Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 19

18A ritually undefiled person must take some hyssop and dip it into the water and dash it on the tent, on all the vessels, and on the people who were in it, and on anyone who touched the bone, the slain person, the corpse, or the grave.   יחוְלָקַ֨ח אֵז֜וֹב וְטָבַ֣ל בַּמַּ֘יִם֘ אִ֣ישׁ טָהוֹר֒ וְהִזָּ֤ה עַל־הָאֹ֨הֶל֙ וְעַל־כָּל־הַכֵּלִ֔ים וְעַל־הַנְּפָשׁ֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָֽיוּ־שָׁ֑ם וְעַל־הַנֹּגֵ֗עַ בַּעֶ֨צֶם֙ א֣וֹ בֶֽחָלָ֔ל א֥וֹ בַמֵּ֖ת א֥וֹ בַקָּֽבֶר:
19The ritually undefiled person must dash some of the solution on the defiled person on the third and seventh days, and he will purify him on the seventh day. He must immerse his garments and immerse himself in purifying water, and he will become ritually undefiled at nightfall.   יטוְהִזָּ֤ה הַטָּהֹר֙ עַל־הַטָּמֵ֔א בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֖י וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֑י וְחִטְּאוֹ֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וְכִבֶּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָהֵ֥ר בָּעָֽרֶב:
וְחִטְּאוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי - He will purify him on the seventh day. This means that his purification process ends then.   וְחִטְּאוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי.  הוּא גְמַר טָהֳרָתוֹ (עי' ספרי):
20If a person becomes ritually defiled and does not purify himself, that soul will be cut off from the assembly, for he has defiled the Sanctuary of God. Since the dashing-water was not dashed upon him, he is ritually defiled.   כוְאִ֤ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִטְמָא֙ וְלֹ֣א יִתְחַטָּ֔א וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַקָּהָ֑ל כִּי֩ אֶת־מִקְדַּ֨שׁ יְהֹוָ֜ה טִמֵּ֗א מֵ֥י נִדָּ֛ה לֹֽא־זֹרַ֥ק עָלָ֖יו טָמֵ֥א הֽוּא:
וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִטְמָא וגו' - If a person becomes defiled… If the punishment of excision is stated regarding the Temple, why is it also stated 1 regarding the Tabernacle… – as stated in Shevuot. 2   וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִטְמָא וגו'.  אִם נֶאֱמַר מִקְדָּשׁ לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר מִשְׁכָּן? כו' כִּדְאִיתָא בִשְׁבוּעוֹת (דף ט"ז):
21This will be for them as a perpetual rule: anyone who dashes the dashing-water must immerse his garments. A person who touches the dashing-water remains ritually defiled until nightfall.   כאוְהָֽיְתָ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם לְחֻקַּ֣ת עוֹלָ֑ם וּמַזֵּ֤ה מֵֽי־הַנִּדָּה֙ יְכַבֵּ֣ס בְּגָדָ֔יו וְהַנֹּגֵ֨עַ֙ בְּמֵ֣י הַנִּדָּ֔ה יִטְמָ֖א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
וּמַזֵּה מֵֽי־הַנִּדָּה - Anyone who dashes the dashing-water - Our rabbis 3 said that the one who dashes remains ritually undefiled, and this statement teaches us that the one who carries the purification water becomes ritually defiled to a greater extent, in that the clothes that he is wearing also become ritually defiled – which is not the case regarding one who merely touches it. And the reason one who carries the water is referred to as “one who dashes” is to tell you that the water does not render him ritually defiled unless it is enough to dash with.   וּמַזֵּה מֵֽי־הַנִּדָּה.  רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ שֶׁהַמַּזֶּה טָהוֹר, וְזֶה בָא לְלַמֵּד שֶׁהַנּוֹשֵׂא מֵי חַטָּאת טָמֵא טֻמְאָה חֲמוּרָה לְטַמֵּא בְגָדִים שֶׁעָלָיו, מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בַּנּוֹגֵעַ, וְזֶה שֶׁהוֹצִיא בִּלְשׁוֹן "מַזֶּה", לוֹמַר לְךָ שֶׁאֵינָן מְטַמְּאִין עַד שֶׁיְּהֵא בָהֶן שִׁעוּר הַזָּאָה (נדה ט'):
וְהַנֹּגֵעַ יִטְמָא - A person who touches…remains defiled. but does not need to immerse his garments.   וְהַנֹּגֵעַ יִטְמָא.  וְאֵין טָעוּן כִּבּוּס בְּגָדִים:
22Whatever the defiled person touches will become ritually defiled, and anyone touching such a person will become ritually defiled until nightfall.”   כבוְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יִגַּע־בּ֥וֹ הַטָּמֵ֖א יִטְמָ֑א וְהַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַנֹּגַ֖עַת תִּטְמָ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר־יִגַּע־בּוֹ הַטָּמֵא - Whatever [he] touches - i.e., this ritually defiled person who became ritually defiled through a corpse – “will become ritually defiled.”   וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר־יִגַּע־בּוֹ הַטָּמֵא.  הַזֶּה שֶׁנִּטְמָא בְּמֵת, יטמא:
וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ הַנֹּגַעַת - And anyone touching - this same person, i.e., one ritually defiled through a corpse.   וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ הַנֹּגַעַת.  בּוֹ: בִּטְמֵא מֵת:
תִּטְמָא עַד־הָעָֽרֶב - will become defiled until nightfall- 

From here we learn that a corpse is a supreme primary level of ritual defilement, and one who touches it becomes a regular primary level of ritual defilement, which can render another person ritually defiled (people cannot contract ritual defilement from secondary sources). This is the explanation of this passage according to its plain meaning and its laws.

I have also copied an aggadic explanation from the work of Rabbi Moshe HaDarshan, as follows:

  תִּטְמָא עַד־הָעָֽרֶב.  כָּאן לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהַמֵּת אֲבִי אֲבוֹת הַטֻּמְאָה, וְנוֹגֵעַ בּוֹ אַב הַטֻּמְאָה וּמְטַמֵּא אָדָם; זֶה פֵרוּשָׁהּ לְפִי מַשְׁמָעָהּ וְהִלְכוֹתֶיהָ. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה הֶעְתַּקְתִּי מִיסוֹדוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן וְזֶהוּ:
וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ - Have them take for you. from their own money. Just as they removed their own gold earrings to make the Golden Calf, so must they bring this animal from their own funds in order to atone for it.   וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ.  מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהֵם פֵּרְקוּ נִזְמֵי הַזָּהָב לָעֵגֶל מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם, כָּךְ יָבִיאוּ זוֹ לְכַפָּרָה מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם: [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]
פָרָה אֲדֻמָּה - A red cow. This is similar to the case of a bondservant’s son that dirtied the king’s palace. They said: Let his mother come and clean up his mess. Similarly, let the cow come and atone for the calf.   פָרָה אֲדֻמָּה.  מָשָׁל לְבֶן שִׁפְחָה שֶׁטִּנֵּף פָּלָטִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, אָמְרוּ תָּבֹא אִמּוֹ וּתְקַנֵּחַ הַצּוֹאָה, כָּךְ תָּבֹא פָרָה וּתְכַפֵּר עַל הָעֵגֶל (תנחומא): [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]
אֲדֻמָּה - Red. On account of the verse: “if your sins prove to be as red as scarlet dye,” 4 for sin is termed “red.”   אֲדֻמָּה.  עַל שֵׁם "אִם יַאְדִּימוּ כַתּוֹלָע" (ישעיהו א'), שֶׁהַחֵטְא קָרוּי אָדֹם: [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]
תְּמִימָה - (lit.) Perfect - Because the Israelites had previously been perfect but had become blemished through the sin, let this cow come and atone for them so that they return to their state of perfection.   תְּמִימָה.  עַל שֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיוּ תְמִימִים, וְנַעֲשׂוּ בוֹ בַּעֲלֵי מוּמִין, תָּבֹא זוֹ וּתְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם וְיַחְזְרוּ לְתַמּוּתָם: [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]
לֹֽא־עָלָה עָלֶיהָ עֹֽל - Upon which no yoke was laid - just as they had cast off the yoke of heaven.   לֹֽא־עָלָה עָלֶיהָ עֹֽל.  כְּשֵׁם שֶׁפָּרְקוּ מֵעֲלֵיהֶם עֹל שָׁמַיִם: [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]
אֶל־אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן - To Eleazar the priest - just as they had gathered around Aaron, who was a priest, to make the calf. But because Aaron made the calf, this ritual was not performed by him, as an accuser cannot become a defender.   אֶל־אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן.  כְּשֵׁם שֶׁנִּקְהֲלוּ עַל אַהֲרֹן, שֶׁהוּא כֹּהֵן, לַעֲשׂוֹת הָעֵגֶל; וּלְפִי שֶׁאַהֲרֹן עָשָׂה אֶת הָעֵגֶל לֹא נִתְּנָה לוֹ עֲבוֹדָה זוֹ עַל יָדוֹ, שֶׁאֵין קַטֵּיגוֹר נַעֲשֶׂה סַנֵּיגוֹר: [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]
וְשָׂרַף אֶת־הַפָּרָה - Someone must then burn the cow. just as the calf was burned.   וְשָׂרַף אֶת־הַפָּרָה.  כְּשֵׁם שֶׁנִּשְׂרַף הָעֵגֶל: [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]
