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Ritual purification is a feature of many religions. The aim of these rituals is to remove uncleanliness, which may be real or symbolic. Most of these rituals were created long before the germ theory of disease.
Many religions have a ritual cleansing of the dead before burial.
Some religions have special treatment of particular body fluids such as semen and menses which are viewed as particularly unclean.
Judaism
See Ablution in Judaism.
The Hebrew Bible has many rituals of purification relating to menstruation, childbirth, sexual relations, disease, and animal sacrifices. These laws were observed by the ancient Israelites.
Judaism is based on the Hebrew Bible as viewed through the oral law, including the Mishnah and Talmud. Judaism still observes laws concerning ritual purity in regard to sexual relations between married couples. Other ritual purity rules still followed include hand washing for various activities: Upon waking in in the morning, before eating a meal, after coming into contact with dead people, and upon leaving the bathroom. The other laws of ritual purity cannot be observed, as they deal with ritual purification connected to the Temple in Jerusalem, which is no longer extant.
Perhaps the most misunderstood aspect of Jewish law are the laws related to toharat ha'mishpach (Hebrew: literally "family purity"). These rules inform us that a woman enters a state of "tameh" when she is menstruating. During this time a couple must refrain from all physical contact, especially sexual relations. After the cessation of her menstrual flow, the women counts seven days before immersing herself in a mikvah, at which time sexual relations between man and wife can then continue. The words "tahor" and "tameh" are often, but erroneously, translated as physically clean and unclean. However, these terms actually describe a state of ritual applicability in regard to fulfilling biblical commandments, such as those associated with the Temple in Jerusalem, the cultic function of Kohanim (priests), and sexual relations within a Jewish marriage. Modern Jewish authors often translate tahor and tameh as "ritually pure" and "ritually impure".
Christianity
Baptism is a Christian form of ritual purification.
The Church of England's Book of Common Prayer had liturgy for the churching of women adapted from Catholic traditions, which was a thanksgiving and purification event after birth of a child. Its use is now rare.
Islam
Islam has rituals of purification including those relating to the preparation for prayer.
- Wudhu the 'minor ablution'
- Ghusl the 'major ablution' which included Wudhu
- Tayammum the 'dry ablution' which is used when clean water is unavailable
Hinduism
Hinduism holds that bathing in the Ganges is a particularly effective form of spiritual cleansing.
Shinto
Misogi is a Shinto practice involving purification in a waterfall or other natural running water.
See also
External links
Rituals
"Ritual purification"