Everything about Ritual Cleanliness totally explained
Ritual purification is a feature of many
religions. The aim of these
rituals is to remove specifically defined
uncleanliness prior to a particular type of activity, and especially prior to the worship of a
deity. This ritual uncleanliness isn't however identical with ordinary physical impurity, such as dirt stains; nevertheless, all
body fluids are generally considered ritually unclean, and some religions have special treatment of
semen and
menses, which are viewed as particularly unclean.
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. Some writers remark that similarities between cleansing actions, engaged in by
obsessive compulsive disorder sufferers and those of religious purification rites, point to an ultimate origin of the rituals in the
personal grooming behaviour of the
primates, but others connect the rituals to primitive
taboos.
Judaism
The
Hebrew Bible has many rituals of purification relating to
menstruation,
childbirth,
sexual relations,
Keri (
Nocturnal emission),
unusual bodily fluids,
skin disease,
death, and
animal sacrifices. .Modern mainstream
Judaism is based on a combination of the Hebrew Bible and Jewish
oral law, which includes the
Mishnah and
Gemarrah (together comprising the
Talmud) in addition to other rabbinic commentaries; this oral law further specifies regulations for ritual purity, including obligations relating to
toiletary functions,
meals, and
waking. The regulations of biblical and oral law generally prescribe a form of water-based
ritual washing in Judaism for removal of any
ritual impurity, sometimes requiring just washing of the hands, and at other times requiring full immersion; the oral law requires the use of
living water for any ritual full immersion - either a natural river/stream/spring, or a special bath (a
Mikvah) which is directly connected to one.
These regulations were variously observed by the ancient
Israelites; contemporary
Orthodox Jews and (with some modifications and additional leniencies) some
Conservative Jews continue to observe the regulations, except for those tied to sacrifice in the
Temple in Jerusalem, as the Temple no longer fully exists. These groups continue to observe many of the hand washing rituals. Of those connected with full ritual immersion; perhaps the quintessential immersion rituals still carried out are those related to
nidda, according to which a menstruating woman must avoid contact with her partner, especially avoiding sexual contact, and may only resume contact after she's first immesed herself fully in a
mikvah of
living water seven days after her menstruation has ceased.
Chabad-Lubavitch and some other
Hassidic groups practice daily ritual immersion.
In December 2006 the
Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of
Conservative Judaism re-affirmed the traditional requirement that Conservative women ritually immerse following menstruation. In doing so, it adopted multiple opinions regarding details, including an opinion reaffirming traditional (Orthodox) practices and concepts, an opinion adapting certain leniencies including counting seven days from start of menstruation rather than its end, and an opinion reformulating the theological basis of the practice, basing it on concepts other than ritual purity. See the
Niddah article for details. Classical ritual immersion and associated requirements are generally not observed by
Reform Judaism or
Reconstructionist Judaism, with the exception that both generally include immersion as part of the ritual for
Conversion to Judaism, although
Reform Judaism doesn't require it.
Christianity
Baptism, as a form of ritual purification, occurs in several religions related to Judaism, and most prominently in
Christianity; Christianity also has other forms of ritual purification. In older churches, and modern
Roman Catholic churches, there are a number
lavers around the building for the laity to use as ritual symbolism of cleansing themselves, usually by dipping the fingertips in the water, and then making the
sign of the cross; in old churches a laver, often embedded in the wall, exists for the priest to wash their hands in during the rituals of the
Eucharist, and to pour any excess Eucharistic wine onto natural earth, to which the outflows of these lavers connect.
Mediaeval Christianity also adhered to the biblical regulation requiring the purification of women after childbirth; this practice, was adapted into a special
churching of women ritual, for which there exists liturgy in the
Church of England's
Book of Common Prayer, but its use is now rare.
High church, Roman Catholic, and
Eastern Orthodox Christians are also traditionally required to regularly attend
confession, as a form of ritual purification from
sin, especially before accepting the
Eucharist.
