[Avodah] Tahara

[T613K at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/16/2012 , hmaryles at yahoo.com writes:

I have  always wondered how the Avi Avos HaTumah - a human corpse - can be 
ritually  purified.
 
>>>>>
 
 
I've asked the same question and the answers I've received have to do with  
something more cosmic or kabbalistic -- preparing the person for the next 
world  and/or for techiyas hameisim. Although it is the body that is cleaned 
and  dressed (and as you say, the body remains tamei), it is the neshama of 
the  deceased person that somehow benefits. The neshama is there in the 
tahara room  and I assume derives some kind of comfort from seeing its body 
treated  respectfully and taken care of by Jews.
 
Sometimes we can't do a tahara -- dipping in the mikva or pouring buckets  
of water over the person -- because there is just too much bleeding or open  
wounds.  We still clean and dress the person and loosely refer to the whole 
 process as a tahara even though we weren't able to actually do the tahara. 
  I don't think the actual dipping is that critical, but the cleaning and 
dressing  -- and tefillos along the way -- are the final chessed to the 
deceased  person.
 
I've seen funeral home employees at work, how they talk, how they behave,  
and there is no comparison with the kind of dignity and honor that we accord 
 to our people who have passed away.


--Toby Katz
=============
Romney -- good  values, good family, good  hair


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