פירוש על ויקרא 13:14

בו בשר חי‎‎‎‏‎‎ וביום הראות ‎‎ BUT ON THE DAY WHEN RAW FLESH APPEARETH IN HIM [HE SHALL BE UNCLEAN] — If this means that a healthy spot sprang up in it and that on this account it is unclean, surely, however, it has already been stated that the healthy spot is a symptom of uncleanness! Why repeat it here? But it is the following case: that the plague was on one of the “twenty-four tips of the limbs” that project from the body (cf. Rashi on Exodus 21:26), — which cannot become unclean (i. e. be declared unclean) because it has healthy flesh since the leprous plague as a whole cannot be seen at one time, (as is required by Scripture stating: לכל מראה עיני הכהן cf. Kiddushin 25a),because they (the two sides of the affected limb) slope in different directions (Mishnah Negaim 6:7; Kiddushin 25a) — and the tip of the limb altered, so that its sloping side became visible through fat, as e. g., if it (the tip of the limb) became thick and broadened (so that the sloping sides flattened out to form one surface with the limb) and the healthy flesh thus becomes visible in it, Scripture informs us that it (such healthy flesh) makes it unclean on the day when it is seen in it (Sifra, Tazria Parashat Nega'im, Chapter 5 1). ‎

Healthy [flesh] could be seen. Meaning: “On the day” does not come to teach that the healthy flesh is a sign of impurity, since it has already indicated: “Or there is healthy flesh in the spot of intense whiteness, it is an old tzora’as.” Rather, it teaches about the tips of the limbs where the skin eruption cannot be seen all at once, since [the limbs] slope on either side, [the healthy flesh will not be a sign of impurity,] as it is written: “[The kohein] will see it,” [and the Rabbis taught in Toras Kohanim that he must see it] entirely [as one]. [If that limb subsequently became fat and the tip broadened so that its slope was exposed and now the entire skin-eruption can be seen at once,] I might think that since originally it was not seen in its entirety, now also, when it fattened and broadened and is entirely seen, the healthy flesh will [still] not be a sign of impurity. Therefore, it lets us know [that it is].

וביום הראות בו בשר חי, “and from the day when raw flesh appears on that area;” this is clear proof that the afflicted person must be declared as ritually unclean. Rashi writes that although this verse has been understood by the Talmud in tractate Kidushin folio 25, differently. i.e. 24 limbs of the human body are not subject to this kind of ritual contamination as they require the visual inspection of a priest, the Torah here specifically spells out that if symptoms of eczema break out before the afflicted person has shaved himself, this rule does not apply to the symptoms described here, as מחיה. [Compare Maimonides hilchot tumat tzoraat chapter three halachah eight Ed.] Our author repeats that Rashi here was not accurate and disagrees with the version of Torat Kohanim. (5,1)

וביום — Why is this word used (it might have said ובהראות)? To inform us that there are days when you may see (examine) the plague and there are days when you may not examine. On this account they (the Rabbis) said: A bridegroom is given a respite of all the seven days of the marriage festivities — to him, and to his clothing and his house (i.e. whether he himself or his clothing, cf. v. 17, or his house, cf. Leviticus 14:33 ff., has been affected by a leprous disease), and similarly on a festival he (everyone) is given a respite all the days of that festival — and during these periods the priest may not come to examine him or his clothing or his house (Mishnah Negaim 3:2; Moed Katan 7b; Sifra, Tazria Parashat Nega'im, Chapter 5 2; cf. Bekhorot 43b).

From here they [the Sages] said: A bridegroom. [Rashi knows this] because it should say [only]: “ובהראות.”

ולאיצטליתו. Meaning: His clothing, for the Targum Onkeles of (Bereishis 45:22):חמש חליפות (and five changes of clothing) is חמש איצטלוון.

During a festival, he is given all the days of the festival. Meaning: The kohein may not declare other people [other than bridegrooms] impure during a festival, until after the festival passes.