Leaning In

The Gemorah in Zevachim 32b derives from a hekesh in the 4^th possuk in this week’s parsha, בכל קדש לא תגע ואל המקדש לא תבא that there is a hekesh between touching kodesh to entering the mikdash.  Just as when part of a person’s body touches kodesh it makes it tameh, so too it is prohibited for a person to enter even just part of his body in to the mikdash when he is tamah.  According to this view you have to understand the process of taharah for a metzorah where he puts his hand and foot into the mikdash to have oil put on it is a special heter based upon the possuk.  The Rambam (Beass Mikdash 3:18) rules that when one partially enters the mikdash there is a punishment of makkot mardut.  The נו"כ are bothered why is there makkot mardut, there should either be Torah lashes or no lashes depending on what you hold regarding a partial entering of the mikdash? The Steipler (Zevachim #24) explains that the Rambam rules that its not considered to be entering the mikdash.  However, there is another prohibition of bringing tumah into the mikdash (see ibid 3:15) and that would be prohibited even here.  So why is there no punishment of lashes from a Torah law?  He explains that the prohibition applies only to a full object so part of a person wouldn’t be prohibited but there is a prohibition of חצי שיעור and that will make the person liable for makkot mardut.

Rav Elchonen Wasserman (Kovetz Hu’arot #19) presents two ways to understand this law.  Either we can understand that the prohibition applies even to just part of a person’s body or we can view a partial entering as if there was a complete entrance into the mikdash.  See the Steipler (ibid) that proves its viewed as if the entire person entered the mikdash.