ב"ה
Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
Tum'at Tsara'at - Chapter 16
Tum'at Tsara'at - Chapter 16
1A blemished house is a primary source of impurity.1 Anyone who touches it contracts impurity. Similarly, the stones that are removed from it after it was isolated or the stones, the wood, and the mortar of the house when it is destroyed are all considered as primary sources of impurity.אבַּיִת הַמְּנֻגָּע - אָב מֵאֲבוֹת הַטֻּמְאוֹת, כָּל הַנּוֹגֵעַ בּוֹ נִטְמָא. וְכֵן אֲבָנִים שֶׁחוֹלְצִין מִמֶּנּוּ אַחַר הֶסְגֵּר, אוֹ אֲבָנִים וְעֵצִים וְעָפָר שֶׁל בַּיִת כְּשֶׁנּוֹתְצִין אוֹתוֹ - כֻּלָּן אֲבוֹת הַטֻּמְאוֹת.
An olive-sized portion of them imparts impurity to a person and to implements when touched or carried or when such a substance is brought into a house. What is implied? If an olive-sized portion of such a substance is brought into a house, everything in the house—people and implements—contract impurity. For all these substances impart impurity when brought into a house like a person afflicted with tzara’at2 and it is forbidden to benefit from all of them.וְכָל כְּזַיִת מֵהֶם, מְטַמֵּא אָדָם וְכֵלִים בַּמַּגָּע וּבַמַּשָּׂא וּבַבִּיאָה. כֵּיצַד? אִם נִכְנַס כְּזַיִת מֵהֶן לְבַיִת טָהוֹר, נִטְמָא כָּל אֲשֶׁר בַּבַּיִת מֵאָדָם וְכֵלִים - שֶׁכֻּלָּן מְטַמְּאִין בַּבִּיאָה כְּאָדָם מְצֹרָע. וְכֻלָּן אֲסוּרִין בַּהֲנָאָה.
If one burns them and makes lime, it is forbidden to benefit from it, as implied by Leviticus 14:44: “accursed tzara’at,” which can be interpreted as a command: “Consider it a curse and do not benefit from it.”3 All these materials should be discarded outside the city even if it is not surrounded by a wall.וְאִם שְׂרָפָן וְעָשָׂה מֵהֶן סִיד, הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר בַּהֲנָאָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "צָרַעַת מַמְאֶרֶת" - תֵּן בּוֹ מְאֵרָה, וְאַל תֵּהָנֶה בּוֹ. וְכֻלָּן מְשַׁלְּחִין אוֹתָן חוּץ לָעִיר, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָהּ מֻקֶּפֶת חוֹמָה.
2A house that is isolated imparts impurity only from the inside, as Leviticus 14:46 states: “One who enters the house throughout the days of its isolation shall become impure until the evening.”בבַּיִת מֻסְגָּר אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא אֶלָּא מִתּוֹכוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהַבָּא אֶל הַבַּיִת כָּל יְמֵי הִסְגִּיר אֹתוֹ, יִטְמָא עַד הָעָרֶב".
A house that has been deemed definitively impure, by contrast, imparts impurity from its inside and from its outside, i.e., one who touches its back contracts impurity, as implied by ibid. :44 : “It is accursed tzara’at in the house; it is impure.” Now was it pure beforehand?4 Rather, the intent is to increase its impurity over and above that which existed previously and have it deemed impure in its entirety. Hence, it imparts impurity even from the outside.אֲבָל הַמֻּחְלָט - מְטַמֵּא מִתּוֹכוֹ וּמֵאֲחוֹרָיו, שֶׁהַנּוֹגֵעַ בּוֹ מֵאֲחוֹרָיו טָמֵא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "צָרַעַת מַמְאֶרֶת בַּבַּיִת, טָמֵא הוּא" - וְכִי טָהוֹר הָיָה? אֶלָּא לְהוֹסִיף לוֹ טֻמְאָה עַל טֻמְאָתוֹ, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כֻלּוֹ טָמֵא וִיטַמֵּא מֵאֲחוֹרָיו.
Similarly, the stones on which the blemish is found in an isolated house impart impurity from their outside as well.וְכֵן אֲבָנִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶן הַנֶּגַע בַּמֻּסְגָּר, מְטַמְּאִין מֵאֲחוֹרֵיהֶן.
