Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 15

16A man from whom a discharge of semen issues must immerse all his flesh in the water of a mikveh, and will remain ritually defiled until nightfall.   טזוְאִ֕ישׁ כִּֽי־תֵצֵ֥א מִמֶּ֖נּוּ שִׁכְבַת־זָ֑רַע וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֛יִם אֶת־כָּל־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
17Any garment or any leather article that has semen on it must be immersed in the water of a mikveh, and will remain ritually defiled until nightfall.   יזוְכָל־בֶּ֣גֶד וְכָל־ע֔וֹר אֲשֶׁר־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה עָלָ֖יו שִׁכְבַת־זָ֑רַע וְכֻבַּ֥ס בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
18Regarding a woman with whom a man engages in carnal relations, whereby there was a discharge of semen, they must immerse themselves in the water of a mikveh, and will remain ritually defiled until nightfall.   יחוְאִשָּׁ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכַּ֥ב אִ֛ישׁ אֹתָ֖הּ שִׁכְבַת־זָ֑רַע וְרָֽחֲצ֣וּ בַמַּ֔יִם וְטָֽמְא֖וּ עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
וְרָֽחֲצוּ בַמַּיִם - They must immerse themselves. It is the decree of the King that a woman becomes ritually defiled through intercourse. The reason for her ritual defilement is not because of touching semen, for this is a contact of hidden parts of the body, which would not ordinarily convey ritual defilement.   וְרָֽחֲצוּ בַמַּיִם.  גְּזֵרַת מֶלֶךְ הִיא שֶׁתִּטְמָא הָאִשָּׁה בְּבִיאָה; וְאֵין הַטַּעַם מִשּׁוּם נוֹגֵעַ בְּשִׁכְבַת זֶרַע, שֶׁהֲרֵי מַגַּע בֵּית הַסְּתָרִים הוּא (נדה מ"א:):
19If a woman has a uterine discharge, and her discharge is menstrual blood, she must remain in her state of separation for seven days. Whoever touches her will become ritually defiled until nightfall.   יטוְאִשָּׁה֙ כִּי־תִֽהְיֶ֣ה זָבָ֔ה דָּ֛ם יִֽהְיֶ֥ה זֹבָ֖הּ בִּבְשָׂרָ֑הּ שִׁבְעַ֤ת יָמִים֙ תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה בְנִדָּתָ֔הּ וְכָל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בָּ֖הּ יִטְמָ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
כִּי־תִֽהְיֶה זָבָה - If [a woman] has a discharge. I might think that this applies if the flow is from any one of her limbs; Scripture therefore states: “and she has uncovered the fountain of her blood” 1i.e., her blood only causes ritual defilement when it originates from the source (the uterus).   כִּי־תִֽהְיֶה זָבָה.  יָכוֹל מֵאֶחָד מִכָּל אֵבָרֶיהָ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְהִיא גִּלְּתָה אֶת מְקוֹר דָּמֶיהָ — אֵין דָּם מְטַמֵּא אֶלָּא הַבָּא מִן הַמָּקוֹר:
דָּם יִֽהְיֶה זָבָה בִּבְשָׂרָהּ - (lit.) Her discharge must be blood inside her body - i.e., her flow is only called a discharge to render her ritually defiled if it is red.   דָּם יִֽהְיֶה זָבָה בִּבְשָׂרָהּ.  אֵין זוֹבָהּ קָרוּי זוֹב לְטַמֵּא אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הוּא אָדֹם (שם י"ט):
בְנִדָּתָהּ - In her state of separation - The meaning of the term נִדָּה is similar to: “and from the universe they will banish him (יְנִדֻּהוּ)” 2i.e., she is banned from touching any person.   בְנִדָּתָהּ.  כְּמוֹ וּמִתֵּבֵל יְנִדֻּהוּ (איוב י"ח) — שֶׁהִיא מְנֻדָּה מִמַּגַּע כָּל אָדָם:
תִֽהְיֶה בְנִדָּתָהּ - She must remain in her state of separation - even if during these seven days, she saw only a first flow of blood and no more.   תִֽהְיֶה בְנִדָּתָהּ.  אֲפִלּוּ לֹא רָאֲתָה אֶלָּא רְאִיָּה רִאשׁוֹנָה (ספרא):
20Any object that she reclines upon during her menstrual separation will become ritually defiled; and any object that she sits upon will become ritually defiled.   כוְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּשְׁכַּ֥ב עָלָ֛יו בְּנִדָּתָ֖הּ יִטְמָ֑א וְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־תֵּשֵׁ֥ב עָלָ֖יו יִטְמָֽא:
21Anyone who touches an object that she reclined upon must immerse his garments and immerse himself in the water of a mikveh, and will remain defiled until nightfall.   כאוְכָל־הַנֹּגֵ֖עַ בְּמִשְׁכָּבָ֑הּ יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
22Anyone who touches any object upon which she sat must immerse his garments and immerse himself in the water of a mikveh, and will remain defiled until nightfall.   כבוְכָ֨ל־הַנֹּגֵ֔עַ בְּכָל־כְּלִ֖י אֲשֶׁר־תֵּשֵׁ֣ב עָלָ֑יו יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
23If he reclines or sits on an object that she reclined upon or upon an object that she sat upon, when he touches it he becomes defiled until nightfall.   כגוְאִ֨ם עַֽל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֜ב ה֗וּא א֧וֹ עַל־הַכְּלִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־הִ֥וא ישֶֽׁבֶת־עָלָ֖יו בְּנָגְעוֹ־ב֑וֹ יִטְמָ֖א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
וְאִם עַֽל־הַמִּשְׁכָּב הוּא - If he [reclines or sits] on an object that she reclined upon. One who reclines or sits on that upon which she reclined or sat, even if he did not touch it, is also included in the rule of ritual defilement stated in the above two verses, in that he must immerse his garments.   וְאִם עַֽל־הַמִּשְׁכָּב הוּא.  הַשּׁוֹכֵב אוֹ הַיּוֹשֵׁב עַל מִשְׁכָּבָהּ אוֹ עַל מוֹשָׁבָהּ אֲפִלּוּ לֹא נָגַע בָּהּ, אַף הוּא בְּדַת טֻמְאָה הָאֲמוּרָה בַּמִקְרָא הָעֶלְיוֹן, שֶׁטָּעוּן כִּבּוּס בְּגָדִים:
עַֽל־הַכְּלִי - Upon an object. This additional expression includes an object used for riding.   עַֽל־הַכְּלִי.  לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַמֶּרְכָּב:
בְּנָגְעוֹ־בוֹ - When he touches it he becomes ritually defiled. This is referring to none other than the object used for riding, which was derived from the words עַל הַכְּלִי   בְּנָגְעוֹ־בוֹ.  אֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר אֶלָּא עַל הַמֶּרְכָּב שֶׁנִּתְרַבָּה מֵ"עַל הַכְּלִי":
בְּנָגְעוֹ־בוֹ יִטְמָא - When he touches it he becomes ritually defiled - but he does not need to immerse his garments, for touching an object used for riding does not render a person ritually defiled to the extent that his garments also become ritually defiled.   בְּנָגְעוֹ־בוֹ יִטְמָא.  וְאֵינוֹ טָעוּן כִּבּוּס בְּגָדִים, שֶׁהַמֶּרְכָּב אֵין מַגָּעוֹ מְטַמֵּא אָדָם לְטַמֵּא בְגָדִים (כלים פכ"ג):
24If a man engages in carnal relations with her, the ritual defilement caused by her menstruation will be transmitted to him and he will be ritually defiled for seven days. Any object intended for reclining upon that he reclines upon will become ritually defiled.   כדוְאִ֡ם שָׁכֹב֩ יִשְׁכַּ֨ב אִ֜ישׁ אֹתָ֗הּ וּתְהִ֤י נִדָּתָהּ֙ עָלָ֔יו וְטָמֵ֖א שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים וְכָל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ב אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁכַּ֥ב עָלָ֖יו יִטְמָֽא:
וּתְהִי נִדָּתָהּ עָלָיו - (lit.) Her separation will be upon him. I might think that this means that he follows her schedule, e.g., that if he had carnal relations with her on the fifth day of her separation, he will be ritually defiled only for three days like her; Scripture therefore states: וְטָמֵא שִׁבְעַת יָמִים “and he will be ritually defiled for seven days.” Why does Scripture state: “her separation will be upon him”? In order to teach us that just as she can impart ritual defilement to people and earthenware vessels, so can he also impart ritual defilement to people and earthenware vessels.   וּתְהִי נִדָּתָהּ עָלָיו.  יָכוֹל יַעֲלֶה לְרַגְלָהּ — שֶׁאִם בָּא עָלֶיהָ בַחֲמִישִׁי לְנִדָּתָהּ לֹא יִטְמָא אֶלָּא שְׁלוֹשָׁה יָמִים כְּמוֹתָהּ — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וְטָמֵא שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, וּמַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וּתְהִי נִדָּתָהּ עָלָיו? מַה הִיא מְטַמְּאָה אָדָם וּכְלֵי חֶרֶס, אַף הוּא מְטַמֵּא אָדָם וּכְלֵי חֶרֶס (ספרא; נדה ל"ג):
25Regarding a woman whose discharge of uterine blood flows for more than two days outside of the span of her menstrual separation; or one who has a discharge of blood after her menstrual separation, she will be ritually defiled all the days of her defiling discharge, in the same manner as during the days of her menstrual separation.   כהוְאִשָּׁ֡ה כִּֽי־יָזוּב֩ ז֨וֹב דָּמָ֜הּ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים בְּלֹא֙ עֶת־נִדָּתָ֔הּ א֥וֹ כִֽי־תָז֖וּב עַל־נִדָּתָ֑הּ כָּל־יְמֵ֞י ז֣וֹב טֻמְאָתָ֗הּ כִּימֵ֧י נִדָּתָ֛הּ תִּֽהְיֶ֖ה טְמֵאָ֥ה הִֽוא:
יָמִים רַבִּים - (lit.) For many days - i.e., at least three days.   יָמִים רַבִּים.  שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים (ספרא):
בְּלֹא עֶת־נִדָּתָהּ - (lit.) Not within the time of her separation - after her seven days of separation have elapsed.   בְּלֹא עֶת־נִדָּתָהּ.  אַחַר שֶׁיָּצְאוּ שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נִדָּתָהּ:
אוֹ כִּֽי־תָזוּב - Or one who has a discharge - for this period of three days.   אוֹ כִּֽי־תָזוּב.  אֶת שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַיָּמִים הַלָּלוּ:
עַל־נִדָּתָהּ - (lit.) upon her separation - i.e., even one day removed from her period of separation, she is a woman with an abnormal discharge and her law is stated in this passage. It is not like the law of a menstruant, because such a woman requires counting seven consecutive days free of discharge and bringing an offering, whereas a menstruant does not require counting seven clean days, but remains in her state of separation for seven days, whether she sees again during this time or not. Our rabbis expounded this section to teach us that there are eleven days from the end of one menstrual period until the beginning of the next menstrual period, meaning that if she sees a blood flow for any three consecutive days during these eleven days, she becomes a woman with an abnormal discharge.   עַל־נִדָּתָהּ.  מֻפְלָג מִנִּדָּתָהּ יוֹם אֶחָד, זוֹ הִיא זָבָה, וּמִשְׁפָּטָהּ חָרוּץ בְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ, וְלֹא כְּדַת הַנִּדָּה, שֶׁזּוֹ טְעוּנָה סְפִירַת שִׁבְעָה נְקִיִּים וְקָרְבָּן, וְהַנִּדָּה אֵינָהּ טְעוּנָה סְפִירַת נְקִיִּים, אֶלָּא שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תִּהְיֶה בְנִדָּתָהּ בֵּין רוֹאָה בֵּין שֶׁאֵינָהּ רוֹאָה. וְדָרְשׁוּ בְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ י"א יוֹם בֵּין סוֹף נִדָּה לִתְחִלַּת נִדָּה, שֶׁכָּל שְׁלֹשֶׁת רְצוּפִין שֶׁתִּרְאֶה בְאַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם הַלָּלוּ תְּהֵא זָבָה:
26Throughout the duration of her discharge, any object that she reclines upon will be treated the same way as an object is treated during her menstrual separation. Similarly, any object that she sits upon will become ritually defiled in the same way it does during her menstrual defilement.   כוכָּל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֞ב אֲשֶׁר־תִּשְׁכַּ֤ב עָלָיו֙ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י זוֹבָ֔הּ כְּמִשְׁכַּ֥ב נִדָּתָ֖הּ יִֽהְיֶה־לָּ֑הּ וְכָל־הַכְּלִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּשֵׁ֣ב עָלָ֔יו טָמֵ֣א יִֽהְיֶ֔ה כְּטֻמְאַ֖ת נִדָּתָֽהּ:
27Anyone who touches them will become ritually defiled; he must immerse his garments and immerse himself in the water of a mikveh, and will remain ritually defiled until nightfall.   כזוְכָל־הַנּוֹגֵ֥עַ בָּ֖ם יִטְמָ֑א וְכִבֶּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
28If she becomes rid of her discharge, she must count for herself seven days. After this, she may become rid of defilement.   כחוְאִם־טָֽהֲרָ֖ה מִזּוֹבָ֑הּ וְסָ֥פְרָה לָּ֛הּ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים וְאַחַ֥ר תִּטְהָֽר:
29On the eighth day, she must take for herself two turtledoves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.   כט וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֗י תִּקַּח־לָהּ֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י תֹרִ֔ים א֥וֹ שְׁנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יוֹנָ֑ה וְהֵֽבִיאָ֤ה אוֹתָם֙ אֶל־הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
30The priest must sacrifice them, one as a sin-offering and the other as an ascent-offering, and the priest will effect atonement for her before God from the defilement of her discharge.   לוְעָשָׂ֤ה הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֶת־הָֽאֶחָ֣ד חַטָּ֔את וְאֶת־הָֽאֶחָ֖ד עֹלָ֑ה וְכִפֶּ֨ר עָלֶ֤יהָ הַכֹּהֵן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה מִזּ֖וֹב טֻמְאָתָֽהּ:
31You must separate the Israelites from their ritually defilement, so that they not die on account of their ritually defilement for defiling My Sanctuary in their midst.   לאוְהִזַּרְתֶּ֥ם אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִטֻּמְאָתָ֑ם וְלֹ֤א יָמֻ֨תוּ֙ בְּטֻמְאָתָ֔ם בְּטַמְּאָ֥ם אֶת־מִשְׁכָּנִ֖י אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּתוֹכָֽם:
וְהִזַּרְתֶּם - The root נזר invariably denotes “separation,” and so we find: נָזֹרוּ אָחוֹר “they drew back,” 3 and similarly: נְזִיר אֶחָיו “the one who was separated from his brothers.” 4   וְהִזַּרְתֶּם.  אֵין נְזִירָה אֶלָּא פְרִישָׁה וְכֵן נָזֹרוּ אָחוֹר (ישעיהו א'), וְכֵן נְזִיר אֶחָיו (בראשית מ"ט):
וְלֹא יָמֻתוּ בְּטֻמְאָתָם - So that they not die on account of their ritually defilement. The punishment of excision for ritually defiling the Sanctuary 5 is here called “death.”   וְלֹא יָמֻתוּ בְּטֻמְאָתָם.  הֲרֵי הִכָּרֵת שֶׁל מְטַמֵּא מִקְדָּשׁ קָרוּי מִיתָה:
32This is the law pertaining to a man who has an abnormal discharge: he is the same as a man who has a seminal discharge, becoming ritually defiled by it.   לבזֹ֥את תּוֹרַ֖ת הַזָּ֑ב וַֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר תֵּצֵ֥א מִמֶּ֛נּוּ שִׁכְבַת־זֶ֖רַע לְטָמְאָה־בָֽהּ:
זֹאת תּוֹרַת הַזָּב - This is the law pertaining to a man who has an abnormal discharge - i.e., one who has a single abnormal discharge, and what is his law?.   זֹאת תּוֹרַת הַזָּב.  בַּעַל רְאִיָּה אַחַת, וּמַהוּ תוֹרָתוֹ?
וַֽאֲשֶׁר תֵּצֵא מִמֶּנּוּ שִׁכְבַת־זֶרַע - (lit.) and he who has a seminal discharge - i.e., he is like a person who has a seminal discharge, that he remains ritually defiled until nightfall.   וַֽאֲשֶׁר תֵּצֵא מִמֶּנּוּ שִׁכְבַת־זֶרַע.  — הֲרֵי הוּא כְּבַעַל קֶרִי, טָמֵא טֻמְאַת עֶרֶב:
33The other cases of ritual defilement contracted from bodily discharges are, in order of increasing severity: a menstruant; a person who has a discharge followed by another discharge, whether male or female; and a man who engages in carnal relations with a ritually defiled woman.’”   לגוְהַדָּוָה֙ בְּנִדָּתָ֔הּ וְהַזָּב֙ אֶת־זוֹב֔וֹ לַזָּכָ֖ר וְלַנְּקֵבָ֑ה וּלְאִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִשְׁכַּ֖ב עִם־טְמֵאָֽה:
וְהַזָּב אֶת־זוֹבוֹ - (lit.) And one who has a discharge of his discharge - i.e., one who has two discharges or three discharges, whose laws are detailed above. End of Parashat Metzora   וְהַזָּב אֶת־זוֹבוֹ.  בַּעַל שְׁתֵּי רְאִיּוֹת, וּבַעַל שָׁלוֹשׁ רְאִיּוֹת, שֶׁתּוֹרָתָן מְפֹרֶשֶׁת לְמַעְלָה: