Impurity is Miasma: A Response to Hyam Maccoby (Critical NOTES‪)‬

Hyam Maccoby's recent book is a clear, at times eloquent, and almost always a convincing exposition of the rabbinic system of impurity. (1) He also investigates the system's biblical sources. A sizable portion of the book (esp. ch. 14) takes issue with one of my basic theses: Severe impurity generates miasma (i.e., a noxious ray) which pollutes the sanctuary. He accomplishes this by invoking the principle of ellipsis. In agreement with the rabbis, Maccoby avers that whenever the text speaks of the pollution of the sanctuary it takes for granted that the perpetrator entered it. Thus the sanctuary is never polluted miasmatically, from afar. Ellipsis, however, is a dangerous principle. It can prove anything. I am reminded of the quip: How can it be proven from the Torah that Jews must wear a yarmulka (skullcap)? It is written: "Jacob left Beer-sheba" (Gen 28:10). Now would a pious Jew like Jacob go anywhere without a yarmulka?