Baal Keri

The master of the occurance

The husband who had an occurance.

A state of being that is inimical to Torah, the shema and tefillah.

What is the essence of the state?

Why is it inimical to shema, torah, etc.?

The baal keri implies

1. orgasm

2. emission

3. sex

Which of these is the problem?

The verses would suggest that emission, the fluid itself is the issue.

Vayikra 15:16

Baal keri is connected to ziva and distinguished from ziva

But, it should be noted that Rashi relates the requirement to refrain from saying the shema ( and think it instead) to the edict of Ezra, not to this verse! (Brochoth 22)

That “omission” is important. It means that (according to Rashi) the relationship between seminal emission and shema ( and torah) is different from its relationship to Tumah.

This must be understood in the context of the various interpretations of the verse in Vayikra.

1. Rashi: no comment

2. Onkeleos; drips from him

   1. And if seed of copulation go out from a man, he shall wash all his flesh with water, and be unclean until evening. The woman with whom a man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall bathe themselves with water, and be unclean until evening.TgOnk Lev. 14-15

3. Targum Yonathan: ishtale

   1. But if a man sin through ignorance and seed goeth from him, let him wash all his flesh in forty seahs of water, and be unclean until evening. And any garment or skin on which seed may be shall be washed in water, and be unclean until evening; and secondly, a woman with whom a man lieth shall wash in forty seahs of water, and be unclean until evening PJ Lev 14-15

4. Even Ezra: against his will ( shelo brezono)

   1. Avi ezer: a fine distinction ( diyuk) since the verse says taztze instead of yatzay.

5. Rambam: semen is among the avoth hatumah

6. Baal Haturim: Gematrie: seed that shoots like an arrow

Parshath Hashevuah:

At the end of Bahalothecha, Rashi brings the subject of keri back, and injects it into the interaction between Moshe and his siblings. Rashi says that Miriam criticizes Moshe for separating from his wife. G d points out that G d visits Moshe at any time, so he must not be baal keri.

A few notes:

1. Miriam is doing the same thing to Moshe that she did with her parents. She encouraged her ( aged) parents to return to reproductive behavior, despite Pharoh's edict that all the boys would be killed. Similarly she was encouraging Moshe to engage in reproductive activity despite his status.
2. I have a question. Is Miriam's tzoraas the consequence of exposure to the Shechina while a baalath keri? Is this part of nature?