Torah Reading for Tazria

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First Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 12

1God spoke to Moses, saying:		אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
2“Speak to the Israelites, saying: ‘If a woman conceives and gives birth to a male child, she becomes ritually defiled for seven days. She becomes ritually defiled to the same degree as she does during the days of her menstrual flow.		בדַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אִשָּׁה֙ כִּ֣י תַזְרִ֔יעַ וְיָֽלְדָ֖ה זָכָ֑ר וְטָֽמְאָה֙ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֔ים כִּימֵ֛י נִדַּ֥ת דְּו‍ֹתָ֖הּ תִּטְמָֽא:
אִשָּׁה כִּי תַזְרִיעַ - If a woman conceives. Rabbi Simlai said: Just as man was formed after all animals, beasts, and fowl in the order of Creation, so are the laws concerning him enumerated after the laws of animals, beasts, and fowl.		אִשָּׁה כִּי תַזְרִיעַ. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׂמְלַאי: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁיְּצִירָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם אַחַר כָּל בְּהֵמָה חַיָּה וָעוֹף בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, כָּךְ תּוֹרָתוֹ נִתְפָּרְשָׁה אַחַר תּוֹרַת בְּהֵמָה חַיָּה וָעוֹף (ויקרא רבה יד):
כִּי תַזְרִיעַ - If…conceives. This word is added to include the law that even if she gave birth to a dissolved fetus, i.e., it was liquified so that it resembled semen (זֶרַע), its mother contracts ritual defilement of birth.		כִּי תַזְרִיעַ. לְרַבּוֹת שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ יְלָדַתּוּ מָחוּי — שֶׁנִּמְחָה וְנַעֲשָׂה כְּעֵין זֶרַע — אִמּוֹ טְמֵאָה לֵידָה (נדה כ"ז):
כִּימֵי נִדַּת דותה תִּטְמָֽא - She becomes ritually defiled as during the days of her menstrual flow - i.e., she contracts the same ritual defilement through childbirth as stated in all the rules regarding ritual defilement of a menstruating woman, even if the womb opened without any discharge of blood.		כִּימֵי נִדַּת דְּו‍ֹתָהּ תִּטְמָֽא. כְּסֵדֶר כָּל טֻמְאָה הָאֲמוּרָה בְנִדָּה מִטַּמְּאָה בְטֻמְאַת לֵידָה, וַאֲפִלוּ נִפְתַּח הַקֶּבֶר בְּלֹא דָם (שם כ"א):
דְּו‍ֹתָהּ - denotes “something that flows from her body.” Another explanation: It denotes pain (מַדְוֶה) and sickness, for a woman does not see her menstrual flow of blood without her head and limbs feeling painful and heavy.		דְּו‍ֹתָהּ. לְשׁוֹן דָּבָר הַזָּב מִגּוּפָהּ; לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר לְשׁוֹן מַדְוֶה וְחֹלִי, שֶׁאֵין אִשָּׁה רוֹאָה דָם שֶׁלֹּא תֶחֱלֶה וְרֹאשָׁהּ וְאֵבָרֶיהָ כְבֵדִין עָלֶיהָ (שם ט'):
3On the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin must be circumcised.		גוּבַיּ֖וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֑י יִמּ֖וֹל בְּשַׂ֥ר עָרְלָתֽוֹ:
4For 33 days, she will remain in a transitional state, during which her uterine blood is not a source of ritual defilement. She may not touch any consecrated food, nor may she enter the Sanctuary, until the days of her purification have been completed.		דוּשְׁלשִׁ֥ים יוֹם֙ וּשְׁל֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים תֵּשֵׁ֖ב בִּדְמֵ֣י טָֽהֳרָ֑ה בְּכָל־קֹ֣דֶשׁ לֹֽא־תִגָּ֗ע וְאֶל־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ֙ לֹ֣א תָבֹ֔א עַד־מְלֹ֖את יְמֵ֥י טָֽהֳרָֽהּ:
תֵּשֵׁב - Will remain. The term תֵּשֵׁב here denotes nothing other than remaining, as in “you stayed (וַתֵּשְׁבוּ) in Kadesh,” 1 and “he settled (וַיֵּשֶׁב) in Elonim, the plains of Mamre.” 2		תֵּשֵׁב. אֵין תֵּשֵׁב אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן עַכָּבָה, כְּמוֹ וַתֵּשְׁבוּ בְקָדֵשׁ (דברים א'), וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא (בראשית י"ג):
בִּדְמֵי טָֽהֳרָה - (lit.) In blood of purity - i.e., even though she sees blood, she remains ritually undefiled.		בִּדְמֵי טָֽהֳרָה. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרוֹאָה טְהוֹרָה:
בִּדְמֵי טָֽהֳרָה - the ה of טָהֳרָה is not sounded, and it is therefore a noun, similar in meaning to טֹהַר “purity,” i.e., even her blood itself does not convey ritual defilement.		בִּדְמֵי טָֽהֳרָה. לֹא מַפִּיק הֵ"א, וְהוּא שֵׁם דָּבָר כְּמוֹ טֹהַר:
יְמֵי טָֽהֳרָה - the ה of טָהֳרָהּ is sounded as indicated by the dot inside it, which serves as a possessive suffix meaning “her days of purity,” i.e., they are ritually pure in all respects.		יְמֵי טָֽהֳרָה. מַפִּיק הֵ"א — יְמֵי טֹהַר שֶׁלָּהּ:
לֹֽא־תִגָּע - She may not touch. This is an injunction against eating consecrated food, as is stated in Yevamot. 3		לֹֽא־תִגָּע. אַזְהָרָה לָאוֹכֵל וְכוֹ' כְּמוֹ שֶׁשְּׁנוּיָה בִיבָמוֹת (דף ע"ה):
בְּכָל־קֹדֶשׁ - Any consecrated [food]…. The word כָל “any” is added to include terumah; the reason being that this woman is in a prolonged state of tevul yom, for although she immersed herself at the end of seven days, the state of ritual purity allowing her to eat terumah that usually takes effect at nightfall does not take effect until nightfall following the 40th day, on the day following which she brings her atonement sacrifices that achieve her full ritual purity with regard to consecrated food.		בְּכָל־קֹדֶשׁ. לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַתְּרוּמָה, לְפִי שֶׁזּוֹ טְבוּלַת יוֹם אָרֹךְ, שֶׁטָּבְלָה לְסוֹף שִׁבְעָה וְאֵין שִׁמְשָׁהּ מַעֲרִיב לְטַהֲרָהּ עַד שְׁקִיעַת הַחַמָּה שֶׁל יוֹם אַרְבָּעִים שֶׁלְּמָחָר תָּבִיא אֶת כַּפָּרַת טָהֳרָתָהּ:
5If she gives birth to a female child, she becomes ritually defiled—to the same degree as she does during her menstruation period—and remains so for two weeks. She will remain in a transitional state—during which her uterine blood is not a source of ritual defilement—for 66 days.		הוְאִם־נְקֵבָ֣ה תֵלֵ֔ד וְטָֽמְאָ֥ה שְׁבֻעַ֖יִם כְּנִדָּתָ֑הּ וְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים יוֹם֙ וְשֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים תֵּשֵׁ֖ב עַל־דְּמֵ֥י טָֽהֳרָֽה:
6When the period of her purification has been completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she must bring the priest a sheep in its first year as an ascent-offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin-offering into the Courtyard, outside the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.		ווּבִמְלֹ֣את \| יְמֵ֣י טָֽהֳרָ֗הּ לְבֵן֘ א֣וֹ לְבַת֒ תָּבִ֞יא כֶּ֤בֶשׂ בֶּן־שְׁנָתוֹ֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה וּבֶן־יוֹנָ֥ה אוֹ־תֹ֖ר לְחַטָּ֑את אֶל־פֶּ֥תַח אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֖ד אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן:
7The priest must offer it up before God and effect atonement for her. She will be purified from the source of her blood. This is the law that applies to a woman who gives birth, whether to a male or a female.		זוְהִקְרִיב֞וֹ לִפְנֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ וְכִפֶּ֣ר עָלֶ֔יהָ וְטָֽהֲרָ֖ה מִמְּקֹ֣ר דָּמֶ֑יהָ זֹ֤את תּוֹרַת֙ הַיֹּלֶ֔דֶת לַזָּכָ֖ר א֥וֹ לַנְּקֵבָֽה:
וְהִקְרִיבוֹ - He must offer it up. The suffix וֹ “it” teaches you that offering only one of the sacrifices is essential to allow her to eat consecrated food. Which one is it? It is the sin-offering, for it says: “the priest must effect atonement for her and she will be purified” – the ritual purification is dependent on that which is brought for atonement.		וְהִקְרִיבוֹ. לִמֶּדְךָ שֶׁאֵין מְעַכְּבָהּ לֶאֱכֹל בְּקָדָשִׁים אֶלָּא אֶחָד מֵהֶם, וְאֵי זֶה הוּא? זֶה חַטָּאת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְכִפֶּר עָלֶיהָ הַכֹּהֵן וְטָהֵרָה, מִי שֶׁהוּא בָא לְכַפֵּר, בּוֹ הַטָּהֳרָה תְלוּיָה:
וְטָֽהֲרָה - She will be purified - from which it is to be inferred that until now she was called ritually defiled, in that she was not allowed to eat sacrificial meat or enter the Tabernacle, although she was partially ritually pure.		וְטָֽהֲרָה. מִכְּלָל שֶׁעַד כָּאן קְרוּיָה טְמֵאָה:
8If she cannot afford a sheep, she may take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one as an ascent-offering and one as a sin-offering. The priest must effect atonement for her and she will be rid of defilement.’”		חוְאִם־לֹ֨א תִמְצָ֣א יָדָהּ֘ דֵּ֣י שֶׂה֒ וְלָֽקְחָ֣ה שְׁתֵּֽי־תֹרִ֗ים א֤וֹ שְׁנֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יוֹנָ֔ה אֶחָ֥ד לְעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶחָ֣ד לְחַטָּ֑את וְכִפֶּ֥ר עָלֶ֛יהָ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן וְטָהֵֽרָה:
אֶחָד לְעֹלָה וְאֶחָד לְחַטָּאת - One as an ascent-offering and one as a sin-offering. Scripture mentions the ascent-offering first only because it is consumed in its entirety on the Altar and is therefore given precedence with regard to being mentioned, but with regard to being brought, the sin-offering precedes the ascent-offering. So we have learnt in Zevachim, in Chapter Kol HaTadir. 4		אֶחָד לְעֹלָה וְאֶחָד לְחַטָּאת. לֹא הִקְדִּימָהּ הַכָּתוּב אֶלָּא לְמִקְרָאָהּ, אֲבָל לְהַקְרָבָה חַטָּאת קוֹדֵם לָעוֹלָה, כָּךְ שָׁנִינוּ בִּזְבָחִים בְּפֶרֶק כָּל הַתָּדִיר (זבחים צ ע"א):

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 13

1God spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying:		אוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר:
2“If a person develops a wool-white spot, an egg-membrane-white spot, or a snow-white spot on the skin of his flesh, and it forms a tzara’at-lesion on the skin of his flesh, he must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons, the priests.		באָדָ֗ם כִּי־יִֽהְיֶ֤ה בְעֽוֹר־בְּשָׂרוֹ֙ שְׂאֵ֤ת אֽוֹ־סַפַּ֨חַת֙ א֣וֹ בַהֶ֔רֶת וְהָיָ֥ה בְעֽוֹר־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ לְנֶ֣גַע צָרָ֑עַת וְהוּבָא֙ אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֔ן א֛וֹ אֶל־אַחַ֥ד מִבָּנָ֖יו הַכֹּֽהֲנִֽים:
שְׂאֵת אֽוֹ־סַפַּחַת וגו' - These are names of tzara’at-lesions, and one is whiter than the other.		שְׂאֵת אֽוֹ־סַפַּחַת וגו'. שְׁמוֹת נְגָעִים הֵם וּלְבָנוֹת זוֹ מִזּוֹ:
בַהֶרֶת - are spots; “taye” in Old French. Similarly we find: “it forms a bright spot (בָּהִיר) in the skies.” 5		בַהֶרֶת. חֲבַרְבּוּרוֹת, טיי"א בְּלַעַז, וְכֵן בָּהִיר הוּא בַּשְּׁחָקִים (איוב ל"ז):
אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן וגו' - To Aaron… So was decreed by Scripture, that the ritual defilement of tzara’at-lesions or lack thereof take effect only by a priest pronouncing them so.		אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן וגו'. גְּזֵרַת הַכָּתוּב הִיא שֶׁאֵין טֻמְאַת נְגָעִים וְטָהֳרָתָן אֶלָּא עַל פִּי כֹהֵן (ספרא):
3The priest must examine the lesion on the skin of the flesh, and if dark hairs within the lesion have turned white, and the appearance of the lesion is deeper than that of the skin of his flesh, it is a tzara’at-lesion. When the priest sees this, he must pronounce him ritually defiled.		גוְרָאָ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֣ן אֶת־הַנֶּ֣גַע בְּעֽוֹר־הַ֠בָּשָׂ֠ר וְשֵׂעָ֨ר בַּנֶּ֜גַע הָפַ֣ךְ \| לָבָ֗ן וּמַרְאֵ֤ה הַנֶּ֨גַע֙ עָמֹק֙ מֵע֣וֹר בְּשָׂר֔וֹ נֶ֥גַע צָרַ֖עַת ה֑וּא וְרָאָ֥הוּ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן וְטִמֵּ֥א אֹתֽוֹ:
הָפַךְ לָבָן - And [if] hairs within the lesion have turned white - i.e., first having been black and then turned white within the area of the lesion. The minimum number of hairs termed as שֵׂעָר is two.		הָפַךְ לָבָן. מִתְּחִלָּה שָׁחֹר וְהָפַךְ לְלָבָן בְּתוֹךְ הַנֶּגַע; וּמִעוּט שֵׂעָר שְׁנַיִם:
עָמֹק מֵעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ - Deeper than the skin of his flesh. Every white color appears deeper than a darker color next to it, just as an area lit by the sun appears deeper than the shade.		עָמֹק מֵעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ. כָּל מַרְאֵה לָבָן עָמֹק הוּא, כְּמַרְאֵה חַמָּה עֲמֻקָּה מִן הַצֵּל:
וְטִמֵּא אֹתֽוֹ - He must pronounce him ritually defiled. He says to him: “You are ritually defiled,” for white hairs are a sign of tzara’at-defilement by decree of Scripture.		וְטִמֵּא אֹתֽוֹ. יֹאמַר לוֹ טָמֵא אַתָּה, שֶׁשֵּׂעָר לָבָן סִימָן טֻמְאָה הוּא גְּזֵרַת הַכָּתוּב:
4If the lesion on the skin of his flesh is a snow-white spot whose appearance is not deeper than that of the skin, but no dark hairs have turned white, the priest must quarantine the person with the lesion for seven days.		דוְאִם־בַּהֶ֩רֶת֩ לְבָנָ֨ה הִ֜וא בְּע֣וֹר בְּשָׂר֗וֹ וְעָמֹק֙ אֵֽין־מַרְאֶ֣הָ מִן־הָע֔וֹר וּשְׂעָרָ֖ה לֹֽא־הָפַ֣ךְ לָבָ֑ן וְהִסְגִּ֧יר הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֶת־הַנֶּ֖גַע שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים:
וְעָמֹק אֵֽין־מַרְאֶהָ - Whose appearance is not deeper. I do not know the meaning of this.		וְעָמֹק אֵֽין־מַרְאֶהָ. לֹא יָדַעְתִּי פֵרוּשׁוֹ:
וְהִסְגִּיר - Must quarantine - i.e., he must close him up in a house and not see him until the end of the week, so that the symptoms will clarify his status.		וְהִסְגִּיר. יַסְגִּירֶנּוּ בְּבַיִת אֶחָד וְלֹא יִרְאֶה עַד סוֹף הַשָּׁבוּעַ וְיוֹכִיחוּ סִימָנִים עָלָיו:
5On the seventh day, the priest must examine him. If the lesion has remained the same in its appearance and the lesion has not spread on the skin, the priest must quarantine him for seven days a second time.		הוְרָאָ֣הוּ הַכֹּהֵן֘ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי֒ וְהִנֵּ֤ה הַנֶּ֨גַע֙ עָמַ֣ד בְּעֵינָ֔יו לֹֽא־פָשָׂ֥ה הַנֶּ֖גַע בָּע֑וֹר וְהִסְגִּיר֧וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֛ן שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים שֵׁנִֽית:
בְּעֵינָיו - In its appearance - i.e., with its original appearance (i.e., color) and size.		בְּעֵינָיו. בְּמַרְאֵהוּ וּבְשִׁעוּרוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן:
וְהִסְגִּירוֹ … שֵׁנִֽית - [The priest] must quarantine him…a second time. inferred is that if it spread during the first week, he is pronounced conclusively ritually defiled.		וְהִסְגִּירוֹ … שֵׁנִֽית. הָא אִם פָּשָׂה בְּשָׁבוּעַ רִאשׁוֹן, טָמֵא מֻחְלָט:

Footnotes

Deuteronomy 1:46.

Genesis 13:18.

Yevamot 75a.

Zevachim 90a.

Job 37:21.

