Parshat Chukat
You can read the basics here.
I honestly don't understand why there are those who believe that a woman shouldn't touch a Torah scroll until she's gone to the mikveh. What makes a man any more tahor (ritually "pure"), given that no one has been sprinkled with the waters of the ashes of a red heifer since the destruction of the second Temple?
As for the story of Yiftach/Jephthah and his doomed daughter (of which we read only through verse 33 as the haftarah) I have no kind words for anyone (except the poor daughter) in this tragic tale . :(
I honestly don't understand why there are those who believe that a woman shouldn't touch a Torah scroll until she's gone to the mikveh. What makes a man any more tahor (ritually "pure"), given that no one has been sprinkled with the waters of the ashes of a red heifer since the destruction of the second Temple?
As for the story of Yiftach/Jephthah and his doomed daughter (of which we read only through verse 33 as the haftarah) I have no kind words for anyone (except the poor daughter) in this tragic tale . :(
posted by Shira Salamone at 6:51 PM
6 Comments:
About tahorah: yes, exactly. I always have a hard time explaining that. I observe mikveh but have no qualms about touching a Torah scroll or any other kodesh for that matter. It's a shame because the ignorance works both ways: it keeps women from engaging with 'kodesh' because of ill-conceived notions of impurity. But it also keeps people from exploring the mitzvah of mikveh because of ill-conceived prejudices regarding that commandment.
Time to sort it out once and for all :)
Bivrachah,
This Good Life
TGL, I agree that misunderstandings concerning the laws of mikveh for women are a bad bargain for all.
I agree, especially since you can't defile a sefer torah. It is always holy, no matter what.
Susan B., it's the inconsistency that puzzles me. It doesn't seem to have occurred to those who think that a mentruous woman is not permitted to touch a sefer Torah that, if it were assur/forbidden for anyone who was tameh (ritually "impure") to touch a sefer Torah/Torah scroll, then men wouldn't be allowed to touch one, either.
"I honestly don't understand why there are those who believe that a woman shouldn't touch a Torah scroll until she's gone to the mikveh."
At one point, 27% of the American people polled didn't believe Obama was a natural born citizen.
Some 15% believe that 9/11 was an inside job.
Why should it shock you that some percentage of Jews would believe something erroneously like that?
Lot's of people believe incorrect things, not sure why this would shock you.
:)
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