Derasha 34 on Vayikra 12:4

TT #34 · 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: For thirty-three days she shall remain in the blood of her purification; she must not touch any consecrated thing or enter the sanctuary until her purification period is complete.

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
וְהַאי דְּאַפְּקֵיהּ בִּלְשׁוֹן נְגִיעָה, הָכִי קָאָמַר: נְגִיעָה כַּאֲכִילָה.

English: The Torah expresses the prohibition with the language of “touching” to teach that the “touching” is through eating.

Type of Learning

Textual interpretation

What Is Learned

The final phrase explains the wording: although the Torah says “touch,” the prohibition in this context is understood as eating, not ordinary contact.