Zav
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In Jewish ritual law, a zav (
Purification requirements for the zav include counting seven days without seminal discharge, immersion in a
The impurity of zav is unique in that it cannot be purified by immersion in a normal mikveh, but rather requires immersion in a spring of running water (mayim hayim).[1]
Etymology
The Hebrew verb stem zuv (Hebrew זוּב), in binyan Qal form, is zava (זָבָה). It means "to flow," as in "a land flowing with (זָבַת) milk and honey".[2][citation needed]
Hebrew Bible
The laws governing zav status appear in the book of
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When any man hath an issue out of his flesh, his issue is unclean. And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his uncleanness.
This is followed by the laws relating to a zav: the impurity laws, the purification procedure when the flow has stopped, and the sacrifices to be offered after purification (Leviticus 15:4–15).
The similar laws of a zavah appear later in the same chapter (Leviticus 15:25–30). The commandment regarding niddah, found in the same chapter, uses the same Hebrew verb meaning "to flow", even though its laws are somewhat different from that of the zav or zavah (Leviticus 15:19).
In the second year after the Exodus from Egypt, when the Israelites were about to travel, they were commanded to send the zav outside the camp (Numbers 5:2).
In rabbinical literature
The laws of the zav are first discussed in the
Discussion of the physical situation
The male zav's discharge is different from that of the female zavah: the zavah emits blood, while the zav emits a whitish fluid,[3] which has a slight reddish tinge.[4] According to Maimonides, the zav state as a disease of the male reproductive system while the man's general health remains normal, causing semen to ooze out without stimulation, erection, or pleasure; and to be discolored and have a thin consistency.[4]
Based on the biblical Hebrew word החתים (lit. “sealed”) Abraham ibn Ezra mentions that zav status can also mean complete loss of ejaculation ability.[5] Maimonides understands the same word as meaning even a minute amount of ‘Zav’ discharge that passes the exiting boundary of the male urinary tract.[6]
Laws
If a man observes the abnormal discharge once, he becomes impure for a single day, like one who ejaculated normal semen.
The zav is quantified as an Av HaTumah, something able to transfer uncleanliness. In addition, his actual zav discharge, saliva, semen, and urine are also deemed to have Av HaTumah status.
In regard to the transportability of tumah from the zav, the Mishnah records that if a ritually clean person and a zav both sat on an animal, or in a small boat, then the ritually clean person would become ritually unclean by doing so, regardless of how far apart they might sit. This is known as hesset ("minor movement").[10]
Regular ejaculation is treated as being distinct from zav, and is known as keri (Leviticus 15:16–18).
Viewed as Divine punishment
Ibn Ezra notes that the Torah requirement of bringing a
Rabbi
In modern Judaism
The laws of zav have little relevance nowadays, as a state of purity is only required for activities such as entering the
A zav would be prohibited from visiting the Temple Mount nowadays without undergoing the purification procedure.
See also
References
- ^ Leviticus 15:13; Mishneh Torah, Mikvaot 1:5
- ^ Exodus 3:8.
- ^ Mishnah, Zavim 2:1
- ^ a b Maimonides, commentary to Mishna Zavim 2:2
- ^ Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 15:13
- Mossad HaRav Kook edition, with Rabbi Yosef Qafihcommentary, note 19
- ^ Mishnah Zavim 1:1 (Beit Hillel's opinion)
- ^ Mishnah, Zavim, 1
- Obadiah ben Abraham's commentary
- ^ Mishnah, Zavim, 3-4
- ^ Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 15:13
- ^ Chizkuni" on Numbers 4:6
- ^ Sifsei Kohen to the Chumash vol. 2 p. 245