Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 13

40If a man loses the hair on his head, he is bald at the back. He is not ritually defiled.   מוְאִ֕ישׁ כִּ֥י יִמָּרֵ֖ט רֹאשׁ֑וֹ קֵרֵ֥חַ ה֖וּא טָה֥וֹר הֽוּא:
קֵרֵחַ הוּא טָהוֹר הוּא - He is bald; he is not ritually defiled - i.e., he cannot contract ritual defilement of netek-lesions. This is so because the baldness causes the head to no longer be considered a hairy area and therefore subject to the diagnostic rules governing the head and the beard – i.e., the area where hair grows – but similar to the rest of the body and therefore subject to the diagnostic rules governing lesions on skin of the flesh: white hairs, a patch of healthy skin, and spreading of the lesion.   קֵרֵחַ הוּא טָהוֹר הוּא.  טָהוֹר מִטֻּמְאַת נְתָקִין, שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִדּוֹן בְּסִימָנֵי רֹאשׁ וְזָקָן שֶׁהֵם מְקוֹם שֵׂעָר, אֶלָּא בְסִימָנֵי נֶגַע עוֹר בָּשָׂר — (בְּשֵֹעָר לָבָן) וּמִחְיָה וּפִשְׂיוֹן (נגעים פ"י):
41If he loses the hair on the side of his head toward his face, he is bald at the front. He is not ritually defiled.   מאוְאִם֙ מִפְּאַ֣ת פָּנָ֔יו יִמָּרֵ֖ט רֹאשׁ֑וֹ גִּבֵּ֥חַ ה֖וּא טָה֥וֹר הֽוּא:
וְאִם מִפְּאַת פָּנָיו - If…on the side toward his face. Loss of hair from where the top of the head slopes toward the face is called גַּבַּחַת, including also the temples on both sides of the face, and loss of hair from where the top of the head slopes toward its back is called קָרַחַת.   וְאִם מִפְּאַת פָּנָיו.  מִשִּׁפּוּעַ קָדְקֹד כְּלַפֵּי פָנָיו קָרוּי גַּבַּחַת — וְאַף הַצְּדָעִין שֶׁמִּכָּאן וּמִכָּאן בִּכְלָל — וּמִשִּׁפּוּעַ קָדְקֹד כְּלַפֵּי אֲחוֹרָיו קָרוּי קָרַחַת:
42If a lesion that is white with red streaks develops on the back or front bald area of such a person’s head, it is a likely case of tzara’at erupting on his back or front bald area.   מבוְכִי־יִֽהְיֶ֤ה בַקָּרַ֨חַת֙ א֣וֹ בַגַּבַּ֔חַת נֶ֖גַע לָבָ֣ן אֲדַמְדָּ֑ם צָרַ֤עַת פֹּרַ֨חַת֙ הִ֔וא בְּקָֽרַחְתּ֖וֹ א֥וֹ בְגַבַּחְתּֽוֹ:
נֶגַע לָבָן אֲדַמְדָּם - (lit.) A white-reddish lesion - only the streaked color is mentioned here; from where do we know that this law applies also to the other shades of tzara’at? Scripture states for this purpose: נֶגַע, implying that the usual criteria for lesions apply here too.   נֶגַע לָבָן אֲדַמְדָּם.  פָּתוּךְ; מִנַּיִן שְׁאָר הַמַּרְאוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר נֶגַע:
43The priest must examine it. If there is a lesion on his back or front bald area, either wool-white or white with red streaks, like the appearance of tzara’at on the skin of the flesh,   מגוְרָאָ֨ה אֹת֜וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְהִנֵּ֤ה שְׂאֵֽת־הַנֶּ֨גַע֨ לְבָנָ֣ה אֲדַמְדֶּ֔מֶת בְּקָֽרַחְתּ֖וֹ א֣וֹ בְגַבַּחְתּ֑וֹ כְּמַרְאֵ֥ה צָרַ֖עַת ע֥וֹר בָּשָֽׂר:
כְּמַרְאֵה צָרַעַת עוֹר בָּשָׂר - Like the appearance of tzara’at on the skin of the flesh - i.e., like the appearance of tzara’at stated in the section regarding the skin of the flesh: “If a person develops…on the skin of his flesh.” 1 And what is stated about it? That it can become ritually defiled in four shades of white and is subject to two weeks of quarantine, and not like the appearance of tzara’at stated regarding an inflammation or a burn, which is subject to only one week of quarantine, nor the appearance of netek-lesions on the area where hair grows, which does not have to be of the usual four shades – wool-white, its auxiliary form (egg-membrane-white), snow-white, and its auxiliary form (lime-white).   