Second Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 13

6The priest must examine him on the seventh day a second time. If the lesion has become darker and the lesion has not spread on the skin, the priest must pronounce him rid of this defilement. It has become a mispachat. He must immerse his garments in the water of a mikveh, and then he will be rid of defilement.		ווְרָאָה֩ הַכֹּהֵ֨ן אֹת֜וֹ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי֘ שֵׁנִית֒ וְהִנֵּה֙ כֵּהָ֣ה הַנֶּ֔גַע וְלֹֽא־פָשָׂ֥ה הַנֶּ֖גַע בָּע֑וֹר וְטִֽהֲר֤וֹ הַכֹּהֵן֙ מִסְפַּ֣חַת הִ֔וא וְכִבֶּ֥ס בְּגָדָ֖יו וְטָהֵֽר:
כֵּהָה - means: its appearance has faded. From this we can infer that if it remained with the same appearance or it spread, he is ritually defiled.		כֵּהָה. הָכְהָה מִמַּרְאִיתוֹ, הָא אִם עָמַד בְּמַרְאִיתוֹ אוֹ פָשָׂה טָמֵא:
מִסְפַּחַת - Mispachat. This is the name of a pure lesion.		מִסְפַּחַת. שֵׁם נֶגַע טָהוֹר:
וְכִבֶּס בְּגָדָיו וְטָהֵֽר - He must immerse his garments and be rid of defilement. Since he had to undergo quarantine, he is called ritually defiled and requires ritual immersion.		וְכִבֶּס בְּגָדָיו וְטָהֵֽר. הוֹאִיל וְנִזְקַק לְהִסָּגֵר נִקְרָא טָמֵא וְצָרִיךְ טְבִילָה:
7If the mispachat spreads on the skin after he was shown to the priest for his purification, he must be shown to the priest again.		זוְאִם־פָּשׂ֨ה תִפְשֶׂ֤ה הַמִּסְפַּ֨חַת֙ בָּע֔וֹר אַֽחֲרֵ֧י הֵרָֽאֹת֛וֹ אֶל־הַכֹּהֵ֖ן לְטָֽהֳרָת֑וֹ וְנִרְאָ֥ה שֵׁנִ֖ית אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן:
8The priest must examine the mispachat. If the mispachat has spread on the skin, the priest must pronounce him ritually defiled; it has turned into tzara’at.		חוְרָאָה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְהִנֵּ֛ה פָּֽשְׂתָ֥ה הַמִּסְפַּ֖חַת בָּע֑וֹר וְטִמְּא֥וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן צָרַ֥עַת הִֽוא:
וְטִמְּאוֹ הַכֹּהֵן - The priest must pronounce him ritually defiled - and once he has pronounced him ritually defiled, he is conclusively so, and, upon being cured, must undergo the procedure involving two birds, shaving, and bringing sacrifices, as stated in parashat Zot Tihyeh Torat HaMetzora. 1		וְטִמְּאוֹ הַכֹּהֵן. וּמִשֶּׁטִּמְּאוֹ הֲרֵי הוּא מֻחְלָט, וְזָקוּק לְצִפֳּרִים וּלְתִגְלַחַת וּלְקָרְבָּן הָאָמוּר בְּפָרָשַׁת זֹאת תִּהְיֶה:
צָרַעַת הִֽוא - (lit.) It is tzara’at - i.e., this mispachat.		צָרַעַת הִֽוא. הַמִּסְפַּחַת הַזֹּאת:
צָרַעַת - tzara’at. is a feminine noun; נֶגַע is a masculine noun.		צָרַעַת. לְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה. נגע. לְשׁוֹן זָכָר:
9If a person has a lesion that appears to be tzara’at, he must be brought to the priest.		טנֶ֣גַע צָרַ֔עַת כִּ֥י תִֽהְיֶ֖ה בְּאָדָ֑ם וְהוּבָ֖א אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן:
10The priest must examine it. If there is on the skin a wool-white spot, and either it has turned the dark hairs within it white, or there is a patch of healthy, live flesh in the wool-white spot,		יוְרָאָ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְהִנֵּ֤ה שְׂאֵֽת־לְבָנָה֙ בָּע֔וֹר וְהִ֕יא הָֽפְכָ֖ה שֵׂעָ֣ר לָבָ֑ן וּמִחְיַ֛ת בָּשָׂ֥ר חַ֖י בַּשְׂאֵֽת:
וּמִחְיַת - “saynement” in Old French (“healing”). This means that some of the white in the spot is different, having the color of flesh – this is also a sign of ritual defilement, hairs turning white even without a patch of healthy flesh, as well as a patch of healthy flesh even without hairs turning white. And although healthy flesh is mentioned only in connection with a wool-white spot, it is a sign of ritual defilement even when appearing within spots of all shades of tzara’at and their auxiliary colors.		וּמִחְיַת. שינמי"נט בְּלַעַז, שֶׁנֶּהְפַּךְ מִקְצַת הַלֹּבֶן שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַשְּׂאֵת לְמַרְאֵה בָשָׂר, אַף הִיא סִימָן טֻמְאָה — שֵׂעָר לָבָן בְּלֹא מִחְיָה וּמִחְיָה בְּלֹא שֵׂעָר לָבָן — וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֶמְרָה מִחְיָה אֶלָּא בַּשְּׂאֵת, אַף בְּכָל הַמַּרְאוֹת וְתוֹלְדוֹתֵיהֶן הוּא סִימָן טֻמְאָה:
11it is a case of old, purulent tzara’at under the skin of his flesh. The priest must pronounce him ritually defiled. He need not quarantine him, because he is definitely defiled.		יאצָרַ֨עַת נוֹשֶׁ֤נֶת הִוא֙ בְּע֣וֹר בְּשָׂר֔וֹ וְטִמְּא֖וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֑ן לֹ֣א יַסְגִּרֶ֔נּוּ כִּ֥י טָמֵ֖א הֽוּא:
צָרַעַת נוֹשֶׁנֶת הִוא - It is old tzara’at - i.e., it is an old affliction under the healthy flesh, and although this wound appears healthy on its surface, underneath it is full of pus. This was stated so you not say: “Since healthy flesh has developed in the lesion, I should consider it free of defilement.”		צָרַעַת נוֹשֶׁנֶת הִוא. מַכָּה יְשָׁנָה הִיא תַּחַת הַמִּחְיָה, וְחַבּוּרָה זוֹ נִרְאֵית בְּרִיאָה לְמַעְלָה וְתַחְתֶּיהָ מְלֵאָה לֵחָה — שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר הוֹאִיל וְעָלְתָה מִחְיָה אֲטַהֲרֶנָּה:
12If the tzara’at erupts all over the skin to the extent that the tzara’at covers all the skin of the person with the lesion, from his head to his feet, wherever the eyes of the priest can see it,		יבוְאִם־פָּר֨וֹחַ תִּפְרַ֤ח הַצָּרַ֨עַת֙ בָּע֔וֹר וְכִסְּתָ֣ה הַצָּרַ֗עַת אֵ֚ת כָּל־ע֣וֹר הַנֶּ֔גַע מֵֽרֹאשׁ֖וֹ וְעַד־רַגְלָ֑יו לְכָל־מַרְאֵ֖ה עֵינֵ֥י הַכֹּהֵֽן:
מֵֽרֹאשׁוֹ - From his head - i.e., of the person – “to his feet.”		מֵֽרֹאשׁוֹ. שֶׁל אָדָם ועד רגליו:
לְכָל־מַרְאֵה עֵינֵי הַכֹּהֵֽן - Wherever the eyes of the priest can see it. This excludes a priest whose vision is impaired from being fit to examine lesions.		לְכָל־מַרְאֵה עֵינֵי הַכֹּהֵֽן. פְּרָט לְכֹהֵן שֶׁחָשַׁךְ מְאוֹרוֹ (ספרא):
13the priest must examine it. If the tzara’at has indeed covered all his flesh, he must pronounce the person with the lesion rid of this defilement. He has turned completely white; he is not defiled.		יגוְרָאָ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְהִנֵּ֨ה כִסְּתָ֤ה הַצָּרַ֨עַת֙ אֶת־כָּל־בְּשָׂר֔וֹ וְטִהַ֖ר אֶת־הַנָּ֑גַע כֻּלּ֛וֹ הָפַ֥ךְ לָבָ֖ן טָה֥וֹר הֽוּא:
14On the day that a patch of live flesh appears in it, he will become ritually defiled.		ידוּבְי֨וֹם הֵֽרָא֥וֹת בּ֛וֹ בָּשָׂ֥ר חַ֖י יִטְמָֽא:
וּבְיוֹם הֵֽרָאוֹת בּוֹ בָּשָׂר חַי - On the day that live flesh appears in it. If a patch of healthy flesh develops on a lesion, Scripture has already specified this as being a sign of defilement. This verse therefore only intends to teach us the following: If the lesion was on one of the 24 tips of limbs that do not generally become defiled due to the presence of healthy flesh – because the lesion cannot be seen all at once, since it slants in different directions – and then an accumulation of fat caused the slant to lessen such that the flesh at the tip of the limb became exposed – for example, it healed and became thick and broad so that the entire patch of healthy flesh became visible at once – Scripture teaches us that it (i.e., the fact that the entire patch is now visible all at once) renders him ritually defiled.		וּבְיוֹם הֵֽרָאוֹת בּוֹ בָּשָׂר חַי. אִם צָמְחָה בוֹ מִחְיָה הֲרֵי כְבָר פֵּרֵשׁ שֶׁהַמִּחְיָה סִימָן טֻמְאָה? אֶלָּא הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה הַנֶּגַע בְּאֶחָד מֵעֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה רָאשֵׁי אֵבָרִים שֶׁאֵין מִטַּמְּאִין מִשּׁוּם מִחְיָה — לְפִי שֶׁאֵין נִרְאֶה הַנֶּגַע כֻּלּוֹ כְאֶחָד, שֶׁשּׁוֹפְעִין אֵילָךְ וָאֵילָךְ (נגעים פ"ו; קידושין כ"ה) — וְחָזַר רֹאשׁ הָאֵבֶר וְנִתְגַּלָּה שִׁפּוּעוֹ עַל יְדֵי שֻׁמָּן, כְּגוֹן שֶׁהִבְרִיא וְנַעֲשָֹה רָחָב וְנִרְאֵית בּוֹ הַמִּחְיָה, לִמְּדָנוּ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁתְּטַמֵּא (ספרא):
וּבְיוֹם - On the day. Why does Scripture state this word? To teach us that there are some days when you may examine a lesion and there are some days that you may not examine it. From here our rabbis said: A bridegroom is given all the seven days of feasting before examination – whether of himself, his overcoat, his clothing or his house; and similarly on a festival, any person is given all the days of the festival.		וּבְיוֹם. מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר? לְלַמֵּד יֵשׁ יוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה בוֹ וְיֵשׁ יוֹם שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה רוֹאֶה בוֹ, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ: חָתָן נוֹתְנִין לוֹ כָּל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַמִּשְׁתֶּה, לוֹ וְלִכְסוּתוֹ וּלְבֵיתוֹ, וְכֵן בָּרֶגֶל נוֹתְנִין לוֹ כָּל יְמֵי הָרֶגֶל (נגעים פ"ג, מועד קטן ז'):
15The priest must examine the live flesh, and must pronounce him ritually defiled. The appearance of live flesh indicates that the person is defiled; the lesion is tzara’at.		טווְרָאָ֧ה הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֶת־הַבָּשָׂ֥ר הַחַ֖י וְטִמְּא֑וֹ הַבָּשָׂ֥ר הַחַ֛י טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא צָרַ֥עַת הֽוּא:
צָרַעַת הוּא - It is tzara’at - i.e., that flesh. בָּשָׂר is a masculine noun.		צָרַעַת הוּא. הַבָּשָׂר הַהוּא: בָּשָׂר לְשׁוֹן זָכָר:
16But if the live flesh once again turns white, he must come to the priest		טזא֣וֹ כִ֥י יָשׁ֛וּב הַבָּשָׂ֥ר הַחַ֖י וְנֶהְפַּ֣ךְ לְלָבָ֑ן וּבָ֖א אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן:
17and the priest must reexamine him. If the lesion has turned totally white again, the priest must pronounce the lesion undefiled. The person will thus be rid of this defilement.		יזוְרָאָ֨הוּ֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְהִנֵּ֛ה נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ הַנֶּ֖גַע לְלָבָ֑ן וְטִהַ֧ר הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֶת־הַנֶּ֖גַע טָה֥וֹר הֽוּא:

Footnotes

Leviticus ch.14.

Third Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 13

18If there is an inflammation of the skin of a person’s flesh, and it heals,		יחוּבָשָׂ֕ר כִּי־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה בֽוֹ־בְעֹר֖וֹ שְׁחִ֑ין וְנִרְפָּֽא:
שְׁחִין - is a term denoting heat, i.e., the flesh was inflamed as a result of an injury caused by a blow not involving fire.		שְׁחִין. לְשׁוֹן חִמּוּם, שֶׁנִּתְחַמֵּם הַבָּשָֹר בְּלִקּוּי הַבָּא לוֹ מֵחֲמַת מַכָּה שֶׁלֹּא מֵחֲמַת הָאוּר (חולין ח'):
וְנִרְפָּֽא - And it heals - i.e., the inflammation healed somewhat, and in its place another lesion developed.		וְנִרְפָּֽא. הַשְּׁחִין הֶעֱלָה אֲרוּכָה וּבִמְקוֹמוֹ הֶעֱלָה נֶגַע אַחֵר:
19and in the location of the inflammation there is a wool-white spot or a snow-white spot with red streaks, he must be shown to the priest.		יטוְהָיָ֞ה בִּמְק֤וֹם הַשְּׁחִין֙ שְׂאֵ֣ת לְבָנָ֔ה א֥וֹ בַהֶ֖רֶת לְבָנָ֣ה אֲדַמְדָּ֑מֶת וְנִרְאָ֖ה אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן:
אוֹ בַהֶרֶת לְבָנָה אֲדַמְדָּמֶת - (lit.) Or a reddish-white spot - i.e., the lesion is not uniformly white but a blended mixture of two colors, white and red.		אוֹ בַהֶרֶת לְבָנָה אֲדַמְדָּמֶת. שֶׁאֵין הַנֶּגַע לָבָן חָלָק, אֶלָּא פָּתוּךְ וּמְעֹרָב בִּשְׁתֵּי מַרְאוֹת — לֹבֶן וְאֹדֶם:
20The priest must examine him. If its appearance is lower than that of the skin, and its dark hairs have turned white, the priest must pronounce him ritually defiled; it is a tzara’at-lesion that has erupted on the inflammation.		כוְרָאָ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְהִנֵּ֤ה מַרְאֶ֨הָ֙ שָׁפָ֣ל מִן־הָע֔וֹר וּשְׂעָרָ֖הּ הָפַ֣ךְ לָבָ֑ן וְטִמְּא֧וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֛ן נֶֽגַע־צָרַ֥עַת הִ֖וא בַּשְּׁחִ֥ין פָּרָֽחָה:
מַרְאֶהָ שָׁפָל - Its appearance is lower - i.e., it is not actually recessed, but because of its whiteness, it appears recessed and deep, just as an area lit by the sun appears deeper than the shade.		מַרְאֶהָ שָׁפָל. וְאֵין מַמָּשָׁהּ שָׁפָל, אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ לַבְנוּנִיתוֹ הוּא נִרְאֶה שָׁפָל וְעָמֹק, כְּמַרְאֵה חַמָּה עֲמֻקָּה מִן הַצֵּל:
21But if, when the priest examines it, it does not contain white hair, and its appearance is not lower than that of the skin because it is darker, the priest must quarantine him for seven days.		כאוְאִ֣ם \| יִרְאֶ֣נָּה הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְהִנֵּ֤ה אֵֽין־בָּהּ֙ שֵׂעָ֣ר לָבָ֔ן וּשְׁפָלָ֥ה אֵינֶ֛נָּה מִן־הָע֖וֹר וְהִ֣יא כֵהָ֑ה וְהִסְגִּיר֥וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים:
22If it has spread on the skin, the priest must pronounce him ritually defiled; it is a tzara’at-lesion.		כבוְאִם־פָּשׂ֥ה תִפְשֶׂ֖ה בָּע֑וֹר וְטִמֵּ֧א הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֹת֖וֹ נֶ֥גַע הִֽוא:
נֶגַע הִֽוא - It is a [tzara’at] lesion - i.e., this wool-white spot or snow-white spot.		נֶגַע הִֽוא. הַשְּׂאֵת הַזֹּאת אוֹ הַבַּהֶרֶת:
23If the snow-white spot remained the same size, not having spread, it is the scar tissue of the inflammation, and the priest must pronounce him rid of this defilement.		כגוְאִם־תַּחְתֶּ֜יהָ תַּֽעֲמֹ֤ד הַבַּהֶ֨רֶת֙ לֹ֣א פָשָׂ֔תָה צָרֶ֥בֶת הַשְּׁחִ֖ין הִ֑וא וְטִֽהֲר֖וֹ הַכֹּהֵֽן:
תַּחְתֶּיהָ - means in the same place.		תַּחְתֶּיהָ. בִּמְקוֹמָהּ:
צָרֶבֶת הַשְּׁחִין - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: רֹשֶׁם שִׁחֲנָא, i.e., it is nothing but the scar of the inflammation that is noticeable on the flesh. The term צָרֶבֶת always denotes shriveling of the skin that contracted due to inflammation, as in: “and all faces will shrivel (וְנִצְרְבוּ) due to the fire”; 1 “retraire” in Old French (“to shrivel”).		צָרֶבֶת הַשְּׁחִין. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ רֹשֶׁם שִׁחֲנָא; — אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא רֹשֶׁם הַחִמּוּם הַנִּכָּר בַּבָּשָֹר; כָּל צָרֶבֶת לְשׁוֹן רְגִיעַת עוֹר הַנִּרְגָּע מֵחֲמַת חִמּוּם, כְּמוֹ וְנִצְרְבוּ בָהּ כָּל פָּנִים (יחזקאל כ"א), רייטרו"ר בְּלַעַז:
צָרֶבֶת - means “retreciment” in Old French (“shriveling”).		צָרֶבֶת. רייטרי"שמנט בְּלַעַז:

