{"id":9572,"date":"2014-09-03T09:00:50","date_gmt":"2014-09-03T06:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=9572"},"modified":"2019-11-21T11:22:34","modified_gmt":"2019-11-21T09:22:34","slug":"14-03-09","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/14-03-09\/","title":{"rendered":"09. Ezra\u2019s Ordinance"},"content":{"rendered":"

As we mentioned above, the Torah declares semen impure. Ezra the Scribe and his court extended this, ordaining that any man who had sexual relations or otherwise ejaculated semen may not pray or study Torah until immersing in a mikveh<\/em> (BK 82b according to Rosh). The reason is that Torah must be studied with \u201cawe, fear, trembling, and trepidation,\u201d just as we received it at Sinai, whereas semen is ejaculated \u201cout of frivolity and arrogance\u201d (Berakhot<\/em> 22a and Rashi ad loc.<\/em>). Another reason is \u201cso that Jews are not like roosters, which mate, get right up, and go eat\u201d (y.<\/em> Berakhot<\/em> 3:4), or \u201cso that Torah scholars do not constantly cohabit with their wives, like roosters\u201d (Berakhot<\/em> 22a).<\/p>\n

According to all of these reasons, Ezra\u2019s ordinance does not indicate that there is something wrong with sexual intimacy between husband and wife. Rather, they should not overindulge as does a rooster, which has nothing else to live for. Human beings have other purposes, spiritual as well as professional. If people spent all their time mating like roosters, they would not manage to fill all their other roles. The requirement of immersion creates a certain inconvenience whose purpose is to ensure that people fulfill the mitzva of ona<\/em> with the appropriate frequency and not to excess.<\/p>\n

Additionally, immersion is meant to separate between the different realms of a person\u2019s life. Torah must be studied with the appropriate gravitas, with a sense of fear and awe, whereas the mitzva of ona<\/em> is fulfilled with a spirit of playfulness, liberation, and unbounded joy, as it is written: \u201cYitz\u1e25ak was being playful with Rivka his wife\u201d (Bereishit 26:8). Rashi explains that \u201cbeing playful\u201d is a euphemism for sexual relations. This is similar to the Sages\u2019 ordinance that men wear belts while they are speaking holy words, to separate the heart from the genitals, lest the urges emanating from the genitalia confound the head and heart and make it difficult to engage in spiritual matters with the requisite purity. Ultimately, the mind and emotions can become enslaved to the realization of lustful fantasies.<\/p>\n

Therefore, in order to fortify his spiritual world, one must study Torah with awe, fear, trembling, and trepidation, as is becoming of its sanctity and seriousness. Then, when he later returns to physicality, he will be able to direct it properly. This explains why the Sages instituted a blessing to be recited upon putting on a belt in the morning: \u201cWho girds Israel with strength\u201d (Ozer Yisrael bi-gevura<\/em>). The strength to separate between the heart and the genitals liberates a person from being enslaved by his urges and enables him to sanctify them through the mitzva of ona<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In practice, Ezra\u2019s ordinance did not become widespread. Some people did not want to stop studying Torah, and since they found it inconvenient to immerse, they simply refrained from sexual relations, thereby forgoing both the mitzva of ona<\/em> and the mitzva of procreation. In contrast, some others were happy to fulfill the mitzva of ona<\/em>, but because of the inconvenience of immersion, they simply refrained from Torah study. Many others simply ignored the ordinance, wishing neither to detract from the mitzva of ona<\/em> nor to lessen their Torah study. When the Sages saw that Ezra\u2019s enactment was not accepted by the Jewish people, they rescinded it and permitted those who had ejaculated or had sexual relations to pray and study Torah without restriction (Berakhot<\/em> 22a; MT, Laws of Reciting Shema<\/em> 4:8). Nevertheless, some people are meticulous about immersing before studying Torah or praying, in accordance with Ezra\u2019s ordinance. Others show their meticulousness by washing in nine kabin<\/em> (approximately 11 liters) of water. Nowadays, when every home has a shower, it is good to be meticulous about this.[6]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

