The Sikh Rehat Maryada states:
ਠ) ਤਨਖਾਹੀਏ ਇਹ ਹਨ:-
- ਮੀਣੇ, ਮਸੰਦ, ਧੀਰਮੱਲੀਏ, ਰਾਮਰਾਈਏ, ਆਦਿਕ ਪੰਥ ਵਿਰੋਧੀਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਜਾਂ ਨੜੀ ਮਾਰ, ਕੁੜੀ ਮਾਰ, ਸਿਰਗੁੰਮ ਨਾਲ ਵਰਤਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਤਨਖਾਹੀਆ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ |
- ਬੇ-ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੀਏ ਜਾਂ ਪਤਿਤ ਦਾ ਜੂਠਾ ਖਾਣ ਵਾਲਾ |
- ਦਾਹੜਾ ਰੰਗਣ ਵਾਲਾ |
- ਪੁੱਤਰ ਜਾਂ ਧੀ ਦਾ ਸਾਕ ਮੁੱਲ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਜਾਂ ਦੇ ਕੇ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ |
- ਕੋਈ ਨਸ਼ਾ(ਭੰਗ,ਅਫੀਮ,ਸ਼ਰਾਬ,ਪੋਸਤ,ਕੁਕੀਨ ਆਦਿ) ਵਰਤਣ ਵਾਲਾ |
- ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਤੋਂ ਵਿਰੁੱਧ ਕੋਈ ਸੰਸਕਾਰ ਕਰਨ ਕਰਾਉਣ ਵਾਲਾ |
- ਰਹਿਤ ਵਿਚ ਕੋਈ ਭੁੱਲ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ |
q. The following are Tankhaahias (individuals liable for religious disciplinary action involving automatic social boycott):
- Anyone maintaining relations or communion with Meene, Masand, followers of Dheermal or Ram-Rai, or any other anti-Panthic individuals or groups, Narhee-maar (users of tobacco), Kurhee-maar (those who kill or abort their daughter), and Sirgum (one who cuts their hair).
- One who eats the jootth of (i.e. food contaminated by) a non-Amritdhari or Patit (fallen Sikh)
- One who dyes their beard
- One who marries their son or daughter in exchange for financial gain
- Users of intoxicants (hemp, opium, liquor, narcotics, bhang (marijuana), etc.)
- One holds any ceremonies against Gurmat
- One who [knowingly] makes any mistake in Rehat.
ਜੂਠ (jooth) refers to something that is contaminated or lost its purity (i.e. polluted) through contact. Gurbani defines jooth comes from when one turns their face away from God, i.e. doesn’t follow the instructions of God:
ਸਲੋਕ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ || ਜੂਠਿ ਨ ਰਾਗੀਂ ਜੂਠਿ ਨ ਵੇਦੀਂ ||
ਜੂਠਿ ਨ ਚੰਦ ਸੂਰਜ ਕੀ ਭੇਦੀ || ਜੂਠਿ ਨ ਅੰਨੀ ਜੂਠਿ ਨ ਨਾਈ ||
ਜੂਠਿ ਨ ਮੀਹੁ ਵਰ੍ਹਿਐ ਸਭ ਥਾਈ || ਜੂਠਿ ਨ ਧਰਤੀ ਜੂਠਿ ਨ ਪਾਣੀ ||
ਜੂਠਿ ਨ ਪਉਣੈ ਮਾਹਿ ਸਮਾਣੀ || ਨਾਨਕ ਨਿਗੁਰਿਆ ਗੁਣੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਕੋਇ ||
ਮੁਹਿ ਫੇਰਿਐ ਮੁਹੁ ਜੂਠਾ ਹੋਇ ||੧||
“Impurity (jooth) does not come from music; impurity does not come from the Vedas. Impurity does not come from the phases of the sun and the moon. Impurity does not come from food; impurity does not come from ritual cleansing baths. Impurity does not come from the rain, which falls everywhere. Impurity does not come from the earth; impurity does not come from the water. Impurity does not come from the air which is diffused everywhere. O Nanak, the one who has no Guru, has no redeeming virtues at all. Impurity comes from turning one's face away from God. ||1||”
“Impurity (jooth) does not come from music; impurity does not come from the Vedas. Impurity does not come from the phases of the sun and the moon. Impurity does not come from food; impurity does not come from ritual cleansing baths. Impurity does not come from the rain, which falls everywhere. Impurity does not come from the earth; impurity does not come from the water. Impurity does not come from the air which is diffused everywhere. O Nanak, the one who has no Guru, has no redeeming virtues at all. Impurity comes from turning one's face away from God. ||1||”
(Saarang M:1, 1240)
According to Gurbani, the only way to become purified from jooth is receive the Shabad from the Guru, i.e. become initiated on to the path of Naam.
ਮਨਿ ਜੂਠੈ ਤਨਿ ਜੂਠਿ ਹੈ ਜਿਹਵਾ ਜੂਠੀ ਹੋਇ ||
ਮੁਖਿ ਝੂਠੈ ਝੂਠੁ ਬੋਲਣਾ ਕਿਉ ਕਰਿ ਸੂਚਾ ਹੋਇ ||
ਬਿਨੁ ਅਭ ਸਬਦ ਨ ਮਾਂਜੀਐ ਸਾਚੇ ਤੇ ਸਚੁ ਹੋਇ ||੧||
“If the mind is polluted, then the body is polluted, and the tongue is polluted as well. With false mouths, people speak falsehood. How can they be made pure? Without the Holy Water of the Shabad (i.e. Amrit), they are not cleansed. From the True One alone comes Truth. ||1||”
“If the mind is polluted, then the body is polluted, and the tongue is polluted as well. With false mouths, people speak falsehood. How can they be made pure? Without the Holy Water of the Shabad (i.e. Amrit), they are not cleansed. From the True One alone comes Truth. ||1||”
(Siree Raag M:1, 55)
For the above reasons, in Amrit Sanchaars, the Panj Piaare say: ‘ਖਾਲਸੇ ਦੀ ਰੋਟੀ ਬੇਟੀ ਦੀ ਸਾਂਝ ਖਾਲਸੇ ਨਾਲ ਹੈ |’ “The Khalsa keeps the relation of food and marriage within the Khalsa,” which has been passed down in oral Rehat. The company we keep and our diet has a direct effect on our mind. It is common saying that “ਜੈਸੀ ਸੰਗਤ, ਤੈਸੀ ਰੰਗਤ” (“a company one keeps, rubs off on on”) and “ਜੈਸਾ ਅੰਨ, ਤੈਸਾ ਮੰਨ” (“You are what you eat”). It is noteworthy that although a Gursikh does not eat any cooked or prepared foods from someone who doesn't practice Rehat, this does not apply to raw ingredients that can be washed and eaten. The core idea is to have food prepared by practitioners of Naam dedicated to the Guru's Code of Conduct that has been infused with Gurbani and Naam. The purity of the ingredients is something we should strive for, but there will never be perfection.
A Gursikh strives to live in spiritual purity and become spiritually pure. Spiritual purity only comes from obeying the Guru and joining with Naam. Therefore, to aid one in their spiritual progress, a Gursikh avoids contact via food or marriage with someone who has not obeyed the Guru by taking Amrit and follow the Khalsa way of life. This wisdom or ability to recognise what is good and bad for one’s spirituality, is called ‘Bibek’. Whilst mixing with the world on a practical level and sharing love and compassion for all, Guru Ji wants his Khalsa to remain distinct and unique.
Gurbani says:
ਸੋ ਜਨੁ ਰਲਾਇਆ ਨਾ ਰਲੈ ਜਿਸੁ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਬਿਬੇਕ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ||੨||
“Those humble beings who are filled with keen understanding and meditative contemplation-even though they intermingle with others, they remain distinct. ||2||”
(Siree Raag M:3, 28)
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