Derasha 33 on Vayikra 12:4

TT #33 · Parshas Tazria · Aliyah 1 · Passuk 4

The Complete Passuk

וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים יוֹם֙ וּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים תֵּשֵׁ֖ב בִּדְמֵ֣י טָהֳרָ֑ה בְּכָל־קֹ֣דֶשׁ לֹֽא־תִגָּ֗ע וְאֶל־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ֙ לֹ֣א תָבֹ֔א עַד־מְלֹ֖את יְמֵ֥י טָהֳרָֽהּ׃

English: She shall remain thirty-three days in the blood of her purification; she shall touch no consecrated thing and shall not enter the sanctuary until her days of purification are completed.

Chabad.org — Chumash, English translation + Rashi for Vayikra 12:4

Source Citation

Torah Temimah cites Yevamos 75a.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Yevamos 75a
אַף קֹדֶשׁ — דָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ נְטִילַת נְשָׁמָה

English: “Even holy things” means something carrying the penalty of death, just as entering the sanctuary while impure carries that penalty.

Type of Learning

Textual comparison

What Is Learned

The Gemara’s phrase “something whose consumption incurs death” identifies the category of holy food at issue; the severity attaches to eating it in impurity, not simply being near it.