3Both a house that is isolated and one that is deemed definitively impure impart impurity when they exist inside another structure.גאֶחָד הַמֻּסְגָּר וְהַמֻּחְלָט מְטַמֵּא בַּבִּיאָה.
What is implied? When there was a house built over a blemished house5 —whether one that was isolated or one that was deemed definitively impure—or there was a tree that stood over such a house, a person who stands under the tree or who enters the outer house is impure. The rationale is that he and the impure house are under one covering.כֵּיצַד? בַּיִת שֶׁהָיָה מֵסֵךְ עַל גַּבֵּי בַּיִת מְנֻגָּע, בֵּין מֻחְלָט בֵּין מֻסְגָּר, אוֹ אִילָן שֶׁהוּא מֵסֵךְ עָלָיו - הָעוֹמֵד תַּחַת הָאִילָן אוֹ הַנִּכְנָס לַבַּיִת הַחִיצוֹן, טָמֵא; שֶׁהֲרֵי הוּא וְהַבַּיִת הַטָּמֵא תַּחַת אֹהֶל אֶחָד.
Similarly, if a blemished stone was brought inside a structure and placed down there, everything in the house because impure. If such a stone was placed under a tree and pure person passed there, he becomes impure.וְכֵן אֶבֶן מְנֻגַּעַת הַנִּכְנֶסֶת לָאֹהֶל וְהֻנְּחָה שָׁם - נִטְמָא כָּל אֲשֶׁר בָּאֹהֶל. הָיְתָה מֻנַּחַת תַּחַת הָאִילָן, וְהַטָּהוֹר עוֹבֵר - נִטְמָא.
If the pure person was standing under a tree6 and a person carrying a blemished stone passed by there, he does not contract impurity.7הָיָה הַטָּהוֹר עוֹמֵד תַּחַת הָאִילָן, וְעָבַר אָדָם בְּאֶבֶן מְנֻגַּעַת - לֹא טִמְּאָהוּ.
If he placed it down there, he does contract impurity. The rationale is that the place of a blemished entity has the same status as he does. This applies to blemished persons, implements,8 stones, wood, and mortar.וְאִם הִנִּיחָהּ שָׁם - טִמְּאָהוּ; שֶׁמּוֹשַׁב הַמְּנֻגָּע כָּמוֹהוּ, בֵּין אָדָם בֵּין כֵּלִים, בֵּין אֲבָנִים וְעֵצָיו וַעֲפָרוֹ.
4When a person holds his hand over a blemished stone or a blemished stone is held over him, he is pure unless he touches it.9דהַמַּאֲהִיל בְּיָדוֹ עַל אֶבֶן מְנֻגַּעַת, אוֹ שֶׁהֶאֱהִילָה עָלָיו - טָהוֹר, עַד שֶׁיִּגַּע.
5When a ritually pure person enters an impure house backwards,10 even if his entire body enters aside from his nose, he remains pure.11 This is derived from Leviticus 14:46 which mentions: “The one who comes into the house.” Implied is that the Torah prescribed impurity only when one enters in an ordinary manner.הטָהוֹר שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְבַיִת מְנֻגָּע דֶּרֶךְ אֲחוֹרָיו, אֲפִלּוּ נִכְנַס כֻּלּוֹ חוּץ מֵחָטְמוֹ - טָהוֹר; שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהַבָּא אֶל הַבַּיִת", דֶּרֶךְ בִּיאָה טִמְּאָה תוֹרָה.
6When a ritually pure person inserted his head and the majority of his body into an impure house, he contracts impurity.12וטָהוֹר שֶׁהִכְנִיס רֹאשׁוֹ וְרֻבּוֹ לְבַיִת טָמֵא, נִטְמָא.
Similarly, when a portion of a ritually pure garment three fingerbreadths by three fingerbreadths13 is brought into an impure house, it becomes impure.וְכֵן טַלִּית טְהוֹרָה שֶׁהִכְנִיס מִמֶּנָּה שָׁלֹשׁ עַל שָׁלֹשׁ לְבַיִת טָמֵא, נִטְמֵאת.
And when any portion of the inner space of an earthenware container enters an impure house, it becomes impure.14וְכֵן כְּלִי חֶרֶס שֶׁהִכְנִיס אֲוִירוֹ לְבַיִת טָמֵא, נִטְמָא.