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\n[6]<\/a>. It seems from Berakhot<\/em> 22a-b that relying on nine kabin<\/em> of water is acceptable only for a healthy person who unintentionally ejaculated semen, or a sick person who had intercourse. Torah scholars are considered like sick people for these purposes. However, according to R. Hai Gaon and Rif, now that the ordinance requiring immersion has been rescinded, even according to the stringent opinion (which required immersion in a mikveh<\/em> prior to prayer), bathing in nine kabin<\/em> of water is sufficient. MB (88:4) adds that even though the ordinance was rescinded, some pious people still immerse following an ejaculation of semen. If this is too difficult, they bathe in nine kabin<\/em> of water. According to R. \u1e24ayim Naeh\u2019s calculation of halakhic volume, nine kabin<\/em> is 12.44 liters, and according to the more precise calculation, it is 10.8 liters.<\/p>\n

What is the actual procedure for washing in nine kabin<\/em>? The water must be poured onto the person; he should not immerse in it (Berakhot<\/em> 22a). The pouring must be continuous, without pause (MB 88:4). According to Raavad, the water must also be poured manually, so that all the water touches the body. According to this view, it seems that a shower would not be acceptable. However, Sefer \u1e24asidim<\/em> (\u00a7828) states that a person may fulfill the obligation even with water flowing on its own, as long as the water makes contact with his whole body, including his arms. Accordingly, taking a shower would be acceptable. Kaf Ha-\u1e25ayim<\/em> 88:7 and Yaskil Avdi<\/em> 5, O\u1e24 13, agree. This is also the opinion of almost all the poskim<\/em>, as cited in Yalkut Yosef<\/em> 88:1 and Piskei Teshuvot<\/em> 88:42. Some insist that the water must make contact with all parts of the body (Pri Megadim<\/em>, Mishbetzot Zahav<\/em> 88:1). Based on this, some advise first pouring water on the soles of the feet, because otherwise the poured water will not reach there (Kaf Ha-\u1e25ayim<\/em> 88:7). Others disagree, maintaining that a \u1e25atzitza<\/em> (barrier) does not disqualify the nine kabin<\/em>, as earlier authorities do not specify that a person must lift his feet from the floor (Responsa Ma\u2019amar Mordechai<\/em> \u00a71-2, as cited in Sha\u2019arei Teshuva<\/em> 88:1). This implies that even those who insist that there must be no \u1e25atzitza<\/em>, and that the soles of the feet must get wet, are not careful that the water touch every single part of the body, even inside the ears. If they had meant to be that stringent, they would have needed to say so explicitly. Furthermore, nine kabin<\/em> of water is a relatively small amount, too small to make contact with every single part of a person\u2019s body. R. Ephraim Zalman Margolies implies this in Mateh Ephraim<\/em> 606:10, and he writes it explicitly in Elef Le-mateh<\/em> 606:3; see also Piskei Teshuvot<\/em> 88:5.<\/p>\n

Ma\u2019amar Mordechai<\/em> 88:2 understands Rambam and SA to mean that the ordinance was limited to Torah scholars, who study Torah frequently. Today, though, when it is easy to follow the ordinance and it also fits in easily with our hygienic lifestyle, it is best for everyone to follow it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As we mentioned above, the Torah declares semen impure. Ezra the Scribe and his court extended this, ordaining that any man who had sexual relations or otherwise ejaculated semen may not pray or study Torah until immersing in a mikveh (BK 82b according to Rosh). The reason is that Torah must be studied with \u201cawe, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[156],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-14-03"],"yoast_head":"\n09. 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The reason is that Torah must be studied with \u201cawe, […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/14-03-09\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Peninei Halakha\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-09-03T06:00:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-11-21T09:22:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/14-03-09\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/14-03-09\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/8822293bfa4f7cd35b44a3c311851b63\"},\"headline\":\"09. 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