In this week's Parsha Emor we read about the prohibition of Kohanim becoming defiled by an (impure) corpse. It is worth trying to understand why in fact does a corpse become impure? We find other types of spiritual impurity as well and I believe one underlying theme is that when someone or something has potential and that potential doesn't come to fruition or is destroyed, then spiritual impurity resides on that person or thing. The potential may be lost intentionally or due to uncontrollable circumstances but once the potential no longer exists then impurity resides. 

After death when the neshama leaves the body the body is left without any more potential, spiritual impurity therefore befalls the body. There is a very strong message as we look to the potential each and everyone of us has in life. Life in itself provides us potential but on a more specific level we are all given certain gifts and potential from Hashem. If we don't use these gifts and the potential we have in the proper way then we will in a sense bring upon ourselves a level of spiritual impurity. 

True life is when we use these gifts and potential and don't squander them. This I believe is alluded to in the words of our Sages that the "wicked even in life are considered dead", even though they are technically living, they misuse their potential and in a spiritual sense are dead.

May these words be a merit for a speedy recovery for Miriam bas Gitel

Shabbat Shalom,