Footnotes

Ezekiel 21:3.

Fourth Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 13

24Or, if there is a fire burn on the skin of a person’s flesh, and there is on the healed area of the burn a snow-white spot that is either white with red streaks or uniformly white,		כדא֣וֹ בָשָׂ֔ר כִּי־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה בְעֹר֖וֹ מִכְוַת־אֵ֑שׁ וְהָֽיְתָ֞ה מִחְיַ֣ת הַמִּכְוָ֗ה בַּהֶ֛רֶת לְבָנָ֥ה אֲדַמְדֶּ֖מֶת א֥וֹ לְבָנָֽה:
מִחְיַת הַמִּכְוָה - The healed area of the burn - “saynement” in Old French; i.e., when the burn healed, it turned into a snow-white spot, mixed with red or uniformly white. The rules governing the symptoms of a burn and of an inflammation are the same. Why, then, does Scripture state them separately? To tell us that they do not combine with one another: if a lesion measuring half a gris (Cicilian bean, the minimum size that can be considered a lesion) develops in an inflammation, and an adjacent lesion measuring half a gris develops in a burn, they are not regarded as one complete gris.		מִחְיַת הַמִּכְוָה. שנימני"ט; כְּשֶׁחָיְתָה הַמִּכְוָה הָפְכָה לְבַהֶרֶת פְּתוּכָה אוֹ לְבָנָה חֲלָקָה; וְסִימָנֵי מִכְוָה וְסִימָנֵי שְׁחִין שָׁוִים הֵם, וְלָמָּה חִלְּקָן הַכָּתוּב? לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵין מִצְטָרְפִין זֶה עִם זֶה — נוֹלַד חֲצִי גְרִיס בַּשְּׁחִין וַחֲצִי גְרִיס בַּמִּכְוָה, לֹא יִדּוֹנוּ כִגְרִיס (חולין ח'):
25the priest must examine it. If dark hairs in the snow-white spot have turned white, and the appearance is deeper than that of the skin, it is tzara’at that has erupted in the burn. The priest must pronounce him ritually defiled; it is a tzara’at-lesion.		כהוְרָאָ֣ה אֹתָ֣הּ הַכֹּהֵ֡ן וְהִנֵּ֣ה נֶהְפַּךְ֩ שֵׂעָ֨ר לָבָ֜ן בַּבַּהֶ֗רֶת וּמַרְאֶ֨הָ֙ עָמֹ֣ק מִן־הָע֔וֹר צָרַ֣עַת הִ֔וא בַּמִּכְוָ֖ה פָּרָ֑חָה וְטִמֵּ֤א אֹתוֹ֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן נֶ֥גַע צָרַ֖עַת הִֽוא:
26If the priest examines it, and the snow-white spot does not contain white hair, and its appearance is not lower than that of the skin because it is darker, the priest must quarantine him for seven days.		כווְאִ֣ם \| יִרְאֶ֣נָּה הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְהִנֵּ֤ה אֵֽין־בַּבַּהֶ֨רֶת֙ שֵׂעָ֣ר לָבָ֔ן וּשְׁפָלָ֥ה אֵינֶ֛נָּה מִן־הָע֖וֹר וְהִ֣וא כֵהָ֑ה וְהִסְגִּיר֥וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים:
27The priest must examine him on the seventh day. If the lesion has spread on the skin, the priest must pronounce him ritually defiled; it is a tzara’at-lesion.		כזוְרָאָ֥הוּ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֑י אִם־פָּשׂ֤ה תִפְשֶׂה֙ בָּע֔וֹר וְטִמֵּ֤א הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֹת֔וֹ נֶ֥גַע צָרַ֖עַת הִֽוא:
28If the snow-white spot remained the same size, not having spread on the skin, and it became darker, it is a wool-white spot on the burn. The priest must pronounce him rid of this defilement, because it is the scar tissue of the burn.		כחוְאִם־תַּחְתֶּ֩יהָ֩ תַֽעֲמֹ֨ד הַבַּהֶ֜רֶת לֹא־פָֽשְׂתָ֤ה בָעוֹר֙ וְהִ֣וא כֵהָ֔ה שְׂאֵ֥ת הַמִּכְוָ֖ה הִ֑וא וְטִֽהֲרוֹ֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן כִּֽי־צָרֶ֥בֶת הַמִּכְוָ֖ה הִֽוא:

