Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 14

33God spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,   לגוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר:
34“When you enter Canaan, which I am giving you as a possession, and I place a tzara’at-lesion upon a house in the land of your possession,   לדכִּ֤י תָבֹ֨אוּ֙ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לָכֶ֖ם לַֽאֲחֻזָּ֑ה וְנָֽתַתִּי֙ נֶ֣גַע צָרַ֔עַת בְּבֵ֖ית אֶ֥רֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶֽם:
וְנָֽתַתִּי נֶגַע צָרַעַת - And I place a tzara’at lesion. It is also good news to them that tzara’at-lesions will come upon them, for the Amorites had been hiding treasures of gold in the walls of their houses throughout the 40 years that Israel were in the desert, and as a result of the lesion, he would demolish the house and discover them.   וְנָֽתַתִּי נֶגַע צָרַעַת.  בְּשׂוֹרָה הִיא לָהֶם שֶׁהַנְּגָעִים בָּאִים עֲלֵיהֶם; לְפִי שֶׁהִטְמִינוּ אֱמוֹרִיִּים מַטְמוֹנִיּוֹת שֶׁל זָהָב בְּקִירוֹת בָּתֵּיהֶם כָּל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְֹרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר, וְעַל יְדֵי הַנֶּגַע נוֹתֵץ הַבַּיִת וּמוֹצְאָן (ויקרא רבה י"ז):
35the owner of the house must come and tell the priest, saying, ‘Something resembling a lesion has appeared on my house.’   להוּבָא֙ אֲשֶׁר־ל֣וֹ הַבַּ֔יִת וְהִגִּ֥יד לַכֹּהֵ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ר כְּנֶ֕גַע נִרְאָ֥ה לִ֖י בַּבָּֽיִת:
כְּנֶגַע נִרְאָה לִי בַּבָּֽיִת - Something resembling a lesion has appeared on my house. Even a scholar, who knows that it is certainly a tzara’at-lesion, should not state it as a definitive fact by saying: “a lesion has appeared,” but “something resembling a lesion has appeared.”   כְּנֶגַע נִרְאָה לִי בַּבָּֽיִת.  שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ הוּא חָכָם וְיוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהוּא נֶגַע וַדַּאי, לֹא יִפְסֹק דָּבָר בָּרוּר לוֹמַר "נֶגַע נִרְאָה לִי", אֶלָּא "כְּנֶגַע נִרְאָה לִי":
36The priest must order that the house be cleared out before the priest comes to examine the lesion, so that nothing in the house become ritually defiled. After this, the priest must come to examine the house.   לווְצִוָּ֨ה הַכֹּהֵ֜ן וּפִנּ֣וּ אֶת־הַבַּ֗יִת בְּטֶ֨רֶם יָבֹ֤א הַכֹּהֵן֙ לִרְא֣וֹת אֶת־הַנֶּ֔גַע וְלֹ֥א יִטְמָ֖א כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּבָּ֑יִת וְאַ֥חַר כֵּ֛ן יָבֹ֥א הַכֹּהֵ֖ן לִרְא֥וֹת אֶת־הַבָּֽיִת:
בְּטֶרֶם יָבֹא הַכֹּהֵן וגו' - Before the priest comes…. for as long as the priest is not involved with it, the rules of ritual defilement do not apply.   בְּטֶרֶם יָבֹא הַכֹּהֵן וגו'.  שֶׁכָּל זְמַן שֶׁאֵין כֹּהֵן נִזְקָק לוֹ, אֵין שָׁם תּוֹרַת טֻמְאָה:
וְלֹא יִטְמָא כָּל־אֲשֶׁר בַּבָּיִת - So that nothing in the house become ritually defiled - for if he does not clear it out, and the priest comes and sees the lesion, it must be quarantined, and everything inside it will become ritually defiled. And about what objects is the Torah concerned? If it is about halachically washable objects, he can ritually immerse them and they will be rid of ritual defilement; and if it is about food and drink, he can eat them in the days when he is ritually defiled. It can only be that the Torah is concerned for none other than earthenware vessels, which cannot be ritually purified by immersion in a mikveh.   וְלֹא יִטְמָא כָּל־אֲשֶׁר בַּבָּיִת.  שֶׁאִם לֹא יְפַנֵּהוּ, וְיָבֹא הַכֹּהֵן וְיִרְאֶה הַנֶּגַע נִזְקָק לְהֶסְגֵּר וְכָל מַה שֶּׁבְּתוֹכוֹ יִטְמָא; וְעַל מָה חָסָה תוֹרָה? אִם עַל כְּלֵי שֶׁטֶף, יַטְבִּילֵם וְיִטְהֲרוּ, וְאִם עַל אֳכָלִין וּמַשְׁקִין, יֹאכְלֵם בִּימֵי טֻמְאָתוֹ, הָא לֹא חָסָה תוֹרָה אֶלָּא עַל כְּלֵי חֶרֶס, שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם טָהֳרָה בַּמִּקְוֶה (ספרא):
37He must examine the lesion. If the lesion on the walls of the house consists of pure-green or pure-red sunken-looking stains appearing to be deeper than the wall,   לזוְרָאָ֣ה אֶת־הַנֶּ֗גַע וְהִנֵּ֤ה הַנֶּ֨גַע֙ בְּקִירֹ֣ת הַבַּ֔יִת שְׁקַֽעֲרוּרֹת֙ יְרַקְרַקֹּ֔ת א֖וֹ אֲדַמְדַּמֹּ֑ת וּמַרְאֵיהֶ֥ן שָׁפָ֖ל מִן־הַקִּֽיר:
שְׁקַֽעֲרוּרֹת - (lit.) Sunken - means they appear sunken.   שְׁקַֽעֲרוּרֹת.  שׁוֹקְעוֹת בְּמַרְאֵיהֶן (שם):
38the priest must go out of the house, to the entrance of the house, and he must quarantine the house for seven days.   לחוְיָצָ֧א הַכֹּהֵ֛ן מִן־הַבַּ֖יִת אֶל־פֶּ֣תַח הַבָּ֑יִת וְהִסְגִּ֥יר אֶת־הַבַּ֖יִת שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים:
39The priest must return on the seventh day and examine the house. If the lesion has spread on the walls of the house,   לטוְשָׁ֥ב הַכֹּהֵ֖ן בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֑י וְרָאָ֕ה וְהִנֵּ֛ה פָּשָׂ֥ה הַנֶּ֖גַע בְּקִירֹ֥ת הַבָּֽיִת:
40the priest must order that the stones upon which the lesion is found be removed, and those who remove them must dispose of them outside the city, to a ritually defiled place.   מוְצִוָּה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְחִלְּצוּ֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲבָנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּהֵ֖ן הַנָּ֑גַע וְהִשְׁלִ֤יכוּ אֶתְהֶן֙ אֶל־מִח֣וּץ לָעִ֔יר אֶל־מָק֖וֹם טָמֵֽא:
וְחִלְּצוּ אֶת־הָאֲבָנִים - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וִישַׁלְּפוּןi.e., they must remove them from there. It is a term similar to: “she must remove (וְחָלְצָה) his shoe” 1also denoting removal.   וְחִלְּצוּ אֶת־הָאֲבָנִים.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ: וִיִשְׁלְפוּן — יִטְּלֵם מִשָּׁם, כְּמוֹ וְחָלְצָה נַעֲלוֹ (דברים כ"ה) — לְשׁוֹן הֲסָרָה:
אֶל־מָקוֹם טָמֵֽא - To a ritually defiled place - i.e., a place where ritually undefiled objects are not used. Scripture is hereby teaching you that these stones make the place ritually defiled as long as they are there.   אֶל־מָקוֹם טָמֵֽא.  מָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין טְהָרוֹת מִשְׁתַּמְּשׁוֹת שָׁם, לִמֶּדְךָ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁהָאֲבָנִים הַלָּלוּ מְטַמְּאוֹת מְקוֹמָן בְּעוֹדָן בּוֹ (ספרא):
41The workers must scrape out the house from the inside, all around the vicinity of the removed stones. They must pour out the mortar that they removed outside the city, into a defiled place.   מאוְאֶת־הַבַּ֛יִת יַקְצִ֥עַ מִבַּ֖יִת סָבִ֑יב וְשָֽׁפְכ֗וּ אֶת־הֶֽעָפָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִקְצ֔וּ אֶל־מִח֣וּץ לָעִ֔יר אֶל־מָק֖וֹם טָמֵֽא:
יַקְצִעַ - Scrape out - “rodoniyer” in Old French, and in Mishnaic Hebrew there are several similar instances.   יַקְצִעַ.  רדויי"ר בְּלַעַז, וּבִלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה יֵשׁ הַרְבֶּה:
מִבַּיִת - here means from inside.   מִבַּיִת.  מִבִּפְנִים:
סָבִיב - All around - i.e., around the lesion. In Torat Kohanim, it is explained that he must peel off the plaster surrounding the stones affected by the lesion.   סָבִיב.  סְבִיבוֹת הַנֶּגַע; בְּתּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים נִדְרַשׁ כֵּן — שֶׁיִּקְלֹף הַטִּיחַ שֶׁסְּבִיב אַבְנֵי הַנֶּגַע:
הִקְצוּ - This is related to קָצֶה “edge”; i.e., that which they scraped off around the edges of the lesion.   הִקְצוּ.  לְשׁוֹן קָצֶה — אֲשֶׁר קִצְּעוּ בִקְצוֹת הַנֶּגַע סָבִיב:
42They must take other stones and bring them to replace the stones. One of the workers must take other mortar and plaster the house.   מבוְלָֽקְחוּ֙ אֲבָנִ֣ים אֲחֵר֔וֹת וְהֵבִ֖יאוּ אֶל־תַּ֣חַת הָֽאֲבָנִ֑ים וְעָפָ֥ר אַחֵ֛ר יִקַּ֖ח וְטָ֥ח אֶת־הַבָּֽיִת:
43If the lesion erupts again in the house after the workers had removed the stones, and after the wall of the house had been scraped around, and after the wall had been re-plastered,   מגוְאִם־יָשׁ֤וּב הַנֶּ֨גַע֙ וּפָרַ֣ח בַּבַּ֔יִת אַחַ֖ר חִלֵּ֣ץ אֶת־הָֽאֲבָנִ֑ים וְאַֽחֲרֵ֛י הִקְצ֥וֹת אֶת־הַבַּ֖יִת וְאַֽחֲרֵ֥י הִטּֽוֹחַ:
הִקְצוֹת - (lit.) Being scraped around. This is a similar grammatical form to הֵעָשוֹת “being done,” and so is הִטּוֹחַ (lit.) “being re-plastered” – i.e., a passive infinitive. But חִלֵּץ אֶת הָאֲבָנִים (lit.) “he removed the stones” refers to the person who removed them, חִלֵץ being a past tense of the heavy conjugation (pi’el), similar to כִּפֵּר and דִּבֵּר.   הִקְצוֹת.  לְשׁוֹן הֵעָשׂוֹת, וְכֵן הִטּוֹחַ, אֲבָל חִלֵּץ אֶת הָאֲבָנִים מוּסָב הַלָּשׁוֹן אֶל הָאָדָם שֶׁחִלְּצָן, וְהוּא מִשְׁקַל לְשׁוֹן כָּבֵד, כְּמוֹ כִּפֵּר, דִּבֵּר:
וְאִם־יָשׁוּב הַנֶּגַע וגו' - (lit.) If the lesion returns… I might think that even if it returned on the same day, it will become ritually defiled. Scripture therefore states elsewhere: וְשָׁב הַכֹּהֵן “The priest must return,” 2 and also here: וְאִם יָשׁוּב (lit.) “If it returns.” We infer by analogy that just as “returning” there means at the end of a week, so “returning” here means at the end of a week.   וְאִם־יָשׁוּב הַנֶּגַע וגו'.  יָכוֹל חָזַר בּוֹ בַיּוֹם יְהֵא טָמֵא, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "וְשָׁב הַכֹּהֵן" "וְאִם יָשׁוּב", מַה שִּׁיבָה הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן לְסוֹף שָׁבוּעַ, אַף שִׁיבָה הָאֲמוּרָה כָּאן בְּסוֹף שָׁבוּעַ (ספרא):
44the priest must come and examine it. If the lesion in the house has spread, it is an onerous tzara’at-lesion in the house; the house is ritually defiled.   מדוּבָא֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְרָאָ֕ה וְהִנֵּ֛ה פָּשָׂ֥ה הַנֶּ֖גַע בַּבָּ֑יִת צָרַ֨עַת מַמְאֶ֥רֶת הִ֛וא בַּבַּ֖יִת טָמֵ֥א הֽוּא:
וּבָא הַכֹּהֵן וְרָאָה וְהִנֵּה פָּשָׂה - The priest must come and examine [it]; if [the lesion]…has spread. 

