Ki Thisa - Cleanliness is Next to Godliness

There are six furnishings in the temple. The Temple is basically a campus surrounded by a fence. On the grounds is a pavilion with two rooms. In lashon hakodesh the Temple is called the mikdash מִקְדָּשׁ, which is a variant of the word holy. The pavilion is called the mishkan מִשְׁכַּן, which is the language of dwelling; and it is also called the אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, more or less the meeting tent. It has two rooms. The larger one is called the קֹדֶשׁ, literally “holy” and it contains the menorah, incense burner, and table with a rack full of bread. The smaller room is called the קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים, holy of holies, and has in it a decorative trunk which contains the Ten Commandments.

Surrounding the mishkan is a yard or חָצִיר. It has a large altar for the burning of the sacrifices. Between the altar and the pavilion is a bucket with a spigot (כִּיּוֹר), which gas a base for support. Both are made of copper, a semi precious metal. This is the last piece of Temple equipment described in the Chumash. It is to be used for the washing of the hands and feet before performing any Temple activity. The Chumash actually makes a death threat against those who fail to use it.

The Chumash states that the purpose of the urn (כִּיּוֹר) and its base (כַנּוֹ) is for washing (רָחְצָה), (see Exodus 30:18). A mitzvah is also commanded using three times the language of wash. The Talmud in tractate Zevachim (19b) explores this mitzvah and in doing so freely quotes these verses. However in its own discussion the Gemara calls this the “mitzvah of sanctification”, in Aramaic מצות קידוש. It only uses the language of holy (מקדש, לקדש) and never uses the language of washing. About half a page is spent on if more than one sanctification is needed for a very long task or multiple tasks immediately following each other. It never raises a question in regards to cleanliness. Whether the cohen became dirty, sweaty, or smelly does not seem to be relevant.

Based on this the Sefer HaChinuch explains concerning the root of the mitzvah (number 106), “It seems from all of this that the intent of washing at the start is only to magnify the honor of the Temple. This is because even if at the start he [the cohen] arrived pure and clean, he still needs to wash. After the work starts there is no need for further washing . . . According to this all of the Temple labor does not does not cling or is seen on the pure white garments that are clean and holy”.

The point of view of Nachmanides on this section of the Chumash is largely different. He explains that washing is the way of honoring of that which is Above. This is because all who approach the table of kings in service will touch the bread he eats and the wine he drinks. Therefore he should wash his hands because they touch many things and become dirty. The section adds also to wash the feet. This is because the priests serve barefoot and there are people whose feet are foul and disgusting.

The nature of Jewish religious literature is to make a person think. No commentary says that there is a legal death penalty for failure to wash before Temple service. However the service would be invalid and the cohen may be subject to death by heavenly agency. There is also room to say that washing is an act of sanctity. It comes out that cleanliness is a virtue and violation of it finds disfavor in the eyes of HaKadosh Baruch Hu as it says,

“Who will ascend the mountain of Hashem and who will raise in His holy place? . . . The clean of hands and the pure of heart . . . He will carry a bracha from Hashem and charity from the God of  his salvation”, (Psalm 24:3-5).

לע"נ  האמא מלכה בת חיים ז"ל נלב"ע טז ניסן תשנ"ח

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