Wolf, so why can’t I call newspaper tumah as in a noun form?
I call the newspaper itself tumah.
How would you call an idol, for example. Can I say an idol is tumah or do I say it is tamei?
Now you’re conflating two different concepts.
In the legal, halachic sense, a newspaper or an idol may not be tamei at all. It depends if it contracted tumah from an external source. There is nothing about an idol or a newspaper that, intrinsically, makes it tamei in the strict halachic sense.
However, you’re using “tumah” in more of a hashkafic sense, to mean improper and something you wouldn’t want to be around. In that respect, I suppose anything can be tamei.
Nonetheless, to get back to your point… items aren’t tumah. Tumah isn’t something you can touch or feel. It’s a spiritual, halachic and legal construct that is the “contamination” (yes, it’s a terrible translation, but I don’t have a better word off the top of my head) that “contaminates” various items, foods and peoples.
As such, an idol is not tumah. Nothing can be “tumah.” It’s may be tamei and a source of tumah.
If I need to say an idol is tamei and not tumah, then I think we can say inanimate objects are not tumah, but rather they are tamei, they transmit tumah.
That’s almost 100% correct. The only minor point is that some items may, in fact, be tamei but not able to trasmit tumah. But aside from that minor point, you’re 100% correct there.
As far as I know a mes is tumah and a Jew can be tumah as well (and if my recollection serves me well, so can a shoretz).
NO NO NO NO NO.
A dead body is TAMEI. It is a source of TUMAH.
A person can become TAMEI. He can also be a source of further TUMAH, but he is not TUMAH.
A dead sheretz can be TAMEI (depending on the species). It can be a source of TUMAH, but it is not TUMAH.
Again, “TUMAH” is strictly a spiritual construct. It cannot be touched.
Oh and thanks for giving me permision to carry on.
You don’t need my permission. It’s just an expression.
The Wolf