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<DIV><FONT lang=0 color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF"
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<DIV>In a message dated 2/16/2012 , hmaryles@yahoo.com writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=3 face=Arial>I have
always wondered how the Avi Avos HaTumah - a human corpse - can be ritually
purified.</FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>>>>>></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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.</DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF"
PTSIZE="10"><BR><STRONG>--Toby Katz<BR>=============</STRONG><BR>Romney -- good
values, good family, good
hair<BR><BR><BR>-------------------------------------------------------------------
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