To send the impure from the Temple

Holiness – קְדֻשָּׁה

• Rambam teaches that holiness demands separation from impurity. The Mikdash, as the dwelling of Hashem’s Presence, must remain whole and undefiled, ensuring its sanctity is never compromised by neglect or carelessness.

Temple – בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ

• Rashi (Num. 5:2) connects the command to the sanctity of the Temple, noting that exclusion preserves its status as Hashem’s house, distinct from all ordinary places in Israel.

Purity – טָהֳרָה

• Sefer HaChinuch stresses that purity reflects readiness to encounter holiness. Removing impurity highlights that Hashem’s service requires preparation and reverence, not casual access.

Impurity from the dead – טֻמְאַת מֵת

• Talmudic sources (Pesachim 67a) identify corpse defilement as especially severe, barring one even from the outer areas of holiness. This reflects the separation required between death and the Divine dwelling of life.

Zav / Zavah / Yoledet – זוֹב / זוֹבָה / יוֹלֶדֶת

• The Torah specifies that bodily emissions and childbirth impurities bar entry. Their removal underscores that holiness cannot be approached while in states of ritual flux, which require cleansing and renewal first.

Leprosy laws – מְּצוֹרָע

• Metzora’im, excluded from the camp, remind Israel that impurity must be addressed before drawing near to Hashem. Their removal is symbolic of both physical and spiritual purification.

Reverence – יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם

• Ramban explains that the exclusion of the impure reinforces awe: by recognizing limits, Israel learns that reverence means knowing when one is unfit to approach Hashem’s presence.

Community – קְהִלָּה

• This mitzvah preserves the collective sanctity of the nation. By sending out impurity, the people together affirm that Hashem dwells among them only when they uphold purity and respect for His Presence.

Bein Adam L’Makom – בֵּין אָדָם לְמָקוֹם

• The mitzvah expresses the covenantal relationship with Hashem. By maintaining purity in His dwelling, Israel affirms devotion and demonstrates readiness to encounter Him with reverence.