioned above the Zav can become only Rishonim Letum'ah and thereby in turn they can render impure only foodstuffs and liquids. From the Mikdash
Mailbag If the Heichal or Kodesh HaKodashim needed repairs or cleaning, workers entered and did the necessary work. Similarly, unclean "creeping things" were removed. The Gemara reads, "All may enter the Heichal (the Sanctuary) to build, repair or take out impurity. It is a Mitzva for Kohanim to do it. If there are no Kohanim, Leviyim may enter. If there are no Leviyim, Yisraelim may enter (Eruvin 105a). And in fact, Josephus relates that even Herod, when he refurbished Bayit Sheini, made every effort to have Kohanim repair those areas of the Mikdash which were forbidden to non-Kohanim. "(Herod) chose 10,000 of the most skillful workmen, and bought 1000 sacerdotal garments for… the priests, and taught… them the art of stonecutters and carpenters, and then began to build" (Antiquities Bk.15,ch.11). But we're getting ahead of ourselves! The Torah says, "And G-d said to Moses, 'Speak to Aaron your brother - he shall not come at all times into the holy place (into the Heichal), (or) within the curtain (Kodesh HaKodashim)… so he should not die… (Vayikra 16:2). Indeed all Kohanim were warned not to enter the Heichal or Kodesh HaKodashim at any time except when they were needed to perform Avoda (Sifra, Acharei 1:6, 7). Rambam comments, "How many times does the Kohein Gadol enter Kodesh HaKodashim during Yom Kippur (for the Avoda)? Four… but if he entered a fifth time… his punishment was death at the hand of Heaven…" (Hil. Bi'at Mikdash 2:1,4). Unnecessary entrance into the Heichal was punishable only by flogging. Unnecessary entrance into the Heichal or Kodesh HaKodashim is called Bi'ah Reikanit and its prohibition is listed in Rambam's Sefer HaMitzvot, prohibition 68; so too Sefer HaChinuch. "The reason is to inculcate in the souls of those who serve (in the Mikdash) a sense of its greatness… and instill in them a feeling of awe… (S.H. Mitzva 184). Entering the Aliya, the second floor of the Bayit built directly above Kodesh HaKodashim and the Heichal, unnecessarily, was also considered Bi'ah Reikanit even though no Avodot were ever performed there. Interestingly enough, the area above Kodesh HaKodashim, and not the Kodesh HaKodashim itself, was considered the most sacred place in the entire Beit HaMikdash. The Mishna reads, "And in the upper chamber, the ends of flagstones were marked at the place of division between (the area) above the Heichal and the (area above) Kodesh HaKodashim" (Midot 4:5). Tif'eret Yisrael explains why. "Even though there were two curtains separating the area above the Heichal and the area above Kodesh HaKodashim, they made these markings (in the floor to separate these areas) because of the extreme holiness of the area above Kodesh HaKodashim, the holiness of which exceeded the Kodesh HaKodashim itself. After all, the area above Kodesh HaKodashim was entered once in seven years (while Kodesh HaKodashim itself was entered every year)(TY 47). <to be continued> Catriel's book in progress: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrims Prospective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service [The
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