עֵץ אֶרֶז וְאֵזוֹב וּשְׁנִי תוֹלָעַת - Cedar wood, hyssop, and wool dyed scarlet with…tola’at worm - These three materials correspond to the 3000 men who fell for worshiping the calf. The cedar is the tallest of all trees, and the hyssop the lowest of all – this is an allusion that a haughty person who becomes proud and sins should humble himself like a hyssop and a worm in order to achieve atonement.   עֵץ אֶרֶז וְאֵזוֹב וּשְׁנִי תוֹלָעַת.  שְׁלֹשָׁה מִינִין הַלָּלוּ כְּנֶגֶד שְׁלֹשֶׁת אַלְפֵי אִישׁ שֶׁנָּפְלוּ בָעֵגֶל, וְאֶרֶז הוּא הַגָּבוֹהַּ מִכָּל הָאִילָנוֹת וְאֵזוֹב נָמוּךְ מִכֻּלָּם, סִימָן שֶׁהַגָּבוֹהַּ שֶׁנִּתְגָּאָה וְחָטָא יַשְׁפִּיל אֶת עַצְמוֹ כְּאֵזוֹב וְתוֹלַעַת וְיִתְכַּפֵּר לוֹ: [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]
לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת - As a keepsake. just as the sin of the Golden Calf is kept for all generations as a punishment, for there is no trouble that does not contain part of the punishment for the Golden Calf, as it says: “on the day of My reckoning, I will bring them to account for their sin.” 5 And just as the Golden Calf defiled all those involved with it, so does the cow ritually defile all those involved with preparing it. And just as they were purified by its ashes, as it says: “He scattered it over the water and made the Israelites drink it,” 6 so too here, it says: “They must take for that defiled person some of the ashes of the burnt cow used for purification….”   לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת.  כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֶּשַׁע הָעֵגֶל שָׁמוּר לְדוֹרוֹת לְפֻרְעָנוּת, וְאֵין לְךָ פְּקֻדָּה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ מִפְּקֻדַּת הָעֵגֶל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּבְיוֹם פָּקְדִי וּפָקַדְתִּי" וְגוֹ' (שמות ל"ב), וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁהָעֵגֶל מְטַמֵּא כָּל הָעוֹסְקִים בּוֹ, כָּךְ פָּרָה תְטַמֵּא כָּל הָעוֹסְקִין בּוֹ, וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁנִּטְהֲרוּ בְּאֶפְרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיִּזֶר עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם" וְגוֹ' (שם), כָּךְ "וְלָקְחוּ לַטָּמֵא מֵעֲפַר שְׂרֵפַת הַחַטָּאת" וְגוֹ": [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 20

1The entire community of the Israelites arrived at the desert of Tzin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there.   אוַיָּבֹ֣אוּ בְנֵֽי־יִ֠שְׂרָאֵ֠ל כָּל־הָ֨עֵדָ֤ה מִדְבַּר־צִן֙ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב הָעָ֖ם בְּקָדֵ֑שׁ וַתָּ֤מָת שָׁם֙ מִרְיָ֔ם וַתִּקָּבֵ֖ר שָֽׁם:
כָּל־הָעֵדָה - The entire community - i.e., the complete community, for those who were to die in the desert had already died, and these moved on to life.   כָּל־הָעֵדָה.  עֵדָה הַשְּׁלֵמָה, שֶׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ מֵתֵי מִדְבָּר וְאֵלּוּ פֵרְשׁוּ לַחַיִּים:
וַתָּמָת שָׁם מִרְיָם - Miriam died there. Why is the death of Miriam stated next to the passage regarding the red cow? To tell you that just as sacrifices provide atonement, so does the death of the righteous atone.   וַתָּמָת שָׁם מִרְיָם.  לָמָּה נִסְמְכָה פָרָשַׁת מִיתַת מִרְיָם לְפָרָשַׁת פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה? לוֹמַר לְךָ, מַה קָּרְבָּנוֹת מְכַפְּרִין, אַף מִיתַת צַדִּיקִים מְכַפֶּרֶת (מועד קטן כ"ח):
