[Certain] impure people must not enter [even] the Temple Mount area

Holiness – קְדֻשָּׁה

• Rambam emphasizes that holiness radiates outward, requiring protection at every level. Even the Temple Mount must remain undefiled, reminding Israel that sanctity surrounds the entire Mikdash and not only its innermost chamber.

Temple – בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ

• Rashi links this mitzvah to the desert encampments: just as impurity was excluded from successive camps, so too the Temple precincts demand gradations of purity, preserving their unique holiness.

Purity – טָהֳרָה

• Sefer HaChinuch explains that the exclusion of impurity from even the Temple Mount reinforces that service to Hashem begins with preparation and purification before one ever steps near His dwelling.

Impurity from the dead – טֻמְאַת מֵת

• Talmudic sources (Pesachim 67a) clarify that corpse defilement is barred from all Temple areas, reflecting the absolute separation of death from Hashem’s dwelling of life.

Zav / Zavah / Yoledet – זוֹב / זוֹבָה / יוֹלֶדֶת

• These bodily impurities are excluded to reinforce that the Temple Mount itself requires readiness. Entering while impure diminishes the honor due to Hashem’s Presence.

Leprosy laws – מְּצוֹרָע

• Metzora’im are fully excluded, even from the outer sanctuaries, signifying that their purification must be complete before returning to communal holiness.

Reverence – יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם

• Ramban highlights that separating impurity from sanctity fosters awe. Restricting even the outer precincts prevents casual access and deepens awareness of Hashem’s greatness.

Community – קְהִלָּה

• The mitzvah applies universally, reminding the community that reverence for Hashem’s Presence is a shared responsibility. The nation together upholds the sanctity of the Mikdash.

Bein Adam L’Makom – בֵּין אָדָם לְמָקוֹם

• This prohibition reflects the covenantal bond with Hashem: His dwelling is approached only in purity. By keeping the impure outside, Israel affirms awe and devotion to their Creator.