Why the Priests Are Twice Commanded Not to Touch the Dead

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Emor 1:1

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

"And the LORD said to Moses: Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: He shall not defile himself for a dead person among his people, etc." (Leviticus 21:1). This is what Scripture said: "The sayings of the LORD are pure sayings, etc." (Psalms 12:7). Everything concerning which the Holy One, blessed be He, warns Israel is for the sake of their holiness and their purity: "The sayings of the LORD are pure sayings." "Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them" (Leviticus 21:1) — here "saying" appears two times. To what is the matter comparable? To a cook who would go in and out before the king. The king said: I decree upon you that you shall not look upon a dead person all your days, because you come in and behold my face, so that you not defile my palace. So too the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed concerning the priests who enter the Temple that they shall not be defiled for a dead person. Therefore it says: "He shall not defile himself for a dead person among his people" (Leviticus 21:1).

Themes

PriesthoodKingsPsalmsDavidPurity

Biblical References

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