Other keilim, by contrast, do not contract impurity unless the majority of the k’li is brought in. Once the majority is brought in, it contracts impurity immediately.אֲבָל שְׁאָר כֵּלִים, עַד שֶׁיַּכְנִיס רֹב הַכֵּלִים; מִשֶּׁיַּכְנִיס רֻבּוֹ, נִטְמָא מִיָּד.
When does the above apply? To garments15 that were taken into a house when no one was wearing them.בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בְּכֵלִים שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ חֲלוּצִין.
If, however, a Jewish person entered a blemished house wearing his clothes, his shoes on his feet, and his rings on his hands, the person becomes impure immediately and his garments are pure until he remains there for the amount of time a person could sit there and eat three egg-sized portions of bread from wheat16 together with accompanying food,17 as implied by Leviticus 14:47: “One who lies in the house will launder his garments18 and one who eats in the house will launder his garments.” Now would one think that a person’s garments do not contract impurity until he eats in the blemished house? Instead, the intent of the verse mentioning eating is to establish an equation between eating and lying, to clarify that the measure of time necessary for one who lies there to contract impurity is the measure of time associated with eating.אֲבָל אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְבַיִת מְנֻגָּע וְהוּא לָבוּשׁ בִּבְגָדָיו, וְסַנְדָּלָיו בְּרַגְלָיו, וְטַבְּעוֹתָיו בְּיָדָיו - הֲרֵי הָאָדָם טָמֵא מִיָּד; וּבְגָדָיו טְהוֹרִים, עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁהֶה שָׁם כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּסֵב אָדָם וְיֹאכַל כְּשָׁלֹשׁ בֵּיצִים פַּת חִטִּים בְּלִפְתָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהַשֹּׁכֵב בַּבַּיִת יְכַבֵּס אֶת בְּגָדָיו, וְהָאֹכֵל בַּבַּיִת יְכַבֵּס אֶת בְּגָדָיו" - וְכִי תַּעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ שֶׁאֵין בְּגָדָיו מִטַּמְּאִין עַד שֶׁיֹּאכַל שָׁם? אֶלָּא לִתֵּן שִׁעוּר לַשּׁוֹכֵב כָּאוֹכֵל.
And the same laws apply to one who lies, one who sits, or one who stands. If he remains there for long enough to eat the above-mentioned measure of food, his garments contract impurity.וְאֶחָד הַשּׁוֹכֵב אוֹ הַיּוֹשֵׁב אוֹ הָעוֹמֵד - אִם שָׁהָה כְּדֵי לֶאֱכוֹל שִׁעוּר אֲכִילָה הָאֲמוּרָה, נִטְמְאוּ בְגָדָיו.
7When a person entered an afflicted house carrying his garments on his shoulder, his shoe and his rings in his hands, he and they are impure immediately, for the only garments that are saved from becoming impure immediately are the garments that he is wearing.זמִי שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְבַיִת מְנֻגָּע, וְכֵלָיו עַל כְּתֵפָיו, וְסַנְדָּלוֹ וְטַבַּעְתּוֹ בְּכַפָּיו - הוּא וְהֵן טְמֵאִין מִיָּד; שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַצִּיל מִלִּטַּמֵּא מִיָּד אֶלָּא כֵּלִים שֶׁהוּא לָבוּשׁ בָּהֶן.
Similarly, when a gentile or an animal entered an afflicted house while wearing garments, the garments contract impurity immediately.19וְכֵן הַגּוֹי וְהַבְּהֵמָה שֶׁהָיוּ לְבוּשִׁין בְּכֵלִים, וְנִכְנְסוּ לַבַּיִת הַמְּנֻגָּע - נִטְמְאוּ הַכֵּלִים מִיָּד.
The gentile, like the animal, does not contract impurity.20אֲבָל הַגּוֹי אֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה, כַּבְּהֵמָה.
8When a person who was standing in a blemished house extended his hands outside the house21 while wearing his rings on his hands, the rings contract impurity even though they are outside the house if he remains there for the amount of time necessary to eat the measure of food mentioned.22חמִי שֶׁהָיָה עוֹמֵד בְּבַיִת מְנֻגָּע, וּפָשַׁט יָדָיו חוּץ לַבַּיִת, וְטַבְּעוֹתָיו בְּיָדָיו - אִם שָׁהָה כְּדֵי אֲכִילַת הַשִּׁעוּר, נִטְמְאוּ הַטַּבָּעוֹת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵם בַּחוּץ.
