Halakhah zu Wajikra 14:78

Sometimes there will be a command which is one commandment, but it has many parts - such as the commandment of lulav, which has four species. Behold that we do not say that (Leviticus 23:40), "the fruit of goodly trees," is a separate commandment; "the boughs of thick trees," are a separate commandment; and "willows of the brook," are a separate commandment. For they are all parts of the [one] commandment - since He commanded to combine them. And after they are combined, the commandment is to take all of them into the hand on the designated day. And by the exact same comparison, it is inappropriate to count His saying about purifying someone with tsaraat - that it is with (Leviticus 14:4-5) two living birds, cedar wood, hyssop, fabric dyed scarlet, living water and a ceramic vessel - as six commandments. Rather purifying someone with tsaraat is one commandment in all of its description, and all of these requirements and others - meaning, shaving. For all of these are parts of the commandment that we have been commanded - being the purification of someone with tsaraat - and that is that it be done in the prescribed way. And the exact same comparison applies to that which He commanded us to do regarding recognition of someone with tsaraat - while he is impure - so that he is kept away from. And that is His saying, "his clothes shall be rent, his head shall be left bare, and he shall cover over his upper lip, etc." (Leviticus 13:45). And none of these acts are a separate commandment, but it is rather their combination that is the commandment - and that is that we are commanded to bring about recognition of someone with tsaraat, such that someone who sees him stay away from him; and that his recognition be with this and that. This is like that which we have been commanded to rejoice in front of the Lord on the first day of Sukkot - and its explanation was that the joy be in the taking of this and that (the four species of the lulav).

And these are the entrails of an ox or a goat: the fat that is on the innards - and included in it is the fat that is on the maw; the two kidneys with the fat that is on them and the fat that is on the flanks; the protuberances of the livers that are called polegar in the vernacular, and a little of the liver is taken with the protuberances. And the entrails of the species of sheep are these same ones. And in addition to them, with the sheep, we also take the whole fatty tail with the vertebrae of the backbone until the place of the kidneys, as it is stated (Leviticus 3:9), "opposite the kidneys (aatzah) shall you remove" - meaning to say above the place of the kidneys (Sifra, Tzav 14:8). And it referred to that place [with this word that is spelled like the word for counsel] because they, may their memory be blessed, said (Berakhot 61a) that the kidneys give counsel. And also that which they, may their memory be blessed, explained about the process of the sin-offering that is eaten, about its slaughter and its sprinkling, and all the rest of its content; and also regarding the process of the sin-offering that is burnt; and what is their law if any act of destruction is done upon them; and the rest of its details are [all] in Zevachim.

From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Zevachim 70a) that Scripture did not distinguish with an impure beast or animal between its meat and its chelev - as it is all forbidden. And [regarding] flesh of a person, his flesh is not included in the prohibition of an impure beast, to transgress a negative commandment for it, even though man is called a living (or animal) soul and he does not bring up the cud or completely divide [his foot]. And therefore, we do not administer lashes for one who eats from his flesh or drinks from his chelev - whether alive or dead. But it is nonetheless forbidden with a positive commandment, as behold Scripture numbered seven species of animals and stated about them (Leviticus 14:4), "this is the animal that you may eat." And a negative commandment that comes from the implication of a positive commandment, is a positive commandment. This is the opinion of Rambam, may his memory be blessed (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Forbidden Foods 2:3). But Ramban, may his memory be blessed, wrote (Ramban on Leviticus 11:3) that there is not even a positive commandment about the flesh of a man. And he brought a proof from that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Keritot 21a), "There is not even a commandment of separation from the blood and chelev of those that walk on two [legs]." And he, may his memory be blessed, wrote that the law is the same for flesh, that it is permitted like the blood. As if not, how could blood be permissible - and as they, may their memory be blessed, said (Keritot 22a), "Blood that is between the teeth, he should suck and swallow" - and it is established for us (Bekhorot 5a) "All that comes out of the impure is impure." And nonetheless, the flesh of the dead (Israelite) is forbidden to benefit from. And the rest of his proofs are in his book. And the rest of the details of the commandment are elucidated in the third chapter of Chullin and in other places (see Mishneh Torah, Laws of Forbidden Foods 2).

