That a priest who immersed that day (tevul yom) not serve until his sun sets: That a priest who immersed that day not serve until his sun sets. And even though he immersed and became pure, he needs the setting of the sun — since he is like a secondary impurity until his sun sets. As so did they, may their memory be blessed, explain, “it shall be brought into water and be impure until evening and become pure” (Leviticus 11:32): The verse called one who immersed that day impure, even though he immersed, until his sun sets (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Other Sources of Defilement 10:1). But nonetheless he is not impure like he was before the immersion. As at the beginning, he was a primary impurity and after the immersion he is called a secondary impurity. And about this is it stated (Leviticus 21:6), “and they shall not desecrate the name of their God.” As so did the received explanation come about it, and so is it in the ninth chapter of Sanhedrin 83b. As there they said, “‘Holy shall they be to their God, and they shall not desecrate the name of their God’; if it is not regarding one impure — as it was already elucidated (Sefer HaChinukh 178) — teach it for the matter of the one who has immersed on that day.” And it is learned over there from [the inferential comparison] of “desecration” [and] “desecration.”
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] since the priest is the messenger between Israel and their Father in the heavens (based on Yoma 18b). And through his actions and his sacrifices will a man become reconciled in front of his Creator, and his iniquity atoned. Therefore it is an obligation upon him to be completely clean in body at the time of the service. And perhaps the spirit of impurity has not fully passed from him until the sunset. And blessed is the Master of wisdom, as He is the One Who knows — and not us — at what time it becomes fit for someone who became impure to be involved in His service, blessed be He. And He told us that it is the time of the sunset for some impurities.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said that one who immersed on that day is the same whether it was from a stringent impurity such as the impurity of a dead body, discharge or tsaraat; or from light impurity such as the impurity of a swarming animal or similar to it — it requires the sun setting. And this matter is whether it is with a man or vessels, whether it is with an impurity from Torah writ or even with a rabbinic impurity — it requires the sun setting. And the understanding of one who immersed on that day (tevul yom) is to say one who immersed, but his sun did not set. And this is its understanding in every place. And if he touched foods and drinks of the priestly tithe, he disqualifies them and makes them a tertiary impurity — as he is like a secondary impurity, as we have said. If they afterwards touched other foods, they do not disqualify them, as a tertiary does not create a quaternary with priestly tithe. And if the one who immersed that day touches consecrated foods or drinks, he makes them a quaternary — meaning to say, he disqualifies them; but they do not go back and render others impure. As even though a tertiary creates a quaternary with consecrated foods, the impurity of one who immersed that day is not so stringent as to render impure to [the point that it reaches] the quaternary. But if one who immersed that day touched non-sacred foods, behold they are pure — as a secondary does not create a tertiary with non-sacred foods. So have we received the things from our Sages, may their memory be blessed (Sotah 29a). And behold it is elucidated from this that neither a tertiary impurity in the priestly tithe, nor a quaternary impurity in consecrated foods, renders another drink or another food impure. And it is not necessary to say that they do not render vessels impure — since a man and vessels only acquire impurity from a primary source of impurity. And all that render impure — whether stringent or whether light — the law of liquids that come out of them, such as their spit or their urine, is like that of liquids that they touched. And the rest of its details are in Tractate Tevul Yom. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Admission into the Sanctuary.)
And this commandment is practiced by male priests at the time of the [Temple] — since they are warned about the service and to be careful from impurity, and not priestesses. And one who transgresses this and serves [while a] tevul yom is liable for death by the hands of the Heavens. And a clear verse in the Torah does not come about this. Rather, the Sages, may their memory be blessed, learned the matter there in Sanhedrin 83b with an inferential comparison of “desecration” [and] “desecration.”
שֶׁלֹּא יְשַׁמֵּשׁ כֹּהֵן טְבוּל יוֹם עַד שֶׁיַּעֲרִיב שִׁמְשׁוֹ – שֶׁלֹּא יְשַׁמֵּשׁ כֹּהֵן טְבוּל יוֹם, עַד שֶׁיַּעֲרִיב שִׁמְשׁוֹ, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁטָּבַל וְטָהַר, צָרִיךְ הֶעֱרֵב שֶׁמֶשׁ. לְפִי שֶׁהוּא כְּשֵׁנִי לַטֻּמְאָה עַד שֶׁיַּעֲרִיב שִׁמְשׁוֹ, שֶׁכֵּן פֵּרְשׁוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ויקרא יא לב) בַּמַּיִם יוּבָא וְטָמֵא עַד הָעֶרֶב וְטָהֵר (רמב"ם אבות הטומאה פ"י ה"א) הַכָּתוּב קָרָא לִטְבוּל יוֹם טָמֵא, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁטָּבַל, עַד שֶׁיַּעֲרִיב שִׁמְשׁוֹ, אֲבָל מִכָּל מָקוֹם אֵינוֹ טָמֵא כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה קֹדֶם טְבִילָה, כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה הָיָה רִאשׁוֹן לְטֻמְאָה, וְאַחַר הַטְּבִילָה נִקְרָא שֵׁנִי לְטֻמְאָה, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (שם כא ו) וְלֹא יְחַלְּלוּ שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵיהֶם, שֶׁכֵּן בָּא עָלָיו הַפֵּרוּשׁ הַמְקֻבָּל, וְכֵן הוּא בְּפֶרֶק תְּשִׁיעִי מִסַּנְהֶדְרִין (פג, ב), שֶׁאָמְרוּ שָׁם קְדֹשִׁים יִהְיוּ לֵאלֹהֵיהֶם וְלֹא יְחַלְּלוּ שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵיהֶם, אִם אֵינוֹ עִנְיָן לְטָמֵא שֶׁכְּבָר נִתְבָּאֵר (במצוה רעח), תְּנֵהוּ עִנְיָן לִטְבוּל יוֹם שֶׁשִּׁמֵּשׁ, וְיָלֵיף לָהּ הָתָם מֵחִלּוּל חִלּוּל.
That a priest who immersed that day (tevul yom) not serve until his sun sets: That a priest who immersed that day not serve until his sun sets. And even though he immersed and became pure, he needs the setting of the sun — since he is like a secondary impurity until his sun sets. As so did they, may their memory be blessed, explain, “it shall be brought into water and be impure until evening and become pure” (Leviticus 11:32): The verse called one who immersed that day impure, even though he immersed, until his sun sets (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Other Sources of Defilement 10:1). But nonetheless he is not impure like he was before the immersion. As at the beginning, he was a primary impurity and after the immersion he is called a secondary impurity. And about this is it stated (Leviticus 21:6), “and they shall not desecrate the name of their God.” As so did the received explanation come about it, and so is it in the ninth chapter of Sanhedrin 83b. As there they said, “‘Holy shall they be to their God, and they shall not desecrate the name of their God’; if it is not regarding one impure — as it was already elucidated (Sefer HaChinukh 178) — teach it for the matter of the one who has immersed on that day.” And it is learned over there from [the inferential comparison] of “desecration” [and] “desecration.”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁהַכֹּהֵן הוּא הַשָּׁלִיחַ (עפ"י יומא יח ב) בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, וּמִתּוֹךְ מַעֲשָׂיו וְקָרְבְּנוֹתָיו יִתְרַצֶּה הָאָדָם לִפְנֵי בּוֹרְאוֹ וִיכֻפַּר עֲוֹנוֹ, עַל כֵּן חוֹבָה עָלָיו לִהְיוֹת נְקִי הַגּוּף בְּתַכְלִית בְּעֵת הָעֲבוֹדָה, וְאוּלַי רוּחַ הַטֻּמְאָה לֹא יַעֲבֹר לְגַמְרֵי מֵעָלָיו עַד הֶעֱרֵב הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, וּבָרוּךְ אֲדוֹן הַחָכְמָה כִּי הוּא הַיּוֹדֵעַ וְלֹא אֲנַחְנוּ עַד אֵיזֶה עֵת יִכְשַׁר לְמִי שֶׁנִּטְמָא לַעֲסֹק בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְהוֹדִיעָנוּ כִּי הוּא עֵת בּוֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לִקְצָת הַטֻּמְאוֹת.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] since the priest is the messenger between Israel and their Father in the heavens (based on Yoma 18b). And through his actions and his sacrifices will a man become reconciled in front of his Creator, and his iniquity atoned. Therefore it is an obligation upon him to be completely clean in body at the time of the service. And perhaps the spirit of impurity has not fully passed from him until the sunset. And blessed is the Master of wisdom, as He is the One Who knows — and not us — at what time it becomes fit for someone who became impure to be involved in His service, blessed be He. And He told us that it is the time of the sunset for some impurities.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה שֶׁאֶחָד טְבוּל יוֹם מִטֻּמְאָה חֲמוּרָה, כְּגוֹן שֶׁטָּבַל מִטֻּמְאַת מֵת וְזִיבוּת וְצָרַעַת, אוֹ מִטֻּמְאָה קַלָּה, כְּגוֹן טֻמְאַת שֶׁרֶץ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהּ, טָעוּן הֶעֱרֵב שֶׁמֶשׁ. וְזֶה הָעִנְיָן הוּא בֵּין בְּאָדָם בֵּין בְּכֵלִים בֵּין בְּטֻמְאָה דְּאוֹרָיְתָא אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ בְּטֻמְאָה דְּרַבָּנָן צָרִיךְ הֶעֱרֵב שֶׁמֶשׁ. וּפֵרוּשׁ טְבוּל יוֹם כְּלוֹמַר, מִי שֶׁטָּבַל וְלֹא הֶעֱרִיב שִׁמְשׁוֹ, זֶה פֵּרוּשׁוֹ בְּכָל מָקוֹם. וְאִם נָגַע בָּאֳכָלִין וּמַשְׁקִין שֶׁל תְּרוּמָה פּוֹסֵל אוֹתָן וְעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָן שְׁלִישִׁי לְטֻמְאָה, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא כְּשֵׁנִי לְטֻמְאָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ, נָגְעוּ הֵן אַחַר כֵּן בָּאֳכָלִין אֲחֵרִים אֵינָם פּוֹסְלִין אוֹתָם שֶׁאֵין שְׁלִישִׁי עוֹשֶׂה רְבִיעִי בַּתְּרוּמָה, וְאִם נָגַע טְבוּל יוֹם בְּאָכְלֵי קֹדֶשׁ אוֹ בְּמַשְׁקִין עֲשָׂאָן רְבִיעִי, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁפְּסָלָן, אֲבָל אֵין חוֹזְרִין הֵם לְטַמֵּא אֲחֵרִים, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשְּׁלִישִׁי עוֹשֶׂה רְבִיעִי בְּקֹדֶשׁ, טֻמְאַת טְבוּל יוֹם אֵינָהּ חֲמוּרָה כָּל כָּךְ שֶׁתְּטַמֵּא