Derasha 109 on Vayikra 11:8

TT #109 · Parshas Shemini · Aliyah 5 · Passuk 8

The Complete Passuk

מִבְּשָׂרָם֙ לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֔לוּ וּבְנִבְלָתָ֖ם לֹ֣א תִגָּ֑עוּ טְמֵאִ֥ים הֵ֖ם לָכֶֽם:

Chabad.org — Vayikra Chapter 11 with Rashi

English: You shall not eat of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are impure for you.

Source Citation

Rosh Hashanah 16b.

E-Daf.com — Rosh Hashanah 16b (Tsurras Hadaf)

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text

וּבְנִבְלָתָם לֹא תִגָּעוּ. תַּנְיָא, יָכוֹל יְהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֻזְהָרִין עַל מַגַּע נְבֵלָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר... אֶלָּא מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וּבְנִבְלָתָם לֹא תִגָּעוּ – בָּרֶגֶל.

Type of Learning

Contextual limitation — The phrase concerning touching carcasses is interpreted as referring to the special case of a pilgrim's festival contact, rather than creating a general prohibition on touching carcasses.

What Is Learned

The note interprets the prohibition on contact with carcasses in connection with the obligation to maintain ritual purity for the Festival pilgrimage.