Siman - Yoma Daf 6
- Why Kohen Gadol is required to separate from his wife
The Gemara asks why the Kohen Gadol is required to separate from his wife, when his wife could be sequestered with him on the Temple grounds, and answers, שמא יבוא על אשתו ונמצא ספק נדה – Perhaps he will have relations with his wife, when she has no reason to think that she is a niddah, and she will afterwards be found to have been a possible niddah at that time. In that case, the Kohen Gadol will be tamei for seven days and will not be able to perform the avodah of Yom Kippur.
Rebbe Zeira said that we can learn from this that one who has relations with a niddah, is not tamei exactly like a niddah and can immerse himself during the seventh day without having to wait until nightfall. For if you say that he is like a niddah requiring tevillah after nightfall of the seventh day, how could the Kohen Gadol do the avodah of Yom Kippur? He needs nightfall of the following day before he can enter the Beis Hamikdash. Rav Shimi brings an alternative explanation which is refuted.
- Why the Kohen Gadol is not sequestered from visitors
The Gemara asks why the Kohen Gadol is not sequestered from possible tumas hameis? Rashi explains that he should be sequestered not only from his wife but from all visitors, lest someone dies in his presence. Rav Tachlifa, the father of Rav Huna, said in the name of Rava זאת אומרת טומאת המת הותרה היא בציבור – This tells us that tumas hameis is permitted with regard to the community. This means that if any tumas meis restriction interferes with a communal sacrifice, the Torah commands, without reservation, that the restriction be disregarded. There is therefore no need to prevent the Kohen Gadol from being sequestered from visitors.
Ravina said: אפילו תימא טומאת המת דחויה היא בציבור – You can even say that tumas hameis is merely overridden with regard to the community, which requires observing tumah restrictions if at all possible. The reason that the Kohen Gadol does not need to be sequestered from visitors is that טומאת המת לא שכיחא – tumah hameis is not common at all, טומאת ביתו שכיחא – whereas tumah of his house, (meaning from his wife), is somewhat common.
- טומאת מת הותרה היא בציבור או דחויה היא בציבור
The Gemara brings a machlokes Amoraim regarding tumas hameis. Rav Nachman said הותרה היא בציבור – it is permitted with regard to the community, but Rav Sheishess said דחויה היא בציבור – it is merely overridden with regard to the community. The Gemara explains that where there are tamei and tahor Kohanim in the same Beis Av, all agree that the tahor Kohanim should serve and the tamei ones should not, even in offering communal offerings. They only disagree if tahor Kohanim from another Beis Av should be brought when all of the members of the current Beis Av are tamei. Rav Nachman says that we do not need to seek tahor Kohanim and Rav Sheishess says that they must seek tahor Kohanim from a different Beis Av. Some say that even in a case where there are both tamei and tahor Kohanim in the same Beis Av, Rav Nachman disagrees and says that the tamei ones can also serve, דכל טומאת מת בציבור רחמנא שרייה – for the Merciful One permitted all cases of corpse tumah with regard to the community.