וַתָּמָת שָׁם מִרְיָם - Miriam died there. She also died with a Divine kiss, as did Moses and Aaron. Why, then, does it not state about her עַל פִּי ה׳ “by the mouth of God”? Because such an expression here is not respectful toward the One Above. However, regarding Aaron it does say עַל פִּי ה׳ in parashat Eleh Mas’ei. 7   וַתָּמָת שָׁם מִרְיָם.  אַף הִיא בִנְשִׁיקָה מֵתָה, וּמִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא נֶאֱמַר בָּהּ "עַל פִּי ה'"? שֶׁאֵינוֹ דֶּרֶךְ כָּבוֹד שֶׁל מַעְלָה, וּבְאַהֲרֹן נֶאֱמַר "עַל פִּי ה'" בְּאֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי (במדבר ל"ג):
2The community had no water, so they assembled against Moses and Aaron.   בוְלֹא־הָ֥יָה מַ֖יִם לָֽעֵדָ֑ה וַיִּקָּ֣הֲל֔וּ עַל־משֶׁ֖ה וְעַל־אַהֲרֹֽן:
וְלֹא־הָיָה מַיִם לָֽעֵדָה - The community had no water. From here we derive that for the entire 40 years until now, they had had the well in the merit of Miriam, which is why it disappeared specifically at this point.   וְלֹא־הָיָה מַיִם לָֽעֵדָה.  מִכָּאן שֶׁכָּל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה הָיָה לָהֶם הַבְּאֵר בִּזְכוּת מִרְיָם (תענית ט'):
3The people argued with Moses, and said, “If only we had expired the way our brothers expired before God.   גוַיָּ֥רֶב הָעָ֖ם עִם־משֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ לֵאמֹ֔ר וְל֥וּ גָוַ֛עְנוּ בִּגְוַ֥ע אַחֵ֖ינוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
וְלוּ גָוַעְנוּ - means: if only we had died.   וְלוּ גָוַעְנוּ.  הַלְוַאי שֶׁגָּוַעְנוּ:
בִּגְוַע אַחֵינוּ - means: by the same death as our brothers - i.e., by a plague. This teaches us that death by thirst is more degrading than it.   בִּגְוַע אַחֵינוּ.  בְּמִיתַת אַחֵינוּ בַּדֶּבֶר, לִמֵּד שֶׁמִּיתַת צָמָא מְגֻנָּה מִמֶּנָּה:
בִּגְוַע - is a noun, equivalent to בְּמִיתַת אַחֵינוּ “by the death of our brothers.” It is impossible to explain it as a verb meaning: “when our brethren died,” for if so, it ought to have been vocalized בִּגְוֹעַ, with a cholam.   בִּגְוַע.  שֵׁם דָּבָר הוּא, כְּמוֹ בְּמִיתַת אַחֵינוּ, וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לְפָרְשׁוֹ כְּשֶׁמֵּתוּ אַחֵינוּ, שֶׁאִם כֵּן הָיָה לוֹ לִנָּקֵד בִּגְוֹעַ:
4Why have you brought the assembly of God to this desert so that we and our animals should die there?   דוְלָמָ֤ה הֲבֵאתֶם֙ אֶת־קְהַ֣ל יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה לָמ֣וּת שָׁ֔ם אֲנַ֖חְנוּ וּבְעִירֵֽנוּ:
5Why have you taken us out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place that can be planted with seeds, nor a place of fig trees, grapevines, or pomegranate trees; and there is no water to drink.”   הוְלָמָ֤ה הֶֽעֱלִיתֻ֨נוּ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לְהָבִ֣יא אֹתָ֔נוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֥וֹם הָרָ֖ע הַזֶּ֑ה לֹ֣א | מְק֣וֹם זֶ֗רַע וּתְאֵנָ֤ה וְגֶ֨פֶן֙ וְרִמּ֔וֹן וּמַ֥יִם אַ֖יִן לִשְׁתּֽוֹת:
6Moses and Aaron moved away from the assembly, into the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and they fell on their faces. The glory of God appeared to them.   ווַיָּבֹא֩ משֶׁ֨ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֜ן מִפְּנֵ֣י הַקָּהָ֗ל אֶל־פֶּ֨תַח֙ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וַיִּפְּל֖וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֵּרָ֥א כְבוֹד־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֲלֵיהֶֽם: