Ritual purification

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Ritual purification is a feature of many religions. The aim of these rituals is to remove uncleanliness specifically defined for a particular type of spiritual activity, especially the worship of God. This uncleanliness is not however identical with ordinary physical impurity (like dirt stains). Most of these rituals existed long before the germ theory of disease and figure prominently from the earliest known religious systems of the Ancient Near East.

In general, all body fluids are considered unclean and some religions have special treatment of semen and menses which are viewed as particularly unclean.

Some suggested similarities between the cleansing actions engaged in by obsessive compulsive disorder sufferers and those of religious purification rites, pointing to an ultimate origin of the rituals in personal grooming behaviour of the primates. The difference is that the first ones indulge in their cleansing without any relation to a particular religious function or a spiritual activity.

1 Judaism
2 Christianity
3 Islam
4 Hinduism
5 Shinto
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] Judaism

See Tevilah.

The Hebrew Bible has many rituals of purification relating to menstruation, childbirth, sexual relations, disease, and animal sacrifices. The sacrificial laws were observed by the ancient Israelites. Contemporary Orthodox Jews observe those laws which are not tied to sacrifice in the Temple in Jerusalem.

Judaism is based on the Hebrew Bible as viewed through the oral law, including the Mishnah and Gemarrah, which together comprise the Talmud, in addition to other rabbinic commentary. 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 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 woman counts seven days before immersing herself in a mikvah, at which time sexual relations between man and wife can 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".

[edit] Christianity

Baptism is a Christian is a form of ritual purification. Catholic and Orthodox Christians are supposed to go to confession, especially before accepting the Eucharist.

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.

[edit] Islam

Islam has rituals of purification including those relating to the preparation for prayer.

Wudhu the 'minor ablution'
Ghusl the 'major ablution' which includes Wudhu
Tayammum the 'dry ablution' which is used when clean water is unavailable
Matzuun the "eating ablution" which is when a muslim partakes in eating the ritual unleavened bread after a fecal emission.

[edit] Hinduism

Various traditions within Hinduism follow different standards of ritual purity and purification and within each tradition the more orthodox follow more strict rules. The most strict rules are prescribed for brahmins, especially those engaged in the temple worship. Smarta attitude is very similar to the Orthodox Jewish one.

Important part of ritual purification is a full bath, best in the running water of a holy river like Ganges, followed by achamana (touching and sipping pure water with recitation of specific mantras) and application of tilaka accompanied by recitation of specific mantras.

In modern times characterized by water pollution one has to be careful while bathing in some rivers, although their ritual cleansing power is not diminished by any physical impurity.