Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 14

54This is the law for every tzara’at-lesion, for a netek,   נדזֹ֖את הַתּוֹרָ֑ה לְכָל־נֶ֥גַע הַצָּרַ֖עַת וְלַנָּֽתֶק:
55for tzara’at of garments and houses,   נהוּלְצָרַ֥עַת הַבֶּ֖גֶד וְלַבָּֽיִת:
56for a wool-white spot, for an egg-membrane-white spot, and for a snow-white spot   נווְלַשְׂאֵ֥ת וְלַסַּפַּ֖חַת וְלַבֶּהָֽרֶת:
57by which the priest is required to render decisions regarding on which day the sufferer can be pronounced ritually defiled and on which day he can be pronounced rid of defilement. This is the law of tzara’at.”   נזלְהוֹרֹ֕ת בְּי֥וֹם הַטָּמֵ֖א וּבְי֣וֹם הַטָּהֹ֑ר זֹ֥את תּוֹרַ֖ת הַצָּרָֽעַת:
לְהוֹרֹת בְּיוֹם הַטָּמֵא - to render decisions (lit.) on the day of the defiled…. i.e., which day he can pronounce him rid of ritual defilement and which day he can pronounce him ritually defiled.   לְהוֹרֹת בְּיוֹם הַטָּמֵא.  אֵיזֶה יוֹם מְטַהֲרוֹ וְאֵיזֶה יוֹם מְטַמְּאוֹ (עי' ספרא):

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 15

1God spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,   אוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר:
2“Speak to the Israelites, and say to them, ‘If any man has a discharge from his reproductive organ, his discharge is ritually defiled.   בדַּבְּרוּ֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַֽאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֣ישׁ אִ֗ישׁ כִּ֤י יִֽהְיֶה֙ זָ֣ב מִבְּשָׂר֔וֹ זוֹב֖וֹ טָמֵ֥א הֽוּא:
כִּי יִֽהְיֶה זָב - If [any man] has a discharge. I might think that he becomes ritually defiled regardless of where in his body the discharge originates; Scripture therefore states: מִבְּשָׂרוֹ (lit.) “from part of his flesh” – but not all his flesh. Now, since Scripture has distinguished between different parts of the body, I am able to draw a conclusion: Scripture declares ritually defiled a man with an abnormal discharge as well as a woman with an abnormal discharge. Just as with a woman with a discharge, the same place that causes her to become ritually defiled with a lesser ritual defilement – menstruation causes her to become ritually defiled with the more stringent ritual defilement of an abnormal discharge, so also in the case of a man with a discharge, the same place that causes him to become ritually defiled with a lesser defilement – a seminal emission – causes him to become ritually defiled with the more stringent ritual defilement of an abnormal discharge.   כִּי יִֽהְיֶה זָב.  יָכוֹל זָב מִכָּל מָקוֹם יְהֵא טָמֵא, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר מִבְּשָׂרוֹ, — וְלֹא כָל בְּשָׂרוֹ. אַחַר שֶׁחִלֵּק הַכָּתוּב בֵּין בָּשָׂר לְבָשָׂר זָכִיתִי לָדִין, טִמֵּא בְזָב וְטִמֵּא בְזָבָה, מַה זָּבָה מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁהִיא מִטַּמְּאָה טֻמְאָה קַלָּה — "נִדָּה" — מִטַּמְּאָה טֻמְאָה חֲמוּרָה — "זִיבָה" — אַף הַזָּב מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁמִּטַּמֵּא טֻמְאָה קַלָּה — "קֶרִי" — מִטַּמֵּא טֻמְאָה חֲמוּרָה — "זִיבָה" (שם):
זוֹבוֹ טָמֵא - His discharge is ritually defiled. This teaches us that the drop of discharge can itself impart ritual defilement to one in contact with it. An abnormal discharge is similar to liquid exuding from barley dough and of loose consistency, appearing like the white of a spoiled egg. A seminal emission, in contrast, is viscous, like the white of an unspoiled egg.   זוֹבוֹ טָמֵא.  לִמֵּד עַל הַטִּפָּה שֶׁהִיא מְטַמְּאָה; זוֹב דּוֹמֶה לְמֵי בָצֵק שֶׁל שְׂעוֹרִין, וְדָחוּי, וְדּוֹמֶה לְלֹבֶן בֵּיצָה הַמּוּזֶרֶת, שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע קָשׁוּר, כְּלֹבֶן בֵּיצָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ מוּזֶרֶת:
3This is the ritual defilement he will contract due to his discharge: Whether his flesh runs freely with his discharge or his flesh is plugged up by his discharge, his defilement is as follows:   גוְזֹ֛את תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה טֻמְאָת֖וֹ בְּזוֹב֑וֹ רָ֣ר בְּשָׂר֞וֹ אֶת־זוֹב֗וֹ אֽוֹ־הֶחְתִּ֤ים בְּשָׂרוֹ֙ מִזּוֹב֔וֹ טֻמְאָת֖וֹ הִֽוא:
רָר - is related to רִיר “spittle,” i.e., his discharge runs from his flesh.   רָר.  לְשׁוֹן רִיר — שֶׁזָּב בְּשָׂרוֹ:
אֶת זוֹבוֹ - like spittle, i.e., it comes out clear in appearance.   אֶת זוֹבוֹ.  כְּמוֹ רִיר, שֶׁיּוֹצֵא צָלוּל:
אֽוֹ־הֶחְתִּים - Or…is plugged up - i.e., it comes out thick and blocks the opening of the reproductive organ, and his flesh is thus blocked by the drop of his discharge. This is the straightforward meaning. Its Midrashic explanation is: the first verse enumerates two discharges and calls him ritually defiled, as it says: זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ זוֹבוֹ טָמֵא הוּא “a discharge from his reproductive organ, his discharge is ritually defiled”; 1 and the second verse enumerates three discharges and calls him ritually defiled, as it says here: טֻמְאָתוֹ בְּזוֹבוֹ רָר בְּשָׂרוֹ אֶת זוֹבוֹ אוֹ הֶחְתִּים בְּשָׂרוֹ מִזּוֹבוֹ טֻמְאָתוֹ הִוא “the ritual defilement due to his discharge: whether his flesh runs freely with his discharge or his flesh is plugged up by his discharge, it is his ritual defilement.” How is this understood? Two discharges render him ritually defiled, and the third obligates him to bring a sacrifice after he is rid of ritual defilement, as detailed later.   אֽוֹ־הֶחְתִּים.  שֶׁיּוֹצֵא עָב, וְסוֹתֵם אֶת פִּי הָאַמָּה, וְנִסְתָּם בְּשָׂרוֹ מִטִּפַּת זוֹבוֹ, זֶהוּ פְּשׁוּטוֹ; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ: מָנָה הַכָּתוּב הָרִאשׁוֹן רְאִיּוֹת שְׁתַּיִם וּקְרָאוֹ טָמֵא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ זוֹבוֹ טָמֵא הוּא, וּמָנָה הַכָּתוּב הַשֵּׁנִי רְאִיּוֹת שָׁלֹשׁ וּקְרָאוֹ טָמֵא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר טֻמְאָתוֹ בְּזוֹבוֹ רָר בְּשָׂרוֹ אֶת זוֹבוֹ אוֹ הֶחְתִּים בְּשָׂרוֹ מִזּוֹבוֹ טֻמְאָתוֹ הִוא, הָא כֵיצַד? שְׁתַּיִם לְטֻמְאָה, וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁית מַזְקִיקַתּוּ לְקָרְבָּן (נדה מ"ג: מגילה ח.):
4Any object intended for reclining upon that the man with the discharge lies upon will become ritually defiled; and any object upon which he sits will become ritually defiled.   דכָּל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֗ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכַּ֥ב עָלָ֛יו הַזָּ֖ב יִטְמָ֑א וְכָל־הַכְּלִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־יֵשֵׁ֥ב עָלָ֖יו יִטְמָֽא:
כָּל־הַמִּשְׁכָּב - (lit.) Anything for reclining - i.e., that is fit for reclining. I might think that this applies even if it is designated for another act. Scripture therefore states: אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב. It does not say: אֲשֶׁר שָׁכַב “on which he lay,” but אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב (lit.) “on which he will lie,” the future tense in this case denoting continuous action, i.e., that which is designated always for lying upon. This excludes such a case when people say to the person lying on it: “Get up and let us do our work with this object.”   כָּל־הַמִּשְׁכָּב.  הָרָאוּי לְמִשְׁכָּב; יָכוֹל אֲפִלּוּ מְיֻחָד לִמְלָאכָה אַחֶרֶת, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב — אֲשֶׁר שָׁכַב לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב — הַמְיֻחָד תָּמִיד לְכָךְ, יָצָא זֶה שֶׁאוֹמְרִין לוֹ "עֲמֹד וְנַעֲשֶׂה מְלַאכְתֵּנוּ":
אֲשֶׁר יֵשֵׁב - [Upon] which he sits. It does not say: יָשַׁבon which he sat,” but: אֲשֶׁר יֵשֵׁב עָלָיו הַזָּב (lit.) “on which the man with the discharge will sit” – i.e., that which is designated always for that purpose.   אֲשֶׁר יֵשֵׁב.  יָשַׁב לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא אֲשֶׁר יֵשֵׁב עָלָיו, בַּמְיֻחָד תָּמִיד לְכָךְ (שבת נ"ט):
5Anyone who touches an object that he reclined upon must immerse his garments and immerse himself in the water of a mikveh, and will remain ritually defiled until nightfall.   הוְאִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִגַּ֖ע בְּמִשְׁכָּב֑וֹ יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִגַּע בְּמִשְׁכָּבוֹ - Anyone who touches an object that he reclined upon. This teaches us that an object on which he reclines is more stringent than that which he merely touched, for the former becomes a primary source of ritual defilement, capable of imparting ritual defilement to a person who touches it to the extent that the garments he is wearing also become ritually defiled, whereas an object touched by him but on which he did not recline becomes only a secondary source of ritual defilement and can only impart ritual defilement to food and drink.   וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִגַּע בְּמִשְׁכָּבוֹ.  לִמֵּד עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּב שֶׁחָמוּר מִן הַמַּגָּע, שֶׁזֶּה נַעֲשֶׂה אַב הַטֻּמְאָה לְטַמֵּא אָדָם לְטַמֵּא בְגָדִים, וְהַמַּגָּע שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִשְׁכָּב אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא וְלַד הַטֻּמְאָה, וְאֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא אֶלָּא אֳכָלִין וּמַשְׁקִין (עי' ספרא):
6Anyone who sits on an object upon which the man with the discharge sat must immerse his garments and immerse himself in the water of a mikveh, and will remain ritually defiled until nightfall.   ווְהַיּשֵׁב֙ עַל־הַכְּלִ֔י אֲשֶׁר־יֵשֵׁ֥ב עָלָ֖יו הַזָּ֑ב יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
וְהַיּשֵׁב עַל־הַכְּלִי - Anyone who sits on an object - even if he did not touch that object, and even if there are ten objects one on top of the other and the ritually defiled object is beneath all of them, they all impart ritual defilement as an object used for sitting, and the same applies to an object used for reclining.   וְהַיּשֵׁב עַל־הַכְּלִי.  אֲפִלּוּ לֹא נָגַע — אֲפִלוּ עֲשָֹרָה כֵלִים זֶה עַל זֶה — כֻּלָּן מְטַמְּאִין מִשּׁוּם מוֹשָׁב, וְכֵן בְּמִשְׁכָּב:
7Anyone who touches the flesh of the man with the discharge must immerse his garments and immerse himself in the water of a mikveh, and will remain ritually defiled until nightfall.   זוְהַנֹּגֵ֖עַ בִּבְשַׂ֣ר הַזָּ֑ב יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
8If the man with the discharge spits on an undefiled person, he must immerse his garments and immerse himself in the water of a mikveh, and will remain ritually defiled until nightfall.   חוְכִֽי־יָרֹ֥ק הַזָּ֖ב בַּטָּה֑וֹר וְכִבֶּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