Similarly, if a person is standing outside and he inserted his hands inside an afflicted house, his hands alone contract impurity.23וְכֵן הָעוֹמֵד בַּחוּץ, וּפָשַׁט יָדָיו לְבַיִת מְנֻגָּע - נִטְמְאוּ יָדָיו בִּלְבָד מִיָּד.
If he kept them there for the amount of time necessary to eat the measure of food mentioned, his rings contract impurity. If not, they are pure.וְאִם נִשְׁתָּהוּ שָׁם כְּדֵי אֲכִילַת הַשִּׁעוּר - נִטְמְאוּ טַבְּעוֹתָיו, וְאִם לָאו - טְהוֹרוֹת.
9Whenever the contents of a container are saved from contracting impurity because of a sealed covering under a shelter where a corpse is found,24 they are saved from contracting impurity in an afflicted house, when the container is covered.25טכָּל הַמַּצִּיל בְּצָמִיד פָּתִיל בְּאֹהֶל הַמֵּת, מַצִּיל מְכֻסֶּה בְּבַיִת מְנֻגָּע.
Whenever the contents of a container are saved from contracting impurity because they are covered in a shelter where a corpse is found,26 they remain pure even if they are uncovered in an afflicted house.וְכָל הַמַּצִּיל מְכֻסֶּה בְּאֹהֶל הַמֵּת, אֲפִלּוּ הָיָה מְגֻלֶּה בַּבַּיִת הַמְּנֻגָּע - הֲרֵי זֶה טָהוֹר.
What is implied? When there are earthenware, stone, or earthen27 containers or the like containing food, beverages, and implements and they were covered in an afflicted house, the containers and everything they contain remain pure even though they are not sealed close.כֵּיצַד? כְּלֵי חֶרֶס אוֹ כְּלֵי אֲבָנִים וּכְלֵי אֲדָמָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהֶן, שֶׁהָיוּ אֹכָלִין וּמַשְׁקִין וְכֵלִים בְּתוֹכָן, וְהָיוּ מְכֻסִּין בַּבַּיִת הַמְּנֻגָּע, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָן מֻקָּפִין צָמִיד פָּתִיל - הֵן וְכָל מַה שֶּׁבְּתוֹכָן טָהוֹר.
When there is either a storage pit or a cistern28 in an afflicted house, the implements in them are pure, even though they are open.הַבּוֹר וְהַדּוּת שֶׁבַּבַּיִת הַמְּנֻגָּע, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵן מְגֻלִּין - כֵּלִים שֶׁבְּתוֹכָן טְהוֹרִין.
10Tzara’at is a collective term including many afflictions that do not resemble each other. For the whitening of a person’s skin is called tzara’at, as is the falling out of some of the hair of his head or beard, and the change of the color of clothes or houses.יהַצָּרַעַת הוּא שֵׁם הָאָמוּר בְּשֻׁתָּפוּת, כּוֹלֵל עִנְיָנִים הַרְבֵּה שֶׁאֵין דּוֹמִין זֶה לָזֶה; שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹבֶן עוֹר הָאָדָם קָרוּי 'צָרַעַת', וּנְפִילַת קְצָת שְׂעַר הָרֹאשׁ אוֹ הַזָּקָן קָרוּי 'צָרַעַת', וְשִׁנּוּי עֵין הַבְּגָדִים אוֹ הַבָּתִּים קָרוּי 'צָרַעַת'.
This change that affects clothes and houses which the Torah described with the general term of tzara’at is not a natural occurrence.29 Instead it is a sign and a wonder prevalent among the Jewish people to warn them against lashon hora, “undesirable speech.”30וְזֶה הַשִּׁנּוּי הָאָמוּר בַּבְּגָדִים וּבַבָּתִּים שֶׁקְּרָאַתּוּ תּוֹרָה 'צָרַעַת' בְּשֻׁתָּפוּת הַשֵּׁם - אֵינוֹ מִמִּנְהָגוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֶלָּא אוֹת וָפֶלֶא הָיָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּדֵי לְהַזְהִירָן מִלָּשׁוֹן הָרָע.
