Questions tagged [tamei-tahor-ritual-purity]

Questions related to the Torah concepts of *tumah* and *taharah* - ritual impurity and purity.

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2 votes
1 answer
129 views

Common denominator cases tumah

Looking for a common denominator for all mentioned cases of tumah, trying to find something that would bind them together, I found that a thematic denominator is death (or loss of life, diminution of ...
0 votes
1 answer
60 views

If a baal keri goes to the Mikvah at night are they still a Tevul Yom?

Certain types of tumah, like a baal keri, immerse in a Mikvah and then will be known as a tevul yom, meaning they are impure until the evening. What happens if they go to a Mikvah after sundown? Are ...
0 votes
0 answers
65 views

Angels of impurity before marriage?

I cam across an article here stating that before we marry, each person has an 'angel of impurity' attached to them from birth. https://www.dailyhalacha.com/WeeklyParasha.asp?ParashaClipID=754 I ...
0 votes
1 answer
72 views

Question about Leviticus 11:43 [duplicate]

The verse in Leviticus 11:43 speaks about becoming unclean by eating "unclean" animals. You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping creature that creeps, and you shall not ...
1 vote
2 answers
90 views

Ritual immersion with washing of the body?

I would like to know if the ritual immersion that is prescribed in the Torah requires one to wash himself as well. From what I see, the law tells you only to immerse yourself and not to wash yourself (...
2 votes
1 answer
84 views

Are hands rendered tumah if water flowed down after second or third pour?

When performing morning netilat yadayim, are the hands rendered tumah if during the second or third pour the water is poured above the wrists?
10 votes
1 answer
771 views

Notched 2x4 for maamid?

Let's assume that there is a lechatchila to not use metal object that are mekabel tumah (susceptible to tumah) for something that supports the s'chach ("maamid"), which can be avoided by using ...
1 vote
1 answer
146 views

consequences of minor tumah nowadays

In a comment on this question that is now deleted, DoubleAA said something to the effect of Yes you become impure by sitting on the seat, but anyone who needs to care about the consequences of ...
2 votes
2 answers
154 views

Is the partially generated animal dead?

Chulin, chapter 9, mishna 6, is discussing the ritual impurity imparted by a dead sheretz (animal of any of certain types). Note that the impurity is imparted only by a dead animal. The mishna says (...
6 votes
1 answer
168 views

Human Composting - Implications for Kohanim

In recent news, Washington State, has becomes the first state ever to allow human composting. The question has already been raised in this forum: "Is there a halachic objection to human composting?" ...
8 votes
1 answer
236 views

Forbidden to immerse, as opposed to doesn't work?

I was learning Pesachim, and on 17b I saw Tosafos say the following: דבתוך הכלי ודאי אסור לטבול מדאורייתא It is definitely biblically forbidden to immerse something within a vessel (as opposed ...
1 vote
0 answers
48 views

Can angels become tamei?

What it says on the tin really. Are there any sources dealing with the question of angels and tumah?
1 vote
1 answer
50 views

Touching A Tanach Before Netilat Yadayim

Can one touch a Tanach, not Torah scroll, before doing netilat yadayim?
2 votes
0 answers
78 views

How did temple priests and visitors go about relieving themselves without desecrating the sanctity of the Beit Hamikdash?

Judaism has very strict rules around human waste and separating God from such things. You may not even speak God's names within a restroom. This leads to my question regarding the temple priesthood ...
8 votes
4 answers
607 views

The Chanuka Miracle of the Oil and Tumah Hutra Btzibur

In the events of Chanukah, why did they need the miracle of finding the Shemen tahor pure olive oil? After all,the Gemara says Tumah Hutrah beTzibur (pesachim 77a), meaning if all the oil is Tumay ...
1 vote
2 answers
747 views

What is permissible on "anything-but" night (סמוך לוסתה)?

Please see here for the source that on the night of a woman's expected menstruation, anything other than "relations" proper is permitted. What acts are included under this permission? Put another way,...
1 vote
1 answer
54 views

Hyssop: a herb that purifies?

Hyssop, אזוב, is used several times in the Torah in purification processes. See for example Shemos 12:22, where Moshe Rabbeinu summoned all the elders of Israel and told them: Take a bunch of hyssop, ...
3 votes
1 answer
242 views

Should a man say a bracha if immersing in a mikvah?

Should a man say a bracha, according to halachic sources, when immersing in a mikvah? (since there is no obligation on him).
0 votes
0 answers
49 views

Different Schach Mats

Does anyone know the difference between the Schach mats that are sold on all the Sukkah websites? I understand that nylon string connecting the slats is an issue but the Star-k website (see below) ...
1 vote
1 answer
68 views

Tevilas Ezra on Shabbos

Does any source speak about טבילת עזרא specifically in the context of שבת? I am asking because relations on שבת is indicated to be a preferred/ideal time (based on certain sources (e.g. בבא קמא פב ע&...
6 votes
3 answers
537 views

Hargasha nowdays

There are various reasons that the Poskim nowadays give to explain that there still is a concept of Nidda Min Hatorah despite women not having a Hargasha. From what I have managed to see, there seem ...
1 vote
1 answer
135 views

Does the Oral Torah have a law against 'common' animals?

I am a Christian who is researching how other religions influenced Christianity throughout its history. Having found that some of my fellow believers in the Hebrew Roots movement hold the belief that ...
1 vote
1 answer
295 views

If one plants tamei terumah, is the gedulin [product] also tamei?

Mishnah Terumos 9:4 explains that, if one plants terumah, then the product which grows (gedulin) is also terumah drabannan. My question - if the seeds planted were tamei terumah, is the product also ...
2 votes
0 answers
45 views

Receiving animal based organ transplants

I was looking at the idea of receiving an organ transplanted from an animal as in this question. One issue which was not raised is that of tum'ah. Though the transplant might be acceptable for many ...
1 vote
1 answer
63 views

Wearing gloves while dealing with food

Are gloves a barrier for tumah water and food if one didn’t do morning netilat yadayim?
2 votes
1 answer
52 views

Consumption of Foods and Liquids Touched By One Who Didn’t Do Morning Netilat Yadayim

My first question is when did the opinion of ruach ra’ah no longer being present today begin? My second question is, are we allowed to consume the foods and drinks touched by one who didn’t do netilat ...
2 votes
0 answers
71 views

Water from washing that ran onto sleeves- Is it tumah?

If after raising hands for netilat yadayim the water from the hands ran down onto sleeves, is that water on the sleeves then rendered tumah?
3 votes
2 answers
989 views

Touching the hands of a Jew who didn't wash netilat yadayim in the morning

When one has performed netilat yadayim in the morning, however after their hands are dry, touched or shook the hands of a Jew who hasn't washed their hands, but their hands are also dry, would they ...
3 votes
1 answer
67 views

Why is Pesach Sheni the only "second chance"? [duplicate]

In Parashat Behaalotcha we read of a group of individuals who were unable for Halachic reasons to celebrate Pesach. On the fourteenth day of Nisan, when they had been mandated to bring the Pesach ...
2 votes
1 answer
106 views

At what point does a corpse become so decomposed as to no longer defile?

As we all know, contact with a dead animal or person brings ritual impurity. But we also know that "dust we are and to dust we shall return." Most of the soil around us is organic matter ...
0 votes
1 answer
179 views

Contradiction between Mishnah and Tosefta?

Mishnah Keilim 11:4 says: קלוסטרא, טמאה ... רבי יהושע אומר, שומטה מפתח זה ותולה בחברו בשבת. רבי טרפון אומר, הרי היא לו ככל הכלים, ומטלטלת בחצר A door bolt is susceptible to impurity ... Rabbi Joshua ...
2 votes
0 answers
33 views

Why are אוכלי חולין בטהרה called "בני הכנסת"?

Zavim, chapter 3, mishna 2, lists a bunch of cases in which someone is deemed tame (ritually impure) by decree of the rabbis. However, it concludes, וְכֻלָּן טְהוֹרִין לִבְנֵי הַכְּנֶסֶת וּטְמֵאִין ...
4 votes
2 answers
543 views

Are gentiles tameh ? Do they convey any kind of tumas?

I find a lot of contradicting sources - does anyone know the actual halachah (with sources please) ? A lot of mishanyot seem to state that Gentiles do not contract/convey impurity (Negaim 11 and 12; ...
0 votes
1 answer
90 views

Does tumah applies in any way to Bnei Noach? [duplicate]

As gentiles also worshipped in the Holy Temple, I wonder if ritual impurity also applied to them
2 votes
0 answers
50 views

Machshirin and being satisfied with wetting

Mishnah Machshirin 3:3 explains that a loaf of bread which is placed over the top of a wine cask and absorbs wine fumes is considered hechsher. But why is this the case, because there is no reason to ...
6 votes
2 answers
198 views

Can someone [be] tovel accidentally? (Does tovelling need kavanah?)

Does tovelling, either for vessels or a person, require kavanah (intent) to achieve the purification? Let's say someone went bathing in the river, or for whatever reason just fell in naked; for dishes,...
2 votes
3 answers
823 views

Kohain going into the Mearas HaMachpela

Is a Kohain allowed to enter the Mearas HaMachpela?
4 votes
1 answer
365 views

Talking In Bathrooms

The Rema in או"ח סי' ג סעיף ב says that it is impermissible to talk in the bathroom. The Mishna Berura adds the Gemara in Berachos 65b, that even in order to let someone trying to enter know that ...
7 votes
3 answers
2k views

Food cooked by woman during Niddah?

If according to my Bible translation - please correct me if it is wrong - anything a woman in niddah or a state of tumah, or 'impurity', touches or sits on becomes 'impure', can food cooked by her be ...
0 votes
1 answer
105 views

Is fishing line mekabel-tumah? Can it be used in schach?

סכך cannot be made of a דבר המקבל טומאה, there is a company that make a reed mat that is held together (מעמד) with fishing line and it comes with instructions to put some wood on top of it so that it ...
2 votes
2 answers
541 views

Is a felt hat made with beaver or rabbit fur unclean according to Leviticus 11:8?

Many of the finer felt hats (especially antique ones) are made of felt created from animal fur, such as beaver or rabbit. The fur is initially harvested from the pelt of a dead animal before it is ...
3 votes
2 answers
287 views

Why don’t Sheretzs made into a Streimel convey tumah?

The body of a sheretz conveys impurity. The translations of the animals that count as Sheratzim (listed in Parashat Shemini) often include weasels or ferrets as well as rats, insects, and lizards. ...
0 votes
0 answers
42 views

1:1 correspondence of spiritual purity to spiritual impurity?

I’ve always held the belief that the amount of spiritual purity in the world is equal to the amount of spiritual impurity. I think I heard this idea before, however, I do not know the source. My ...
6 votes
1 answer
96 views

Discussion of tumah issues when a Kohen Gadol died on Yom Kippur

I was wondering if there is any discussion anywhere of the tumah complications that occurred when the Kohen Gadol died in the Kodesh Kodashim. At an initial glance the issue one would need to worry ...
4 votes
1 answer
98 views

The amount of Parah Adumah ashes and water ("mei chatas") required to purify a person

This week's parsha teaches us all about the Parah Adumah and how it can purify a person. Namely, that in order for a person who was ritually impure via a dead body to become pure, said person ...
3 votes
1 answer
229 views

Kohen Entering the Taj Mahal

Can a kohen enter the Taj Mahal? When visiting India is a kohen allowed to enter even certain parts of the Taj Mahal? The tombs themselves are of non-Jews, of course, and they are buried beneath the ...
3 votes
3 answers
3k views

Tahor and Tamei

Tahor and Tamei are often translated as clean and unclean or (ritually) pure and impure. But what exactly do they mean, what are the definitions for tahor and tamei? How does one render "ritually" ...
2 votes
0 answers
53 views

How can tumah pass through a cupboard?

Ohalot 4:1 says that where there is a source of tumah beneath a cupboard, everything in the house is tamei. ArtScroll adds that the things in the cupboard remain tahor: “the tumah penetrates into the ...
1 vote
0 answers
128 views

What was the spiritual significance of the blood being used as a means of atonement, dedication, and purification?

Blood played a significant role within Israelite Culture ceremoniously and ritualistically. For example (including but not limited to) for confirmation of a covenant, as part of the dedication of the ...
3 votes
2 answers
163 views

How did King Shlomo have General Yoav killed in the tent of the Aron (that had an Altar too), didn't everything become impure?

By killing Yoav inside the tent the Aron and the Altar that were there became impure. Wasn't this a problem? See 1 Kings 2 (28 -34).

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