Why is sheretz in the folds of one s flesh not considered as tumah? It is a part of the person. In going in or out it had to or has to touch a part of the person that is not in the folds of fat. Even if he uses a cloth or tongs, the person removing would become tumah and it should touch the body of the person -- even by moving the folds of flesh for it to fall out. I do not see how he would avoid touching the sheretz.
thank you kol tuv
Elieser Halevi
Elieser,
Your point is well made. My suggestions are the following:
1) The Sheretz/Neveilah may have been inserted while wrapped in paper (or in a Shefoferes Shel Kaneh), and then the paper may be pulled off after the Sheretz was safely inside the fold of the person's body. In such an instance, it is justified to say that the person is still Tahor (until he removes the Shertz from the fold, at which point it will touch his skin, as you say, and make him Tamei.)
2) The folds we are discussing are natural folds in a person's body, such as a person's armpit (Rashi refers to "Atzil," meaning armpit and not elbow, as Rashi himself tells us in Erchin 19a DH Marpeiko, see Tosfos there), or Oso Makom, or the mouth, or folds of fat, as you mentioned. What happens if someone spreads these folds open with tongs? Do they become fit to make a person Tamei as long as they are held open? In your question, I think that you assumed that they did. However, I am not at all sure that this is so. It would appear that any part of the body which is normally hidden cannot make a person Tamei b'Maga (since it is not similar to his hands, see Gemara top of 43a and Rashi).
If so, it is obviously possible for a person to lift his arm, insert a Sheretz under the armpit, and remove it afterwards, without having the Sheretz ever touch a part of his body that is not a Beis ha'Setarim.
Be well and keep in touch
-Mordecai