ב"ה
Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
Tum'at Tsara'at - Chapter 14
Tum'at Tsara'at - Chapter 14
1Houses with tzara’at blemishes are deemed impure when the blemishes are the length of two grisim.1 Thus the width of the blemish is approximately the size of a place where six hairs grow on the body2 and its length is a place for 12 hairs. It must be rectangular. Any blemish on a house smaller than this measure is pure. All of the measures are halachot transmitted to Moses at Sinai.אצָרַעַת בָּתִּים - כִּשְׁנֵי גְרִיסִין זֶה בְּצַד זֶה. נִמְצָא רֹחַב הַנֶּגַע כְּמוֹ מְקוֹם צְמִיחַת שֵׁשׁ שְׂעָרוֹת בַּגּוּף, וְאָרְכּוֹ כִּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שְׂעָרוֹת בְּרִבּוּעַ; וְהַפָּחוֹת מִשִּׁעוּר זֶה בַּבָּתִּים, טָהוֹר. וְכָל הַשִּׁעוּרִין, הֲלָכָה לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִּינַי.
2There are three distinguishing marks of impurity for tzara’at in houses: an intense green or intense red3 appearance and the spreading of the affliction. These are all explicitly mentioned in the Torah.4בשְׁלֹשָׁה סִימָנֵי טֻמְאָה יֵשׁ בַּבָּתִּים - מַרְאֵה יְרַקְרַק, וַאֲדַמְדַּם, וְהַפִּשָּׂיוֹן. וְכֻלָּן מְפֹרָשִׁין בַּתּוֹרָה.
The two abnormal appearances can be combined with each other.5וּשְׁנֵי הַמַּרְאוֹת מִצְטָרְפִין זֶה עִם זֶה.
If a blemish spreads to the place immediately adjacent to it, even the slightest spread is considered a sign of impurity. If it spreads to a distant place, the new blemish must be a gris.6 When a blemish returns after the house is plastered,7 it must be two grisim.וּפִשָּׂיוֹן הַסָּמוּךְ, כָּל שֶׁהוּא; וְהָרָחוֹק, כִּגְרִיס; אֲבָל הַחוֹזֵר אַחֲרֵי הִטּוֹחַ, כִּשְׁנֵי גְרִיסִין.
3Blemishes on buildings do not impart impurity until the abnormal appearance is seen below the surface of the wall,8 as implied by the term shika’rurot, interpreted as meaning “sunk in the walls,” used by Leviticus 14:37.גאֵין נִגְעֵי בָתִּים מְטַמְּאִין עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מַרְאֵה הַנֶּגַע שָׁפָל מִן הַקִּיר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "שְׁקַעֲרוּרֹת" - שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שׁוֹקְעִין בַּקִּירוֹת.
A blemish with either of these two appearances9 causes the building to be isolated or definitively deemed impure. If it increases in size, it should be torn down and if it spread after it was replastered, the entire house must be torn down, as will be explained.וּבִשְׁנֵי הַמַּרְאוֹת מַסְגִּירִין אוֹ מַחְלִיטִין, וּבַפִּשָּׂיוֹן נוֹתְצִין; וְאִם פָּשָׂה אַחֲרֵי הִטּוֹחַ, נוֹתֵץ אֶת כָּל הַבַּיִת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר.
4When a blemish appears in a house, even a sage who knows that it is definitely a blemish should not definitively say: “A blemish appeared in my house.” Instead, he should tell the priest,10 “It appears that a blemish appeared in my house.”דכְּשֶׁיֵּרָאֶה נֶגַע בַּבַּיִת, אֲפִלּוּ חָכָם שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ וַדַּאי שֶׁזֶּה נֶגַע - לֹא יִגְזֹר וְיֹאמַר "נֶגַע נִרְאָה לִי בַּבַּיִת", אֶלָּא אוֹמֵר לַכֹּהֵן׃ "כְּנֶגַע נִרְאָה לִי בַּבָּיִת".
