Purity (Taharah)

Taharah is ritual purity and contrasts to tumah, ritual impurity. While the Temples stood, one needed to be in a state of ritual purity to enter the Temple and offer a sacrifice. To attain such a status, depending on the nature of the impurity contracted, the purification process may have entailed a waiting period, sprinkling with the ashes of a red heifer, and immersion in a mikveh. Purity and impurity are the focus of Seder Toharot. While most of these laws are no longer observed in the absence of the Temple, some still are.