Separate from Impurities

A point often overlooked in פרשת נשא, is the quarantine placed on the ritually unclean. The Torah speaks of the טמא מת, one who had come in contact with the dead. It speaks of the זב, a man with a private infection that oozes puss. And it also speaks of the מצורע, the leper. The camp in the desert had three levels. There was the מחנה שכינה, where the Mishkan was placed. This was followed by the מחנה לויה, where the Levite families lived. The third camp was מחנה ישראל, where the twelve tribes set their tents. The quarantine of the טמא מת was that he had to remain outside the מחנה שכינה. The זב had to remain outside the מחנה לויה as well. The מצורע had to remain outside all three camps because his condition was due to his sinful behavior. The separation from others was meant to give time to contemplate their condition and correct themselves. The message here is clear in that we are to separate from the impure and surround ourselves with positive, upbeat people. Negative influences only bring us down and get us off track from our connection to holiness and service of Hashem.