Parshas Chukas
“And the pure must sprinkle on the impure on the third day and on the seventh day!” (Bamidbar 19:19)
It is a positive commandment that we have been commanded about the laws of the “Mei niddah”, which are the waters of sprinkling; spring water mixed with the ashes of the red cow, which are used to sprinkle on the impure people. It is called “Niddah” because that refers to throwing as in the verse “And they threw a stone at me!”.
Amongst the laws of this commandment are that which Chazal said that the water needs to be drawn from moving spring or river water. The sprinkling of this water is called by Chazal “Sprinkling the sin offering’s water”, and the water itself is called in the verse “Mei niddah”.
This commandment applies when the temple was standing, both to men and to women. All of the above need sprinkling if they became impure through a dead body, to be able to enter the temple or eat from the offerings. One who transgresses this and does not accept sprinkling etc., has transgressed this commandment.