Fifth Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 13

29If a man or a woman has a lesion on the head or on the part of the head where the beard grows,		כטוְאִישׁ֙ א֣וֹ אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּי־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה ב֖וֹ נָ֑גַע בְּרֹ֖אשׁ א֥וֹ בְזָקָֽן:
בְּרֹאשׁ אוֹ בְזָקָֽן - On the head or on the beard. Scripture comes to differentiate between a lesion on the area where hair grows and a lesion on the area of flesh, that the latter’s sign of defilement is white hairs and the former’s sign is gold hairs.		בְּרֹאשׁ אוֹ בְזָקָֽן. בָּא הַכָּתוּב לְחַלֵּק בֵּין נֶגַע שֶׁבִּמְקוֹם שֵׂעָר לְנֶגַע שֶׁבִּמְקוֹם בָּשָׂר, שֶׁזֶּה סִימָנוֹ בְּשֵׂעָר לָבָן וְזֶה סִימָנוֹ בְּשֵׂעָר צָהֹב:
30the priest must examine the lesion. If its appearance is deeper than that of the skin, and there are thin, gold hairs inside it, the priest must pronounce him ritually defiled, for it is a netek, which is the name of tzara’at of the head or the beard.		לוְרָאָ֨ה הַכֹּהֵ֜ן אֶת־הַנֶּ֗גַע וְהִנֵּ֤ה מַרְאֵ֨הוּ֙ עָמֹ֣ק מִן־הָע֔וֹר וּב֛וֹ שֵׂעָ֥ר צָהֹ֖ב דָּ֑ק וְטִמֵּ֨א אֹת֤וֹ הַכֹּהֵן֙ נֶ֣תֶק ה֔וּא צָרַ֧עַת הָרֹ֛אשׁ א֥וֹ הַזָּקָ֖ן הֽוּא:
וּבוֹ שֵׂעָר צָהֹב - And there are gold hairs inside it - i.e., the black hairs within it turned golden.		וּבוֹ שֵׂעָר צָהֹב. שֶׁנֶּהְפַּךְ שֵׂעָר שָׁחֹר שֶׁבּוֹ לְצָהֹב:
נֶתֶק הוּא - It is a netek. This is the name of a tzara’at-lesion in the area where hair grows.		נֶתֶק הוּא. כָּךְ שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל נֶגַע שֶׁבִּמְקוֹם שֵׂעָר:
31But if the priest examines the netek-lesion, and its appearance is not deeper than that of the skin, and there are not two black hairs in it, the priest must quarantine the person with the netek-lesion for seven days.		לאוְכִֽי־יִרְאֶ֨ה הַכֹּהֵ֜ן אֶת־נֶ֣גַע הַנֶּ֗תֶק וְהִנֵּ֤ה אֵֽין־מַרְאֵ֨הוּ֙ עָמֹ֣ק מִן־הָע֔וֹר וְשֵׂעָ֥ר שָׁחֹ֖ר אֵ֣ין בּ֑וֹ וְהִסְגִּ֧יר הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֶת־נֶ֥גַע הַנֶּ֖תֶק שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים:
וְשֵׂעָר שָׁחֹר אֵֽין־בּוֹ - There are not [two] black hairs in it - but if there were black hairs in it, it is free of ritual defilement and he need not undergo quarantine, for black hair is a sign of ritual purity regarding netek-lesions, as it says: “or if black hair has grown in it….” 1		וְשֵׂעָר שָׁחֹר אֵֽין־בּוֹ. הָא אִם הָיָה בוֹ שֵׂעָר שָׁחֹר טָהוֹר וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לְהֶסְגֵּר, שֶׁהַשֵּׂעָר שָׁחֹר סִימָן טָהֳרָה הוּא בִנְתָקִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (פסוק ל"ז), וְשֵׂעָר שָׁחֹר צָמַח בּוֹ וְגוֹ':
32The priest must examine the lesion on the seventh day. If the netek has not spread and no gold hair appeared in it, and the appearance of the netek is not deeper than that of the skin,		לבוְרָאָ֨ה הַכֹּהֵ֣ן אֶת־הַנֶּ֘גַע֘ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי֒ וְהִנֵּה֙ לֹֽא־פָשָׂ֣ה הַנֶּ֔תֶק וְלֹא־הָ֥יָה ב֖וֹ שֵׂעָ֣ר צָהֹ֑ב וּמַרְאֵ֣ה הַנֶּ֔תֶק אֵ֥ין עָמֹ֖ק מִן־הָעֽוֹר:
וְהִנֵּה לֹֽא־פָשָׂה וגו' - If… has not spread…. From this it is inferred that if it spread or gold hairs appeared, he is ritually defiled.		וְהִנֵּה לֹֽא־פָשָׂה וגו'. הָא אִם פָּשָׂה אוֹ הָיָה בוֹ שֵׂעָר צָהֹב טָמֵא:
33the person must shave himself, but he must not shave adjacent to the netek. The priest must quarantine the person with the netek again for seven days.		לגוְהִ֨תְגַּלָּ֔ח וְאֶת־הַנֶּ֖תֶק לֹ֣א יְגַלֵּ֑חַ וְהִסְגִּ֨יר הַכֹּהֵ֧ן אֶת־הַנֶּ֛תֶק שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים שֵׁנִֽית:
וְהִתְגַּלָּח - [The person] must shave himself - in the vicinity of the netek.		וְהִתְגַּלָּח. סְבִיבוֹת הַנֶּתֶק,
וְאֶת־הַנֶּתֶק לֹא יְגַלֵּחַ - (lit.) But he must not shave the netek - i.e., he leaves two rows of hairs adjacent to it all around in order that it should be noticeable if it has spread, for if it spreads, it will reach past the hairs and continue into the shaved area.		וְאֶת־הַנֶּתֶק לֹא יְגַלֵּחַ. מַנִּיחַ שְׁתֵּי שְׂעָרוֹת סָמוּךְ לוֹ סָבִיב, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא נִכָּר אִם פָּשָׂה, שֶׁאִם יִפְשֶׂה יַעֲבֹר הַשְּׂעָרוֹת וְיֵצֵא לִמְקוֹם הַגִּלּוּחַ (נגעים פ"י, ספרא):
34The priest must examine the netek on the seventh day. If the netek did not spread on the skin and its appearance is not deeper than that of the skin, the priest must pronounce him rid of this defilement, and the individual must immerse his garments in the water of a mikveh and become rid of this defilement.		לדוְרָאָה֩ הַכֹּהֵ֨ן אֶת־הַנֶּ֜תֶק בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י וְ֠הִנֵּ֠ה לֹֽא־פָשָׂ֤ה הַנֶּ֨תֶק֙ בָּע֔וֹר וּמַרְאֵ֕הוּ אֵינֶ֥נּוּ עָמֹ֖ק מִן־הָע֑וֹר וְטִהַ֤ר אֹתוֹ֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְכִבֶּ֥ס בְּגָדָ֖יו וְטָהֵֽר:
35But if the netek spreads on the skin after he has been declared rid of this defilement,		להוְאִם־פָּשׂ֥ה יִפְשֶׂ֛ה הַנֶּ֖תֶק בָּע֑וֹר אַֽחֲרֵ֖י טָֽהֳרָתֽוֹ:
אַֽחֲרֵי טָֽהֳרָתֽוֹ - After he has been declared rid of defilement. From this verse I only know that this rule applies if it spread after his release. From where do I know that the same applies even if it spread at the end of the first week or the end of the second week? For this purpose, Scripture says the doubled verb פָּשֹׂה יִפְשֶׂה “if the netek spreads.”		אַֽחֲרֵי טָֽהֳרָתֽוֹ. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא פוֹשֶׂה לְאַחַר הַפְּטוֹר, מִנַּיִן אַף בְּסוֹף שָׁבוּעַ רִאשׁוֹן וּבְסוֹף שָׁבוּעַ שֵׁנִי? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר פָּשֹׂה יִפְשֶׂה (ספרא):
36the priest must examine him, and if the netek has spread on the skin, the priest need not search for a gold hair, for he is defiled.		לווְרָאָ֨הוּ֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְהִנֵּ֛ה פָּשָׂ֥ה הַנֶּ֖תֶק בָּע֑וֹר לֹֽא־יְבַקֵּ֧ר הַכֹּהֵ֛ן לַשֵּׂעָ֥ר הַצָּהֹ֖ב טָמֵ֥א הֽוּא:
37But if the appearance of the netek has remained the same, or if black hair has grown in it, the netek has healed. He is not defiled, and the priest must pronounce him rid of this defilement.		לזוְאִם־בְּעֵינָיו֩ עָמַ֨ד הַנֶּ֜תֶק וְשֵׂעָ֨ר שָׁחֹ֧ר צָֽמַח־בּ֛וֹ נִרְפָּ֥א הַנֶּ֖תֶק טָה֣וֹר ה֑וּא וְטִֽהֲר֖וֹ הַכֹּהֵֽן:
וְשֵׂעָר שָׁחֹר - Black hair. From where do we know that this applies even to yellow or red hairs, i.e., any color other than gold? Scripture states: וְשֵׂעָר “and hairs.” And to what color is צָהֹב similar? To the appearance of gold. The term צָהֹב is equivalent to זָהֹב; “orable” in Old French (“golden”).		וְשֵׂעָר שָׁחֹר. מִנַּיִן אַף הַיָּרֹק וְהָאָדֹם, שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָהֹב? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר "וְשֵׂעָר"; וּלְשׁוֹן צָהֹב דּוֹמֶה לְתַבְנִית הַזָּהָב — צָהֹב כְּמוֹ זָהֹב, אור"פלא בְּלַעַז:
טָהוֹר הוּא וְטִֽהֲרוֹ הַכֹּהֵֽן - He is not defiled, and the priest must pronounce him rid of defilement - but one who is in fact ritually defiled whom the priest erroneously pronounced ritually undefiled does not become rid of ritual defilement.		טָהוֹר הוּא וְטִֽהֲרוֹ הַכֹּהֵֽן. הָא טָמֵא שֶׁטִּהֲרוֹ הַכֹּהֵן לֹא טָהוֹר:
38If a man or woman has spots on the skin of their flesh—white spots—		לחוְאִישׁ֙ אֽוֹ־אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּי־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה בְעֽוֹר־בְּשָׂרָ֖ם בֶּֽהָרֹ֑ת בֶּֽהָרֹ֖ת לְבָנֹֽת:
בֶּֽהָרֹת - are spots.		בֶּֽהָרֹת. חֲבַרְבּוּרוֹת:
39the priest must examine them. If there are dark-white spots on the skin of their flesh, it is a lack of pigmentation that has erupted on the skin. He is not ritually defiled.		לטוְרָאָ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְהִנֵּ֧ה בְעֽוֹר־בְּשָׂרָ֛ם בֶּֽהָרֹ֖ת כֵּה֣וֹת לְבָנֹ֑ת בֹּ֥הַק ה֛וּא פָּרַ֥ח בָּע֖וֹר טָה֥וֹר הֽוּא:
כֵּהוֹת לְבָנֹת - Dark-white - i.e., their white color is not bright but dull.		כֵּהוֹת לְבָנֹת. שֶׁאֵין לֹבֶן שֶׁלָּהֶן עַז אֶלָּא כּוֹהֶה:
בֹּהַק - The type of whiteness apparent on the skin of a ruddy man – called “ros” in Old French – between his red spots is called בֹּהַק, similar to a freckled person, whose flesh shines with whiteness in the space between one freckle and another.		בֹּהַק. כְּמוֹ לֹבֶן הַנִּרְאֶה בִּבְשַׂר אָדָם אָדֹם, שֶׁקּוֹרִין רוש"ו, בֵּין חֲבַרְבּוּרוֹת אַדְמִימוּתוֹ, קָרוּי בֹּהַק, כְּאִישׁ עַדְשָׁן שֶׁבֵּין עֲדָשָׁה לַעֲדָשָׁה מַבְהִיק הַבָּשָֹר בְּלֹבֶן צַח:

Footnotes

Leviticus 13:37.

Sixth Portion

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:

Footnotes

Leviticus 13:2.

Leviticus 13:45.

Arachin 16b.

Ezekiel 28:24.

Seventh Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 13

55Then the priest must examine the article after the lesion has been washed. If the lesion has not changed its color, and the lesion has not spread, it is ritually defiled. You must burn it in fire; it is a deep-looking lesion on the worn or new article.		נהוְרָאָ֨ה הַכֹּהֵ֜ן אַֽחֲרֵ֣י \| הֻכַּבֵּ֣ס אֶת־הַנֶּ֗גַע וְ֠הִנֵּ֠ה לֹֽא־הָפַ֨ךְ הַנֶּ֤גַע אֶת־עֵינוֹ֙ וְהַנֶּ֣גַע לֹֽא־פָשָׂ֔ה טָמֵ֣א ה֔וּא בָּאֵ֖שׁ תִּשְׂרְפֶ֑נּוּ פְּחֶ֣תֶת הִ֔וא בְּקָֽרַחְתּ֖וֹ א֥וֹ בְגַבַּחְתּֽוֹ:
אַֽחֲרֵי הֻכַּבֵּס - After [the lesion] has been washed. הֻכַּבֵּס is a form similar to הֵעָשׂוֹת, i.e., it is a passive infinitive.		אַֽחֲרֵי הֻכַּבֵּס. לְשׁוֹן הֵעָשׂוֹת:
לֹֽא־הָפַךְ הַנֶּגַע אֶת־עֵינוֹ - (lit.) The lesion has not changed its appearance - i.e., it did not turn duller than its previous appearance.		לֹֽא־הָפַךְ הַנֶּגַע אֶת־עֵינוֹ. לֹא הָכְהָה מִמַּרְאִיתוֹ:
וְהַנֶּגַע לֹֽא־פָשָׂה - And the lesion has not spread. We understand from here that if it did not change color and it did not spread, it is ritually defiled, and it goes without saying that that is also the case if it did not change color and did spread. However, if it changed from red to green or vice versa but did not spread, I do not know how to treat it. Scripture therefore states: וְהִסְגִּיר אֶת הַנֶּגַע “and quarantine the lesion” 1 – in any event, i.e., the change indicates that this is a new lesion. This is the opinion of Rabbi Yehudah. But the sages say: It is still considered an unchanged legion and therefore ritually defiled – as stated in Torat Kohanim. I have alluded to this explanation here in order to explain the verse in accordance with its wording.		וְהַנֶּגַע לֹֽא־פָשָׂה. שָׁמַעְנוּ שֶׁאִם לֹא הָפַךְ וְלֹא פָשָׂה טָמֵא — וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר לֹא הָפַךְ וּפָשָׂה — הָפַךְ וְלֹא פָשָׂה אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה יֵּעָשֶׂה לוֹ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "וְהִסְגִּיר אֶת הַנֶּגַע" — מִכָּל מָקוֹם, דִּבְרֵי רַ' יְהוּדָה, וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים וְכוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא בְּתּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים, וּרְמַזְתִּיהָ כָּאן לְיַשֵּׁב הַמִּקְרָא עַל אָפְנָיו:
פְּחֶתֶת הוּא - It is a deep-looking lesion. This term denotes a recess, as in בְּאַחַת הַפְּחָתִים “in one of the pits,” 2 i.e., it is deeply set – a lesion that appears sunken into the garment.		פְּחֶתֶת הוּא. לְשׁוֹן גֻּמָּא, כְּמוֹ בְּאַחַת הַפְּחָתִים (שמואל ב י"ז), כְּלוֹמַר שְׁפֵלָה הִיא — נֶגַע שֶׁמַּרְאָיו שׁוֹקְעִין (ספרא):
בְּקָֽרַחְתּוֹ אוֹ בְגַבַּחְתּֽוֹ - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: בִּשְׁחִיקוּתֵהּ אוֹ בַחֲדָתוּתֵהּ, “when it is worn or when it is new.”		בְּקָֽרַחְתּוֹ אוֹ בְגַבַּחְתּֽוֹ. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ בִּשְׁחִיקוּתֵהּ אוֹ בְחַדָּתוּתֵהּ:
קָֽרַחְתּוֹ - refers to worn, old materials. Scripture uses these terms (which literally mean “bald spot or forehead”) because it was necessary to expound these words with a halachic analogy: From where do we know that a lesion in clothes that spread all over the article becomes rid of ritual defilement? It says קָרַחַת and גַּבַּחַת regarding people and קָרַחַת and גַּבַּחַת regarding garments. Just as there, if it erupted all over the body he is rid of ritual defilement, so too here, if it spread all over the article it is rid of ritual defilement – therefore Scripture here used the terms קָרַחַת and גַּבַּחַת. And regarding its interpretation and translation in our context, this is its meaning: קָרַחַת implies old and גַּבַּחַת implies new, as if it were written: “at its end or at its beginning,” for קָרַחַת denotes the back and גַּבַּחַת denotes the front, as it says: “if he loses the hair on the side toward his face, he is bald at the front (גִּבֵּחַ),” 3 whereas קָרַחַת is the entire area from where the top of the head slopes toward its back. So is explained in Torat Kohanim.		קָֽרַחְתּוֹ. שְׁחָקִים, יְשָׁנִים; וּמִפְּנֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לִגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה — מִנַּיִן לִפְרִיחָה בַבְּגָדִים שֶׁהִיא טְהוֹרָה? נֶאֶמְרָה קָרַחַת וְגַבַּחַת בָּאָדָם, וְנֶאֶמְרָה קָרַחַת וְגַבַּחַת בַּבְּגָדִים, מַה לְּהַלָּן פָּרַח בְּכֻלּוֹ טָהוֹר אַף כָּאן פָּרַח בְּכֻלּוֹ טָהוֹר — לְכָךְ אָחַז הַכָּתוּב לְשׁוֹן קָרַחַת וְגַבַּחַת; וּלְעִנְיַן פֵּרוּשׁוֹ וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ זֶהוּ מַשְׁמָעוֹ: קָרַחַת לְשׁוֹן יְשָׁנִים וְגַבַּחַת לְשׁוֹן חֲדָשִׁים — כְּאִלּוּ נִכְתַּב בְּאַחֲרִיתוֹ אוֹ בְקַדְמוּתוֹ — שֶׁהַקָּרַחַת לְשׁוֹן אֲחוֹרַיִם וְגַּבַּחַת לְשׁוֹן פָּנִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וְאִם מִפְּאַת פָּנָיו וְגוֹ', וְהַקָּרַחַת כָּל שֶׁשּׁוֹפֵעַ וְיוֹרֵד מִן הַקָּדְקֹד וּלְאַחֲרָיו, כָּךְ מְפֹרָשׁ בְּתּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים:
56But if the priest examines the article after it has been washed, and the lesion has become darker, he must rip it out of the garment, the leather, or the warp- or woof-threads.		נווְאִם֘ רָאָ֣ה הַכֹּהֵן֒ וְהִנֵּה֙ כֵּהָ֣ה הַנֶּ֔גַע אַֽחֲרֵ֖י הֻכַּבֵּ֣ס אֹת֑וֹ וְקָרַ֣ע אֹת֗וֹ מִן־הַבֶּ֨גֶד֙ א֣וֹ מִן־הָע֔וֹר א֥וֹ מִן־הַשְּׁתִ֖י א֥וֹ מִן־הָעֵֽרֶב:
וְקָרַע אֹתוֹ - He must rip it out - i.e., he must tear out the area of the lesion from the garment and burn that part.		וְקָרַע אֹתוֹ. יִקְרַע מְקוֹם הַנֶּגַע מִן הַבֶּגֶד וְיִשְׂרְפֶנּוּ:
57If the lesion reappears on the garment, the warp- or woof-threads, or any leather article, it is a recurrent growth. You must burn in fire the entire article upon which the lesion is found.		נזוְאִם־תֵּֽרָאֶ֨ה ע֜וֹד בַּ֠בֶּ֠גֶד אֽוֹ־בַשְּׁתִ֤י אֽוֹ־בָעֵ֨רֶב֙ א֣וֹ בְכָל־כְּלִי־ע֔וֹר פֹּרַ֖חַת הִ֑וא בָּאֵ֣שׁ תִּשְׂרְפֶ֔נּוּ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־בּ֖וֹ הַנָּֽגַע:
פֹּרַחַת הִוא - i.e., it is something that grows again.		פֹּרַחַת הִוא. דָּבָר הַחוֹזֵר וְצוֹמֵחַ:
בָּאֵשׁ תִּשְׂרְפֶנּוּ - (lit.) You must burn it in fire - i.e., the entire garment.		בָּאֵשׁ תִּשְׂרְפֶנּוּ. אֶת כָּל הַבֶּגֶד:
58Regarding any garment, warp- or woof-threads, or leather article that you wash, and from which the lesion disappears, it must be immersed a second time, this time in the water of a mikveh, and it will be rid this defilement.		נחוְהַבֶּ֡גֶד אֽוֹ־הַשְּׁתִ֨י אֽוֹ־הָעֵ֜רֶב אֽוֹ־כָל־כְּלִ֤י הָעוֹר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תְּכַבֵּ֔ס וְסָ֥ר מֵהֶ֖ם הַנָּ֑גַע וְכֻבַּ֥ס שֵׁנִ֖ית וְטָהֵֽר:
וְסָר מֵהֶם הַנָּגַע - And from which the lesion disappears - i.e., if, when it was first washed by order of the priest, the lesion disappeared entirely from it.		וְסָר מֵהֶם הַנָּגַע. אִם כְּשֶׁכִּבְּסוּהוּ בַתְּחִלָּה עַל פִּי כֹהֵן סָר מִמֶּנּוּ הַנֶּגַע לְגַמְרֵי.
וְכֻבַּס שֵׁנִית - It must be immersed a second time. This denotes ritual immersion. Onkelos generally translates all instances of the root כבס in this passage as “cleansing” – וְיִתְחַוַּר except for this case, which is not for the purpose of cleansing the physical manifestation of the lesion but for ritual immersion of the entire article in a mikveh. This is why Onkelos translates it as וְיִצְטַבַּע. Similarly, all instances of “washing garments” where ritual immersion is meant are translated by Onkelos as וְיִצְטַבַּע.		וְכֻבַּס שֵׁנִית. לְשׁוֹן טְבִילָה; תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל כִּבּוּסִין שֶׁבְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ לְשׁוֹן לִבּוּן, "וְיִתְחַוַּר", חוּץ מִזֶּה, שֶׁאֵינוֹ לְלִבּוּן אֶלָּא לִטְבֹּל, לְכָךְ תַּרְגּוּמוֹ "וְיִצְטַבַּע", וְכֵן כָּל כִּבּוּסֵי בְגָדִים שֶׁהֵן לִטְבִילָה מְתֻרְגָּמִין וְיִצְטַבַּע:
59This is the law governing the diagnosis of a tzara’at-lesion on a woolen or linen garment, warp- or woof-threads, or any leather article, according to which it becomes rid of defilement or defiled.”		נטזֹ֠את תּוֹרַ֨ת נֶֽגַע־צָרַ֜עַת בֶּ֥גֶד הַצֶּ֣מֶר \| א֣וֹ הַפִּשְׁתִּ֗ים א֤וֹ הַשְּׁתִי֙ א֣וֹ הָעֵ֔רֶב א֖וֹ כָּל־כְּלִי־ע֑וֹר לְטַֽהֲר֖וֹ א֥וֹ לְטַמְּאֽוֹ:

Footnotes

Leviticus 13:50.

2 Samuel 17:9.

Leviticus 13:41.

Maftir Portion

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 13

57If the lesion reappears on the garment, the warp- or woof-threads, or any leather article, it is a recurrent growth. You must burn in fire the entire article upon which the lesion is found.		נזוְאִם־תֵּֽרָאֶ֨ה ע֜וֹד בַּ֠בֶּ֠גֶד אֽוֹ־בַשְּׁתִ֤י אֽוֹ־בָעֵ֨רֶב֙ א֣וֹ בְכָל־כְּלִי־ע֔וֹר פֹּרַ֖חַת הִ֑וא בָּאֵ֣שׁ תִּשְׂרְפֶ֔נּוּ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־בּ֖וֹ הַנָּֽגַע:
פֹּרַחַת הִוא - i.e., it is something that grows again.		פֹּרַחַת הִוא. דָּבָר הַחוֹזֵר וְצוֹמֵחַ:
בָּאֵשׁ תִּשְׂרְפֶנּוּ - (lit.) You must burn it in fire - i.e., the entire garment.		בָּאֵשׁ תִּשְׂרְפֶנּוּ. אֶת כָּל הַבֶּגֶד:
58Regarding any garment, warp- or woof-threads, or leather article that you wash, and from which the lesion disappears, it must be immersed a second time, this time in the water of a mikveh, and it will be rid this defilement.		נחוְהַבֶּ֡גֶד אֽוֹ־הַשְּׁתִ֨י אֽוֹ־הָעֵ֜רֶב אֽוֹ־כָל־כְּלִ֤י הָעוֹר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תְּכַבֵּ֔ס וְסָ֥ר מֵהֶ֖ם הַנָּ֑גַע וְכֻבַּ֥ס שֵׁנִ֖ית וְטָהֵֽר:
וְסָר מֵהֶם הַנָּגַע - And from which the lesion disappears - i.e., if, when it was first washed by order of the priest, the lesion disappeared entirely from it.		וְסָר מֵהֶם הַנָּגַע. אִם כְּשֶׁכִּבְּסוּהוּ בַתְּחִלָּה עַל פִּי כֹהֵן סָר מִמֶּנּוּ הַנֶּגַע לְגַמְרֵי.
וְכֻבַּס שֵׁנִית - It must be immersed a second time. This denotes ritual immersion. Onkelos generally translates all instances of the root כבס in this passage as “cleansing” – וְיִתְחַוַּר except for this case, which is not for the purpose of cleansing the physical manifestation of the lesion but for ritual immersion of the entire article in a mikveh. This is why Onkelos translates it as וְיִצְטַבַּע. Similarly, all instances of “washing garments” where ritual immersion is meant are translated by Onkelos as וְיִצְטַבַּע.		וְכֻבַּס שֵׁנִית. לְשׁוֹן טְבִילָה; תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל כִּבּוּסִין שֶׁבְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ לְשׁוֹן לִבּוּן, "וְיִתְחַוַּר", חוּץ מִזֶּה, שֶׁאֵינוֹ לְלִבּוּן אֶלָּא לִטְבֹּל, לְכָךְ תַּרְגּוּמוֹ "וְיִצְטַבַּע", וְכֵן כָּל כִּבּוּסֵי בְגָדִים שֶׁהֵן לִטְבִילָה מְתֻרְגָּמִין וְיִצְטַבַּע:
59This is the law governing the diagnosis of a tzara’at-lesion on a woolen or linen garment, warp- or woof-threads, or any leather article, according to which it becomes rid of defilement or defiled.”		נטזֹ֠את תּוֹרַ֨ת נֶֽגַע־צָרַ֜עַת בֶּ֥גֶד הַצֶּ֣מֶר \| א֣וֹ הַפִּשְׁתִּ֗ים א֤וֹ הַשְּׁתִי֙ א֣וֹ הָעֵ֔רֶב א֖וֹ כָּל־כְּלִי־ע֑וֹר לְטַֽהֲר֖וֹ א֥וֹ לְטַמְּאֽוֹ:

Haftarah

Melachim II (II Kings) Chapter 4

42And a man came from Baal-Shalishah, and he brought to the man of God bread of the first-fruits, twenty loaves of barley bread and sheaves of fresh grain in their shells; and he said, "Give to the people and let them eat.		מבוְאִ֨ישׁ בָּ֜א מִבַּ֣עַל שָׁלִ֗שָׁה וַיָּבֵא֩ לְאִ֨ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֜ים לֶ֚חֶם בִּכּוּרִים֙ עֶשְׂרִֽים־לֶ֣חֶם שְׂעֹרִ֔ים וְכַרְמֶ֖ל בְּצִקְלֹנ֑וֹ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר תֵּ֥ן לָעָ֖ם וְיֹאכֵֽלוּ:
from Baal Shalishah. the name of a province. And Jonathan rendered: from the southland. “Baal” is an expression meaning a plain. There are many such expressions in the Bible.		מִבַּעַל שָׁלִשָׁה. שֵׁם מְדִינָה. וְיוֹנָתָן תִּרְגֵּם: מֵאַרְעָא דָּרוֹמָא. 'בַּעַל' לְשׁוֹן 'מִישׁוֹר', וְהַרְבֵּה בַּמִּקְרָא.
bread of the first fruits. It was during Passover, when the grain becomes ripe.		לֶחֶם בִּכּוּרִים. בְּפֶסַח, שֶׁהַתְּבוּאָה מְבַכֶּרֶת.
in their shells. Jonathan [renders]: in their garments. [The shell is compared to a garment of the grain].		בְּצִקְלֹנוֹ. בִּלְבוּשֵׁיהּ.
to the people. to the students whom he sustained.		לָעָם. לַתַּלְמִידִים שֶׁהָיָה זָן.
43And his servant said, "How will I give this before one hundred men? And he said, "Give the people and let them eat, for so has the Lord said, 'They shall eat and leave over.' "		מגוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹ מָה אֶתֵּ֣ן זֶ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י מֵ֣אָה אִ֑ישׁ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר תֵּ֚ן לָעָם֙ וְיֹאכֵ֔לוּ כִּ֣י כֹ֥ה אָמַ֛ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אָכ֥וֹל וְהוֹתֵֽר:
How will I give this. [i.e.,] each bread.		מַה אֶתֵּן זֶה. כָּל לֶחֶם וְלֶחֶם.
44And he placed it before them, and they ate and left over, according to the word of the Lord.		מדוַיִּתֵּ֧ן לִפְנֵיהֶ֛ם וַיֹּאכְל֥וּ וַיּוֹתִ֖רוּ כִּדְבַ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה:

Melachim II (II Kings) Chapter 5

1Now Naaman, the general of the king of Aram, was a prominent man before his lord and respected, for through him had the Lord given victory to Aram; and the man was a great warrior, and he was a mezora.		אוְ֠נַעֲמָן שַׂר־צְבָ֨א מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֜ם הָיָ֣ה אִישׁ֩ גָּד֨וֹל לִפְנֵ֚י אֲדֹנָיו֙ וּנְשֹֻ֣א פָנִ֔ים כִּֽי־ב֛וֹ נָֽתַן־יְהֹוָ֥ה תְּשׁוּעָ֖ה לַאֲרָ֑ם וְהָאִ֗ישׁ הָיָ֛ה גִּבּ֥וֹר חַ֖יִל מְצֹרָֽע:
Now, Naaman the general. He goes on to recount the miracles that were performed through Elisha.		וְנַעֲמָן שַׂר צְבָא. נִסִּים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ עַל יְדֵי אֱלִישָׁע, מְסַדֵּר וְהוֹלֵךְ.
the victory to Aram. He drew back his bow innocently and killed Ahab.		תְּשׁוּעָה לַאֲרָם. הוּא מָשַׁךְ בַּקֶּשֶׁת לְתֻמּוֹ, וְהָרַג אֶת אַחְאָב.
2Now the Arameans went out in bands and captured from the land of Israel a young girl, who ministered to Naaman's wife.		בוַאֲרָם֙ יָצְא֣וּ גְדוּדִ֔ים וַיִּשְׁבּ֛וּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נַעֲרָ֣ה קְטַנָּ֑ה וַתְּהִ֕י לִפְנֵ֖י אֵ֥שֶׁת נַעֲמָֽן:
went out in bands. When they go in groups of one hundred or two hundred by themselves, to plunder whatever they find, that is called a band.		יָצְאוּ גְדוּדִים. כְּשֶׁהוֹלְכִין מֵאָה אוֹ מָאתַיִם מֵעַצְמָן לִשְׁלֹל כַּאֲשֶׁר יִמְצְאוּן, הוּא קָרוּי גְּדוּד.
a young girl. Heb. naarah ketannah, a young girl from the town of Naaran.		נַעֲרָה קְטַנָּה. רִיבָה קְטַנָּה, מֵעִיר נַעֲרוֹן.
who ministered to. [lit. and she was before Naaman’s wife.] Jonathan [renders]: and she was serving before Naaman’s wife.		וַתְּהִי לִפְנֵי. וַהֲוַת מְשַׁמְּשָׁא קֳדָם אִתַּת נַעֲמָן.
3And she said to her mistress, "The supplications for my master should be that he go before the prophet who is in Samaria; then he would cure him of his zaraath.		גוַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־גְּבִרְתָּ֔הּ אַחֲלֵ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י לִפְנֵ֥י הַנָּבִ֖יא אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּשֹׁמְר֑וֹן אָ֛ז יֶאֱסֹ֥ף אֹת֖וֹ מִצָּרַעְתּֽוֹ:
My master’s supplications. before the prophet Heb. אֲחֲלֵי, an expression similar to וַיְחַל מֹשֶה, “and Moses prayed” (Ex. 32:11). The supplications of all those who pray for him, shall be that the miracle shall come before the prophet.		אַחֲלֵי אֲדֹנִי. לִפְנֵי הַנָּבִיא. לְשׁוֹן וַיְחַל משֶׁה, בַּקָּשׁוֹת כָּל הַמִּתְפַּלְּלִים עָלָיו יִהְיוּ, שֶׁיָּבוֹא הַנֵּס לִפְנֵי הַנָּבִיא.
the supplications. אַחֲלֵי I.e., to say that this is the supplication that he requires.		אַחֲלֵי. שוהיידמנ"ס בְּלַעַ"ז, כְּלוֹמַר זוֹ הִיא בַּקָּשָׁה שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לָהּ.
4And he came and told his master, saying, "In the following manner has the girl from the land of Israel spoken."		דוַיָּבֹ֕א וַיַּגֵּ֥ד לַאדֹנָ֖יו לֵאמֹ֑ר כָּזֹ֚את וְכָזֹאת֙ דִּבְּרָ֣ה הַֽנַּעֲרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר מֵאֶ֥רֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
And he came. [i.e.,] Naaman [came]		וַיָּבֹא. נַעֲמָן.
and told his master. the king of Aram.		וַיַּגֵּד לַאדֹנָיו. מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם.
5And the king of Aram said, "Come, go and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." He went and took in his possession ten talents of silver and six thousand gold pieces, and ten suits of clothes.		הוַיֹּ֚אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָם֙ לֶךְ־בֹּ֔א וְאֶשְׁלְחָ֥ה סֵ֖פֶר אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּלֶךְ֩ וַיִּקַּ֨ח בְּיָד֜וֹ עֶ֣שֶׂר כִּכְּרֵי־כֶ֗סֶף וְשֵׁ֚שֶׁת אֲלָפִים֙ זָהָ֔ב וְעֶ֖שֶׂר חֲלִיפ֥וֹת בְּגָדִֽים:
and he took in his possession. as a gift to the prophet.		וַיִּקַּח בְּיָדוֹ. מִנְחָה לַנָּבִיא.
and six thousand gold pieces. [lit.] and six thousand gold.		וְשֵׁשֶׁת אֲלָפִים זָהָב. זְהוּבִים.
6And the letter came to the king of Israel, saying, "And now, when this letter comes to you, behold I have sent Naaman my servant to you, and you shall cure him of his zaraath.		ווַיָּבֵ֣א הַסֵּ֔פֶר אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר וְעַתָּ֗ה כְּב֨וֹא הַסֵּ֚פֶר הַזֶּה֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ הִנֵּ֨ה שָׁלַ֚חְתִּי אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־נַעֲמָ֣ן עַבְדִּ֔י וַאֲסַפְתּ֖וֹ מִצָּרַעְתּֽוֹ:
saying. [“And now when this letter comes…5”]-The letter said to him, “And now, when this letter…”		לֵאמֹר וְעַתָּה כְּבוֹא הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה וְגוֹ'. הַסֵּפֶר אָמַר לוֹ, וְעַתָּה כְּבוֹא הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה וְגוֹ'.
and you shall cure him of his zaraath. [lit. and you shall gather him in from his zaraath.] Gathering, as applied to the mezora, is the expression of his cure, for when he is cured, he is gathered in among people, whereas during his illness, everyone stays away from him.		וַאֲסַפְתּוֹ מִצָּרַעְתּוֹ. 'אֲסֵפָה' בִּמְצֹרָע הִיא לְשׁוֹן רְפוּאָתוֹ, כִּי בְּהִתְרַפּאוֹתוֹ הוּא נֶאֱסָף אֶל תּוֹךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם, וּבְחָלְיוֹ הַכֹּל בְּדֵלִין הֵימֶנּוּ.
7And it was when the king of Israel read the letter, that he rent his garments, and said, "Do I have power from God to put to death and to bring to life, that this one sends to me to cure a man of his zaraath? Just know now and see that he is looking for a pretext against me."		זוַיְהִ֡י כִּקְרֹא֩ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל אֶת־הַסֵּ֜פֶר וַיִּקְרַ֣ע בְּגָדָ֗יו וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַאֱלֹהִ֥ים אָ֙נִי֙ לְהָמִ֣ית וּֽלְהַחֲי֔וֹת כִּֽי־זֶה֙ שֹׁלֵ֣חַ אֵלַ֔י לֶאֱסֹ֥ף אִ֖ישׁ מִצָּֽרַעְתּ֑וֹ כִּ֚י אַךְ־דְּעֽוּ־נָא֙ וּרְא֔וּ כִּֽי־מִתְאַנֶּ֥ה ה֖וּא לִֽי:
Do I have power from God. [after] Jonathan. [Lit. Am I God?] The ‘heh’ at the beginning of the word הַאֱלֹהִים, is voweled with a ‘pathah’ to indicate that it is a question.		הַאֱלֹהִים אָנִי. הֵ"א נָקוּד פַּתָּ"ח, לְלַמֵּד שֶׁהוּא בִּלְשׁוֹן תְּמִיהָה.
he is looking for a pretext. He is looking for a pretext to engage in strife with me.		מִתְאַנֶּה. מְבַקֵּשׁ תּוֹאֲנָה לְהִתְגָּרוֹת בִּי.
he is looking for a pretext. [Heb. מִתְאַנֶה] an expression of pretext.		מִתְאַנֶּה. לְשׁוֹן עֲלִילוֹת דְּבָרִים.
8And it was when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had rent his garments, that he sent to the king, saying, "Why have you rent your garments? Let him come to me now, and let him know that there is a prophet in Israel."		חוַיְהִ֞י כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ \| אֱלִישָׁ֣ע אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים כִּֽי־קָרַ֚ע מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ לֵאמֹ֔ר לָ֥מָּה קָרַ֖עְתָּ בְּגָדֶ֑יךָ יָבֹֽא־נָ֣א אֵלַ֔י וְיֵדַ֕ע כִּ֛י יֵ֥שׁ נָבִ֖יא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
9And Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and he stood at the doorway of Elisha's house.		טוַיָּבֹ֥א נַעֲמָ֖ן בְּסוּסָ֣יו (כתיב בְּסוּסָ֣ו) וּבְרִכְבּ֑וֹ וַיַּעֲמֹ֥ד פֶּֽתַח־הַבַּ֖יִת לֶאֱלִישָֽׁע:
10And Elisha dispatched a messenger to him, saying, "Go and immerse yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored to you, and you will become clean."		יוַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח אֵלָ֛יו אֱלִישָׁ֖ע מַלְאָ֣ךְ לֵאמֹ֑ר הָל֗וֹךְ וְרָחַצְתָּ֚ שֶֽׁבַע־פְּעָמִים֙ בַּיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וְיָשֹׁ֧ב בְּשָׂרְךָ֛ לְךָ֖ וּטְהָֽר:
11Now Naaman became incensed, and he went away, and he said, "Here I thought that he would come out to see me, and he would stand and call in the name of YHVH his God, and he would raise his hand toward the spot and cure the mezora."		יאוַיִּקְצֹ֥ף נַעֲמָ֖ן וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ וַיֹּאמֶר֩ הִנֵּ֨ה אָמַ֜רְתִּי אֵלַ֣י \| יֵצֵ֣א יָצ֗וֹא וְעָמַד֙ וְקָרָא֙ בְּשֵׁם־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֔יו וְהֵנִ֥יף יָד֛וֹ אֶל־הַמָּק֖וֹם וְאָסַ֥ף הַמְּצֹרָֽע:
Here I thought. [I thought that] the prophet would come out and speak with me, and see the ailment.		הִנֵּה אָמַרְתִּי. סָבוּר הָיִיתִי, אֵלַי יֵצֵא הַנָּבִיא וִידַבֵּר עִמִּי וְיִרְאֶה אֶת הַחֹלִי.
and he would raise his hand toward the spot. of the] zaraath.		וְהֵנִיף יָדוֹ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם. הַצָּרַעַת.
12Are not Amanah and Parpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Will I not immerse myself in them and become clean?" And he turned and went away in anger.		יבהֲלֹ֡א טוֹב֩ אֲמָנָ֨ה (כתיב אֲבָנָ֨ה) וּפַרְפַּ֜ר נַהֲר֣וֹת דַּמֶּ֗שֶׂק מִכֹּל֙ מֵימֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הֲלֹֽא־אֶרְחַ֥ץ בָּהֶ֖ם וְטָהָ֑רְתִּי וַיִּ֖פֶן וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ בְּחֵמָֽה:
13And his servants approached and spoke to him and said, "Master, if the prophet spoke to you to do a difficult thing, would you not do it? And surely since he said to you, 'Immerse yourself and become clean.' "		יגוַיִּגְּשׁ֣וּ עֲבָדָיו֘ וַיְדַבְּר֣וּ אֵלָיו֒ וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ אָבִי֙ דָּבָ֣ר גָּד֗וֹל הַנָּבִ֛יא דִּבֶּ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יךָ הֲל֣וֹא תַעֲשֶֹ֑ה וְאַ֛ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יךָ רְחַ֥ץ וּטְהָֽר:
Master. [lit. father].		אָבִי. כְּמוֹ אֲדוֹנִי.
would you not do it?. Would you not do it even if he ordered you to do something requiring exertion?		הֲלוֹא תַעֲשֶׂה. וְכִי לֹא תַעֲשֵׂהוּ, אֲפִלּוּ אָמַר לְךָ דְּבַר טֹרַח.
and surely. by a fortiori conclusion, since he said to you to do an easy thing, [viz.] immerse yourself and become clean.		וְאַף כִּי. קַל וָחֹמֶר שֶׁאָמַר לְךָ דָּבָר קַל, רְחַץ וּטְהָר.
14And he went down and immersed himself in the Jordan seven times according to the word of the man of God: and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young lad, and he became clean.		ידוַיֵּ֗רֶד וַיִּטְבֹּ֚ל בַּיַּרְדֵּן֙ שֶׁ֣בַע פְּעָמִ֔ים כִּדְבַ֖ר אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיָּ֣שָׁב בְּשָׂר֗וֹ כִּבְשַֹ֛ר נַ֥עַר קָטֹ֖ן וַיִּטְהָֽר:
15And he returned to the man of God, he and his entire camp; and he came and stood before him: and he said, "Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. And now, accept a gift from your servant."		טווַיָּשָׁב֩ אֶל־אִ֨ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֜ים ה֣וּא וְכָֽל־מַחֲנֵ֗הוּ וַיָּבֹא֘ וַיַּעֲמֹ֣ד לְפָנָיו֒ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּה־נָ֚א יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ כִּ֣י אֵ֚ין אֱלֹהִים֙ בְּכָל־הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֖י אִם־בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְעַתָּ֛ה קַח־נָ֥א בְרָכָ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ת עַבְדֶּֽךָ:
a gift. [lit. a blessing], a gift of peace, of greeting, when a disciple or a slave greets his master (sallud in O.F., a greeting).		בְרָכָה. מִנְחַת שָׁלוֹם שֶל הַקְבָּלַת פָּנִים, שֶׁשּׁוֹאֵל תַּלְמִיד אוֹ עֶבֶד בִּשְׁלוֹם הָרַב, שולד"ו בְּלַעַ"ז.
16And he said, "As the Lord before Whom I have stood, lives, I will not accept." And he urged him to accept, but he refused.		טזוַיֹּ֕אמֶר חַי־יְהֹוָ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־עָמַ֥דְתִּי לְפָנָ֖יו אִם־אֶקָּ֑ח וַיִּפְצַר־בּ֥וֹ לָקַ֖חַת וַיְמָאֵֽן:
I will not accept. for the price of idols was included in it.		אִם אֶקָּח. שֶׁדְּמֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מְעֹרָבִין בּוֹ.
17And Naaman said, "Now, if only your servant be given a load of earth as carried by a team of mules, for your servant will no longer offer up a burnt-offering or a sacrifice to other deities, but to the Lord.		יזוַיֹּאמֶר֘ נַעֲמָן֒ וָלֹ֕א יֻתַּן־נָ֣א לְעַבְדְּךָ֔ מַשָּׂ֥א צֶֽמֶד־פְּרָדִ֖ים אֲדָמָ֑ה כִּ֡י לֽוֹא־יַעֲשֶׂה֩ ע֨וֹד עַבְדְּךָ֜ עֹלָ֚ה וָזֶ֙בַח֙ לֵאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים כִּ֖י אִם־לַיהֹוָֽה:
Now, if only. וָלֹא, an expression of a request, an expression of הַלְוַאי.		וָלֹא. לְשׁוֹן בַּקָּשָׁה, לְשׁוֹן הַלְוַאי.
Now… be given. from this soil of the land of Israel, which is holy, a load of earth as carried by a team of mules, and I will carry it off to my city, and I will make it into an altar.		יֻתַּן נָא. מֵאֲדָמָה זוֹ מֵאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהִיא קְדוֹשָׁה, מַשָּׂא שְׁנֵי פְּרָדִים, וְאֶשָּׂאֶנָּה לְעִירִי וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אוֹתָהּ מִזְבֵּחַ.
18For this thing may the Lord forgive your servant; when my master comes to Beth-Rimmon to prostrate himself there, and he leans on my hand, and I will prostrate myself in Beth-Rimmon; when I bow in Beth-Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this thing."		יחלַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה יִסְלַ֥ח יְהֹוָ֖ה לְעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ בְּב֣וֹא אֲדֹנִ֣י בֵית־רִמּוֹן֩ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֨ת שָׁ֜מָּה וְה֣וּא \| נִשְׁעָ֣ן עַל־יָדִ֗י וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֙יתִי֙ בֵּ֣ית רִמֹּ֔ן בְּהִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָ֙תִי֙ בֵּ֣ית רִמֹּ֔ן יִסְלַח (כתיב ־נא) יְהֹוָ֥ה לְעַבְדְּךָ֖ בַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה:
Beth-Rimmon. the name of a pagan deity.		בֵית רִמּוֹן. שֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.
and I will prostrate myself. against my will when my master bows, since he leans on my hand.		וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֵיתִי. עַל כָּרְחִי, כְּשֶׁשּׁוֹחֶה אֲדוֹנִי וְהוּא נִשְׁעָן עַל יָדִי.
19And he said to him, "Go in peace"; and he went some distance away from him.		יטוַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ לֵ֣ךְ לְשָׁל֑וֹם וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ מֵאִתּ֖וֹ כִּבְרַת־אָֽרֶץ:
some distance. [Heb.] kivrath eretz, the name of a land measure, like (Is. 5:10) “ten acres of vineyard.” (arpent in French), an old French measure of land, equivalent to about an acre.		כִּבְרַת אָרֶץ. שֵׁם מִדָּה שֶל קַרְקַע, כְּמוֹ: צִמְדֵי כֶרֶם, ארפינ"ט בְּלַעַ"ז.

Translation of Chumash and Rashi courtesy Chabad House Publications’ forthcoming English Chumash with an annotated translation of Rashi based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, published by Kehot Publications Society. Translated and adapted by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky, Editor-in-Chief. Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin, Director and General Editor.

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