34 April 11 • 2019
jn

T

he Torah goes into 
significant depth when 
exploring the categories 
of ritually pure (tahor) and 
ritually impure (tamei), partic-
ularly regarding the priests and 
the state one must be in when 
offering sacrifices.
In this week’
s portion, we 
find the ritual cleansing pro-
cess for those who have come 
into contact with various skin 
(and other) afflictions, for 
those who have nocturnal 
emissions, for those who men-
struate, etc. Whether on their 
own bodies, from the walls of 
their homes or transmitted by 
others; whether by direct contact or by 
sitting on surfaces those deemed to be 
ritually impure have sat, being ritually 
pure for priests was a priority.
In today’
s world, it’
s hard to under-
stand the implications of ritual purity, 
and many examples of what makes 
one ritually impure seem downright 
odd or counterintuitive. For exam-
ple, it’
s a mitzvah (sacred connection 
opportunity) to help bury the dead, 
even though doing so makes one 
ritually impure. We learn that 
one becomes ritually impure after 
intercourse with one’
s spouse (also 
a mitzvah). Thus, we learn that ritual 
impurity is not an inherently negative 
thing. In fact, given the realities of our 
world, the Shulchan Aruch, the famous 
16th-century code of Jewish law that 
outlines much of contemporary tra-
ditional practice, suggests that we all 
are presumed to be in a state of ritual 
impurity (Yoeh De’
ah 322:4).
One of the spiritual technologies that 
Judaism gets right is that of mourning. 
We have beautiful, intense mourning 
rituals, with different time segments 
(traditionally seven days, 30 days, 11 
months, multiple Yizkor services each 
year and annually a yahrtzeit date). 

 When the second Temple 
was destroyed in 70 C.E., the 
need existed to mourn — to 
mourn the loss of autonomy 
and to mourn the Judaism that 
was, as the Temple/sacrificial 
period of Judaism gave way to 
the prayer construct of Judaism. 
Having that regular recollection 
of the Judaism that was remains 
comforting for many and can 
still impart lessons and values 
relevant to today. 
At the same time, it also cre-
ates the space and permission 
for us to stop doing certain 
things that aren’
t working and to 
mourn for them while finding 
ways to study and learn about them 
post-practice as we adopt new prac-
tices. For example, on Yom Kippur, 
we no longer slaughter one goat while 
putting the sins of the nation on a sec-
ond that is sent out into the wilderness 
for the demon Azazel. However, there 
is a special service on Yom Kippur 
afternoon where we read about the 
practice. Just because we are not prac-
ticing ritual purity and impurity the 
way it was practiced in biblical times 
doesn’
t mean it isn’
t worth studying 
and learning about, especially if we 
frame continuing to learn about it as 
a mechanism for allowing those upset 
at its falling out of practice to mourn, 
which then creates opportunities for 
new practices to develop to better meet 
contemporary needs. 
There are many things we as a 
Jewish community are currently doing 
ritually that are not working; are we 
ready to acknowledge which those are, 
mourn for them and create annual 
memorial rituals that involve studying 
them, so we can move into a new era 
of Jewish life and practice? ■

Rabbi Dan Horwitz is the founding director of The 
Well. For information, visit meetyouatthewell.
org.

Rabbi Dan 
Horwitz

Is Purity The Question?

Parshat 

Metzora: 

Leviticus 

14:1-15:33; 

Malachi 3:4-

24. (Shabbat 

HaGadol)

spirit

torah portion

For more information please contact 
Jaime Bean at Bean@jfmd.org or 
248-205-2561

Yo
m 
H
a
Z
i
k
a
r
o
n

ISRAEL 
‘S MEMORIAL DAY FOR 
THE FALLEN SOLDIERS AND 
VICTIMS OF TERROR

 
Tuesda
y, 
Ma
y 
7, 
2019
2 
Iya
r
, 
5779 
| 
6:00 
pm

The Berman Center for The Performing Arts
6600 West Maple Rd, West Bloomfield

We kindly ask that you be seated by 
6:15 pm in order to start promptly.

There is no charge for this 
community-wide event.