לָרְבִיעִי. אֲבָל אִם נָגַע טְבוּל יוֹם בְּאָכְלֵי חֻלִּין אוֹ בְּמַשְׁקִין הֲרֵי הֵן טְהוֹרִים, שֶׁאֵין שֵׁנִי עוֹשֶׂה שְׁלִישִׁי בְּחֻלִּין, כָּךְ קִבַּלְנוּ הַדְּבָרִים מֵחֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה כט א). וְהִנֵּה יִתְבָּאֵר מִזֶּה, שֶׁאֵין שְׁלִישִׁי שֶׁבַּתְּרוּמָה וְלֹא רְבִיעִי שֶׁבַּקֹּדֶשׁ מְטַמְּאִין מַשְׁקֶה אַחֵר וְאֹכֶל אַחֵר, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵין מְטַמְּאִין כֵּלִים, שֶׁאָדָם וְכֵלִים אֵין מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה אֶלָּא מֵאַב הַטֻּמְאָה. וְכָל הַמְּטַמְּאִין, בֵּין חֲמוּרִין בֵּין קַלִּים מַשְׁקִין הַיּוֹצְאִין מֵהֶן, כְּגוֹן רֻקָּן וּמֵימֵי רַגְלֵיהֶם דִּינָן כְּמַשְׁקִים שֶׁנָּגְעוּ בָּהֶן. וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ בְּמַסֶּכֶת טְבוּל יוֹם [הלכות ביאת מקדש].
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said that one who immersed on that day is the same whether it was from a stringent impurity such as the impurity of a dead body, discharge or tsaraat; or from light impurity such as the impurity of a swarming animal or similar to it — it requires the sun setting. And this matter is whether it is with a man or vessels, whether it is with an impurity from Torah writ or even with a rabbinic impurity — it requires the sun setting. And the understanding of one who immersed on that day (tevul yom) is to say one who immersed, but his sun did not set. And this is its understanding in every place. And if he touched foods and drinks of the priestly tithe, he disqualifies them and makes them a tertiary impurity — as he is like a secondary impurity, as we have said. If they afterwards touched other foods, they do not disqualify them, as a tertiary does not create a quaternary with priestly tithe. And if the one who immersed that day touches consecrated foods or drinks, he makes them a quaternary — meaning to say, he disqualifies them; but they do not go back and render others impure. As even though a tertiary creates a quaternary with consecrated foods, the impurity of one who immersed that day is not so stringent as to render impure to [the point that it reaches] the quaternary. But if one who immersed that day touched non-sacred foods, behold they are pure — as a secondary does not create a tertiary with non-sacred foods. So have we received the things from our Sages, may their memory be blessed (Sotah 29a). And behold it is elucidated from this that neither a tertiary impurity in the priestly tithe, nor a quaternary impurity in consecrated foods, renders another drink or another food impure. And it is not necessary to say that they do not render vessels impure — since a man and vessels only acquire impurity from a primary source of impurity. And all that render impure — whether stringent or whether light — the law of liquids that come out of them, such as their spit or their urine, is like that of liquids that they touched. And the rest of its details are in Tractate Tevul Yom. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Admission into the Sanctuary.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ בַּכֹּהֲנִים הַזְּכָרִים בִּזְמַן הַבַּיִת, שֶׁהֵם הֻזְהֲרוּ עַל הָעֲבוֹדָה וּלְהִזָּהֵר מֵהַטֻּמְאָה, וְלֹא הַכֹּהֲנוֹת. וּמִי שֶׁעָבַר עַל זֶה וְשִׁמֵּשׁ טְבוּל יוֹם חַיָּב מִיתָה בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם. וְלֹא בָּא עַל חִיּוּב זֶה כָּתוּב מְבֹאָר בַּתּוֹרָה, אֶלָּא שֶׁלָּמְדוּ חֲכָמִים זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה הָעִנְיָן שָׁם בְּסַנְהֶדְרִין (פג, ב) בִּגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה דְּחִלּוּל חִלּוּל.
And this commandment is practiced by male priests at the time of the [Temple] — since they are warned about the service and to be careful from impurity, and not priestesses. And one who transgresses this and serves [while a] tevul yom is liable for death by the hands of the Heavens. And a clear verse in the Torah does not come about this. Rather, the Sages, may their memory be blessed, learned the matter there in Sanhedrin 83b with an inferential comparison of “desecration” [and] “desecration.”