ב"ה
Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
Mechussarey Kapparah - Chapter 4
Mechussarey Kapparah - Chapter 4
1When a person afflicted by tzara’at is healed of his affliction, and he has been purified with a cedar branch, a hyssop, a crimson thread, and two birds, all of his flesh is shaved1 and he is immersed in a mikveh. After this entire process, he may enter Jerusalem.2 He then counts seven days3 and on the seventh day, he shaves a second time like the first shaving. He then immerses himself. His status is then that of a t’vul yom.4 He waits until the evening.5 On the morrow, on the eighth day, he immerses a second time and then he brings his sacrifices.6אכְּשֶׁיִּתְרַפֵּא הַצָּרוּעַ מִצָּרַעְתּוֹ, אַחַר שֶׁמְּטַהֲרִין אוֹתוֹ בְּעֵץ אֶרֶז וְאֵזוֹב וּשְׁנִי תּוֹלַעַת וּשְׁתֵּי צִפֳּרִים וּמְגַלְּחִין אֶת כָּל בְּשָׂרוֹ וּמַטְבִּילִין אוֹתוֹ, אַחַר כָּל זֹאת יִכָּנֵס לִירוּשָׁלַיִם, וּמוֹנֶה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מְגַלְּחוֹ תִּגְלַחְתּוֹ שְׁנִיָּה כַּתִּגְלַחַת הָרִאשׁוֹנָה וְטוֹבֵל, וַהֲרֵי הוּא טְבוּל יוֹם, וּמַעֲרִיב שִׁמְשׁוֹ. וּלְמָחָר בַּשְּׁמִינִי טוֹבֵל פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַקְרִיבִין קָרְבְּנוֹתָיו.
Why must he immerse himself on the eighth day if he immersed himself previously? Because he had become habituated to contracting lesser types of impurity during the days that he was identified as one afflicted by tzara’at.Thus he would not be careful to avoid impurity and, possibly, he contracted impurity after he immersed.7וּמִפְּנֵי מַה טוֹבֵל בַּשְּׁמִינִי אַחַר שֶׁטָּבַל מֵאֶמֶשׁ? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיָה רָגִיל בְּטֻמְאָה בִּימֵי חֲלוּטוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ נִזְהָר מִשּׁוּם טֻמְאָה, וְשֶׁמָּא נִטְמָא אַחַר שֶׁטָּבַל.
Therefore, he would immerse himself on the eighth day in the Women’s Courtyard, in the Chamber for those Afflicted by Tzara’at,8 even though he did not divert his attention after his immersion.לְפִיכָךְ טוֹבֵל בַּשְּׁמִינִי בַּעֶזְרַת הַנָּשִׁים בְּלִשְׁכַּת הַמְּצֹרָעִים שֶׁשָּׁם, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הִסִּיחַ דַּעְתּוֹ.
2If he delayed and did not shave on the seventh day,9 but instead, shaved on the eighth day or after several days, on the day that he shaves, he should immerse and wait until the evening.10 On the following day, he brings his sacrifices11 after immersing himself a second time, as we explained.12בנִתְאַחֵר וְלֹא גִלַּח בַּשְּׁבִיעִי, וְגִלַּח בַּשְּׁמִינִי אוֹ אַחַר כַּמָּה יָמִים - בַּיּוֹם שֶׁיְּגַלַּח יִטְבֹּל, וְיַעֲרִיב שִׁמְשׁוֹ, וּלְמָחָר יָבִיא קָרְבְּנוֹתָיו אַחַר שֶׁיִּטְבֹּל פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ.
What are the rites performed for him? The person who had been afflicted with tzara’at stands outside the Courtyard of the Israelites,13 in front of the eastern entrance, at14 the threshold of the Gate of Nicanor,15 facing west.16 There all those who require atonement17 stand at the time they are being purified18 and a sotah is forced to drink the bitter waters there.19כֵּיצַד עוֹשִׂין לוֹ? הַמְּצֹרָע עוֹמֵד חוּץ לַעֶזְרַת יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּנֶגֶד פֶּתַח מִזְרָחִי, וּפָנָיו לַמַּעְרָב. וְשָׁם עוֹמְדִין כָּל מְחֻסְּרֵי כַּפָּרָה בְּעֵת שֶׁמְּטַהֲרִין אוֹתָן, וְשָׁם מַשְׁקִין אֶת הַסּוֹטוֹת.
The priest takes the sheep to be offered as the guilt-offering of the afflicted person while it is alive and performs tenufah20 with it together with the log of oil in the eastern portion of the Temple Courtyard21 where all tenufot are performed. If tenufah was performed with the sheep and the oil each separately, the person fulfills his obligation.וְהַכּוֹהֵן לוֹקֵחַ הָאָשָׁם שֶׁל מְּצֹרָע כְּשֶׁהוּא חַי, וּמֵנִיף אוֹתוֹ עִם לוֹג הַשֶּׁמֶן בַּמִּזְרָח, כְּדֶרֶךְ כָּל הַתְּנוּפוֹת. וְאִם הֵנִיף זֶה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ וְזֶה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ, יָצָא.
Afterwards, the guilt-offering of the afflicted person is brought to the entrance to the Temple Courtyard.22 The afflicted person inserts his two hands into the Courtyard and places them on his sheep.23 It is then slaughtered immediately.24 Two priests receive its blood. One receives it in a receptacle and casts it on the altar and one receives it in his right hand. He pours it into his left hand and sprinkles it with the index finger of his right hand.25 If he deviated and received it in his left hand first, it is disqualified.וְאַחַר כָּךְ מֵבִיא אֶת הָאָשָׁם לַמְּצֹרָע עַד הַפֶּתַח, וּמַכְנִיס שְׁתֵּי יָדָיו לָעֲזָרָה וְסוֹמֵךְ עָלָיו, וְשׁוֹחֲטִין אוֹתוֹ מִיָּד. וּמְקַבְּלִין שְׁנֵי כּוֹהֲנִים אֶת דָּמוֹ - אֶחָד מְקַבֵּל בִּכְלִי לְזוֹרְקוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, וְאֶחָד בְּיָדוֹ הַיְּמָנִית, וּמְעַרֶּה לְיָדוֹ הַשְּׂמָאלִית, וּמַזֶּה בְּאֶצְבָּעוֹ הַיְּמָנִית; וְאִם שִׁנָּה וְקִבֵּל בַּשְּׂמֹאל תְּחִלָּה, פָּסַל.
The priest who received a portion of the blood in a receptacle should carry it and cast it on the altar first. Afterwards, the priest who received the blood in his palm should approach the afflicted person at the entrance. The priest stands inside and the afflicted person outside. The afflicted person inserts his head26 and the priests applies some of the blood in his hand on the middle lobe of his right ear.27הַכּוֹהֵן שֶׁקִּבֵּל מִקְצַת הַדָּם בִּכְלִי, מוֹלִיכוֹ וְזוֹרְקוֹ עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ תְּחִלָּה. וְאַחַר כָּךְ יָבוֹא הַכּוֹהֵן שֶׁקִּבֵּל הַדָּם בְּכַפּוֹ אֵצֶל הַמְּצֹרָע, הַכּוֹהֵן מִבִּפְנִים וְהַמְּצֹרָע מִבַּחוּץ, וּמַכְנִיס הַמְּצֹרָע רֹאשׁוֹ וְנוֹתֵן הַכּוֹהֵן מִן הַדָּם שֶׁבְּכַפּוֹ עַל תְּנוּךְ אָזְנוֹ הַיְּמָנִית.
Afterwards, the afflicted person inserts his right hand and the priest applies the blood to his thumb. Afterwards, he inserts his right foot and the priest applies the blood to his large toe. If he applies it the left organs, the afflicted person does not fulfill his obligation. Afterwards, his sin-offerings and burnt-offering are sacrificed.וְאַחַר כָּךְ יַכְנִיס יָדוֹ הַיְּמָנִית וְיִתֵּן עַל בֹּהֶן יָדוֹ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יַכְנִיס רַגְלוֹ הַיְּמָנִית וְיִתֵּן עַל בֹּהֶן רַגְלוֹ. וְאִם נָתַן עַל הַשְּׂמֹאל, לֹא יָצָא. וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַקְרִיב חַטָּאתוֹ וְעוֹלָתוֹ.
After he applied the blood to his thumb and toe, the priest takes the log28 of oil and pours it into the left palm of a colleague. If he pours it into his own palm, the person fulfills his obligation.וְאַחַר שֶׁיִּתֵּן הַדָּם עַל הַבְּהֹנוֹת, נוֹטֵל הַכּוֹהֵן מִלּוֹג הַשֶּׁמֶן וְצָק לְתוֹךְ כַּפּוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ הַשְּׂמָאלִית; וְאִם יָצַק לְתוֹךְ כַּף עַצְמוֹ, יָצָא.
He dips his right index finger in the oil in his palm and sprinkles seven times toward the Holy of Holies.29 Each time he sprinkles the oil, he dips his finger into it.30 If he sprinkled it, but did not direct it toward the Holy of Holies, it is acceptable.וְטוֹבֵל אֶצְבָּעוֹ הַיְּמָנִית בַּשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁבְּכַפּוֹ וּמַזֶּה שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים, עַל כָּל הַזָּיָה טְבִילַת אֶצְבָּעוֹ בַּשֶּׁמֶן; וְאִם הִזָּה וְלֹא כִוֵּן כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים – כְּשֵׁרוֹת.
Afterwards, he approaches the afflicted person and applies the oil to the place where he applied the blood on the middle lobe of his ear, his thumb, and his large toe. He then applies the remainder of the oil in his hand to the head of the person seeking purification. If he did not apply it, he does not achieve atonement.31 The remainder of the log is divided among the priests.32וְאַחַר כָּךְ יָבוֹא אֵצֶל הַמְּצֹרָע, וְיִתֵּן מִן הַשֶּׁמֶן עַל מְקוֹם דַּם הָאָשָׁם בִּתְנוּךְ אֹזֶן וּבֹהֶן יָד וּבֹהֶן רֶגֶל, וְהַנּוֹתָר מִן הַשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁבְּכַפּוֹ יִתְּנֶנּוּ עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִּתְטַּהֵר. וְאִם לֹא נָתַן, לֹא כִפֵּר. וּשְׁאָר הַלּוֹג מִתְחַלֵּק לַכּוֹהֲנִים.
3The remainder of the log of oil may be consumed only in the Temple Courtyard by males of the priestly family like other sacrifices of the most holy order,33 for an association was established between it and the guilt-offering.גשְׁיָרֵי הַלּוֹג אֵינוֹ נֶאֱכָל אֶלָא בָּעֲזָרָה לְזִכְרֵי כְּהֻנָּה, כִּשְׁאָר קָדְשֵׁי קֳדָשִׁים, שֶׁהֲרֵי הֻקַּשׁ לָאָשָׁם.
It is forbidden to partake of the log of oil until after the seven sprinklings and the application of blood to the thumbs and toes were performed. If one partakes of it, he is liable for lashes,34 like one who partook of the meat of sacrifices of the most holy order before their blood was cast upon the altar.35וְאָסוּר לֶאֱכֹל מִלּוֹג הַשֶּׁמֶן עַד שֶׁיִּתֵּן מִמֶּנּוּ מַתַּן שֶׁבַע וּמַתַּן בְּהֹנוֹת; וְאִם אָכַל - לוֹקֶה, כְּאוֹכֵל קֳדָשִׁים קֹדֶם זְרִיקָה.
Footnotes
1.
See Leviticus, ch. 14; Hilchot Tuma’at Tzara’at, ch. 11, which describe in detail the purification process a person afflicted by tzara’at must undergo to regain ritual purity.
2.
For until then, he was barred from entering that city and indeed, any other walled city, as stated in ibid. 10:7; Hilchot Beit HaBechirah 7:13, Hilchot Bi’at HaMikdash 3:2.
3.
During these seven days, he still imparts ritual impurity to others, as stated in Hilchot Tuma’at Tzara’at 11:2.
4.
Generally, when a person becomes impure, he must immerse himself in a mikveh during the day. At nightfall, he regains ritual purity. After his immersion until nightfall, he is not pure, but his impurity is not as severe as before. For example, he may partake of the second tithe. See also other distinctions in Hilchot She’ar Avot HaTum’ah 10:2.
5.
When he regains ritual purity.
6.
As mentioned in Chapter 1, Halachah 3.
7.
Since he was impure because of the tzara’at affliction, the lesser types of impurity were not significant, because they would not influence his status at all. For as part of his purification from tzara’at, he would immerse in the mikveh and that immersion would purify him from the lesser forms of impurity as well. Hence, we suspect that he became habituated to being careless with regard to these sources of impurity and would not realize if he contracted ritual impurity. Thus this immersion is a Rabbinic requirement that is not mandated by Scriptural Law.
8.
See Hilchot Beit HaBechirah 5:7-8. There was a mikveh in that chamber.
9.
After completing the first shaving and the beginning of the purification process.
10.
Nazir 6:6 (see the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah) contrasts a person affiicted with tzara’at and a nazirite. In the latter instance, if he immerses himself on the seventh day and shaves on the eighth day, he may bring his sacrifices on that day, for he has already waited until the day after his immersion. He need not wait until the ninth day to bring the sacrifices. The difference is that the nazirite’s attainment of purity is dependent on the passage of time alone. The attainment of purity by an afflicted person, by contrast, is dependent on his shaving. If he immerses himself beforehand, it is not effective. Hence, his attainment of purity takes place at nightfall of the day on which he immersed himself after shaving.
11.
The three sheep mentioned in Chapter I, Halachah 3.
12.
In the previous halachah.
13.
The easternmost portion of the Temple Courtyard; see ibid.:12. He waits there, because until his sacrifices are offered, he should not enter the Temple Courtyard (Kessef Mishneh).
14.
But not under the Gate, for the area under the Gate is considered as part of the Temple Courtyard.
15.
See Hilchot Beit HaBechirah 5:5.
16.
I.e., facing the Temple Building. This reflects the commandment, Leviticus 14:11: “The priest... shall have the person being purified stand... before God, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.”
17.
I.e., also zavim, zavot, and women after childbirth, as mentioned in Hilchot Mechusrei Kapparah, ch. 1.
18.
For these individuals are forbidden to enter the Temple Courtyard until their sacrifices are brought [the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Nega’im 14:9)].
19.
As stated in Hilchot Sotah 3:3, a woman who is suspected of adultery is brought to the Temple and forced to drink water in which a curse that had been written on parchment was blotted out. She stands facing the Temple before this gate.
20.
Waving it up and down and to all four directions. Although generally, the person bringing the sacrifice performs tenufah together with the priest. In this instance, the afflicted person may not enter the Temple Courtyard. Hence, the priest performs tenufah alone. Note the Tosefta, Nega’im, ch. 8, which maintains that the priest would take the sheep to the Gate of Nicanor and wave it together with afflicted person. The Ra’avad maintains that this teaching should be followed. Nevertheless, the Rambam relies on Menachot 5:6 which states that tenufah was performed in the eastern portion of the Temple Courtyard (Rav Yosef Corcus).
21.
This is derived from Leviticus 14:12 which states that the waving must be “before God.” The implication is that one should be in the portion of the Temple Courtyard closest to the place where the Divine Presence rests.
22.
The Gate of Nicanor, where the afflicted person is waiting.
23.
Performing the rite of semichah. See Hilchot Ma’aseh HaKorbanot, ch. 3. As explained there (3:11), semichah must be performed in the Temple Courtyard. Since the afflicted person cannot enter, he inserts his hands so that the rite is performed in that holy place. Inserting one’s hands does not violate the prohibition against entering the Temple Courtyard in a state of impurity, as evident from Hilchot Bi’at HaMikdash 3:18.
24.
As mandated by Hilchot Ma’aseh HaKorbanot 3:12. There are those who maintain that the sacrificial animal must be taken to the portion of the Temple Courtyard where the animals are usually slaughtered. Nevertheless, in Hilchot Beit HaBechirah 5:15-16, the Rambam explains that the northern portion of the Temple Courtyard where sacrifices of the highest order of holiness must be slaughtered extends from the wall of the Entrance Hall until the Eastern Wall of the Temple Courtyard. Hence, there is no need to move the animal.
25.
The Sifra to Leviticus 14:14 explains that just as the priest applies the blood with his physical person, he must receive it with his physical person.
26.
The affiicted person is forbidden to enter the Temple Courtyard. Nevertheless, it is forbidden to take the blood of the guilt-offering out of the Temple Courtyard. Hence, he must insert his head, hand, and foot, as described [the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (Nega’im 14:9)].
27.
See the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (loc. cit.) for a lengthy description of this portion of the ear.
28.
A liquid measure equivalent to 346 cc. according to Shiurei Torah, 600 cc. according to Chazon Ish.
29.
For Leviticus 4:27 states that the sprinklings must be “before God.”
30.
He may not sprinkle the oil more than once for each dipping [the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah (loc. cit.:10)].
31.
See Chapter 5, Halachah 3, for an explanation of this statement.
32.
As the Rambam mentions in Hilchot Bikkurim 1:4, 13, this is one of the 24 presents given to the priests.
33.
See Hilchot Ma’aseh HaKorbanot 10:3.
34.
This indicates that the Rambam considers the prohibition Scriptural in origin. Rashi (Zevachim 44a) considers it a Rabbinic decree.
35.
See Hilchot Ma’aseh HaKorbanot 11:4.
Rabbi Eliyahu Touger is a noted author and translator, widely published for his works on Chassidut and Maimonides.
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