This daf delves into the intricate matter of the invalidation of Challalah to marry a cohen. A challalah is a woman who either descends from a forbidden priestly marriage, such as when a Cohen marries a divorcee, or a woman who engages in such a prohibited union, like a widow who marries a Cohen Gadol. As a result, she becomes a challalah, rendering her ineligible to partake of Terumah and preventing her from marrying another Cohen in the event of widowhood.

The richness of L'shon Kodesh, the holy language, lies in its subtleties, as its words stem from a limited set of roots that are self-contained, allowing for precision and conveying deeper meanings. Gan Naul, in his introduction, addresses this linguistic uniqueness and provides an example with the terms for "Sunrise" and "Sunset," which are distinct in Talmudic and Rabbinic Hebrew but differ in Biblical Hebrew. In the latter, it is described as the "Sun Came" or the "Sun Shone" (Bereishis 15:12, 28:11, and Koheles 1:5). Gan Naul suggests that this choice of words in Biblical Hebrew accurately represents the Sun's movement as it appears to rise and set, but in reality, it merely comes and goes and shines, as there is no up or down in space.

Examining the word "Challalah," it derives from "Chillul," a term many associate with "Chillul Hashem," a desecration of God's name. But what does this truly signify? The Shoresh "Ch-L-L" means to hollow out. In modern Hebrew, outer space is called "challal," denoting a vacuum or void. In Biblical contexts, a corpse is referred to as a "Challal" because it becomes an empty vessel with its soul hollowed out (Devarim 21:1). This concept is related to a "chalil," a flute (Shemos 15:20), which is hollow; a "choleh," an ill person (Bereishis 48:1), who is "missing something"; and a "chalon," a window (Bereishis 6:16), which is essentially a hole in the wall.

This understanding deepens our appreciation of the term "Chillul Hashem." Hashem fills the world with His divine presence and energy. When we commit actions that desecrate or desanctify His presence in the world, it is as if we are hollowing it out. We make the world dead of Godliness. This is why Avraham passionately pleads to spare the people of Sodom if righteous individuals exist among them (Bereishis 18:25). He recognizes that failing to enact justice with precision would result in a "Chillul," a hollowing out, from the world of divine presence.

Returning to the term "Challalah," it is precisely fitting because it stands apart from other invalidations in lineage. In this case, it signifies the removal and hollowing out of the holiness that once resided within her and her family due to the profane act. (For a more detailed perspective on this, refer to Malbim on Vayikra 15:1.)

Hence, in the spiritual realm, as made known by the nuances of L'shon Kodesh, the world is filled with Hashem's presence, and sin is what hollows us out and deprives us of God's divine flow.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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