וְכִֽי־יָרֹק הַזָּב בַּטָּהוֹר - If the man who had the discharge spits on an undefiled person - and the spit touched him, or even if the person carried it without touching it directly, for spit causes ritual defilement by carrying it.   וְכִֽי־יָרֹק הַזָּב בַּטָּהוֹר.  וְנָגַע בּוֹ אוֹ נְשָׂאוֹ, שֶׁהָרֹק מְטַמֵּא בְמַשָּׂא (עי' נדה נ"ה):
9With regard to any saddle, if the man with the discharge rides upon it, it becomes ritually defiled.   טוְכָל־הַמֶּרְכַּ֗ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִרְכַּ֥ב עָלָ֛יו הַזָּ֖ב יִטְמָֽא:
וְכָל־הַמֶּרְכַּב - Any saddle - even though he does not sit on it, such as the pommel of the saddle, which is called “arcon” in Old French, it becomes ritually defiled as an object used for riding. But the saddle itself, called “alves” in Old French, becomes ritually defiled with the ritual defilement of a seat.   וְכָל־הַמֶּרְכַּב.  אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא יָשַׁב עָלָיו, כְּגוֹן הַתְּפוּס שֶׁל סְרָגָא, שֶׁקּוֹרִין ארצו"ן, טָמֵא מִשּׁוּם מֶרְכָּב, וְהָאֻכָּף שֶׁקּוֹרִין סל"ויש טָמֵא טֻמְאַת מוֹשָׁב (עירובין כ"ז):
10Whoever touches anything under him becomes ritually defiled until nightfall. Whoever carries them must immerse his garments and immerse himself in the water of a mikveh, and will remain ritually defiled until nightfall.   יוְכָל־הַנֹּגֵ֗עַ בְּכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִֽהְיֶ֣ה תַחְתָּ֔יו יִטְמָ֖א עַד־הָעָ֑רֶב וְהַנּוֹשֵׂ֣א אוֹתָ֔ם יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
וְכָל־הַנֹּגֵעַ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִֽהְיֶה תַחְתָּיו - Whoever touches anything under him - i.e., the man with the discharge. This comes to teach us that one who touches a riding object becomes ritually defiled but does not have to immerse his garment. This detail is more stringent for an object used for reclining than an object used for riding.   וְכָל־הַנֹּגֵעַ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִֽהְיֶה תַחְתָּיו.  שֶׁל זָב; בָּא וְלִמֵּד עַל הַמֶּרְכָּב שֶׁיְּהֵא הַנּוֹגֵעַ בּוֹ טָמֵא וְאֵין טָעוּן כִּבּוּס בְּגָדִים, וְהוּא חֹמֶר בַּמִּשְׁכָּב מִבַּמֶּרְכָּב:
וְהַנּוֹשֵׂא אוֹתָם - Whoever carries them - i.e., regarding all that is mentioned regarding a man with a discharge – his discharge itself, his spit, his semen, his urine, or an object on which he lay, rode, or sat – carrying them renders a person ritually defiled to the extent that his garments also become ritually defiled.   וְהַנּוֹשֵׂא אוֹתָם.  אֶת כָּל הָאָמוּר בְּעִנְיַן הַזָּב — זוֹבוֹ וְרֻקּוֹ וְשִׁכְבַת זַרְעוֹ וּמֵימֵי רַגְלָיו וְהַמִּשְׁכָּב וְהַמֶּרְכָּב — מַשָּׂאָן מְטַמֵּא אָדָם לְטַמֵּא בְגָדִים (עי' ספרא):
11Whomever the man with the discharge touches (his hands having not been immersed in water) must immerse his garments and immerse himself in the water of a mikveh, and will remain ritually defiled until nightfall.   יאוְכֹ֨ל אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִגַּע־בּוֹ֙ הַזָּ֔ב וְיָדָ֖יו לֹֽא־שָׁטַ֣ף בַּמָּ֑יִם וְכִבֶּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