I might thus think that a reappearing lesion is not defiled unless it spreads. However, it says צָרַעַת מַמְאֶרֶת “onerous tzara’athere regarding houses, and it says above 3 צָרַעַת מַמְאֶרֶת “onerous tzara’at” regarding garments. Just as there, a reappearing lesion is ritually defiled even if it did not spread, so too here, a reappearing lesion is ritually defiled even if it did not spread.

If so, what is the meaning of Scripture’s statement here: “it has spread”? The answer is that the proper place of this verse is not here; rather, it should have written: “He must demolish the house” 4 after: “If the lesion erupts again….” In fact, “he must come and examine it; if the lesion in the house has spread” comes to teach us about a lesion that remained in the same condition after the first week, and the priest comes at the end of the second week and finds that it has spread, for Scripture above has not yet specified any ruling regarding a lesion that remained in the same condition after the first week. It is teaching you this here about this “spreading,” which speaks only of such a case where it remained in the same condition after the first week and spread during the second; and what must he do to it? I might think he must demolish the house, just as it says afterwards: “He must demolish the house.” Scripture therefore states: “The priest must return,” 5 and “The priest must come” (here). We derive the ruling in the case of “coming” from that in the case of “returning”; just as when “returning” he removes the afflicted stones, scrapes off the plaster, and re-plasters, and gives it a week before it is re-examined, so too, when “coming,” he removes the stones, scrapes off the plaster, and re-plasters, and gives it a week before it is re-examined; after this, if it reappears, he demolishes the house, and if it does not reappear, it is pronounced free of ritual defilement.

And from where do we know that if the lesion remained in the same condition after both the first and second weeks, that he also removes the stones, scrapes off the plaster, and re-plasters, and gives it a third week before it is re-examined? Scripture states here וּבָאThe priest must come,” and again וְאִם בֹּא יָבֹא “If the priest comes, and comes again.” 6 To what does that verse refer? If to a lesion that spread during the first week, this has already been stated in v. 39; if to a lesion that spread during the second week but not during the first, this has also been stated in our verse. It must be that from the stated verses – “The priest must come” and “If the priest comes, and comes again” – we derive the law for one who comes at the end of the first week and comes again at the end of the second week “and examines the lesion, and the lesion did not spread.” This lesion – which remained in the same condition for two continuous weeks – what must he do with it? I might think that it is released from quarantine and the priest may leave, as is written here: “the priest must pronounce the house rid of ritual defilement.” Scripture therefore states there: “because the lesion has healed” – i.e., I only deem the house rid of ritual defilement if the lesion has healed. What then must he do with it? “Coming” is stated in the earlier verse and “coming” is stated in the later verse; just as in the above case he removes the stones, scrapes off the plaster, and re-plasters, and gives it another week before being re-examined, as we derived above – that the case of “coming” has the same ruling as that of “returning” – so also in the case below, the rule is the same…, as stated in Torat Kohanim.

