''Midras'' uncleanness () is one of the forms of
ritual impurity in Judaism which can be transmitted by either an object or person. The term may be translated as ''pressure uncleanness''.
A ''midras'' (lit. "trampled on" object) is an object that can be a carrier of ritual impurity. Common objects that could potentially become unclean, and become a such ''midras'' object, include a
chair
A chair is a type of seat, typically designed for one person and consisting of one or more legs, a flat or slightly angled seat and a back-rest. It may be made of wood, metal, or synthetic materials, and may be padded or upholstered in vario ...
,
sofa
A couch, also known as a sofa, settee, chesterfield, or Davenport (sofa), davenport, is a cushioned piece of furniture that can seat multiple people. It is commonly found in the form of a bench (furniture), bench with Upholstery, upholstered ...
,
mattress
A mattress is a large, usually rectangular pad for supporting a person Lying (position), lying down, especially for sleeping. It is designed to be used as a bed, or on a bed frame as part of a bed. Mattresses may consist of a Quilting, quilted o ...
, and
rug. A person who becomes unclean is categorized as a "
father of uncleanliness".
Hebrew Bible
The general concept of a ''midras'', an object becoming a carrier for uncleanliness, is brought in the book of Leviticus, though the following verse does not employ the Hebrew term ''midras'';
Becoming unclean
According to Maimonides on
Zavim
Zavim is the ninth tractate in the Mishnah and Tosefta of the sixth Talmudic order Tohorot. It deals with the laws of the zav and zavah
In Jewish ritual law, a ''zavah'' (Hebrew זבה, lit. "one who e bodyflows") is a woman who has had vaginal ...
4:4, the ''midras'' object becomes unclean by a person who is a "
father of uncleanliness" (such as a man with a
seminal emission or a woman in the middle of
menstruation
Menstruation (also known as a period, among other colloquial terms) is the regular discharge of blood and Mucous membrane, mucosal tissue from the endometrium, inner lining of the uterus through the vagina. The menstrual cycle is characterized ...
) putting most of their body weight in one (or more) of five ways on the ''midras'';
#''sitting'' on the ''midras'' like a chair
#''lying'' on the ''midras'' like a rug
#''leaning'' on the ''midras''
#''standing'' on the ''midras'' like a mat
#''hanging'' from the ''midras''
Transmitting uncleanliness
Once the ''midras'' becomes unclean, it transmits uncleanliness to clean persons or objects by one of seven ways;
#by ''touching'' the ''midras''
#by ''carrying'' the ''midras''
#by ''sitting'' on the ''midras''
#by ''lying'' on the ''midras''
#by ''leaning'' on the ''midras''
#by ''standing'' on the ''midras''
#by ''hanging'' from the ''midras''
The person or object who becomes unclean via the ''midras'' is categorized as a ''
Rishon L'Tumah.''
Purification
The purification of the ''midras'' object is accomplished by immersing the object in a
mikveh bath (before
sunset
Sunset (or sundown) is the disappearance of the Sun at the end of the Sun path, below the horizon of the Earth (or any other astronomical object in the Solar System) due to its Earth's rotation, rotation. As viewed from everywhere on Earth, it ...
), and the subsequent elapse of sunset.
Disqualified objects
Objects that are not subject to becoming unclean as ''midras'' include;
#Unformed plates of
terracotta
Terracotta, also known as terra cotta or terra-cotta (; ; ), is a clay-based non-vitreous ceramic OED, "Terracotta""Terracotta" MFA Boston, "Cameo" database fired at relatively low temperatures. It is therefore a term used for earthenware obj ...
,
#Any object or vessel of
stone
In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...
,
#Fabric or vessels made from fish (or any sea-life)
#Objects or vessels affixed to the ground
References
Jewish ritual purity law
Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish law
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