Derasha 1 on Behaalosecha 9:6

Parashas Behaalosecha · Aliyah 3 · Passuk 6

The Complete Passuk

וַיְהִ֣י אֲנָשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָי֤וּ טְמֵאִים֙ לְנֶ֣פֶשׁ אָדָ֔ם וְלֹא־יָכְל֥וּ לַעֲשֹׂת־הַפֶּ֖סַח בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַֽיִּקְרְב֞וּ לִפְנֵ֥י מֹשֶׁ֛ה וְלִפְנֵ֥י אַהֲרֹ֖ן בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temimah (Sukkah 25a / Sifrei): those men who were tamei by a human soul — identification of who they were.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
דְּתַנְיָא: ״וַיְהִי אֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ טְמֵאִים לְנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם וְגוֹ׳״ — אוֹתָם אֲנָשִׁים מִי הָיוּ? נוֹשְׂאֵי אֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף הָיוּ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי.

English: As it was taught: “And there were men who were tamei by a human soul…” — who were those men? They were the bearers of Yosef’s coffin, according to Rabbi Yosei HaGelili.

Type of Learning

Identification of the claimants — the verse’s anonymous “those men” receives a named historical identity in the baraita.

What Is Learned

Even those engaged in the highest form of chesed must still seek a path back into the communal korban when they become tamei.