Islam
Islamic ritual purification is particularly centred on the preparation for
ritual prayer; theoretically ritual purification would remain valid throughout the day, but is treated as invalid on the occurrence of certain acts, such as sleep, contact with the opposite gender, unnconsciousness, and the emission of blood, semen, or
vomit. According to
Ibn Hazm (994-1064), who has discussed the subject in detail, there isn't a single verse of the
Qur'an nor any authentic hadith stating that a state of ritual purity is a pre-requisite for touching the Qur'an; however, all the schools of thought universally agree that ritual purity is preferable prior to contact with the book.
Ritual purification takes the form of ablution, in a
lesser form, and
greater form, depending on the circumstance; the greater form is obligatory by a woman after she ceases menstruation, on a corpse that didn't die during battle, and after sexual activity, and is optionally used on other occasions, for example just prior to Friday prayers, or entering
ihram. An alternative
dry ablution, involving clean sand or earth, is used if clean water isn't available or if suffering from an illness which would be worsened by the use of water; this form is invalidated in the same circumstances as the other forms, and also whenever water becomes available and safe to use.
The
obligatory activities of the lesser form include washing of the feet arms and head, while some
optional acts also exist such as recitation of the
Basmala, recitation of the
Shahadah, and/or
brushing of the teeth; the greater form includes the acts of the lesser form, as well as ensuring that the entire body is washed. Many details of Islamic ritual purification vary between as well as between the different
divisions of Islam and between the
different schools of thought within each division.
The Bahá'í Faith
In the
Bahá'í Faith, ritual purification is particularly centred on the preparation for ritual prayer; specifically, ritual purification is required before performing any of the
Obligatory Prayers, and prior to the daily practise of reciting the
Greatest Name 95 times. Menstruating women are obliged to pray and fast, but have the alternative of reciting a verse; if the latter choice is taken, ritual purification is required before the recital.
Ritual purification takes the form of ablution, involving the washing of the hands and face, as well as, in the case of the
medium obligatory prayer, reciting certain verses; the ritual purpose of the ablution is evident in the requirement that it still be carried out by an individual even if they'd had (non-ritually) bathed themselves immediately beforehand. Note 34 of the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas offers an alternative to ablution in the case when clean water isn't available or when suffering from an illness which would be worsened by the use of water; this form involves a specific verse being recited five times.
Hinduism
Various traditions within
Hinduism follow different standards of ritual purity and purification; in
Smartism, for example, the attitude to ritual purity is similar to that in Orthodox Judaism. Within each tradition the more orthodox groups follow stricter rules, but the strictest rules are generally prescribed for
brahmins, especially those engaged in the temple worship.
An important part of ritual purification in Hinduism is the bathing of the entire body, particularly in rivers considered holy such as the
Ganges; it's is considered auspicious to perform this form of purification before any festival, and it's also practised after the death of someone, in order to maintain purity. Although water pollution means that in modern times there's a need for care during bathing in such rivers, the physical impurities within the river don't diminish the attributed power they've to bring ritual purity. Lesser aspects of Hindu purification ritual include
achamana - the touching and sipping of pure water while reciting specific
mantras - and the application of a
tilaka on the forehead.
In the ritual known as
abhisheka (Sanskrit, "sprinkling; ablution"), the deity's
murthi or image is ritually bathed with water, curd, milk, honey, ghee, rosewater, etc. Abhisheka is also a special form of
puja prescribed by
Agamic injunction. The act is also performed in the inauguration of religious and political monarchs and for other special blessings.
Shinto
In
Shinto, the main form of ritual purification is
Misogi, which involves natural running water, and especially waterfalls. Rather than being entirely naked, men usually wear
Japanese loincloths, and women wear
kimonos, both additionally wearing headbands.
Indigenous American religions
In the traditions of many
Indigenous peoples of the Americas, one of the forms of ritual purification is the ablutionary use of a
sauna, known as a
sweatlodge, as preparation for a variety of other ceremonies. The burning of
smudge sticks is also believed by some indigenous groups to cleanse an area of any evil presence.
Kalash people
Kalash theology has very strong notions of purity and impurity. Menstruation is confirmation of women's impurity and when their periods begin they must leave their homes and enter the village menstrual building or "bashaleni". Only after undergoing a purification ceremony restoring their purity can they return home and rejoin village life. The husband is an active participant in this ritual.
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