Chukas 19:13 · unit 4 — impurity in the azarah also incurs kares

Parashas Chukas · Aliyah 1 · Passuk 13

The Complete Passuk

כָּֽל־הַנֹּגֵ֡עַ בְּמֵ֣ת בְּנֶ֩פֶשׁ֩ הָֽאָדָ֨ם אֲשֶׁר־יָמ֜וּת וְלֹ֣א יִתְחַטָּ֗א אֶת־מִשְׁכַּ֤ן יְהֹוָה֙ טִמֵּ֔א וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּי֩ מֵ֨י נִדָּ֜ה לֹא־זֹרַ֤ק עָלָיו֙ טָמֵ֣א יִהְיֶ֔ה ע֖וֹד טֻמְאָת֥וֹ בֽוֹ׃

Whoever touches a dead body, the body of a human being who dies, and does not purify himself, defiles the Mishkan of the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from Yisrael; because the water of sprinkling was not thrown upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is still upon him.

Chabad.org — 19:13

Source Citation

Torah Temimah: Shevuos 16b — One verse says “he defiles the Mishkan of the Lord” and another says “for he has defiled the Sanctuary of the Lord.” If it is not needed for impurity outside, apply it to impurity inside; from here [we learn] that impurity in the azarah incurs liability.

Sefaria — Shevuos 16b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אִם אֵינוֹ עִנְיָן לְטֻמְאָה שֶׁבַּחוּץ תְּנֵהוּ עִנְיָן לְטֻמְאָה שֶׁבִּפְנִים, מִכָּאן לְטֻמְאָה בָּעֲזָרָה שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב.

English: If it is not needed for impurity outside, apply it to impurity inside; from here [we learn] that impurity in the azarah incurs liability.

Type of Learning

Application of redundant language to internal impurity.

What Is Learned

Entering the azarah (Temple courtyard) while impure from a corpse also incurs the penalty of kares.