331:. It may also apply to wherever there is a quantity of at least two-handfuls of "rottenness" from a decayed corpse (bones and flesh). It also applies to any human limb cut away from a living person, and where that same severed limb is whole, as at the time of creation, with flesh, ligaments (sinews) and bones. In such instances, it is as though it were a complete human corpse, defiling through touch, or through carrying, and by way of overshadowing. However, a human bone the size of a barley-grain is not enough to convey corpse uncleanness by overshadowing.
314:) applies to cases where the deceased person was of Israelite ancestry, but does not apply to corpses of Gentiles, unless physically touched. Where there were two houses divided by an adjoining wall and the corpse lay in one house (i.e. "overshadowed" by that house), if there was a hole or crevice in the dividing wall the size of a handbreadth in diameter, or what is approximately 8 cm. (3.1 inches) to 9 cm. (3.5 inches) (
447:
43:
404:(the act of being cut-off from Israel). An Israelite could become unclean by handling a dead body. In this situation, the uncleanness would last for at least seven days, until he could be purified again. Part of the cleansing process would be washing the body and clothes, and the unclean person would need to be sprinkled with the
717:). Such people remain in a state of uncleanness until they have immersed and brought their sacrificial animals for atonement. Persons who are defiled by corpse uncleanness are similar to them, in that they, too, remain in a perpetual state of uncleanness until they can be sprinkled twice with the
341:
Defilement by way of overshadowing is passed on to humans and to vessels that are in the airspace of the house where the corpse lies, but when the corpse is removed from the house, the house by overshadowing no longer defiles other humans or other vessels newly brought into that house. The house,
396:. However, the law is inactive, since neither the Temple in Jerusalem nor the red heifer are currently in existence, though without the latter, a Jew is forbidden to ascend to the site of the former. All are currently assumed to possess the impurity caused by touching a corpse.
535:
37b), citing
Numbers 19:22: "And whatsoever the unclean person touches shall be unclean." The rabbis decreed that if a person defiled by the dead had touched another person, the person who had been touched is under a seven-day period of defilement, and cannot eat of
324:), defilement by the corpse passes to the other house as well. Any opening less than this defiles by a rabbinic decree. All liquids that came in contact with the airspace of that house are considered contaminated and must be poured out.
358:
is, however, permitted to contract corpse uncleanness for any of his seven closest relatives that have died (father, mother, brother, unwedded sister, son, daughter, or wife), including a married sister by a rabbinic injunction.
713:), e.g. the leper, the man who had a repetitive and uncontrollable seminal flux, the woman who had a profuse menstrual flow of blood for several days beyond her period of natural purgation, the woman after childbirth (
399:
Purification was required in the nation of Israel during
Biblical times for the ceremonially unclean so that they would not defile God's tabernacle and put themselves in a position where they would become liable to
276:). Once he has been defiled, if he touches any other human being, or foods and drinks, he renders them unclean (defiled) at a second remove, making them contract the First-grade level of uncleanness.
268:
itself is the most severe of them all, known as the "Father of fathers of all uncleanness" (prime origin). The person who touches a human corpse contracts a lower grade of uncleanness, known as the "
366:
were especially susceptible to contracting corpse uncleanness, due to the unmarked graves in foreign lands. Since they were required by a biblical injunction to eat their bread-offering (
248:
to the nation of Israel, and where, for example, in
Numbers 31:19, is the requisite to allow for a seven-day purification period after making physical contact with a human corpse.
766:
that persons defiled from the dead were permitted to enter the Court of the
Israelites and of the Levites (Moses being a Levite), but not the Court of the Priests.
372:) in a state of ritual purity, and they could hardly know if they had trampled upon an unmarked grave, this prompted the early rabbis to decree a general-state of
376:. Public roads in the land of Israel, however, were assumed to be clean from corpse defilement, unless one knew for certain that he had touched human remains.
384:
The impurity that is caused by the dead is considered the ultimate impurity, one which cannot be purified through the waters of an ablution alone (
335:
338:
of blood (equivalent to the volume of 1½ eggs) from any dead human is enough to convey corpse uncleanness to a house if it came within the house.
233:. It is the highest grade of uncleanness, or defilement, and is contracted by having either directly or indirectly touched, carried or shifted a
290:, those persons who were defiled by the dead and who had not yet purified themselves by the ashes of the red heifer followed by immersion in a
354:
is not allowed to intentionally come into contact with a dead body, nor approach too closely to graves within a Jewish cemetery. An ordinary
417:
202:
174:
388:). Human corpse uncleanness requires an interlude of seven days, accompanied by purification through sprinkling of the ashes of the
261:
283:
are enough to convey corpse uncleanness when touched or carried. They do not, however, convey defilement by overshadowing.
1202:
422:
373:
169:
1257:
1212:
237:, or after having entered a roofed house or chamber where the corpse of a Jew is lying (conveyed by overshadowing).
1177:
195:
1267:
408:, without which he remains in a state of uncleanness and passes on defilement by touch to other persons.
1262:
188:
427:
693:
531:
279:
A dead human's bone the size of a barley grain, and a dead human's severed flesh the size of an
1252:
73:
743:
510:
718:
405:
269:
1033:
8:
294:
were prohibited from entering the Court of the
Israelites (inner court), located on the
121:
1208:
1142:
1108:
1104:
1075:
995:
968:
929:
843:
827:
807:
787:
649:
645:
620:
581:
571:
543:
526:
432:
226:
52:
31:
1066:("Book of Education"), section # 263, Jerusalem: Eshkol Publishers; Leviticus 21:1–3
1062:
763:
680:
671:
1163:
751:
706:
688:
315:
219:
327:
The laws of overshadowing apply to a fully-grown human corpse, as well as to an
1022:
987:
963:
Adani, Samuel ben Joseph (1997). "Abridged principles of halacha (chapter 3)".
921:
676:
452:
88:
906:
493:
1246:
999:
933:
874:
815:
775:
747:
666:
596:
514:
476:
287:
98:
1112:
972:
653:
856:
295:
791:
750:'s edition of the Mishnah, p. 606). There is more lenient teaching in the
1138:
1100:
831:
811:
641:
567:
42:
1044:
Sefer
Mishneh Torah - HaYad Ha-Chazakah (Maimonides' Code of Jewish Law)
1149:
1130:
1092:
1039:
928:(in Hebrew). Vol. 3. Jerusalem: Hamaor Institute. pp. 10–11.
851:
714:
633:
591:
559:
471:
393:
116:
83:
705:
2:1) mentions four persons designated as "lacking in the atonement" (
586:
994:(in Hebrew). Vol. 3. Jerusalem: Hamaor Institute. p. 11.
149:
350:
A Jew who is descended from a line of the priestly class known as
734:
698:
613:
538:
368:
363:
299:
280:
257:
230:
93:
1234:
893:
739:
722:
506:
437:
401:
385:
291:
265:
234:
144:
78:
57:
23:
759:
355:
351:
328:
245:
241:
159:
342:
without the corpse, is clean and requires no purification.
139:
1207:. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. p. 241.
691:, A.M. Auburn and Buffalo. John E. Beardsley: 1895, s.v.
154:
977:(reprinted from Jerusalem editions, 1907, 1917 and 1988)
16:
State of ritual uncleanness due to contact with a corpse
967:(in Hebrew). Ramat-Gan: Makhon Nir David. p. 17a.
1137:(in Hebrew). Vol. 2 (Eduyoth 8:4). Translated by
1029:(in Hebrew). Vol. 7. Jerusalem: Hamaor Institute.
542:
or hallowed things until that period had expired (cf.
1099:(in Hebrew). Vol. 3 (Ohelot 2:3). Translated by
640:(in Hebrew). Vol. 3 (Ohelot 2:3). Translated by
442:
1046:(in Hebrew). Vol. 5. Jerusalem: Pe'er HaTorah.
1244:
916:
914:
798:# 26; Ovadiah Yosef, Questions & Responsa
305:
240:Corpse uncleanness is first described in the
196:
1178:"Shemini/Parah (The smell of burning death)"
1153:8:4, s.v. ודיקרב למיתא מסאב (in commentary).
958:
956:
954:
952:
911:
418:Prohibition of Kohen defilement by the dead
175:Prohibition of Kohen defilement by the dead
1204:The Inclusive Hebrew Scriptures: The Torah
1129:
1091:
1038:
632:
558:
203:
189:
949:
566:(in Hebrew). Vol. 2. Translated by
302:, the same stringency is said to apply.
251:
1169:
1245:
1200:
1175:
1027:Beit HaBechirah (Chiddushei ha-Meiri)
1021:
992:Beit HaBechirah (Chiddushei ha-Meiri)
986:
962:
926:Beit HaBechirah (Chiddushei ha-Meiri)
920:
1135:Mishnah, with Maimonides' Commentary
1097:Mishnah, with Maimonides' Commentary
638:Mishnah, with Maimonides' Commentary
564:Mishnah, with Maimonides' Commentary
710:
423:Impurity of the land of the nations
319:
13:
762:who carried with him the bones of
517:'s edition of the Mishnah, p. 604)
14:
1279:
374:defilement upon all foreign lands
445:
345:
41:
1228:
1194:
1156:
1123:
1085:
1069:
1055:
1015:
980:
900:
885:
837:
769:
379:
728:
721:and immerse in a ritual bath (
660:
626:
607:
552:
520:
498:
487:
465:
1:
1176:Rutta, Matt (30 March 2008).
1025:(2006). Daniel Bitton (ed.).
990:(2006). Daniel Bitton (ed.).
924:(2006). Daniel Bitton (ed.).
685:The Works of Flavius Josephus
459:
310:Defilement by overshadowing (
786:# 15, end of letter "beth" (
675:, section # 362, on Numbers
7:
778:, Questions & Responsa
758:) where it was learnt from
411:
306:Defilement by overshadowing
10:
1284:
1201:Rowman, Altamira (2004).
1009:
943:
428:Ritual washing in Judaism
356:priest of Aaron's lineage
1258:Jewish ritual purity law
32:Ritual purity in Judaism
286:During the time of the
719:water of purification
406:water of purification
270:Father of uncleanness
262:grades of uncleanness
252:Grades of uncleanness
26:series of articles on
1268:Priesthood (Judaism)
229:described in Jewish
170:Tumath eretz Ha'Amim
68:Purification methods
1117:, Maimonides, s.v.
965:Sefer Naḥalat Yosef
822:, Section Mo'adim,
134:Sources of Impurity
1010:כל אלו מטמאין באהל
824:Hil. Chol Ha-Mo'ed
725:on Numbers 5:1-3).
260:describes several
227:ritual uncleanness
216:Corpse uncleanness
165:Corpse uncleanness
1263:Judaism and death
1182:Rabbinic Rambling
1143:Mossad Harav Kook
1105:Mossad Harav Kook
1076:Babylonian Talmud
844:Babylonian Talmud
646:Mossad Harav Kook
582:Babylonian Talmud
572:Mossad Harav Kook
527:Babylonian Talmud
433:Tumah and taharah
213:
212:
53:Tumah and taharah
1275:
1238:
1232:
1226:
1225:
1223:
1221:
1198:
1192:
1191:
1189:
1188:
1173:
1167:
1160:
1154:
1146:
1127:
1121:
1116:
1089:
1083:
1073:
1067:
1063:Sefer ha-Chinuch
1059:
1053:
1047:
1030:
1019:
1013:
1011:
1003:
984:
978:
976:
960:
947:
945:
937:
918:
909:
907:Numbers 19:14–15
904:
898:
889:
883:
841:
835:
773:
767:
732:
726:
712:
687:. Translated by
681:Flavius Josephus
672:Sefer ha-Chinuch
664:
658:
657:
630:
624:
611:
605:
575:
556:
550:
524:
518:
502:
496:
491:
485:
469:
455:
450:
449:
448:
323:
242:Books of the Law
225:) is a state of
205:
198:
191:
45:
40:
19:
18:
1283:
1282:
1278:
1277:
1276:
1274:
1273:
1272:
1243:
1242:
1241:
1233:
1229:
1219:
1217:
1215:
1199:
1195:
1186:
1184:
1174:
1170:
1161:
1157:
1128:
1124:
1107:. p. 153.
1090:
1086:
1074:
1070:
1060:
1056:
1020:
1016:
985:
981:
961:
950:
919:
912:
905:
901:
890:
886:
842:
838:
774:
770:
752:Midrash HaGadol
733:
729:
689:William Whiston
665:
661:
648:. p. 153.
631:
627:
612:
608:
557:
553:
525:
521:
503:
499:
492:
488:
470:
466:
462:
451:
446:
444:
414:
382:
348:
308:
254:
235:dead human body
209:
180:
179:
135:
127:
126:
112:
104:
103:
74:Netilat yadayim
69:
38:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1281:
1271:
1270:
1265:
1260:
1255:
1240:
1239:
1227:
1213:
1193:
1168:
1155:
1145:. p. 222.
1122:
1084:
1068:
1054:
1014:
979:
948:
910:
899:
884:
836:
768:
727:
659:
625:
606:
574:. p. 130.
551:
519:
497:
486:
463:
461:
458:
457:
456:
453:Judaism portal
441:
440:
435:
430:
425:
420:
413:
410:
381:
378:
347:
344:
307:
304:
253:
250:
211:
210:
208:
207:
200:
193:
185:
182:
181:
178:
177:
172:
167:
162:
157:
152:
147:
142:
136:
133:
132:
129:
128:
125:
124:
119:
113:
110:
109:
106:
105:
102:
101:
96:
91:
89:Hefsek taharah
86:
81:
76:
70:
67:
66:
63:
62:
61:
60:
55:
47:
46:
35:
34:
28:
27:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1280:
1269:
1266:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1256:
1254:
1253:Death customs
1251:
1250:
1248:
1237:on Numbers 19
1236:
1231:
1216:
1214:0-9644279-6-6
1210:
1206:
1205:
1197:
1183:
1179:
1172:
1165:
1159:
1152:
1151:
1144:
1141:. Jerusalem:
1140:
1136:
1132:
1126:
1120:
1114:
1110:
1106:
1103:. Jerusalem:
1102:
1098:
1094:
1088:
1081:
1077:
1072:
1065:
1064:
1058:
1051:
1045:
1041:
1036:
1035:
1028:
1024:
1018:
1007:
1001:
997:
993:
989:
983:
974:
970:
966:
959:
957:
955:
953:
941:
935:
931:
927:
923:
917:
915:
908:
903:
896:
895:
888:
881:
877:
876:
875:Shulhan Arukh
871:
867:
863:
859:
858:
853:
849:
845:
840:
833:
829:
825:
821:
817:
816:Yitzhak Yosef
813:
809:
805:
801:
800:Yeḥaveh Da'at
797:
793:
789:
785:
781:
777:
776:Ovadiah Yosef
772:
765:
761:
757:
753:
749:
745:
742:
741:
736:
731:
724:
720:
716:
708:
704:
700:
696:
695:
690:
686:
682:
678:
674:
673:
668:
667:Aharon HaLevi
663:
655:
651:
647:
644:. Jerusalem:
643:
639:
635:
629:
622:
619:
615:
610:
603:
599:
598:
597:Mishneh Torah
593:
589:
588:
583:
579:
573:
570:. Jerusalem:
569:
565:
561:
555:
548:
545:
541:
540:
534:
533:
528:
523:
516:
512:
509:
508:
501:
495:
494:Numbers 31:19
490:
483:
479:
478:
477:Mishneh Torah
473:
468:
464:
454:
443:
439:
436:
434:
431:
429:
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424:
421:
419:
416:
415:
409:
407:
403:
397:
395:
391:
387:
377:
375:
371:
370:
365:
360:
357:
353:
346:Priestly laws
343:
339:
337:
332:
330:
329:aborted fetus
325:
322:
317:
313:
303:
301:
297:
293:
289:
288:Second Temple
284:
282:
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275:
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143:
141:
138:
137:
131:
130:
123:
120:
118:
115:
114:
108:
107:
100:
99:Tevilat Kelim
97:
95:
92:
90:
87:
85:
82:
80:
77:
75:
72:
71:
65:
64:
59:
56:
54:
51:
50:
49:
48:
44:
37:
36:
33:
30:
29:
25:
21:
20:
1230:
1218:. Retrieved
1203:
1196:
1185:. Retrieved
1181:
1171:
1158:
1148:
1134:
1125:
1118:
1096:
1087:
1079:
1071:
1061:
1057:
1049:
1048:, s.v. Hil.
1043:
1032:
1026:
1017:
1005:
991:
982:
964:
939:
925:
902:
892:
887:
879:
873:
872:3:3); Tur /
869:
865:
864:1:13; 9:4),
861:
857:Mishne Torah
855:
847:
839:
823:
820:Yalqūt Yosef
819:
803:
799:
795:
783:
780:Yabia' 'Omer
779:
771:
755:
738:
730:
702:
697:3.11.3. The
692:
684:
670:
662:
637:
628:
617:
609:
601:
595:
585:
577:
563:
554:
546:
537:
532:Avodah Zarah
530:
522:
505:
500:
489:
481:
475:
467:
398:
390:Parah Adumah
389:
383:
380:Purification
367:
361:
349:
340:
333:
326:
320:
311:
309:
298:. Today, in
296:Temple Mount
285:
281:olive's bulk
278:
274:Avi HaTum'ah
273:
266:human corpse
255:
244:conveyed by
239:
231:halachic law
222:
215:
214:
164:
1139:Yosef Qafih
1101:Yosef Qafih
1080:Mo'ed Ḳaṭan
1006:Mo'ed Ḳaṭan
940:Mo'ed Ḳaṭan
880:Yoreh De'ah
862:Tum'ath Met
711:מחוסרי כפרה
694:Antiquities
642:Yosef Qafih
602:Tum'ath Met
568:Yosef Qafih
482:Tum'ath Met
402:extirpation
336:quarter-log
292:ritual bath
1247:Categories
1187:2009-05-06
1131:Maimonides
1119:וארץ העמים
1093:Maimonides
1050:Tum'at met
1040:Maimonides
944:כבר ביארנו
852:Maimonides
802:, part 1,
782:, part 5,
756:Be'shelach
715:postpartum
634:Maimonides
592:Maimonides
560:Maimonides
472:Maimonides
460:References
394:red heifer
312:tumat ohel
300:Jewish law
223:tum'at met
117:Av HaTumah
84:Red heifer
1220:April 11,
1034:Sanhedrin
1008:5b, s.v.
1000:181631040
942:5b, s.v.
934:181631040
891:Mishnah (
804:responsum
796:responsum
794:); ibid,
792:959573257
784:responsum
587:Baba Kama
580:7:2. Cf.
504:Mishnah,
111:Hierarchy
1162:Numbers
1133:(1965).
1113:13551391
1095:(1967).
1042:(1974).
1012:.
973:31818927
946:.
868:. (Hil.
832:16128842
812:13159493
703:Kereitot
654:13551391
636:(1967).
562:(1965).
412:See also
321:פותח טפח
150:Tzaraath
22:Part of
1166:, 19:16
1150:Eduyoth
1031:, s.v.
897:13:4–5)
848:Yevamot
735:Mishnah
699:Mishnah
614:Mishnah
578:Nazirut
576:, s.v.
539:Terumah
369:Terumah
364:priests
362:Jewish
258:Mishnah
220:Hebrew:
94:Hagalah
1235:Sifrei
1211:
1111:
998:
971:
932:
894:Ohalot
882:372:2)
860:(Hil.
850:61a);
830:
826:, §4 (
810:
806:# 25 (
790:
764:Joseph
723:Sifrei
707:Hebrew
652:
618:Ohelot
600:(Hil.
480:(Hil.
438:Kegare
392:, the
386:mikvah
316:Hebrew
264:. The
145:Niddah
122:Midras
79:Mikveh
58:Mikveh
39:
24:Judaic
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