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What is the commentary on Leviticus 21:2-4 - why is wife not included on the list

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1

Leviticus 21:1-4

The LORD said to Moses: Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and
say to them: None shall defile himself for any [dead] person among his
kin, except for the relatives that are closest to him: his mother, his
father, his son, his daughter, and his brother; also for a virgin
sister, close to him because she has not married, for her he may
defile himself. But he shall not defile himself as a kinsman by
marriage, and so profane himself.

I think I understand why a priest would want to stay away from a dead body. The body represents contagion. It's also spoiling in the heat.

But why is wife excluded from the list? A priest may be exalted (verse 10), but a priest is still a man and has emotions. Surely he will grieve at the death of his wife - it is a major life event. Is G-d so insensitive that he would deny the priest the opportunity to grieve at his wife's death?

death kohen-priest tamei-tahor-ritual-purity

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mbloch

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1

Leviticus 21:1-4

The LORD said to Moses: Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and
say to them: None shall defile himself for any [dead] person among his
kin, except for the relatives that are closest to him: his mother, his
father, his son, his daughter, and his brother; also for a virgin
sister, close to him because she has not married, for her he may
defile himself. But he shall not defile himself as a kinsman by
marriage, and so profane himself.

I think I understand why a priest would want to stay away from a dead body. The body represents contagion. It's also spoiling in the heat.

But why is wife excluded from the list? A priest may be exalted (verse 10), but a priest is still a man and has emotions. Surely he will grieve at the death of his wife - it is a major life event. Is G-d so insensitive that he would deny the priest the opportunity to grieve at his wife's death?

death kohen-priest tamei-tahor-ritual-purity

share|improve this question

edited 1 hour ago

mbloch

28.7k55 gold badges5151 silver badges138138 bronze badges

asked 11 hours ago

user1928764user1928764

33333 silver badges1212 bronze badges

add a comment | 

Leviticus 21:1-4

The LORD said to Moses: Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and
say to them: None shall defile himself for any [dead] person among his
kin, except for the relatives that are closest to him: his mother, his
father, his son, his daughter, and his brother; also for a virgin
sister, close to him because she has not married, for her he may
defile himself. But he shall not defile himself as a kinsman by
marriage, and so profane himself.

I think I understand why a priest would want to stay away from a dead body. The body represents contagion. It's also spoiling in the heat.

But why is wife excluded from the list? A priest may be exalted (verse 10), but a priest is still a man and has emotions. Surely he will grieve at the death of his wife - it is a major life event. Is G-d so insensitive that he would deny the priest the opportunity to grieve at his wife's death?

death kohen-priest tamei-tahor-ritual-purity

share|improve this question

edited 1 hour ago

mbloch

28.7k55 gold badges5151 silver badges138138 bronze badges

asked 11 hours ago

user1928764user1928764

33333 silver badges1212 bronze badges

share|improve this question

edited 1 hour ago

mbloch

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asked 11 hours ago

user1928764user1928764

33333 silver badges1212 bronze badges

share|improve this question

edited 1 hour ago

mbloch

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asked 11 hours ago

user1928764user1928764

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edited 1 hour ago

mbloch

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edited 1 hour ago

mbloch

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asked 11 hours ago

user1928764user1928764

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asked 11 hours ago

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1 Answer
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3

A dead body, once the soul has left it, represents a source of impurity and a Kohen (priest) is prohibited from coming in contact with such a source of impurity.

The Kohen's wife is not excluded from the list. Rashi (on 21:2) explains that "the relative that are closest to him" includes his wife. See also the gemara in Yevamot 22b that it only includes his wife if she was a permitted marriage. Finally the Rambam in Hilchot Aveilut 2:7 explicitly mentions a Kohen is forced to contact ritual impurity to tend to his deceased wife.

Note in any case that grieving and touching the body are two separate things. Even when a Kohen is forbidden to touch a body, he still grieves and goes through the other mourning rituals.

share|improve this answer

edited 1 hour ago

answered 11 hours ago

mblochmbloch

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• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  +1. Sourcing your last sentence would improve your post IMO.
  
  – msh210♦
  10 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @msh210 I hear you. Interestingly the laws of mourning for non-Kohanim are learned from the Kohen: just as the Kohen mourns for the seven relatives in the OP's question, so do non-Kohanim mourn (see Moed Katan 20b and SA YD 374.4)
  
  – mbloch
  2 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

3

A dead body, once the soul has left it, represents a source of impurity and a Kohen (priest) is prohibited from coming in contact with such a source of impurity.

The Kohen's wife is not excluded from the list. Rashi (on 21:2) explains that "the relative that are closest to him" includes his wife. See also the gemara in Yevamot 22b that it only includes his wife if she was a permitted marriage. Finally the Rambam in Hilchot Aveilut 2:7 explicitly mentions a Kohen is forced to contact ritual impurity to tend to his deceased wife.

Note in any case that grieving and touching the body are two separate things. Even when a Kohen is forbidden to touch a body, he still grieves and goes through the other mourning rituals.

share|improve this answer

edited 1 hour ago

answered 11 hours ago

mblochmbloch

28.7k55 gold badges5151 silver badges138138 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  +1. Sourcing your last sentence would improve your post IMO.
  
  – msh210♦
  10 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @msh210 I hear you. Interestingly the laws of mourning for non-Kohanim are learned from the Kohen: just as the Kohen mourns for the seven relatives in the OP's question, so do non-Kohanim mourn (see Moed Katan 20b and SA YD 374.4)
  
  – mbloch
  2 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

3

A dead body, once the soul has left it, represents a source of impurity and a Kohen (priest) is prohibited from coming in contact with such a source of impurity.

The Kohen's wife is not excluded from the list. Rashi (on 21:2) explains that "the relative that are closest to him" includes his wife. See also the gemara in Yevamot 22b that it only includes his wife if she was a permitted marriage. Finally the Rambam in Hilchot Aveilut 2:7 explicitly mentions a Kohen is forced to contact ritual impurity to tend to his deceased wife.

Note in any case that grieving and touching the body are two separate things. Even when a Kohen is forbidden to touch a body, he still grieves and goes through the other mourning rituals.

share|improve this answer

edited 1 hour ago

answered 11 hours ago

mblochmbloch

28.7k55 gold badges5151 silver badges138138 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  +1. Sourcing your last sentence would improve your post IMO.
  
  – msh210♦
  10 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @msh210 I hear you. Interestingly the laws of mourning for non-Kohanim are learned from the Kohen: just as the Kohen mourns for the seven relatives in the OP's question, so do non-Kohanim mourn (see Moed Katan 20b and SA YD 374.4)
  
  – mbloch
  2 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

A dead body, once the soul has left it, represents a source of impurity and a Kohen (priest) is prohibited from coming in contact with such a source of impurity.

The Kohen's wife is not excluded from the list. Rashi (on 21:2) explains that "the relative that are closest to him" includes his wife. See also the gemara in Yevamot 22b that it only includes his wife if she was a permitted marriage. Finally the Rambam in Hilchot Aveilut 2:7 explicitly mentions a Kohen is forced to contact ritual impurity to tend to his deceased wife.

Note in any case that grieving and touching the body are two separate things. Even when a Kohen is forbidden to touch a body, he still grieves and goes through the other mourning rituals.

share|improve this answer

edited 1 hour ago

answered 11 hours ago

mblochmbloch

28.7k55 gold badges5151 silver badges138138 bronze badges

share|improve this answer

edited 1 hour ago

answered 11 hours ago

mblochmbloch

28.7k55 gold badges5151 silver badges138138 bronze badges

answered 11 hours ago

mblochmbloch

28.7k55 gold badges5151 silver badges138138 bronze badges

answered 11 hours ago

mblochmbloch

28.7k55 gold badges5151 silver badges138138 bronze badges