In summation: A house is only demolished if a lesion reappears after removing the stones, scraping off the plaster, and re-plastering, and such a reappearing lesion does not need to spread in order to require demolition. The sequence of the verses is as follows: “If the lesion erupts again”; 7 “He must demolish”; 8 “Anyone entering the house”; 9 “someone who eats in the house.” 10 After that, follows this verse: “the priest must come and examine it; if the lesion in the house has spread,” by which Scripture refers to a lesion that remained in the same condition during the first week, telling us that he gives it a second week to be in quarantine, and at the end of its second week of quarantine, he comes and sees that it has spread. What must he do with it? He removes the stones, scrapes off the plaster, and re-plasters it, and gives it another week. If it reappears, he demolishes the house; if it does not reappear, he must purify the house by bringing two birds, for no lesions can be quarantined for more than three weeks.Then Scripture continues: “If the priest comes, and comes again” – at the end of the second week – “and examines the lesion, and the lesion did not spread.” This verse comes to teach us about a lesion that remained in the same condition after both the first and second week. What must he do with it? I might think he should pronounce it rid of ritual defilement, as the plain sense of the verse implies: “the priest must pronounce the house rid of ritual defilement.” Scripture therefore states: “because the lesion has healed” – I deem rid of ritual defilement only that which has healed, and it is only considered healed if the house has been scraped and re-plastered and the lesion did not reappear. This case, however, requires removing the stones, scraping, re-plastering, and a third week of quarantine. And this is how the verse is expounded: “If he comes, and comes again” in the second week “and examines it, and the lesion did not spread,” he must re-plaster it, and re-plastering is only done after removing the stones and scraping off the plaster, and “after the house has been re-plastered, the priest must pronounce the house rid of ritual defilement” if the lesion does not reappear at the end of the week, “because the lesion has healed”; but if it reappears, it has already been specified regarding the case of a reappearing lesion that the house must be demolished.

  וּבָא הַכֹּהֵן וְרָאָה וְהִנֵּה פָּשָׂה.  יָכוֹל לֹא יְהֵא הַחוֹזֵר טָמֵא אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן פָּשָׂה, נֶאֱמַר צָרַעַת מַמְאֶרֶת בַּבָּתִּים, וְנֶאֱמַר צָרַעַת מַמְאֶרֶת בַּבגדים, מַה לְּהַלָּן טִמֵּא אֶת הַחוֹזֵר אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ פוֹשֶׂה, אַף כָּאן טִמֵּא אֶת הַחוֹזֵר אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ פוֹשֶׂה, אִם כֵּן מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְהִנֵּה פָשָׂה? אֵין כָּאן מְקוֹמוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא זֶה, אֶלָּא "וְנָתַץ אֶת הַבַּיִת" הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב אַחַר "וְאִם יָשׁוּב הַנֶּגַע"; "וְרָאָה וְהִנֵּה פָּשָׂה" הָא לֹא בָא לְלַמֵּד אֶלָּא עַל נֶגַע הָעוֹמֵד בְּעֵינָיו בְּשָׁבוּעַ רִאשׁוֹן, וּבָא בְסוֹף שָׁבוּעַ שֵׁנִי וּמְצָאוֹ שֶׁפָּשָׂה — שֶׁלֹּא פֵּרֵשׁ בּוֹ הַכָּתוּב לְמַעְלָה כְלוּם בְּעוֹמֵד בְּעֵינָיו בְּשָׁבוּעַ רִאשׁוֹן — וְלִמֶּדְךָ כָּאן בְּפִשְׂיוֹן זֶה, שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר אֶלָּא בְּעוֹמֵד בָּרִאשׁוֹן וּפָשָׂה בַשֵּׁנִי; וּמַה יַּעֲשֶׂה לּוֹ? יָכוֹל יִתְּצֶנּוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁסָּמַךְ לוֹ "וְנָתַץ אֶת הַבַּיִת", תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְשָׁב הַכֹּהֵן, וּבָא הַכֹּהֵן, נִלְמַד בִּיאָה מִשִּׁיבָה, מַה שִּׁיבָה חוֹלֵץ וְקוֹצֶה וְטָח וְנוֹתֵן לוֹ שָׁבוּעַ, אַף בִּיאָה חוֹלֵץ וְקוֹצֶה וְטָח וְנוֹתֵן לוֹ שָׁבוּעַ, וְאִם חוֹזֵר נוֹתֵץ, לֹא חָזַר טָהוֹר. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאִם עָמַד בָּזֶה וּבָזֶה חוֹלֵץ וְקוֹצֶה וְטָח וְנוֹתֵן לוֹ שָׁבוּעַ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְאִם בֹּא יָבֹא, בַּמֶּה הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר? אִם בְּפוֹשֶׂה בָּרִאשׁוֹן, הֲרֵי כְבָר אָמוּר, אִם בְּפוֹשֶׂה בַשֵּׁנִי, הֲרֵי כְבָר אָמוּר, הָא אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר וְאִם בֹּא יָבֹא אֶלָּא אֶת שֶׁבָּא בְסוֹף שָׁבוּעַ רִאשׁוֹן וּבָא בְסוֹף שָׁבוּעַ שֵׁנִי וְרָאָה וְהִנֵּה לֹא פָשָׂה; זֶה הָעוֹמֵד מַה יַּעֲשֶׂה לוֹ? יָכוֹל יִפָּטֵר וְיֵלֵךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב כָּאן וְטִהַר אֶת הַבַּיִת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר כִּי נִרְפָּא הַנָּגַע — לֹא טִהַרְתִּי אֶלָּא הָרָפוּי, מַה יַּעֲשֶׂה לוֹ? בִּיאָה אֲמוּרָה לְמַעְלָה וּבִיאָה אֲמוּרָה לְמַטָּה, מַה בָּעֶלְיוֹנָה חוֹלֵץ וְקוֹצֶה וְטָח וְנוֹתֵן לוֹ שָׁבוּעַ — דְּגָמַר לָהּ זֶהוּ שִׁיבָה זֶהוּ בִיאָה — אַף בַּתַּחְתּוֹנָה כֵן וְכוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא בְתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים. גְּמָרוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר אֵין נְתִיצָה אֶלָּא בְּנֶגַע הַחוֹזֵר אַחַר חֲלִיצָה וְקִצּוּעַ וְטִיחָה, וְאֵין הַחוֹזֵר צָרִיךְ פִּשְׂיוֹן. וְסֵדֶר הַמִּקְרָאוֹת כָּךְ הוּא: וְאִם יָשׁוּב, וְנָתַץ, וְהַבָּא אֶל הַבַּיִת, וְהָאוֹכֵל בַּבַּיִת, וּבָא הַכֹּהֵן וְרָאָה וְהִנֵּה פָשָׂה, וְדִבֵּר הַכָּתוּב בָּעוֹמֵד בָּרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁנּוֹתֵן לוֹ שָׁבוּעַ שֵׁנִי לְהֶסְגֵּרוֹ, וּבְסוֹף שָׁבוּעַ שֵׁנִי לְהֶסְגֵּרוֹ בָּא וְרָאָהוּ שֶׁפָּשָׂה, וּמַה יַּעֲשֶֹה לוֹ? חוֹלֵץ וְקוֹצֶה וְטָח וְנוֹתֵן לוֹ שָׁבוּעַ, חָזַר, נוֹתֵץ, לֹא חָזַר, טָעוּן צִפֳּרִים; שֶׁאֵין בַּנְּגָעִים יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁלוֹשָׁה שָׁבוּעוֹת (עי' ספרא).
45He must demolish the house, its stones, its wood, and all the mortar of the house, and he must take them outside the city, to a ritually defiled place.   מהוְנָתַ֣ץ אֶת־הַבַּ֗יִת אֶת־אֲבָנָיו֙ וְאֶת־עֵצָ֔יו וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־עֲפַ֣ר הַבָּ֑יִת וְהוֹצִיא֙ אֶל־מִח֣וּץ לָעִ֔יר אֶל־מָק֖וֹם טָמֵֽא:
46Anyone entering the house during any of the days of its quarantine will become ritually defiled until nightfall.   מווְהַבָּא֙ אֶל־הַבַּ֔יִת כָּל־יְמֵ֖י הִסְגִּ֣יר אֹת֑וֹ יִטְמָ֖א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
כָּל־יְמֵי הִסְגִּיר אֹתוֹ - [During] any of the days of its quarantine - but not during the days when he peeled off its lesion. I might then think that I also exclude a house that has been conclusively pronounced ritually defiled if he for some reason peeled off its lesion? Scripture therefore states: כָּל יְמֵיany of the days.”   כָּל־יְמֵי הִסְגִּיר אֹתוֹ.  וְלֹא יָמִים שֶׁקָּלַף אֶת נִגְעוֹ; יָכוֹל שֶׁאֲנִי מוֹצִיא הַמֻּחְלָט שֶׁקָּלַף אֶת נִגְעוֹ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר כָּל יְמֵי:
יִטְמָא עַד־הָעָֽרֶב - Will become ritually defiled until nightfall. This teaches us that his garments do not become ritually defiled. I might then think that this is so even if he tarried in the house the amount of time it takes to eat half a loaf of bread? Scripture therefore states: “someone who eats in the house must immerse his garments.” 11 From here, I only know about one who eats in the house. From where do I know that this applies to one who lies down in the house? Scripture therefore states: “someone who lies down….” I thus only know about one who eats or lies down in the house; from where do I know that this applies also to someone who neither eats nor lies down in the house, but merely tarries there for the aforementioned time? Scripture therefore states twice: “he must immerse…must immerse,” which implies an inclusion. If so, why are “one who eats” and “one who lies down” specifically stated? In order to define the minimum timespan requiring one who lies down or otherwise tarries in the house to immerse his garments as the time it takes to eat half a loaf.   יִטְמָא עַד־הָעָֽרֶב.  מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאֵין מְטַמֵּא בְגָדִים; יָכוֹל אֲפִלוּ שָׁהָה בִכְדֵי אֲכִילַת פְּרָס, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְהָאוֹכֵל בַּבַּיִת יְכַבֵּס אֶת בְּגָדָיו, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא אוֹכֵל, שׁוֹכֵב מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְהַשּׁוֹכֵב, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹכֵב, לֹא אוֹכֵל וְלֹא שׁוֹכֵב מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר יכבס יכבס רִבָּה; אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹכֵב? לִתֵּן שִׁעוּר לַשּׁוֹכֵב כְּדֵי אֲכִילַת פְּרָס (שם):
47Regarding someone who lies down in the house, he must immerse his garments in the water of a mikveh; someone who eats in the house must immerse his garments in the water of a mikveh.   מזוְהַשֹּׁכֵ֣ב בַּבַּ֔יִת יְכַבֵּ֖ס אֶת־בְּגָדָ֑יו וְהָֽאֹכֵ֣ל בַּבַּ֔יִת יְכַבֵּ֖ס אֶת־בְּגָדָֽיו:
48If the priest comes, and comes again and examines the lesion, and the lesion did not spread in the house after the house had been re-plastered, the priest must pronounce the house rid of defilement, because the lesion has healed.   מחוְאִם־בֹּ֨א יָבֹ֜א הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְרָאָה֙ וְ֠הִנֵּ֠ה לֹֽא־פָשָׂ֤ה הַנֶּ֨גַע֙ בַּבַּ֔יִת אַֽחֲרֵ֖י הִטֹּ֣חַ אֶת־הַבָּ֑יִת וְטִהַ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֶת־הַבַּ֔יִת כִּ֥י נִרְפָּ֖א הַנָּֽגַע:
וְאִם־בֹּא יָבֹא - But if the kohen comes […] and comes [again]. At the end of the second week [of quarantine],   וְאִם־בֹּא יָבֹא.  לְסוֹף שָׁבוּעַ שֵׁנִי:
וְרָאָה וְהִנֵּה לֹֽא־פָשָׂה - and looks [at the lesion], and behold, the lesion did not spread. This verse comes to teach [us] about a lesion that has remained the same throughout [both] the first and second weeks [of quarantine]. And what should be done to it]? One might think that it should be pronounced clean, as is apparent from the plain meaning of this verse, which continues: “the kohen shall pronounce the house clean.” Scripture, however, concludes the verse with, “because the lesion has healed.” [God says:] I deem clean only [the lesion] that has healed. And “healed” means only a house which