"... Chapter 15 regulates behavior following normal and abnormal discharges of men and women. It calls them “impure.” Should we understand “impure” in a ritualistic sense, or may we interpret it as “unclean” and “unhealthy”? There is certainly a ritualistic element, since these conditions restrict the individual from approaching the Sanctuary. But is one of the underlying rationales for the commands—perhaps the principal reason—a health measure? In the appendix, we show that Maimonides felt that all four bodily discharges mentioned in this chapter are “possible sources of dirt and filth.” He mentioned several other benefits of the ritual restrictions produced by these conditions, all practical, designed to make life easier and more enjoyable. Is this the view of the Onkelos targumist? As we have frequently seen, our translator set his mind solely on giving the general public the simple meaning of the divine text in a language they understood. As interesting as our question may be, it was not on his agenda. In fact, in rendering verse 33, he could have translated davah literally as “illness,” as Radak did, and reflected Maimonides’ understanding, but he chose instead to use the biblical term “impure,” since this was the way the Bible called the conditions in all the other verses ..."