When a person speaks lashon hora, the walls of his house change color. If he repents, the house will be purified. If, however, he persists in his wickedness until the house is destroyed, the leather implements in his house upon which he sits and lies change color. If he repents, they will be purified. If he persists in his wickedness until they are burnt, the clothes he wears change color. If he repents, they will be purified. If he persists in his wickedness until they are burnt, his skin undergoes changes and he develops tzara’at. This causes him to be isolated and for it to be made known that he must remain alone so that he will not be involved in the talk of the wicked which is folly and lashon hora.שֶׁהַמְסַפֵּר בְּלָשׁוֹן הָרָע, מִשְׁתַּנּוֹת קִירוֹת בֵּיתוֹ. אִם חָזַר בּוֹ, יִטְהַר הַבַּיִת; אִם עָמַד בְּרִשְׁעוֹ עַד שֶׁהֻתַּץ הַבַּיִת - מִשְׁתַּנִּין כְּלֵי הָעוֹר שֶׁבְּבֵיתוֹ שֶׁהוּא יוֹשֵׁב וְשׁוֹכֵב עֲלֵיהֶן. אִם חָזַר בּוֹ, יִטְהֲרוּ; וְאִם עָמַד בְּרִשְׁעוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּשָּׂרְפוּ, מִשְׁתַּנִּין הַבְּגָדִים שֶׁעָלָיו. אִם חָזַר בּוֹ, יִטְהֲרוּ; וְאִם עָמַד בְּרִשְׁעוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּשָּׂרְפוּ - מִשְׁתַּנֶּה עוֹרוֹ וְיִצְטָרַע, וְיִהְיֶה מֻבְדָּל וּמְפֻרְסָם לְבַדּוֹ, עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִתְעַסֵּק בְּשִׂיחַת הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁהוּא הַלֵּיצָנוּת וְלָשׁוֹן הָרָע.
The Torah warns about this, stating Deuteronomy 24:8-9: “Take care with regard to a tzara’at blemish.... Remember what God your Lord did to Miriam.”31 Now, this is what the Torah is implying: Contemplate what happened to the prophetess Miriam. She spoke against her brother. She was older than he was; she had raised him; and she had endangered herself to save him from the sea.32 She did not speak pejoratively of him; she merely erred in equating him with the other prophets,33 Moses did not object to any of this, as Numbers 12:3 relates: “And the man Moses was exceedingly humble.” Nevertheless, she was immediately punished with tzara’at. Certainly, an inference can be made with regard to the wicked and foolish men who speak extensively about great and wondrous matters.34וְעַל עִנְיָן זֶה מַזְהִיר בַּתּוֹרָה וְאוֹמֵר "הִשָּׁמֶר בְּנֶגַע הַצָּרַעַת, זָכוֹר אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְמִרְיָם בַּדֶּרֶךְ". הֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר: הִתְבּוֹנְנוּ מָה אֵרַע לְמִרְיָם הַנְּבִיאָה, שֶׁדִּבְּרָה בְּאָחִיהָ שֶׁהָיְתָה גְדוֹלָה מִמֶּנּוּ בְּשָׁנִים, וְגִדְּלַתּוּ עַל בִּרְכֶּיהָ, וְסִכְּנָה בְעַצְמָהּ לְהַצִּילוֹ מִן הַיָּם; וְהִיא לֹא דִבְּרָה בִּגְנוּתוֹ, אֶלָּא טָעֲתָה שֶׁהִשְׁוַתּוּ לִשְׁאָר נְבִיאִים - וְהוּא לֹא הִקְפִּיד עַל כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלּוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהָאִישׁ מֹשֶׁה עָנָו מְאֹד". וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן, מִיָּד נֶעֶנְשָׁה בְּצָרַעַת. קַל וָחֹמֶר לִבְנֵי אָדָם הָרְשָׁעִים הַטִּפְּשִׁים, שֶׁמַּרְבִּים לְדַבֵּר גְּדוֹלוֹת וְנִפְלָאוֹת.
Therefore a person who seeks to structure his course of conduct should distance himself from their gatherings and from speaking to them so that he will not become caught up in the web of their wickedness and foolishness.לְפִיכָךְ רָאוּי לְמִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְכַוֵּן אָרְחוֹתָיו, לְהִתְרַחֵק מִישִׁיבָתָן וּמִלְּדַבֵּר עִמָּהֶן, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִתָּפֵס אָדָם בְּרֶשֶׁת רְשָׁעִים וְסִכְלוּתָם.
This is the path followed by the gathering of wicked fools: In the beginning, they speak excessively about empty matters, as Ecclesiastes 5:2 states: “The talk of a fool is characterized by a multitude of words.” As a result of this, they come to speak negatively of the righteous, as reflected by the verse Psalms 31:19: “May the lying lips be silenced; those which speak falsehood about a righteous man.” As a consequence, they will become accustomed to speaking against the prophets and casting aspersions on their words, as reflected by the verse II Chronicles 36:16: “They would abuse the messengers of God, scorn His words,35 and mock His prophets.”וְזֶה דֶּרֶךְ יְשִׁיבַת הַלֵּצִים הָרְשָׁעִים׃ בַּתְּחִלָּה מַרְבִּין בְּדִבְרֵי הֲבַאי, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְקוֹל כְּסִיל בְּרֹב דְּבָרִים"; וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ בָּאִין לְסַפֵּר בִּגְנוּת הַצַּדִּיקִים, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "תֵּאָלַמְנָה שִׂפְתֵי שָׁקֶר הַדֹּבְרוֹת עַל צַדִּיק עָתָק"; וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ יִהְיֶה לָהֶן הֶרְגֵּל לְדַבֵּר בַּנְּבִיאִים וְלָתֵת דֹּפִי בְּדִבְרֵיהֶם, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיִּהְיוּ מַלְעִבִים בְּמַלְאֲכֵי הָאֱלֹהִים וּבוֹזִים דְּבָרָיו וּמִתַּעְתְּעִים בִּנְבִאָיו".
And this would lead them to deny God’s existence entirely, as reflected in the verse II Kings 17:9: “And the children of Israel spoke in secret things that were not true against God, their Lord.”וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ בָּאִין לְדַבֵּר בֵּאלֹהִים וְכוֹפְרִין בָּעִקָּר, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיְחַפְּאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא כֵן עַל ה' אֱלֹהֵיהֶם".
In this vein, Psalms 73:9 states: “They set their mouths against Heaven and their tongues strut on earth.” What caused them to “set their mouths against Heaven”? Their tongues which previously were given free reign on earth.וַהֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר "שַׁתּוּ בַשָּׁמַיִם פִּיהֶם וּלְשׁוֹנָם תִּהֲלַךְ בָּאָרֶץ" - מִי גָרַם לָהֶם לָשִׁית בַּשָּׁמַיִם פִּיהֶם, לְשׁוֹנָם שֶׁהָלְכָה תְּחִלָּה בָּאָרֶץ.
This is the speech of the wicked that is caused by loitering on the street corners,36 frequenting the assemblies of commoners, and spending time at the parties of drunkards.זוֹ הִיא שִׂיחַת הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁגּוֹרֶמֶת לָהֶן יְשִׁיבַת קְרָנוֹת, וִישִׁיבַת כְּנֵסִיּוֹת שֶׁל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ, וִישִׁיבַת בָּתֵּי מִשְׁתָּאוֹת עִם שׁוֹתֵי שֵׁכָר.
In contrast, the speech of proper Jewish people only concerns words of Torah and wisdom. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, assists them and grants them merit because of it, as Malachi 3:16 states: “Then those who fear God conversed, each person with his fellow and God listened and paid heed. And a book of remembrance was composed before Him for those who fear God and contemplate His name. “אֲבָל שִׂיחַת כְּשֵׁרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל [וְצַדִּיקֵיהֶם] אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה וְחָכְמָה; לְפִיכָךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹזֵר עַל יָדָן וּמְזַכֶּה אוֹתָן בָּהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אָז נִדְבְּרוּ יִרְאֵי ה' אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ, וַיַּקְשֵׁב ה' וַיִּשְׁמָע וַיִּכָּתֵב סֵפֶר זִכָּרוֹן לְפָנָיו לְיִרְאֵי ה' וּלְחֹשְׁבֵי שְׁמוֹ".
Blessed be the Merciful One Who grants assistance.בְּרִיך רַחַמָנָא דְסַיַיעָן
Footnotes
1.
See the definition of this term in Hilchot Tuma’at Meit 5:7.
2.
See Chapter 10, Halachah 12. See also the laws regarding the impurity of garments in Chapter 13, Halachot 13-15.
3.
As the Kessef Mishneh notes, the Rambam is borrowing the comment of the Sifra to Leviticus 13:52 and applying to houses.
4.
On the contrary, the house was already in a state of isolation and impure.
5.
Its roof projected over the blemished house.
6.
Rabbi Akiva Eiger cites Tosafot, Yevamot 103b, who state that this leniency applies when the stone passes under a tree, because it is not enclosed with walls. If, however, one carries a blemished stone through a house, everyone inside becomes impure.
7.
Because the tree is not considered the place of the blemished stone. As the Rambam proceeds to explain, the principles governing the stone are the same as those governing a person. See Chapter 10, Halachah 12.
8.
I.e., garments or articles made from leather. See Chapter 13, Halachah 13.
9.
Or it touches him. Thus the laws governing the impurity of ohel for a blemished stone are different than those governing ohel with regard to a human corpse.
10.
The laws that apply when one enters in an ordinary manner are stated in the following halachah.
11.
Even when he enters entirely, he does not contract impurity because he enters, but rather because he is found in a house that is impure.
12.
I.e., his entire body, even those limbs that were not inserted into the impure house. As obvious from the previous halachah, this halachah is speaking about an instance, where he enters in the ordinary manner.
13.
As mentioned in Chapter 12, Halachah 10, this is the minimum measure of a cloth or garment that is considered significant.
14.
Because an earthenware container contracts impurity from its inner space.
15.
That are also in the general category of keilim.
16.
The Rambam mentions bread made from wheat in contrast to bread made from barley which takes longer to eat (Rashi, Sukkah 6a).
17.
Eating bread with other accompanying foods causes it to be eaten faster [the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Nega’im 13:9)]. The person does not have to actually eat the bread; the law applies provided he remains in the house for the amount of time it would have taken him to eat it.
This measure, k’dei achilat p’ras, is the measure associated with mitzvot and prohibitions associated with eating, as stated in Hilchot Ma’achalot Assurot 14:8. Rashi (Pesachim 44a) offers a different view and maintains that this measure is defmed as the time it takes to eat a portion of bread the size of four eggs. Shiurei Torah mentions several different opinions from between four minutes and nine minutes for this figure.
18.
I.e., immerse them in a mikveh to absolve them of impurity.
19.
Since the person or animal wearing them can never contract impurity, it is as if they are not worn, but rather carried in.
20.
For according to Scriptural Law, the laws of ritual purity and impurity are relevant only to the Jewish people. See Hilchot Tum’at Meit 1:13.
21.
Before he had remained in the house for the amount of time mentioned previously.
22.
When the person remains in the afflicted house for the prescribed measure of time, he becomes impure. Since he becomes impure, his hands and anything on them also contract impurity.
23.
I.e., according to Rabbinic decree. According to Scriptural Law, there is no concept of only a part of a person’s body becoming impure.
24.
See Hilchot Tum’at Meit, the beginning of ch. 21.
25.
Without being sealed.
26.
See ibid.:6-8.
27.
As explained previously, earthenware containers refer to containers made from clay fired in a kiln. Earthen containers refer to containers made from mud, baked in an oven.
28.
More specifically, as stated in the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Ohalot 5:6, et al), a bor is a pit dug in the ground. A chadut is a storage area that extends above the ground.
29.
Kin’at Eliyahu notes that the Rambam’s wording could be interpreted as implying that tzara’at which affects humans is a natural occurrence and a physical illness. Note, however, the commentaries of the Ramban and R. Ovadiah of Sefomo to Leviticus 13:46 which maintain that human tzara’at afflictions are also Godly signs. It is possible to say that the Rambam also accepts this view. Indeed, the fact that he relates tzara’at blemishes of the skin to sin and repentance leads to that conclusion. See also the Guide to the Perplexed, Vol. III, ch. 47.
30.
The Rambam describes the prohibition against lashon hora in Hilchot De’ot, ch. 7. Here he is speaking in more general terms.
31.
As the Rambam proceeds to explain, Numbers, ch. 12, relates how Miriam spoke pejoratively of Moses. For a person of her level of righteousness, this was considered as lashon hora. As a result, she was punished by tzara’at.
32.
See the narrative in Exodus, ch. 2.
33.
See Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 7:6, where the Rambam elaborates on the difference between Moses and the other prophets.
34.
I.e., they talk about situations and circumstances far beyond their circle of influence. The Rambam is borrowing the wording of Psalms 12:4.
35.
As the Rambam states in Hilchot Talmud Torah 6:11, “His words” refers to “those who convey His word.”
36.
See Berachot 28b.
Rabbi Eliyahu Touger is a noted author and translator, widely published for his works on Chassidut and Maimonides.
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