כְּמַרְאֵה צָרַעַת עוֹר בָּשָֽׂר.  כְּמַרְאֵה הַצָּרַעַת הָאָמוּר בְּפָרָשַׁת "עוֹר בָּשָׂר" — אָדָם כִּי יִהְיֶה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ, וּמָה אָמוּר בּוֹ? שֶׁמְּטַמֵּא בְאַרְבַּע מַרְאוֹת, וְנִדּוֹן בִּשְׁנֵי שָׁבוּעוֹת; וְלֹא כְמַרְאֵה צָרַעַת הָאָמוּר בִּשְׁחִין וּמִכְוָה שֶׁהוּא נִדּוֹן בְּשָׁבוּעַ אֶחָד, וְלֹא כְמַרְאֵה נְתָקִין שֶׁל מְקוֹם שֵׂעָר, שֶׁאֵין מְטַמְּאִין בְּאַרְבַּע מַרְאוֹת — שְׂאֵת וְתוֹלַדְתָּהּ, בַּהֶרֶת וְתוֹלַדְתָּהּ:
44he is a man afflicted with tzara’at; he is ritually defiled. The priest must pronounce him defiled on account of his lesion on his head.   מדאִֽישׁ־צָר֥וּעַ ה֖וּא טָמֵ֥א ה֑וּא טַמֵּ֧א יְטַמְּאֶ֛נּוּ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן בְּרֹאשׁ֥וֹ נִגְעֽוֹ:
בְּרֹאשׁוֹ נִגְעֽוֹ - His lesion on his head. From this phrase, I know only that the following rules apply also to those who have netek-lesions. From where do I know that other types of tzara’at-afflicted people are also included? Scripture states for this reason: טַמֵּא יְטַמְּאֶנּוּ “the priest must pronounce him defiled” – the double expression including all types. Thus regarding them all, it says: “his garments must be torn….” 2   בְּרֹאשׁוֹ נִגְעֽוֹ.  אֵין לִי אֶלָּא נְתָקִין, מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת שְׁאָר הַמְנֻגָּעִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "טַמֵּא יְטַמְּאֶנּוּ", לְרַבּוֹת אֶת כֻּלָּן — עַל כֻּלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר בְּגָדָיו יִהְיוּ פְרֻמִים וְגוֹ':
45As for a person afflicted with tzara’at, on whom there is a lesion, his garments must be torn, the hair on his head must be allowed to overgrow; he must cover his face down to his mustache and call out loud, “Defiled! Defiled!”   מהוְהַצָּר֜וּעַ אֲשֶׁר־בּ֣וֹ הַנֶּ֗גַע בְּגָדָ֞יו יִֽהְי֤וּ פְרֻמִים֙ וְרֹאשׁוֹ֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה פָר֔וּעַ וְעַל־שָׂפָ֖ם יַעְטֶ֑ה וְטָמֵ֥א | טָמֵ֖א יִקְרָֽא:
פְרֻמִים - means torn.   פְרֻמִים.  קְרוּעִים:
פָרוּעַ - means that his head must have overgrown hair.   פָרוּעַ.  מְגֻדַּל שֵׂעָר:
וְעַל־שָׂפָם יַעְטֶה - He must cover [his face] down to his mustache - like a mourner.   וְעַל־שָׂפָם יַעְטֶה.  כְּאָבֵל:
שָׂפָם - is the hair on the lips; “grenon” in Old French.   שָׂפָם.  שְׂעַר הַשְּׂפָתַיִם, גרנו"ן בְּלַעַז:
וְטָמֵא טָמֵא יִקְרָֽא - And call out loud, “Defiled! Defiled!”. He announces that he is ritually defiled so that people will know to stay away from him.   וְטָמֵא טָמֵא יִקְרָֽא.  מַשְׁמִיעַ שֶׁהוּא טָמֵא וְיִפְרְשׁוּ מִמֶּנּוּ (ספרא, מועד קטן ה'):
46He will remain ritually defiled as long as the lesion remains upon him. Since he is defiled, he must dwell isolated from other people. His dwelling must be outside the camp.   מוכָּל־יְמֵ֞י אֲשֶׁ֨ר הַנֶּ֥גַע בּ֛וֹ יִטְמָ֖א טָמֵ֣א ה֑וּא בָּדָ֣ד יֵשֵׁ֔ב מִח֥וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֖ה מֽוֹשָׁבֽוֹ:
בָּדָד יֵשֵׁב - He must dwell isolated - meaning that even other ritually defiled people may not dwell with him. Our rabbis said: 3 Why is he different from other ritually defiled people, that he must dwell alone? They answered: Since, through his slanderous speech, he caused rifts between husband and wife or between man and his fellow, he must likewise be set apart from others.   בָּדָד יֵשֵׁב.  שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ טְמֵאִים יוֹשְׁבִין עִמּוֹ; וְאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה מִשְּׁאָר טְמֵאִים לֵישֵׁב בָּדָד? הוֹאִיל וְהוּא הִבְדִּיל בְּלָשׁוֹן הָרָע בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ וּבֵין אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ, אַף הוּא יִבָּדֵל (ערכין ט"ז):
מִחוּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶה - Outside the camp - i.e., outside the three camps surrounding the Tabernacle.   מִחוּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶה.  חוּץ לְשָׁלוֹשׁ מַחֲנוֹת:
47The laws regarding a garment or other article that has the tzara’at-lesion upon it apply only to lesions on woolen garments, on linen garments,   מזוְהַבֶּ֕גֶד כִּי־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה ב֖וֹ נֶ֣גַע צָרָ֑עַת בְּבֶ֣גֶד צֶ֔מֶר א֖וֹ בְּבֶ֥גֶד פִּשְׁתִּֽים:
48on threads prepared to be used as the warp or the woof of linen or wool garments, on unworked leather, or on anything made from leather.   מחא֤וֹ בִשְׁתִי֙ א֣וֹ בְעֵ֔רֶב לַפִּשְׁתִּ֖ים וְלַצָּ֑מֶר א֣וֹ בְע֔וֹר א֖וֹ בְּכָל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֽוֹר:
לַפִּשְׁתִּים וְלַצָּמֶר - means: made of linen or of wool.   לַפִּשְׁתִּים וְלַצָּמֶר.  שֶׁל פִּשְׁתִּים אוֹ שֶׁל צֶמֶר:
אוֹ בְעוֹר - (lit.) Or on leather. This refers to leather that has not been manufactured into a finished product.   אוֹ בְעוֹר.  זֶה עוֹר שֶׁלֹא נַעֲשָׂה בוֹ מְלָאכָה:
אוֹ בְּכָל־מְלֶאכֶת עֽוֹר - (lit.) Or on any work of leather. This refers to leather that which has been manufactured into a finished product.   אוֹ בְּכָל־מְלֶאכֶת עֽוֹר.  זֶה עוֹר שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בוֹ מְלָאכָה:
49If the lesion on the garment, on the unworked leather, on the warp- or woof-threads, or on any leather article, is pure green or pure red, it is a tzara’at-lesion, and it must be shown to the priest.   מטוְהָיָ֨ה הַנֶּ֜גַע יְרַקְרַ֣ק | א֣וֹ אֲדַמְדָּ֗ם בַּבֶּ֩גֶד֩ א֨וֹ בָע֜וֹר אֽוֹ־בַשְּׁתִ֤י אֽוֹ־בָעֵ֨רֶב֙ א֣וֹ בְכָל־כְּלִי־ע֔וֹר נֶ֥גַע צָרַ֖עַת ה֑וּא וְהָרְאָ֖ה אֶת־הַכֹּהֵֽן:
יְרַקְרַק - means the greenest of greens.   יְרַקְרַק.  יָרֹק שֶׁבַּיְרֻקִּין:
אֲדַמְדָּם - means the reddest of reds.   אֲדַמְדָּם.  אָדֹם שֶׁבָּאֲדֻמִּים:
50The priest must examine the lesion and quarantine the article with the lesion for seven days.   נוְרָאָ֥ה הַכֹּהֵ֖ן אֶת־הַנָּ֑גַע וְהִסְגִּ֥יר אֶת־הַנֶּ֖גַע שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים:
51He must examine the lesion on the seventh day. If the lesion has spread on the garment, the warp- or woof-threads, on the unworked leather, or any article made from leather, the lesion is an onerous tzara’at-lesion. It is ritually defiled.   נאוְרָאָ֨ה אֶת־הַנֶּ֜גַע בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י כִּֽי־פָשָׂ֤ה הַנֶּ֨גַע֙ בַּ֠בֶּ֠גֶד אֽוֹ־בַשְּׁתִ֤י אֽוֹ־בָעֵ֨רֶב֙ א֣וֹ בָע֔וֹר לְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יֵֽעָשֶׂ֥ה הָע֖וֹר לִמְלָאכָ֑ה צָרַ֧עַת מַמְאֶ֛רֶת הַנֶּ֖גַע טָמֵ֥א הֽוּא:
צָרַעַת מַמְאֶרֶת - The term מַמְאֶרֶת is of similar meaning to סִלּוֹן מַמְאִיר “a painful thorn”; 4 “poiniant” in Old French (“sharp”). Its Midrashic explanation is: Place a curse (מְאֵרָה) on it in that you may not derive any benefit from it.   צָרַעַת מַמְאֶרֶת.  לְשׁוֹן סִלּוֹן מַמְאִיר (יחזקאל כ"ח), פויי"נט בְּלַעַז; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ: תֵּן בּוֹ מְאֵרָה שֶׁלֹא תֵהָנֶה הֵימֶנּוּ (ספרא):
52He must burn the garment, the warp- or woof-threads of wool or linen, or whatever leather article that has the lesion upon it, since the lesion is an onerous tzara’at-lesion. It must be burned in fire.   נבוְשָׂרַ֨ף אֶת־הַבֶּגֶ֜ד א֥וֹ אֶת־הַשְּׁתִ֣י | א֣וֹ אֶת־הָעֵ֗רֶב בַּצֶּ֨מֶר֙ א֣וֹ בַפִּשְׁתִּ֔ים א֚וֹ אֶת־כָּל־כְּלִ֣י הָע֔וֹר אֲשֶׁר־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה ב֖וֹ הַנָּ֑גַע כִּֽי־צָרַ֤עַת מַמְאֶ֨רֶת֙ הִ֔וא בָּאֵ֖שׁ תִּשָּׂרֵֽף:
בַּצֶּמֶר אוֹ בַפִּשְׁתִּים - means: made of wool or of linen. This is the straightforward meaning of this phrase. Its Midrashic explanation is: I might think that these words indicate that one must bring fleeces of wool and stalks of flax and burn them along with it. Scripture therefore states: הִוא בָּאֵשׁ תִּשָּׂרֵף “it must be burned in fire” – it does not require anything else to be burned with it. If so, why does Scripture state “of wool or linen”? To exclude its hems (אִמְרִיּוֹת) made out of a different material from being burned. אִמְרִיּוֹת is a term denoting “hem,” like the more common word אִמְרָא.   בַּצֶּמֶר אוֹ בַפִּשְׁתִּים.  שֶׁל צֶמֶר אוֹ שֶׁל פִּשְׁתִּים, זֶהוּ פְשׁוּטוֹ; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ: יָכוֹל יָבִיא גִּזֵּי צֶמֶר וַאֲנִיצֵי פִשְׁתָּן וְיִשְׂרְפֵם עִמּוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "הוּא" באש תשרף — אֵינָהּ צְרִיכָה דָבָר אַחֵר עִמָּהּ, אִם כֵּן מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "בַּצֶּמֶר אוֹ בַפִּשְׁתִּים"? לְהוֹצִיא אֶת הָאֻמְרִיּוֹת שֶׁבּוֹ שֶׁהֵן מִמִּין אַחֵר; אֻמְרִיּוֹת לְשׁוֹן שָׂפָה, כְּמוֹ אִימְרָא (ספרא):
53But if the priest examines the lesion and the lesion has not spread on the garment, the warp- or woof-threads, or whatever leather article it is on,   נגוְאִם֘ יִרְאֶ֣ה הַכֹּהֵן֒ וְהִנֵּה֙ לֹֽא־פָשָׂ֣ה הַנֶּ֔גַע בַּבֶּ֕גֶד א֥וֹ בַשְּׁתִ֖י א֣וֹ בָעֵ֑רֶב א֖וֹ בְּכָל־כְּלִי־עֽוֹר:
54the priest must order that the part of the article on which the lesion is located be washed, and he must quarantine it again for seven days.   נדוְצִוָּה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְכִ֨בְּס֔וּ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־בּ֖וֹ הַנָּ֑גַע וְהִסְגִּיר֥וֹ שִׁבְעַת־יָמִ֖ים שֵׁנִֽית:
אֵת אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ הַנָּגַע - (lit.) That which has the lesion on it. I might think that this refers only to the location of the lesion. Scripture therefore states: “that which has the lesion on it,” and not just “the lesion.” I might then think that the entire garment requires washing. Scripture therefore states: הַנָּגַע “the lesion,” and not “the garment.” How, then, is it done? Some of the garment must be washed together with the lesion.   אֵת אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ הַנָּגַע.  יָכוֹל מְקוֹם הַנֶּגַע בִּלְבַד, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "אֵת אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ הַנָּגַע", יָכוֹל כָּל הַבֶּגֶד כֻּלּוֹ טָעוּן כִּבּוּס, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "הַנָּגַע", הָא כֵיצַד? יְכַבֵּס מִן הַבֶּגֶד עִמּוֹ: