יום ד Date: 7 Tishrei, 5774 (10/1/14) – Chagigah#23 {Tani}

A Little Spittle

[23a bottom] Gemarah: A tube [that was cleansed in a Mikvah (ritual bath) and made pure to be used in the preparation of the Parah Adumah (red cow)’s ashes] could become Tamei (impure) if an Am Haaretz (ignoramus jew)’s spittle landed on the tube and it was still moist as the tube was being made.

T’s Lesson: We must be uber careful in our observance of our Mitzvos because even the slightest action could render the whole process invalid. Just as the spittle of an Am Haaretz could make Tamei the tube involved in this big Mitzvah of Parah Adumah, so too our thoughts and actions can get in the way of our Mitzvah observance (G-d forbid), if we are not careful and scrupulous in our observance.