Siman - Berachos Daf 22

• Why a Baal Keri immerses in a mikveh

A Braisa teaches that the reason a baal keri is the only type of tumah that requires immersion in a mikveh before one is able to learn Torah is because the tumah came about as a result of levity. This is inconsistent with how the Torah was received at Har Sinai, which was with fear and trepidation.

•  Words of Torah don’t contract tumah

R’ Yehuda ben Beseira does not require a baal keri to immerse before learning Torah, because he holds that words of Torah are like fire, which do not contract tumah. He learns this from the pasuk: ‘הלא כה דברי כאש נאם ה, Behold my words are like fire, says Hashem.

• 40 Se’ah or 9 Kabin? 

There is a machlokes whether a baal keri requires immersion in a mikveh of forty se’ah or whether having nine kabin of water poured over him suffices.