“The priest will then issue an order to remove everything from the house,”11 even bundles of wood and bundles of reeds.12 Afterwards, the priest will come and inspect the blemish."וְצִוָּה הַכֹּהֵן וּפִנּוּ אֶת הַבַּיִת" - אֲפִלּוּ חֲבִילֵי עֵצִים וַחֲבִילֵי קָנִים; וְאַחַר כָּךְ יָבוֹא הַכֹּהֵן וְיִכָּנֵס וְיִרְאֶה הַנֶּגַע.
5We do not open windows in a closed house13 to inspect its blemishes.14 Instead, if a blemish is not visible in its present state, it is pure.הבַּיִת אָפֵל, אֵין פּוֹתְחִין בּוֹ חַלּוֹנוֹת לִרְאוֹת אֶת נִגְעוֹ; אֶלָּא אִם אֵין הַנֶּגַע נִרְאֶה בּוֹ, הֲרֵי זֶה טָהוֹר.
After a priest will inspect a blemish, he should depart and stand at the entrance to the house, near the lintel and either isolate, deem definitively impure, or release the house from the inspection process,15 as ibid.:38 states: “And the priest shall leave the house, going to its entrance... and he shall isolate the house.” He should not isolate a house while he is in his own house, in the blemished house, or under its lintel. Instead, he should stand at the side of its entrance.וְאַחַר שֶׁיִּרְאֶה הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַנֶּגַע, יֵצֵא וְיַעֲמוֹד עַל פֶּתַח הַבַּיִת בְּצַד הַמַּשְׁקוֹף, וְיַסְגִּיר אוֹ יַחְלִיט אוֹ יִפְטֹר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְיָצָא הַכֹּהֵן מִן הַבַּיִת [אֶל פֶּתַח הַבָּיִת] וְהִסְגִּיר אֶת הַבַּיִת" - לֹא שֶׁיַּסְגִּיר וְהוּא בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ, אוֹ בְּתוֹךְ בַּיִת הַמְּנֻגָּע, אוֹ תַּחַת הַמַּשְׁקוֹף, אֶלָּא בְּצַד פִּתְחוֹ.
If he stood under the lintel or went to his own house and isolated a house, it is isolated.16וְאִם עָמַד תַּחַת הַמַּשְׁקוֹף, אוֹ שֶׁהָלַךְ לְבֵיתוֹ וְהִסְגִּיר - הֲרֵי זֶה מֻסְגָּר.
6A house is not deemed impure because of a blemish unless it is four cubits by four cubits or more, it has four walls, and it is built on the earth17 with stones,18 earth, and wood, for Leviticus 14:45 mentions: “its stones, its wood, and its earth.”ואֵין הַבַּיִת מִטַּמֵּא בִּנְגָעִים עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בּוֹ אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת עַל אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת אוֹ יָתֵר, וְיִהְיֶה לוֹ אַרְבָּעָה כֹתָלִים, וְהוּא בָּנוּי בָּאָרֶץ בָּאֲבָנִים וְעָפָר וְעֵצִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֶת אֲבָנָיו וְאֶת עֵצָיו וְאֵת (עֲפָרוֹ) [כָּל עֲפַר הַבָּיִת]".
If, however, it is less than four cubits by four cubits,19 it is round, triangular, or pentagonal,20 it was built on a ship21 or suspended on four beams,22 it is not susceptible to the impurity stemming from a blemish.אֲבָל אִם הָיָה בּוֹ פָּחוֹת מֵאַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת עַל אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה עָגֹל, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בַּעַל שְׁלֹשָׁה כֹתָלִים, אוֹ בַּעַל חֲמִשָּׁה, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בָּנוּי בִּסְפִינָה, אוֹ תָּלוּי עַל אַרְבַּע קוֹרוֹת - אֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא בַּנְּגָעִים.
