Parshas Emor begins with the command of טומאת כהנים – the prohibition for kohanim to come in contact with a מת, a human corpse. The Torah makes an exception in the case of a deceased family member. If a kohen’s wife, parent, child, brother, or unmarried sister dies, he is permitted – and, in fact, required – to attend the burial out of respect for the family member.
The kohen gadol, however, is held to a stricter standard and is not permitted to expose himself to טומאת מת (the impurity resulting from contact with a corpse) even in the case of a deceased family member. This is true also of a nazir, somebody who takes the nazirite vow, which forbids him from haircutting, drinking wine, and coming in contact with a human corpse. Like a kohen gadol, a nazir is not permitted to expose himself to טומאת מת even if an immediate family member passes away.
Significantly, however, this prohibition is suspended in the case of a מת מצוה, a dead body that is left without anyone to bury it. If a kohen comes across a body that requires burial, the prohibition of טומאת כהנים is suspended, and he is required to bury the body.
This exception applies even to a kohen and even to a nazir. Even they are required to expose themselves to impurity for the sake of tending to a מת מצוה. In fact, even if a kohen or kohen gadol is on his way to the Bais Hamikdash to perform the avoda, to offer sacrifices, when he comes across a המת מצוה, he must bury the body even though this will defile him and disqualify him from performing the service in the Mikdash. Moreover, if any Jew is on his way on Erev Pesach to bring the Korban Pesach, and he sees a מת מצוה, he must tend to the body, even though this will result in his forfeiting the opportunity to bring the Korban Pesach, as he will now be tamei and thus, invalid to bring the sacrifice. This exception is made because of the great importance of protecting the dignity of this deceased individual. No matter who he or she is, the Torah demands that everything be done for the sake of respecting the צלם אלוקים, the Divine image, within this person.
This need overrides even the sanctity of the kohen gadol, the spiritual ambitions of the nazir, and the Korban Pesach.
Rav Eliyahu Lopian cites the Chofetz Chaim as observing that if this is how far the Torah goes in demanding that we show respect to the deceased, how much more so must we ensure to preserve the dignity of the living. The Torah affords great importance to the burial of a מת מצוה because the body had housed a sacred soul and must therefore be treated with respect. Certainly, then, a living person, whose soul is still within the body, must be treated with respect and dignity. The unique importance of burying a מת מצוה reminds us that every human being deserves to be respected by virtue of the צלם אלוקים with which he is endowed. We must be very careful in our dealings with other people to speak to them and treat them with the dignity that they deserve, recognizing the Divine spark within them.
RABBI NACHMAN WINKLER
RABBI EFREM GOLDBERG
