Editing Tumah (section)

== Tumah of Touch and Carrying ==
'''Extended topic - The Intention of the Mikveh'''

==== Its Concept in Chassidut ====
Tumah of touch is the aspect of makif of kelipah (and opposes the makif of kedushah). Therefore: a. Birur (refinement) is not relevant to it but rather complete nullification and removal. And b. This removal is through the makif of kedushah. That is, the refinement of good from evil is through inner light (b'chochmah itbariru), but the action of the makif is not refinement but complete destruction of evil.

==== The Reason It Is Purified in a Mikveh ====
Based on this, we can understand the concept of the mikveh which purifies specifically tumah of touch: Since this tumah is about the makif of kelipah, its removal from the world is through the waters of the mikveh which are the aspect of Keter (=makif of kedushah), and in avodah this is through the aspect of Daat (because Daat is in the middle column and therefore is related to Keter and ascends to Keter).

==== Connected to the Aspect of Smell ====
Just as in the body there are aspects of pnimiyut and makif (which are the matters of food and smell), so it is in the spirituality of the soul: The korbanot (which in avodah is the matter of prayer) are the pnimiyut of life-force, while taharah and tumah (which are only through touch and carrying) are connected to smell. As the saying goes, "Taharah took away the taste and the smell," and they are the aspect of makif, and just as the ketoret (which in avodah is the matter of teshuvah) is above all the korbanot: they are on the outer altar and it is on the inner altar and in the Kodesh HaKodashim.

==== The Difference Between Makif of Tumah and Makif of Clothing (Shatnez) ====
Tumah is the adhesion of the makif on the person, as his body becomes tamei through this and requires taharah even after he separates from contact with the tumah. This is not the case with shatnez, where when he removes the garment the prohibition is gone. That is, despite the fact that shatnez is also makif of kelipah (and is very difficult), the tumah of touch and carrying is more difficult and deeper than it.