It's more complex than you might think, and sometimes, the line between them gets surprisingly blurry.

Take Azazel, for example. We find this fascinating figure mentioned in Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei_Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei Zohar 96. Think about it: "he that was pure, would become impure through that 'Azazel." It's a powerful statement, isn't it? It suggests that even those who are ritually pure can be tainted by contact with something considered impure. This idea challenges our simple assumptions about spiritual cleanliness.

This concept extends to other areas as well. Consider the "waters of nidah." Nidah refers to a woman during her menstrual cycle, a state traditionally associated with ritual impurity. The priest, in his role, would purify her. But here's the twist: in doing so, he himself would become impure until evening! Only then could he regain his own state of purity.

What does this tell us? Perhaps that the act of purification itself carries a risk, a transfer of sorts. It highlights the interconnectedness of purity and impurity, suggesting that they are not simply opposites but rather exist in a dynamic relationship. The act of purifying someone else, in a sense, requires taking on some of their impurity.

And then there's the story of Moses and the daughter of Pharaoh. This is where things get really interesting. The Tikkunei Zohar expands on the idea of "it purifies the impure," drawing a beautiful connection. When Moses was born, the verse says, "...and she saw him that he was good..." (Exodus 2:2). But the Tikkunei Zohar, and Pirkei d-Rabbi Eliezer (Ch. 47), see something deeper here.

The text suggests that she saw the Shekhinah – the Divine Presence – with him. As soon as she touched him, she was purified and healed from her leprosy! A remarkable event, right? But there's a consequence. The leprosy, it's said, then adhered to Moses himself, as we see in Exodus 4:6: "...and behold his hand was leprous like snow."

Wow.

This story powerfully illustrates the idea that purity can indeed purify impurity. The daughter of Pharaoh, afflicted with leprosy, is healed by contact with the infant Moses. Yet, this act of purification comes at a cost: Moses himself becomes afflicted with leprosy. It's a striking example of the complex interplay between purity and impurity, and the potential for transfer between individuals.

So, what do we take away from all of this? Perhaps it's a reminder that the world isn't always as black and white as we might like to think. Purity and impurity aren't fixed states, but rather fluid conditions that can shift and change depending on the circumstances. And sometimes, the very act of bringing healing and purification into the world can require us to take on a little bit of the darkness ourselves. It's a profound thought, isn't it? One that invites us to look beyond the surface and consider the deeper mysteries at play in our lives and in the world around us.