has been scraped and plastered, and the lesion did not recur. But this [house, in which the lesion has neither disappeared nor spread], requires removal [of the unclean stones], scraping, plastering, and a third week [of quarantine]. Thus, the following is how our verse is to be understood: “But if the kohen comes […] and comes [again] at the end of the second [week of quarantine] and beholds, the lesion did not spread, he must plaster it, and there is no plastering without removing [the unclean stones] and scraping. [Then] after the house has been plastered, the kohen shall [pronounce] the house clean if the lesion did not recur at the end of the week [of quarantine], because the lesion has healed.” But if it recurs, Scripture has already explained regarding a [house with a] recurring lesion, that it requires demolition.   וְרָאָה וְהִנֵּה לֹֽא־פָשָׂה.  מִקְרָא זֶה בָּא לְלַמֵּד בָּעוֹמֵד בְּעֵינָיו בָּרִאשׁוֹן וּבַשֵּׁנִי וּמַה יַּעֲשֶׂה לוֹ, יָכוֹל יְטַהֲרֶנּוּ, כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא "וְטִהַר הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַבַּיִת", תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר כִּי נִרְפָּא הַנָּגַע — לֹא טִהַרְתִּי אֶלָּא אֶת הָרָפוּי; וְאֵין רָפוּי אֶלָּא הַבַּיִת שֶׁהֻקְצָה וְהוּטַח וְלֹא חָזַר הַנֶּגַע — אֲבָל זֶה טָעוּן חֲלִיצָה וְקִצּוּי וְטִיחָה וְשָׁבוּעַ שְׁלִישִׁי; וְכֵן הַמִּקְרָא נִדְרָשׁ: וְאִם בֹּא יָבֹא בַשֵּׁנִי, וְרָאָה וְהִנֵּה לֹא פָשָׂה, יְטִיחֶנּוּ — וְאֵין טִיחָה בְּלֹא חִלּוּץ וְקִצּוּי — וְאַחֲרֵי הִטּוֹחַ אֶת הַבַּיִת וְטִהַר הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַבַּיִת, אִם לֹא חָזַר לְסוֹף הַשָּׁבוּעַ, כִּי נִרְפָּא הַנָּגַע, וְאִם חָזַר, כְּבָר פֵּרֵשׁ עַל הַחוֹזֵר שֶׁטָּעוּן נְתִיצָה:
49To rid the house of its ritual defilement, he must take two birds, a cedar stick, a strip of scarlet wool, and some hyssop.   מטוְלָקַ֛ח לְחַטֵּ֥א אֶת־הַבַּ֖יִת שְׁתֵּ֣י צִפֳּרִ֑ים וְעֵ֣ץ אֶ֔רֶז וּשְׁנִ֥י תוֹלַ֖עַת וְאֵזֹֽב:
50He must slaughter one bird such that its blood drip onto spring water in an earthenware vessel.   נוְשָׁחַ֖ט אֶת־הַצִּפֹּ֣ר הָֽאֶחָ֑ת אֶל־כְּלִי־חֶ֖רֶשׂ עַל־מַ֥יִם חַיִּֽים:
51He must take the cedar stick, the hyssop, and the strip of scarlet wool, plus the live bird, and dip them into the blood of the slaughtered bird and into the spring water. He must dash some of the blood and water toward the house seven times.   נאוְלָקַ֣ח אֶת־עֵֽץ־הָ֠אֶ֠רֶז וְאֶת־הָ֨אֵזֹ֜ב וְאֵ֣ת | שְׁנִ֣י הַתּוֹלַ֗עַת וְאֵת֘ הַצִּפֹּ֣ר הַֽחַיָּה֒ וְטָבַ֣ל אֹתָ֗ם בְּדַם֙ הַצִּפֹּ֣ר הַשְּׁחוּטָ֔ה וּבַמַּ֖יִם הַֽחַיִּ֑ים וְהִזָּ֥ה אֶל־הַבַּ֖יִת שֶׁ֥בַע פְּעָמִֽים:
52He must rid the house of ritual defilement using the blood of the bird, the spring water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop, and the strip of scarlet wool.   נבוְחִטֵּ֣א אֶת־הַבַּ֔יִת בְּדַם֙ הַצִּפּ֔וֹר וּבַמַּ֖יִם הַֽחַיִּ֑ים וּבַצִּפֹּ֣ר הַֽחַיָּ֗ה וּבְעֵ֥ץ הָאֶ֛רֶז וּבָֽאֵזֹ֖ב וּבִשְׁנִ֥י הַתּוֹלָֽעַת:
53He must then send away the live bird outside the city, into the open field. He will thus effect atonement for the house, and it will be rid of ritual defilement.   נגוְשִׁלַּ֞ח אֶת־הַצִּפֹּ֧ר הַֽחַיָּ֛ה אֶל־מִח֥וּץ לָעִ֖יר אֶל־פְּנֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וְכִפֶּ֥ר עַל־הַבַּ֖יִת וְטָהֵֽר:
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”; 12 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: