In the Torah, the penalty for eating or touching something unclean is that you’re not allowed to visit the temple or associate with people until the time passes where what was touched or consumed is no longer a risk to those around you.
It wasn’t permanent condemnation.
I was just thinking/wondering... isn’t there some kind of purification ritual the traumatized guy can do?
I knew a lady who was in AA for many years. Hadn’t touched a drink. Went to the ballgame, for some reason she offered to get us beers and hot dogs. One of the beers spilled a drop on her arm and with her hands full to she proceeded to lick it off. It was an “ooops” moment for her. She had to call her sponsor and go to an AA meeting to get blessed that it was OK and she didn’t lose her sobriety coin.