[Avodah] Tahara

[Saul Guberman]

On Sun, Feb 19, 2012 at 12:21, Micha Berger <micha at aishdas.org> wrote:

> On Sun, Feb 19, 2012 at 12:03:20PM +0200, Danny Schoemann wrote:
> :> I therefore assume it is only a custom. I do not recall seeing
> :> it quoted in the Shulchan Aruch.
>
> : Try SA YD  352 and the Rambam in Sefer Shoftim -- Hil. Avel Ch. 4
> : But it's already a Mishna in Shabbat: Ch. 23 Mishna 5 (on Daf 151)
>
> Which is why I phrased the question as when did rechitzah turn into a
> pseudo-taharah, with immersion in 40 se'ah or having 9 qav poured upon
> the body.
>
> It's not mitaheir -- the body is still tamei meis. So why/how/when did
> rechitzah get conflated with taharah?
>
>
The entire preparation process is called tahara.  What I learned from the
person who taught me to do "chevra work" that 9 qav was always used.  Mikva
is a more recent (that is a relative term) thing that used to only be used
for "Rebbes".  I was at the YU seforim sale last night.  The one book that
dealt with chevra kaddisha, traces it to the Maharil.  He was only a
codifier of existing practices.  These practices had been going on well
before him.

Saul
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