The Ohr Hachaim asks further why does the tumah of a Jewish body cause so much more
tumah, spiritual impurity, than the body of a non-Jew?
What is tuma? HaShem places Kedusha in the world which drives the world in a direction
which leads it to its fulfillment. Tumah is the energy that leads the world in the opposite
direction. (It must be stated that in spite of its running in the opposite direction, tumah
too, is a creation of HaShem as everything else in the world. There is no existence outside
of Him.)
Everything in this world draws its existence from HaShem. He is the source of all life. Tumah, as well, draws its energy from sources of Kedusha. However, when a particular item has active Kedusha within it, the tumah cannot enter. The Kedusha within rejects the tuma. However once the Kedusha exits its place of residence, a small residue of Kedusha remains. It is this residual Kedusha which attracts the tumah.
Let us apply this as it relates to our discussion. A Jew is a receptacle that is capable of containing tremendous Kedusha. The Kedusha it is capable of retaining is of the highest order. Just as the first set of Luchos, the Tablets upon which HaShem etched the Ten Commandments, contained within themselves the Word of HaShem, so is the Jew able to become the container of the Word of HaShem. A non-Jew, by contrast, is not able to contain that level of Kedusha.
Therefore, when a Jew dies and his body is no longer a viable receptacle, the Kedusha that departs leaves a strong residual Keduhsa. It is enough to nourish the tuma with its needs and so the tuma comes to it. Whereas, when the non-Jew passes from his body the residual
Kedusha is much less and attracts much less tuma. In order for us to understand why the Jew is so different, the Parsha introduces these laws saying that this is the nature of the Torah. To-
rah is the vehicle by which a Jew can ascend to the spiritual heights of the greatest Kedusha. The Torah is teaching us that the cause for the greater tuma is due to the Torah through which the Jew is able to ascend.
It is difficult to refer to Reb Chaim Kanievsky zt’l as a human being because his very essence transcended human limitations. He sanctified himself through and through with continuous uninterrupted connection to the Torah.
We all have a neshama whose essence is the breath of HaShem – pure and totally disconnected from material limitations. Our neshamos are tethered to this world through the material body. Although our neshama’s home is out of this world, nevertheless, she is tethered here. Almost all people train their neshama to be at home in this material world and we succeed at that. However, if we pay close attention to her needs and always give her what she wants, we will find ourselves limiting our interaction with the material world greatly.
Reb Chaim lived his life tending to all the desires of his neshama. He even protected her by not letting anything enter his eyes that did not contain Kedusha. He avoided looking at street signs because why should he bring them into his being – there is nothing of Kedusha in them!
Our Sages teach us that the great people of our nation provide protection to the people of their generation. Now that Reb Chaim has left us, how much we must turn to HaShem and request His support and guidance that we so badly need.
Have a wonderful Shabbos and may we see the arrival of Moshiach which Reb Chaim so longingly awaited.
Paysach Diskind