Бамидбар 5:3 Мидраш: Sifrei Bamidbar & Bamidbar Rabbah

(Bamidbar 5:2) "that they send out of the camp": I understand this to mean from the Levite camp alone. Whence do I derive that the Israelite camp is also meant? From (Bamidbar 5:3) "Outside the camp shall you send them." (Bamidbar 5:3) "and they shall not make unclean their camps in whose midst I dwell": This is the camp of the Shechinah. — But even if this were not mentioned, I could derive it a fortiori, viz. If those with dead-body tumah are ejected from the less stringent camp, that of the Israelites, how much more so are they ejected from the more stringent camp, that of the Shechinah. If so, why is "and they shall not make unclean their camps" needed? To teach that we do not punish by an a fortiori argument. R. Yehudah says: There is no need (for the verse to teach that they are sent out of the camp of the Shechinah), for it follows a fortiori, viz.: If those with (dead-body) tumah are ejected from the less stringent camp, (that of) the ark (i.e., the camp of the Levites), how much more so are they ejected from the more stringent camp, (that of) the Shechinah, (R. Yehudah obviously holding that we do punish by an a fortiori argument). If so, why is it written "and they shall not make unclean their camps?" Because from "they shall send out from the camp every leper and every zav and every tamei meth," I would understand that they are all sent to one place; it is, therefore, written in respect to a leper (Vayikra 13:46) "Solitary shall he sit" — that no other unclean ones sit with him. I might then think that zavim and the tamei meth are sent to one camp; it is, therefore, written "and they shall not make unclean their camps" — to assign a separate camp for each. These are the words of R. Yehudah. Rebbi says: There is no need (for the above). A leper was included in the general category (of the unclean), and left the category (for special mention) to teach concerning the category, viz.: Just as a leper, whose tumah is most stringent — his sending is more stringent than that of his neighbor, so, each one whose tumah is more stringent, his sending is more stringent than that of his neighbor.

“Command the children of Israel, and they shall send out from the camp every leper and every zav, and every one impure by means of a corpse” (Numbers 5:2).
“Command the children of Israel, and they shall send out from the camp…” – that is what is written: “Remove the dross from silver, and a vessel will emerge for the smith” (Proverbs 25:4). Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Rabbi Abba said: What is “remove the dross from silver”? As long as this waste is in the silver, it does not display its beauty. If one does nothing but filter the waste from it, it immediately displays its excellence. “Remove the dross from silver” – subsequently, “and a vessel will emerge for the smith.” How so? When Israel departed from Egypt, the vast majority of them were blemished. Why? It is because they were toiling in mortar and bricks and would ascend to the top of the structure. One who builds by ascending to the top course, a stone would fall and sever his hand, or a beam or mortar would enter his eye and he would be blinded. They were blemished.
When they arrived at Mount Sinai, God said: Is this commensurate with the honor of the Torah, that I will give it to a generation of blemished people? If I wait until others arise, I will delay the giving of the Torah. What did God do? He said to the angels that they should descend to Israel and heal them. Know that it is so. Rabbi Yehuda said that Rabbi Simon said: From where is it derived that there was no one lame among them? As it is stated: “They stood at the foot of the mountain” (Exodus 19:17), and standing is only on one’s feet. From where is it derived that there were no amputees among them? As it is stated: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will perform” (Exodus 24:7). From where is it derived that there were no deaf among them? As it is stated: “And we will heed” (Exodus 24:7). From where is it derived that there were no blind among them? As it is stated: “All the people saw the sounds” (Exodus 20:15). From where is it derived that there were no mutes among them? As it is stated: “All the people answered” (Exodus 19:8) – you find that they were all healed.
If you do not derive it from here, you can derive it from elsewhere. As it is stated: “All the disease that I placed in Egypt [I will not place upon you, as I am the Lord your healer” (Exodus 15:26) – you see that they were healed. However, once they performed that act of the calf, they were restored to their blemish and became zavim¹People who became impure due to an emission. and lepers. Thus Moses saw them, as it is stated: “Moses saw the people, that it was wild [farua]” (Exodus 32:25). Parua is nothing other than an expression of leprosy, just as it says: “The leper in whom the mark is…and the hair of his head shall be unshorn [farua]…” (Leviticus 13:45). God said to Moses: Until you crafted the Tabernacle, I would have My words reach you in a temporary manner, and the zavim and the lepers were intermingled with you. Now that you crafted the Tabernacle and I rest My Divine Presence in your midst, separate them from you. “They shall send out from the camp every leper and every zav, and every one impure by means of a corpse.” For what purpose? It is “so that they will not defile their camp, in which I dwell in their midst” (Numbers 5:3).

“And they shall send out from the camp” – from the camp of the Divine Presence. It teaches that lepers and those impure due to corpses are sent out of there. “Leper” – this is a quarantined one;²⁵He is in quarantine until it is determined whether he is a leper. See Leviticus 13:1–8. “every leper” – this is a confirmed one. “Zav” – this is a full-fledged zav; “every zav” – to include a zav who experienced two sightings; “and every zav” – to include a zav who experienced one sighting. “Impure by means of a corpse” – this is a person, who can be sent out; “every one impure” – to include vessels that come in contact with a corpse; “and every one impure” – to include vessels that come in contact with a [dead] creeping animal. Some say: “Impure by means of a corpse” – these are a person and vessels that come in contact [with a corpse]; “every one impure” – to include those who come in contact with a [dead] creeping animal.
“Male and female alike you shall send out, outside the camp you shall send them, and they shall not impurify their camp, in which I dwell in their midst” (Numbers 5:3).
“Male and female alike” – is the verse referring to all people or is it speaking only of the Levites, bearers of the Ark? The verse states: “Male and female alike you shall send out” – the verse is referring to all people. “Male and female alike” – both adults and children are denoted; “male” – who immersed on that day, “and female alike” – to include one lacking atonement.²⁶There are three stages in purification of lepers and zavim: Immersion, sunset, and sacrificing offerings. After immersion, the person may eat second tithe. After sunset, if he is a priest, he may partake of teruma. After sacrificing the offerings, the person is no longer lacking atonement, and it is permitted for the person to partake of sacrificial food. “And they shall not impurify their camp” – shall all of them, perhaps, be sent outside of one camp? It says: “Command the children of Israel, and they shall send out from the camp” – it includes here one camp. “Outside the camp you shall send them” – it includes here two camps. “And they shall not impurify their camp” – it includes here three camps.
From here they said: They are three camps: The Israelite camp, the Levite camp, and the camp of the Divine Presence. From the entrance to Jerusalem to the Temple Mount is the Israelite camp; from the entrance to Temple Mount until the courtyard is the Levite camp; from the entrance to the courtyard and inward is the camp of the Divine Presence.²⁷Tosefta, Kelim, Bava Kama 1:10.
Shall they, perhaps, be sent out to the same place? The verse states regarding the leper: “He shall dwell in isolation; his dwelling is outside the camp” (Leviticus 13:46). Everything that a zav impurifies, a leper impurifies. The leper is more severe, as he impurifies through entry.²⁸When he enters a structure, everything under that roof becomes impure. Everything that one impure due to a corpse impurifies, the zav impurifies. The zav is more severe, as he impurifies beneath a very heavy stone.²⁹If he sits on an object, even if it is an object that cannot become ritually impure, and beneath that object is a vessel, even though the weight of the zav has no effect on the vessel, it becomes ritually impure. Everything that one who immersed that day impurifies, one impure due to a corpse impurifies. One impure due to a corpse is more severe, as he impurifies a person. Everything that one lacking atonement disqualifies, one who immersed on that day disqualifies.³⁰Disqualification is the term used when a person or a vessel impurifies another item but that item does not transmit the impurity to another item. The one who immersed on that day is more severe, as he disqualifies teruma.
From here the Sages instituted partitions: There are ten sanctities: The Land of Israel is more sacred than all the lands. How is its sanctity manifest? It is, that one brings the omer, first fruits, and two loaves from it, which is not so regarding all the lands. The land of Canaan is more sacred than the east bank of the Jordan. The land of Canaan is fit to serve as an abode for the Divine Presence, and the east bank of the Jordan is not fit to serve as an abode for the Divine Presence. A walled city is more sacred than the Land [of Israel], as lepers can walk throughout the Land [of Israel], but do not walk in walled cities. Jerusalem is more sacred than walled cities, as offerings of lesser sanctity and second tithe are eaten in Jerusalem but are not eaten in walled cities. The Temple Mount is more sacred than Jerusalem, as zavim and zavot enter Jerusalem but do not enter the Temple Mount. The rampart is more sacred than the Temple Mount, as zavim and one impure due to a corpse enter the Temple Mount but do not enter the rampart. The Women’s Courtyard is more sacred than it, as one who immersed that day does not enter there, but they do not incur liability to bring a sin offering.³¹This is referring to one who immersed that day who then entered the rampart or the Women’s courtyard. The Israelite courtyard is more sacred than it, and those lacking atonement enter the Women’s Courtyard but do not enter the Israelite Courtyard. Israelites for whom the sun has set³²These are Israelites who immersed themselves on the final day of their impurity and waited until the evening. At that point they are pure without any impurity. enter the Priestly Courtyard to an area eleven cubits width by one hundred and thirty-five cubits length, but they did not stand on the podium. Levites would stand on the podium but would not enter from there inward. Priests who were blemished, or with the hair on their heads unshorn, or who were intoxicated with wine would enter from there inward, but would not enter between the Entrance Hall and the altar, not to the Entrance Hall, not to the Sanctuary, and not within the four cubits surrounding the altar. The rest of the priests would enter the Entrance Hall, the Sanctuary, and within the four cubits surrounding the altar, but they would not enter the chamber of the Holy of Holies. The High Priest would enter the chamber of the Holy of Holies four times on Yom Kippur.
Rabbi Yosei said: In five respects, the area between the Entrance Hall and the altar was equal to the Sanctuary: One with the hair on their heads unshorn, or those who were intoxicated with wine, or one who had not washed his hands and his feet would not enter there; and just as everybody was required to leave the Sanctuary during the burning of the incense, so they would be required to leave the area between the Entrance Hall and the altar during the burning of the incense.³³Four are listed here. The fifth respect is that blemished priests would not enter into either area. In what way was the Sanctuary superior to the area between the entrance Hall and the altar? It is, rather, that one may enter between the Entrance Hall and the altar for the purpose of service and not for the purpose of service, but into the Sanctuary one may enter only for the purpose of service.
Just as in the wilderness there were three camps, the Camp of the Divine Presence, the Levite Camp, the Israelite Camp, so there were in Jerusalem. From the entrance to Jerusalem until the entrance to Temple Mount was the Israelite Camp; from the entrance to Temple Mount until the Nikanor Gate was the Levite camp; from the Nikanor Gate and inward was the Camp of the Divine Presence, and this [area] was the equivalent of the [area] within the hangings [of the courtyard] in the wilderness. During the journeys the camps did not have sacred status, and one would not incur liability for them due to impurity.³⁴When Israel journeyed in the wilderness, the impure were allowed into the camp. See Menaḥot 95 a–b.
“They shall not impurify their camp” – why is it stated? Because it says: “They shall send out from the camp” (Numbers 5:2) – I hear that they should touch neither the Ark nor the bearers, but they should designate a place for them in and of themselves?³⁵The suggestion is perhaps that the impure should be in a designated area in the camp to ensure that they do not touch the Ark or the Levites who carry the Ark, but that they do not have to be sent entirely out of the camp. The verse states: “They shall not impurify their camp.”
“In which I dwell in their midst” – Israel are beloved, as even though they are impure, the Divine Presence is in their midst, as it is stated: “That dwells with them in the midst of their impurity” (Leviticus 16:16). And it says: “They shall not impurify their camp [in which I dwell in their midst].” And it says: “You shall not impurify the land [in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the Lord dwell in the midst of the children of Israel]” (Numbers 35:34).