The commandment of purification from tsaraat that it be with certain species: That purification from tsaraat - whether tsaraat of a person, a garment or a house - be with cedar wood, hyssop, wool dyed red, two birds and living water, and that he do with them everything that is written about the matter, as it is stated (Leviticus 14:2), "This is the law of the metsora, etc." to the end of the section. And three types of purifications are mentioned in the Torah, and these are them: Water, and this type, by water, includes the purification of every impurity - meaning to say it is impossible for any impure thing to emerge from impurity without water; and the second type is sprinkling water, and that is the type that is specific for the impurity of a dead body; and the third type, the cedar wood, hyssop, wool dyed red, two birds and living water, and it is the type that is specific for tsaraat. The Sages informed us of a bit of a hint in the matters of the purification of the metsora with these things. As they, may their memory be blessed, said (Pesikta D'Rav Kahanna 14) that the matter is to fix in the soul of the metsora that if, before the illness came to him, he was haughty-hearted like the cedar - by way of metaphor, since it is a tall tree - he should lower himself like the hyssop. It is said about the reason of the birds (Arakhin 16b) [that] he did an act of chattering - meaning to say, he spoke many words of evil speech - therefore, he must sacrifice birds that constantly chirp. And with the wool dyed red (shani tolaat), I do not know or remember anything that they, may their memory be blessed, said about it. And it is possible that it is also a hint that he should lower himself; and it would be a hint from its name [as it is called,] worm (tolaat).

From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishnah Negaim 14:1), "How does one purify the metsora? He would bring a new earthenware pitcher and place within it a reviit of living water," with which it would be fitting to consecrate the sprinkling water - and that measure is [rabbinic] (Sotah 16b) - "and he would bring two wild birds" that are pure, for the sake of the purification of the metsora; as it is stated (Leviticus 14:4), "and it shall be taken for the one being purified." He slaughters the clarified (meaning, choice) of the two of them upon the water in the earthenware vessel and squeezes until the blood is recognizable in the water. And he digs and buries the slaughtered bird before him - and this is a tradition from what was heard. He takes cedar wood - and its commandment is that it be an ell long and its width be like a quarter of a foot of the feet of a bed; and not less than a handbreadth of hyssop that does not have an adjunct name; wool dyed red, the weight of which is a shekel, and if he mixed [its color], he disqualified it, like the dying of the aquamarine, which is disqualified by mixing. And all the measures are a law [from Moshe at Sinai] (Eruvin 4a). And he takes the living bird with the three of them; and the four species impede one another (Menachot 27a); and cedar wood or hyssop that have been peeled are disqualified. He ties the hyssop to the cedar wood with a strip of crimson fabric and surrounds them with the tips of the wings and the tip of the tail of the living bird. And he dips the four of them in water that is in the vessel and in the blood that is [in] it; "and sprinkles seven times on the back of the hand of the metsora." And he sends away the bird. And how does he send it away? If he is standing in the city, he throws it out of the wall (Kiddushin 57b). "He does not face the sea nor the city, but the desert, as it is stated (Leviticus 14:53), 'to outside the city toward the field'"(Mishnah Negaim 14:2). [If] he sent it and it comes back, he again sends it away - even a hundred times.

From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishnah Negaim 14:1), "How does one purify the metsora? He would bring a new earthenware pitcher and place within it a reviit of living water," with which it would be fitting to consecrate the sprinkling water - and that measure is [rabbinic] (Sotah 16b) - "and he would bring two wild birds" that are pure, for the sake of the purification of the metsora; as it is stated (Leviticus 14:4), "and it shall be taken for the one being purified." He slaughters the clarified (meaning, choice) of the two of them upon the water in the earthenware vessel and squeezes until the blood is recognizable in the water. And he digs and buries the slaughtered bird before him - and this is a tradition from what was heard. He takes cedar wood - and its commandment is that it be an ell long and its width be like a quarter of a foot of the feet of a bed; and not less than a handbreadth of hyssop that does not have an adjunct name; wool dyed red, the weight of which is a shekel, and if he mixed [its color], he disqualified it, like the dying of the aquamarine, which is disqualified by mixing. And all the measures are a law [from Moshe at Sinai] (Eruvin 4a). And he takes the living bird with the three of them; and the four species impede one another (Menachot 27a); and cedar wood or hyssop that have been peeled are disqualified. He ties the hyssop to the cedar wood with a strip of crimson fabric and surrounds them with the tips of the wings and the tip of the tail of the living bird. And he dips the four of them in water that is in the vessel and in the blood that is [in] it; "and sprinkles seven times on the back of the hand of the metsora." And he sends away the bird. And how does he send it away? If he is standing in the city, he throws it out of the wall (Kiddushin 57b). "He does not face the sea nor the city, but the desert, as it is stated (Leviticus 14:53), 'to outside the city toward the field'"(Mishnah Negaim 14:2). [If] he sent it and it comes back, he again sends it away - even a hundred times.