וְיָדָיו לֹֽא־שָׁטַף בַּמָּיִם - His hands having not been immersed in water - i.e., as long as he has not yet immersed himself entirely in a mikveh to rid himself of his ritual defilement, even if his discharge ceased and he counted seven clean days but he lacks immersion, he imparts ritual defilement in all manners that he usually imparts ritual defilement. The reason why Scripture expressed the immersion of the body in terms of washing hands is to teach you that hidden parts of the body do not require the water of the mikveh to touch them, but only exposed limbs, such as the hands.   וְיָדָיו לֹֽא־שָׁטַף בַּמָּיִם.  בְּעוֹד שֶׁלֹּא טָבַל מִטֻּמְאָתוֹ, וַאֲפִלּוּ פָסַק מִזּוֹבוֹ וְסָפַר שִׁבְעָה וּמְחֻסָּר טְבִילָה, מְטַמֵּא בְכָל טֻמְאוֹתָיו, וְזֶה שֶׁהוֹצִיא הַכָּתוּב טְבִילַת גוּפוֹ שֶׁל זָב בִּלְשׁוֹן שְׁטִיפַת יָדַיִם, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁאֵין בֵּית הַסְּתָרִים טָעוּן בִּיאַת מַיִם, אֶלָּא אֵבֶר הַגָּלוּי כְּמוֹ הַיָּדַיִם (ספרא):
12An earthenware vessel that the man with the discharge touches must be shattered. Any wooden vessel may be immersed in the water of a mikveh.   יבוּכְלִי־חֶ֛רֶשׂ אֲשֶׁר־יִגַּע־בּ֥וֹ הַזָּ֖ב יִשָּׁבֵ֑ר וְכָ֨ל־כְּלִי־עֵ֔ץ יִשָּׁטֵ֖ף בַּמָּֽיִם:
וּכְלִי־חֶרֶשׂ אֲשֶׁר־יִגַּע־בּוֹ הַזָּב - An earthenware vessel that the man with the discharge touches. I might think that this verse teaches us that it becomes ritually defiled even if he touched it on its exterior… and the subsequent discussion as stated in Torat Kohanim until: What touching affects the entire vessel? We must say that it refers to moving it – but touching an earthenware vessel from the outside without moving it does not render it ritually defiled.   וּכְלִי־חֶרֶשׂ אֲשֶׁר־יִגַּע־בּוֹ הַזָּב.  יָכוֹל אֲפִלּוּ נָגַע בּוֹ מֵאֲחוֹרָיו וְכוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא בְתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים עַד "מַגָּעוֹ שֶׁהוּא כְכֻלּוֹ הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר זֶה הֶסֵּטוֹ":
13When the man with the discharge is rid of his discharge, he must count for himself seven days being free of the discharge. He must immerse his garments and immerse his flesh in spring water, and he will thus become rid of defilement.   יגוְכִֽי־יִטְהַ֤ר הַזָּב֙ מִזּוֹב֔וֹ וְסָ֨פַר ל֜וֹ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֛ים לְטָֽהֳרָת֖וֹ וְכִבֶּ֣ס בְּגָדָ֑יו וְרָחַ֧ץ בְּשָׂר֛וֹ בְּמַ֥יִם חַיִּ֖ים וְטָהֵֽר:
וְכִֽי־יִטְהַר - (lit.) When he is purified - i.e., when the discharge ceases.   וְכִֽי־יִטְהַר.  כְּשֶׁיִּפְסֹק (שם):
שִׁבְעַת יָמִים לְטָֽהֳרָתוֹ - Seven days (lit.) for his purity - i.e., seven days clear of ritual defilement on account of discharge, meaning that he does not see any discharge – and they must all be consecutive.   שִׁבְעַת יָמִים לְטָֽהֳרָתוֹ.  שִׁבְעַת יָמִים טְהוֹרִים מִטֻּמְאַת זִיבָה, שֶׁלֹּא יִרְאֶה זוֹב, וְכֻלָּן רְצוּפִין (ספרא):
14On the eighth day, he must take for himself two turtledoves or two young pigeons and come before God, to the entrance to the Courtyard of the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the priest.   ידוּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֗י יִקַּח־לוֹ֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י תֹרִ֔ים א֥וֹ שְׁנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יוֹנָ֑ה וּבָ֣א | לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶל־פֶּ֨תַח֙ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וּנְתָנָ֖ם אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן:
15The priest must sacrifice them, one as a sin-offering and the other as an ascent-offering, and thus the priest will effect atonement for him from his discharge, before God.   טווְעָשָׂ֤ה אֹתָם֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֶחָ֣ד חַטָּ֔את וְהָֽאֶחָ֖ד עֹלָ֑ה וְכִפֶּ֨ר עָלָ֧יו הַכֹּהֵ֛ן לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה מִזּוֹבֽוֹ: