In this article (which needed more than a single page to do it justice) we explore the rationale behind some of the strangest laws of Parah Adumah - strange enough to warrant an equally strange title.
I agree the Parah Adumah is sacred, entering people unto a death free experience, such as before Adam ate the apple, before Cain killed Able. However, if we can find other ways to follow the guidelines besides raising children in hollow spaces, then we shouldn't a fiori reject it/them. For example, people who are suffix timah mais do not pass along tumah by moving something or holding it (according to the Tosafot YomTov.) Such people could be dressed entirely in plastic and do much of the avodah without contaminating the cow or ashes.
I found it to be a most edifying and entertaining read. Kol HaKavod
I would remark that keeping ones distance from tumah when unrelated to mikdash (ie not around the shalosh regalim when folks are required to make entry), which the Talmud does not seem to have an issue with (bavli RH 16b), is ostensibly related to viewing tumah as something inherently problematic, otoh it may very well just be that folks dont wanna simply view it as an arbitrary way that the Torah increases our estimation of mikdash vkadashav, but rather theres obviously a reason that it is considered anathema at least as far as the mikdash is concerned which I guess is sliding into the ontological perspective . .
It was fresh in my mind as I happened to have penned something just yesterday where that gmara featured prominently (which may tie in to this whole schmooze on if tumah is a real phenomenon or a socio-halachic construct) feel free to take a look https://musingsonthetorah.blogspot.com/2023/06/a-person-as-mishkan.html
I agree the Parah Adumah is sacred, entering people unto a death free experience, such as before Adam ate the apple, before Cain killed Able. However, if we can find other ways to follow the guidelines besides raising children in hollow spaces, then we shouldn't a fiori reject it/them. For example, people who are suffix timah mais do not pass along tumah by moving something or holding it (according to the Tosafot YomTov.) Such people could be dressed entirely in plastic and do much of the avodah without contaminating the cow or ashes.
Yeah, I assume that when we get the parah adumah back, the Sanhedrin will come up with new procedures for these considerations.
I found it to be a most edifying and entertaining read. Kol HaKavod
I would remark that keeping ones distance from tumah when unrelated to mikdash (ie not around the shalosh regalim when folks are required to make entry), which the Talmud does not seem to have an issue with (bavli RH 16b), is ostensibly related to viewing tumah as something inherently problematic, otoh it may very well just be that folks dont wanna simply view it as an arbitrary way that the Torah increases our estimation of mikdash vkadashav, but rather theres obviously a reason that it is considered anathema at least as far as the mikdash is concerned which I guess is sliding into the ontological perspective . .
Interesting Gemara! I'll have to think of the implications of that myself. Thank you for pointing it out, and for reading and commenting!
It was fresh in my mind as I happened to have penned something just yesterday where that gmara featured prominently (which may tie in to this whole schmooze on if tumah is a real phenomenon or a socio-halachic construct) feel free to take a look https://musingsonthetorah.blogspot.com/2023/06/a-person-as-mishkan.html