Leviticus 15:6-10
Similarly, anyone who touches or even sits on an object upon which the man with the discharge sat without touching it, becomes ritually defiled. In addition, any garments that this person is touching or otherwise wearing while this ritual impurity is being transmitted to him also become ritually defiled. He must therefore immerse his garments and immerse himself in the water of a mikveh, after which he will remain ritually defiled until evening, at which time he and his garments will become rid of this defilement.
In contrast, if the man with the discharge merely touches an object (even an object that is made for reclining or sitting), the touched object transmits defilement only to food and drink, not to people or implements.
Type of Contact with Object by Man with Discharge
- Reclines on object made for reclining or sits on object made for sitting: person, implements, food, drink; implements touching the touched person while he is being defiled
- Touches such objects: food, drink
Figure 3. Indirect Transmission of Ritual Defilement
Based on this, it goes without saying that anyone who directly touches the flesh of the man with the discharge becomes ritually defiled, and, in addition, any garments he is touching or otherwise wearing while this ritual impurity is being transmitted to him also become ritually defiled. He must therefore immerse his garments and immerse himself in the water of a mikveh, after which he will remain defiled until evening, at which time he will become rid of this defilement.
If the man with the discharge spits on an undefiled person, and the saliva either touches the person himself or he carries it (not touching it directly), such a person becomes ritually defiled, as do any garments he is touching or otherwise wearing while this ritual impurity is being transmitted to him. He must therefore immerse his garments and immerse himself in the water of a mikveh, after which he will remain defiled until evening, at which time he will become rid of this defilement.
With regard to any part of a saddle other than the seat (e.g., the pommel or the cantle), if the man with the discharge rides—i.e., leans—upon it, it becomes defiled thereby.
Whoever touches any such part of the saddle that was ‘under’ the man with the discharge—i.e., that he leaned upon but did not sit upon—becomes ritually defiled, but his garments do not become defiled. Thus, he is only required to immerse himself in a mikveh and wait until evening in order to become rid of this defilement; he does not have to immerse his garments.
The law regarding the saliva of the man with the discharge also applies to the discharge itself, the man’s vital seed, his urine, and objects on which he has reclined, sat, or ridden. Whoever carries them becomes ritually defiled, as do any garments this person is touching or otherwise wearing while this ritual impurity is being transmitted to him. He must therefore immerse his garments and immerse himself in the water of a mikveh, after which he will remain defiled until evening, at which time he will become rid of this defilement.