And afterwards, the priest shaves the metsora. And how does he shave him? He passes the razor over his visible flesh - and even [on] the underarm and the pubic area and all the rest of the body - until he becomes [smooth] like a gourd, as it is stated (Leviticus 14:9), "all of his hair." If so, why does it state, "his head, his beard, and his eyebrows?" To include everything that is like them and to exclude hair that is in the nose, since it is not seen. And afterwards he washes his clothes and immerses, and is purified with this from passing on impurity from his resting and sitting [upon something]; and he can come inside the [city] wall. And he counts seven days; and during those seven days, he is prohibited in sexual relations, as it is stated, "outside of his tent" - teaching he is forbidden in sexual relations. But a metsora'at is permitted in sexual relations. All of these seven days, he is still a source of impurity and renders a person and vessels impure with touch, but he does render impure with carrying - as behold it states (Leviticus 14:9), "And it shall be on the seventh day, etc. and he shall wash his clothes" - teaching that he was rendering clothes impure. And [just] like he was rendering clothes impure, so [too] was he rendering a man impure with touch - since all that renders a person impure, renders clothes impure; and all that does not render a person impure, does not render clothes impure (Mishnah Kelim 1:1). And on the seventh day, the priest shaves him a second [time] like the first shaving. And [the metsora] washes his clothes and immerses and is purified from rendering others impure. And behold he is like all who have immersed during the day, and can eat from the tithe; when his sun sets, he can eat from the priestly tithe; [and] when he brings his atonement, he can eat from consecrated foods. The slaughter of the bird, the shaving and the sprinkling are during the day, but all the other procedures are whether during the day or during the night. These [three things] are with men, but all the rest are even with women. These are with priests, but all the rest are even through an Israelite. And it is a commandment for the same priest who rendered him impure [to render him pure, as it is stated (Leviticus 13:59)], "to render him pure or to render him impure." And the rest of its details are in Tractate Negaim.

The commandment of shaving the metsora on the seventh day: That the metsora shave all of his hair - and that is the second purification, as they, may their memory be blessed, said in Negaim (Mishnah Negaim 14:3) - as it is stated (Leviticus 14:9), "And it shall be on the seventh day and he shall shave all of his hair, etc." And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishnah Negaim 14:4), "Three shave, and their shaving is a commandment: the nazirite; the metsora; and the Levites." And the Levites require [the same] shaving as the metsora, and it was in the wilderness (after the Exodus).

From its laws is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Sotah 16a), "How is the shaving? He passes the razor over his visible flesh - and even [on] the underarm and the pubic area and all the rest of the body - until he becomes [smooth] like a gourd, as it is stated (Leviticus 14:9), 'all of his hair.'" And when he shaves the two shavings, he only shaves with a razor. But if he shaved not with a razor - or he left two hairs - [it is as if] he has not done anything. And the rest of its details are in Tractate Negaim (see Mishneh Torah, Laws of Defilement by Leprosy 10).

The commandment of immersion for the impure: That we should immerse in the waters of a mikveh (ritual bath) and then become pure from any type of the types of impurity with which we have become impure, as it is stated (Leviticus 14:9), "and he shall wash his flesh." And the tradition came about it, [that it is] water in which all of his flesh can go. And the Sages estimated this as forty seah (Eruvin 4b), and that is the measure of a mikveh. And from the Torah - whether the water is drawn, or it is pulled from the springs or from rain water - it is all fit. But the Sages disqualified any mikveh, the water of which is drawn. And not only that, but rather even if the water passed through a whole vessel at the time that it was flowing into the pit, they disqualified it. And this measure of forty seah regarding the waters of a mikveh is even to immerse a needle, according to some commentators. But with gushing water - meaning to say, water that comes out of springs - it does not have a measure at all. Rather, any time that all of his body together is covered by it, or that the impure vessels are covered together by it, it is fit to immerse in it.

The law of the commandment of a metsora when he is healed from his tsaraat: That every metsora bring up a sacrifice when he is healed from his illness. And that is three beasts - one for a burnt-offering, one for a sin-offering and one for a guilt-offering - and also a log of oil; and if he is poor, a lamb for the guilt-offering, a tenth of a log of oil and two doves or two young pigeons - one for the sin-offering and one for the burnt-offering. As it is stated (Leviticus 14:10), "And on the eighth day he shall take two unblemished male lambs and one female lamb." And it is written in the section that is after this (Leviticus 14:21), "And if he is poor, etc." And this metsora is called, 'one lacking atonement,' until he sacrifices this sacrifice. And there are four lacking atonement (Keritot 8b): this one that we said; the zav; the zavah; and the woman who has given birth. And the substance of [their being] called lacking atonement is to say that each one of them - even though he is pure from his impurity, immersed and his sun set for him on the seventh day - is still lacking this atonement and he cannot eat the consecrated foods until he sacrifices them on the eighth day. And let it not be difficult upon you why we count the sacrifice of each one of these four as a [distinct] commandment, and do not group them all as one commandment - that we say that the four who are lacking atonement offer a sacrifice, and afterwards they will be atoned; as we say about the purification of the waters of the mikveh, that any impure one immerse, and afterwards he will be pure - and we do not distinguish among the types of impurity to count each one as a commandment. As the matter is because the sacrifices of these four are not the same, and it comes out that the thing that completes the purification of one of them does not complete the purification of the other. And therefore, they counted each one a [distinct] commandment. [But this] is not the case with the waters of the mikveh, as the purification is the same with all of them. So answered Rambam, may his memory be blessed (in Sefer HaMitzvot LaRambam, Mitzvot Ase 77).

The law of the commandment of a metsora when he is healed from his tsaraat: That every metsora bring up a sacrifice when he is healed from his illness. And that is three beasts - one for a burnt-offering, one for a sin-offering and one for a guilt-offering - and also a log of oil; and if he is poor, a lamb for the guilt-offering, a tenth of a log of oil and two doves or two young pigeons - one for the sin-offering and one for the burnt-offering. As it is stated (Leviticus 14:10), "And on the eighth day he shall take two unblemished male lambs and one female lamb." And it is written in the section that is after this (Leviticus 14:21), "And if he is poor, etc." And this metsora is called, 'one lacking atonement,' until he sacrifices this sacrifice. And there are four lacking atonement (Keritot 8b): this one that we said; the zav; the zavah; and the woman who has given birth. And the substance of [their being] called lacking atonement is to say that each one of them - even though he is pure from his impurity, immersed and his sun set for him on the seventh day - is still lacking this atonement and he cannot eat the consecrated foods until he sacrifices them on the eighth day. And let it not be difficult upon you why we count the sacrifice of each one of these four as a [distinct] commandment, and do not group them all as one commandment - that we say that the four who are lacking atonement offer a sacrifice, and afterwards they will be atoned; as we say about the purification of the waters of the mikveh, that any impure one immerse, and afterwards he will be pure - and we do not distinguish among the types of impurity to count each one as a commandment. As the matter is because the sacrifices of these four are not the same, and it comes out that the thing that completes the purification of one of them does not complete the purification of the other. And therefore, they counted each one a [distinct] commandment. [But this] is not the case with the waters of the mikveh, as the purification is the same with all of them. So answered Rambam, may his memory be blessed (in Sefer HaMitzvot LaRambam, Mitzvot Ase 77).

The commandment of the matter of the impurity of a house that has an ailment: To render an ailing house impure; meaning to say that we do with a house that has tsaraat according to the statute that is written in the section of the Torah, as it is stated (Leviticus 14:35), "And the one who the house is his shall come, etc.," as it is written there; and that we assume one who entered the house [to be] impure, as it is written (Leviticus 14:46), "And the one who entered the house [...] shall be impure, etc." And this commandment includes all of the matters of the impurity of houses - which one requires quarantine or destruction of some of the walls or all of them. And I have heard (see Ramban on Leviticus 14:35) that this matter of tsaraat existing in stones is not a natural matter, but rather a miraculous matter, [and] it sometimes comes to the houses of Israel to rebuke them. As it is from God's loving them that He afflicts them with something outside of their bodies, so that they will repent before they are liable for [Him] to punish them with their bodies. And so was the matter, that if one did not repent, the aliment would also spread to his clothes; if he still did not sense it, it would also spread to his body. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Vayikra Rabbah 17:6) that at the beginning when they conquered the land, God, may He be blessed, brought the ailment of tsaraat to some of their houses for their good, in order to destroy the house and reveal the buried treasure that the Amorites buried there. And even though it was possible to inform them [of] this through a prophet without an ailment, it is known that God will do miracles for people in a hidden way, as we wrote above.

The commandment of the matter of the impurity of a house that has an ailment: To render an ailing house impure; meaning to say that we do with a house that has tsaraat according to the statute that is written in the section of the Torah, as it is stated (Leviticus 14:35), "And the one who the house is his shall come, etc.," as it is written there; and that we assume one who entered the house [to be] impure, as it is written (Leviticus 14:46), "And the one who entered the house [...] shall be impure, etc." And this commandment includes all of the matters of the impurity of houses - which one requires quarantine or destruction of some of the walls or all of them. And I have heard (see Ramban on Leviticus 14:35) that this matter of tsaraat existing in stones is not a natural matter, but rather a miraculous matter, [and] it sometimes comes to the houses of Israel to rebuke them. As it is from God's loving them that He afflicts them with something outside of their bodies, so that they will repent before they are liable for [Him] to punish them with their bodies. And so was the matter, that if one did not repent, the aliment would also spread to his clothes; if he still did not sense it, it would also spread to his body. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Vayikra Rabbah 17:6) that at the beginning when they conquered the land, God, may He be blessed, brought the ailment of tsaraat to some of their houses for their good, in order to destroy the house and reveal the buried treasure that the Amorites buried there. And even though it was possible to inform them [of] this through a prophet without an ailment, it is known that God will do miracles for people in a hidden way, as we wrote above.

From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishnah Negaim 14:3), that the measure of the ailments of houses is like two gris (split beans), one next to the other. And there are three signs of impurity in the house: deep green; deep red; and spreading, and all of them are explicit in Scripture. And two appearances combine, one with the other, for the measure of two gris. And all measures are a law of Moshe from Sinai. And when one sees an appearance in a house - even if he is a sage who knows that it is an ailment - he does not decree and say, "An ailment has appeared to me," but rather, "[Something] like an ailment has appeared to me." As it is for a priest to render ailments impure and pure, and not for another man. And a dark house cannot become impure from an ailment, as we do not open up [new] windows with which to see the ailment, as it is stated (Leviticus 14:35), "appeared to me" - and our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, explained (Sifra, Metzora, Section 5:11), "to me," and not "to my light." And lest you say, he should see the ailment with a candle, sight with a candle is not complete. And therefore a dark house is never rendered impure by an ailment.

And likewise, a house cannot be rendered impure until there are four square ells or more in it; as less than this is not called a house - and the Torah stated, "house." And so [too,] it must be in a way that it has four walls and is built on the ground, with stones, wood and dirt, as it is stated (Leviticus 14:45), "its stones, its wood, and all of its dirt." And bricks and marble are not considered [to be] like stones. And Jerusalem, and outside the Land [of Israel] as well, do not have the law of impurity of houses, as it is stated (Leviticus 14:34), "upon a house in the land of your holding." And outside the Land is not a holding; and Jerusalem was also never divided for the tribes - and therefore it is not included in "your holding." And the rest of its details are in Negaim (see Mishneh Torah, Laws of Defilement by Leprosy 14).

And likewise, a house cannot be rendered impure until there are four square ells or more in it; as less than this is not called a house - and the Torah stated, "house." And so [too,] it must be in a way that it has four walls and is built on the ground, with stones, wood and dirt, as it is stated (Leviticus 14:45), "its stones, its wood, and all of its dirt." And bricks and marble are not considered [to be] like stones. And Jerusalem, and outside the Land [of Israel] as well, do not have the law of impurity of houses, as it is stated (Leviticus 14:34), "upon a house in the land of your holding." And outside the Land is not a holding; and Jerusalem was also never divided for the tribes - and therefore it is not included in "your holding." And the rest of its details are in Negaim (see Mishneh Torah, Laws of Defilement by Leprosy 14).