Kohanim Being Metameh for their Relatives
Adapted from Rabbi Braun’s sermon in 5776
Everyone knows that a kohen is not allowed to come into contact with a corpse, they don’t go to funerals as they cannot even be in the same building.
We also know that for 7 relatives we allow kohanim to become tameh (ritually impure). The question I would like to raise this morning is “can they” or “must they” become tameh?
What if the kohen says- I don’t want to become tameh, I will not go to the funeral!
The last of the permissions given to the Kohen is listed in verse 3.
ג) וְלַאֲחֹת֤וֹ הַבְּתוּלָה֙ הַקְּרוֹבָ֣ה אֵלָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־הָיְתָ֖ה לְאִ֑ישׁ לָ֖הּ יִטַּמָּֽא
To the unmarried sister…. “to her you shall become tameh.
Rashi quoting the midrash writes: לה יטמא -זה מצוה, this is a mitzvah!
In other words – the kohen does not have a choice, he must become tameh!
That is recorded in the Talmud in Zevachim 100a along with a fascinating story:
דתניא: לה יטמא – מצוה, לא רצה – מטמאין אותו על כרחו, ומעשה ביוסף הכהן שמתה אשתו בערב הפסח ולא רצה ליטמא, ונמנו אחיו הכהנים וטימאוהו בעל כרחו
If the kohen does not want – we force the kohen to become tameh and there was a time when Joseph Hacohen’s wife died on Erev Pesach and he did not want to become Tameh, and his fellow kohanim grabbed him and forced him to become tameh!
Why should that be?
I found two answers and would like to suggest a third.
Answer one: We limit the mitzvah to specific cases and circumstances. It argues that it was Erev Pesach and no one else wanted to help with the burial, thus becoming tameh, because doing so would impact their ability to participate in the Korban Pesach.
Thus one could suggest that the mitzvah is to ensure that the deceased reveal a proper burial. The kohen has to become tameh because the deceased must be buried. But it is possible that if there is someone else to take care of the burial, then the kohen is off the hook.
After all, asks the Maharsha, if there is no mitzvah for a non kohen to become tameh, why should there be one for the Kohen?!
Answer two: The Sefer Hachinuch suggests that the benefits from mourning cannot be achieved simply by feeling the loss. Rather you have to go through the motions and the actions of mourning and purification to find solace.
This approach while fascinating and highlighting the value of mourning speaks of mourning and not impurity. One can certainly mourn and observe Aveilut without becoming tameh!
Answer three: Maybe the command is specifically for the kohanim and they must become tameh, even if a plebian Yisrael does not have to.
Why should that be? Because there is a danger kohanim face that does not necessarily apply to the rest of us. The Kohen is holy, designated and set aside in the service of God. That person might well come to believe that this role is so important that it becomes all important. There is nothing as important and therefore one must always be tahor (pure), ready for service and in a state of spiritual purity.
The Torah then comes to teach us – there are other values that are equally important and one of those is family. For seven relatives you must become Tameh!
This halacha then becomes a model for us – yes purity is important and divine service is important but it, narrowly focused is not the be all and end all of religion. There are other values as well. Family, people hood, statehood are all important factors that must be incorporated into our lives and being. And that is a wonderful message situated between Yom Haatzmaut and Yom Yerushalayim!