If it was built on four pillars,23 it is susceptible to the impurity stemming from a blemish.הָיָה בָּנוּי עַל אַרְבָּעָה עַמּוּדִים, מִטַּמֵּא בִּנְגָעִים.
7How many stones must be in a house? No less than eight, two stones on each wall so that every wall would be fit to have a blemish. For a house it is not susceptible to the impurity stemming from a blemish unless a blemish the size of two grisim24 appears on two stones, as indicated by Leviticus 14:40 which mentions: “the stones25 in which the blemish is located.”זכַּמָּה אֲבָנִים יִהְיוּ בוֹ? אֵין פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁמוֹנֶה - שְׁתֵּי אֲבָנִים בְּכָל כֹּתֶל, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כָּל כֹּתֶל רָאוּי לְנֶגַע; שֶׁאֵין הַבַּיִת מִטַּמֵּא בִּנְגָעִים, עַד שֶׁיֵּרָאֶה בוֹ כִּשְׁנֵי גְרִיסִין עַל שְׁתֵּי אֲבָנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֶת הָאֲבָנִים אֲשֶׁר בָּהֵן הַנָּגַע".
How many boards must it contain? Enough to place under the lintel. How much earth? Enough to place between one broken stone and another.26וְכַמָּה עֵצִים יִהְיוּ בוֹ? כְּדֵי לִתֵּן תַּחַת הַמַּשְׁקוֹף; וְעָפָר? כְּדֵי לִתֵּן בֵּין פַּצִּים לַחֲבֵרוֹ.
If a house contained less than these measures, it is not susceptible to the impurity stemming from a blemish.אֲבָל אִם הָיָה בוֹ פָּחוֹת מִשִּׁעוּרִין אֵלּוּ, אֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא בִּנְגָעִים.
8Neither bricks nor marble are considered as stones in this context. When there is a house that one of its walls is coated with marble, another is made from a boulder, the third, of stones,27 and the fourth, from earth, it is not susceptible to the impurity stemming from a blemish.28חהַלְּבֵנִים וְהַשַּׁיִשׁ, אֵינָן חֲשׁוּבִין כַּאֲבָנִים. בַּיִת שֶׁאֶחָד מִצִּדָּיו מְחֻפֶּה בְּשַׁיִשׁ, וְאֶחָד בְּסֶלַע, וְאֶחָד בָּאֲבָנִים, וְאֶחָד בֶּעָפָר - אֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא בִּנְגָעִים.
9When a house did not have the required measure of stone, wood, and earth and a tzara’at blemish was discovered in it and then additional stones, wood, and earth was brought for it, it is pure.29טבַּיִת שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בוֹ אֲבָנִים וְעֵצִים [וְעָפָר] כַּשִּׁעוּר, וְנִרְאָה בוֹ נֶגַע, וְאַחַר כָּךְ הֵבִיא לוֹ אֲבָנִים וְעֵצִים וְעָפָר - טָהוֹר.
10When plants were used as the covering for a house, they are considered as a permanent part of it. Since they are serving the purpose of wood,30 they are considered as wood.31 If the house becomes impure, they contract the severe impurity associated with it, as will be explained.32יבַּיִת שֶׁסִּכְּכוֹ בִּזְרָעִים - בִּטְּלָן, הוֹאִיל וּמְשַׁמְּשִׁין תַּשְׁמִישׁ עֵץ, הֲרֵי הֵן כְּעֵץ. וְאִם נִטְמָא הַבַּיִת, נִטְמְאוּ עִמּוֹ טֻמְאָה חֲמוּרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר.
11Houses located in Jerusalem and the Diaspora are not susceptible to the impurity stemming from blemishes, as implied by Leviticus 14:34: “in a house in the land of your ancestral heritage.”33 Jerusalem is thus excluded, because it was not divided among the tribes.34יאיְרוּשָׁלַיִם וְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ אֵין מִטַּמְּאִין בַּנְּגָעִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "בְּבֵית אֶרֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶם" - וִירוּשָׁלַיִם לֹא נִתְחַלְּקָה לַשְּׁבָטִים.
The houses of gentiles in Eretz Yisrael are not susceptible to the impurity stemming from blemishes.35וּבָתֵּי הַגּוֹיִם שֶׁבְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֵין מִטַּמְּאִין בַּנְּגָעִים.
12When one purchases houses from gentiles, they should be given an initial inspection.36יבהַלּוֹקֵחַ בָּתִּים מִן הַגּוֹיִם, יֵרָאֶה בַּתְּחִלָּה.
13When a gentile lives on one side of a house and a Jew on the other side or one side of a house was in Eretz Yisrael and the other in the Diaspora, it is not susceptible to the impurity stemming from blemishes.יגבַּיִת שֶׁצִּדּוֹ אֶחָד גּוֹי וְצִדּוֹ אֶחָד יִשְׂרָאֵל, צִדּוֹ אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ וְצִדּוֹ אֶחָד בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ - אֵינוֹ מִטַּמֵּא בַּנְּגָעִים.
All other buildings in Eretz Yisrael are susceptible to the impurity stemming from blemishes. This applies regardless of whether they were colored naturally or colored because of human activity.37וּשְׁאָר כָּל הַבָּתִּים שֶׁבְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִטַּמְּאִין בַּנְּגָעִים, בֵּין צְבוּעִין בִּידֵי אָדָם בֵּין צְבוּעִין בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם.
14The house of a woman,38 a house belonging to partners, a synagogue or a house of study39 that has a dwelling for attendants or students40 is susceptible to the impurity stemming from blemishes.ידבֵּית הָאִשָּׁה, בֵּית הַשֻּׁתָּפִין, בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת אוֹ בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶן דִּירָה לַחַזָּנִין אוֹ לַתַּלְמִידִים - מִטַּמְּאִין בַּנְּגָעִים.
Footnotes
1.
The measure for impurity for tzara’at on humans and on garments is a gris (Chapter 1, Halachah 7). For houses, the measure is twice this size. The Sifra derives this concept as follows: With regard to tzara’at that affects houses, Leviticus 14:37 states: “And he shall see the blemish and behold the blemish.... “The repetition of the term indicates that two measures are required [see the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Nega’im 12:3)].
2.
As stated in Chapter 1 there.
3.
See the description of these hues in Chapter 12, Halachah 1.
4.
Leviticus 14:37, 39.
5.
I.e., if a portion of the two grisim is intense red and another portion, intense green, it is considered to be of the minimum measure to impart impurity.
6.
Note the parallels to the spread of afflictions on garments described in Chapter 12, Halachah 4.
7.
See Chapter 15, Halachah 2.
8.
Thus they are parallel to tzara’at afflictions for humans which must be “deep, [under the surface] of the skin” (Chapter 1, Halachah 6).
9.
I.e., intense red or green.
10.
The Rambam is quoting Leviticus 14:35. As stated in Chapter 9, Halachah 2, the determination of whether a blemish is impure or not is dependent on a priest.
11.
So that they will not be deemed impure.
12.
I.e., even articles of little value.
13.
I.e., one without windows.
14.
Nor is a candle used to inspect it. Instead, the inspection is carried out according to the light available to a person in the house [Mo’ed Kattan 8a, cited by the Rambam in his Commentary to the Mishnah (Nega’im 2:3)].
15.
The Biblical prooftext and, similarly, Nega’im 12:6, the Rambam’s source, mentions these concepts only with regard to isolating the house. However, the Rambam understands that they apply to any ruling made by a priest with regard to the status of a house.
16.
The Mishneh LeMelech emphasizes that these rulings clarify the Rambam’s understanding of the term segirat habayit which we have translated as the isolation of the house, although literally, the term means “the closing of the house.” Although there are authorities who maintain that the concept should be taken literally, the priest should actually close the house to entry, the Rambam does not rule that way. Instead, he understands the term as referring merely to delivering a ruling on the status of the house.
17.
In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Nega’im 12:1), the Rambam quotes the Sifra which derives this requirement from Leviticus 14:34: “I will place a tzara’at blemish in a house in the land of your heritage.”
18.
See Halachah 8.
19.
A house less than this size is not considered as a house in many Halachic contexts. See, for example, Hilchot Mezuzah 6:2; Hilchot Shabbat 28:2; Hilchot Shechenim 1:4, et al.
20.
I.e., it has any number of walls more or less than four.
21.
Rabbi Akiva Eiger draws attention to Hilchot Mezuzah 6:9 which states that a house built on a ship is not considered as a house with regard to the obligation to affix a mezuzah. See also Hilchot Bikkurim 2:9 which states that crops growing on a ship are not considered to have grown “in your land.”
22.
From the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (op. cit.), it appears that this refers to a structure built on beams that project from another building
23.
In his Commentary to the Mishnah (op. cit.), the Rambam does not interpret this as referring to a house with a floor built on pillars, but to four pillars implanted into the earth with a roof built over them. Although it is open on all four sides, it is considered as a house in this context.
24.
See Halachah 1.
25.
I.e., the plural term indicates that at least two stones must be blemished.
26.
Our translation is based on the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Nega’im 12:4). There he explains that when a wall is made with broken stones, the space between one half and the other is filled with earth.
27.
Our text is based on authentic manuscripts and early printings of the Mishneh Torah. The standard printed text (based on the gloss of the Kessef Mishneh and also Nega’im 12:2, the Rambam’s source) uses the term levanim, “bricks,” instead.
28.
I.e., all four walls must be susceptible to ritual impurity due to blemishes (Rav Yosef Corcus).
29.
Even if the blemish remained. Since it was not susceptible to impurity when the blemish was originally discovered, it does not contract impurity afterwards. Note a parallel in Chapter 12, Halachah 11.
30.
I.e., they are serving as a roof.
31.
I.e., instead of being considered as food, which is not susceptible to such severe impurity, they are considered as part of the building.
32.
See Chapter 16, Halachah 1.
33.
I.e., Eretz Yisrael, thus excluding the Diaspora.
34.
All of the other cities in Eretz Yisrael are located in the ancestral heritage of a particular tribe. That is not true of the city of Jerusalem. As such, it is not considered as “in the land of your ancestral heritage.” Note other parallel rulings in Hilchot Beit HaBechirah 7:14.
35.
This is also derived from the above prooftext, because a house owned by gentiles is not part of “your ancestral heritage” [the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Nega’im 12:1), based on the Sifra to the above verse].
36.
Even if there was a blemish manifest there beforehand, it is not significant until the house passes into the ownership of a Jew.
37.
I.e., for a house to contract impurity due to blemishes, the walls do not have to be white [the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Nega’im 11:3)]. Note the contrast to all types of colored clothes which are not susceptible to impurity because of blemishes, as stated in Chapter 12, Halachah 10, and leather garments which, as stated in Chapter 13, Halachah 1, are not susceptible to impurity because of blemishes if colored naturally.
38.
Since the Torah passages describing this impurity are all stated in the masculine, it is necessary to emphasize that a house owned by a woman is also susceptible to this impurity (Yoma 11a).
39.
Since these houses are not owned by a specific individual, one might think that they are not “a house in the land of your ancestral heritage” (ibid.).
40.
For a building that does not serve as a dwelling is not susceptible to the impurity stemming from a blemish. See Yoma, loc. cit.
41.
In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Nega’im 12:4), the Rambam explains that this is referring to walls built to provide shade for animals in a barn.
Rabbi Eliyahu Touger is a noted author and translator, widely published for his works on Chassidut and Maimonides.
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Vowelized Hebrew text courtesy Torat Emet under CC 2.5 license.
The text on this page contains sacred literature. Please do not deface or discard.
