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16 â[1] AND WHOSOEVER TOUCHETH IN THE OPEN FIELD. âOur Rabbis have said that this includes the upper board and the side board [of a coffin, when found in the open field]. And the plain meaning [of the verse] is: *in the open field* where there are no tents, a corpse conveys uncleanness [only] by contact.â This is Rashiâs language. But in the opinion of the Sages the [law that the] upper and side boards of the coffin [convey uncleanness] is not derived from Scripture, but is a tradition [handed down by Moses who received it at Sinai]. Therefore a Nazirite [who has become impure by coming into contact with them] is not subject to [the law of] shaving his hair, and likewise [one who becomes impure through contact with them] is not liable to punishment for defiling the Sanctuary [by entering it when impure] or [by eating] the hallowed offerings [in such a state of uncleanness]. Rather, [the expression] *in the open field* is to be understood according to our Rabbis in its literal sense, i.e., that he touches a person who is slain by the sword, who has fallen *in the open field*, and there is nothing covering over the corpse. And since this verse is now [seemingly] superfluous, [since it has already been stated in Verse 11 above that one who touches a corpse becomes impure], the Rabbis derived from it the following interpretation, and they said in Tractate Nazir in the Chapter âThe High Priest:â â*And whosoever toucheth in the open field*. This refers to one who âcovers overâ a corpseâ [and tells us that he becomes impure], since by covering over it he âtouchesâ *the open field*. [According to this interpretation of the Rabbis the expression] *bachalal cherev* (*slain by the sword*) is lacking the [connective letter] *vav â uâbachalal cherev*, [meaning: âor slain by the swordâ]. And since Scripture says *âpneiâ hasadeh* [literally: âthe faceâ of the field] and does not [just] say âthe fieldâ, Rabbi Yishmael further interpreted it to exclude the [case of a] foetus which died whilst still in its motherâs womb [so that if the midwife put her hand inside the mother and touched it, she does not become impure], because it is impurity which is âswallowed up,â and is not âupon the faceâ of the place.
Scripture states *slain âby the swordâ* because it speaks of the usual [way of events], but the same law applies if the person was slain by a stone or fist. It mentions those killed and those who die [naturally, stating: *one that is slain by the sword, or one that dieth of himself*] in contrast to animals for [those animals, which are permitted as food] are pure if they are slaughtered properly, but if they die of their own accord [or were not slaughtered properly] convey impurity as carrion; whereas *all* human corpses convey impurity, regardless of how the person met his death]. Since it appears superfluous, however, our Rabbis interpreted it in the following manner, namely [that the expression *one that is slain by the sword* is intended to teach us] that the sword [with which the person was slain] is exactly like the slain person himself, and the whole purpose of the verse is to equate the slain and the sword, so as to say that it [the sword] becomes an *avi avoth hatumah* (a progenitor of a primary source of impurity), just like the dead person himself, and it conveys impurity of seven daysâ duration to people and vessels. It appears from the text of the Mishnah and Gemara that it [the sword and all metal vessels] convey impurity by contact and through carrying just like the corpse, but it is unlike the corpse in [that it does not] convey impurity by *ohel* [i.e., if it is in a tent or building together with a person or object, that person or object remains pure]. Perhaps the Rabbis based this exclusion on the verse dealing with the tent, which says: *when âa manâ dieth in a tent*, [thus implying that the law of âthe tent,â i.e., that of conveying impurity by *ohel*], applies only to the dead body itself. And if a sword [or metal vessel] which became impure by [touching] a corpse were to convey impurity of *ohel*, the priests would be forbidden to enter all buildings [even after the removal of the corpse], for they all have a âswordâ [i.e., some metal vessel] which has become impure, and it would defile them by *ohel* [and it is obviously impossible to say that priests may never enter all buildings]! It further appears in the Gemara that a sword [or metal vessel] which touches a corpse does not render a person [who touches it] impure to the extent that he requires to be sprinkled [with the waters of purification] on the third and seventh days, even though the person who touches [the sword or vessel] becomes a âfather of impurity.â This is because in the second verse where He states *and he shall sprinkle upon the tent* it says, *and upon him that touched the bone, or âthe slain,â or the dead or the grave*, but it does not say âor one that is slain *with a sword*.â If so, the sword [and all metal vessels] are like the corpse [in degree of impurity] only to the extent that one who touches it is rendered impure for seven daysâ duration, but not [to the extent that a sword conveys impurity] by *ohel* [as does a corpse], nor [to the extent that one who touches it] requires sprinkling [of the waters of purification]. Likewise a Nazirite does not have to cut off his hair [on account of being in a tent together with it], nor is there any prohibition at all against a priest touching it [whereas he is prohibited from touching the corpse itself.] This is the most likely and reasonable explanation, based on the words of our Rabbis. But we because of our sins are now impure in the exile, and we do not know of the purity of holiness *until the spirit be poured upon us from on High*, and G-d *will sprinkle clean water upon* us and we shall become pure. Amen, and may this be the will [of G-d] speedily in our days.
Version: Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976
Source: https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH002108945/NLI
License: CC-BY