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:
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: