Comentário sobre Levítico 13:45

פרומים signifies TORN.

והצרוע, “and the person afflicted with tzoraat,” Torat Kohanim includes a High Priest in the procedures detailed here, although the Torah had stated elsewhere that the High Priest must not rend his garments (when a relative of his has died, compare Leviticus 21,10). [I see nothing remarkable or contradictory here as a) the rule that he does not rend his garments has nothing to do with its becoming afflicted with a skin problem; b) others could do it on his behalf. Ed.]

והצרוע אשר בו הנגע בגדיו יהיו פרומים וראשו יהיה פרוע ועל שפם יעטה, “and the person afflicted with the tzoraat,- his garments shall be torn, the hair of his head shall remain unshorn, and he shall cloak himself up to his lips.” According to Midrash Eycha Rabbati (introduction) the word הצרוע may be understood as a reference to the Temple (after its destruction); the words אשר בו הנגע may be understood as idolatry which contaminates in a manner similar to the skin affliction. The words בגדיו יהיו פרומים are a reference to the priestly garments (their condition after the Temple had been destroyed); the words וראשו יהיה פרוע are a reference to the Shechinah which has departed from the Temple Mount; the words ועל שפם יעטה refer to the neglect of Torah study and observance which was also a by- product of the loss of the Temple and political independence. The use of the words טמא twice in the verse mean that it speaks of the destruction of both the first and the second Temple.

[So that people] will keep away from him. Not that he should call others impure as what seems to be understood from Scripture.

His hair shall be grown long. This is to atone for haughtiness of spirit, for he wanted to be the head over everyone else. His garments shall have a tear in them to atone for stinginess, because miserly people generally have torn and patched clothing. He must cover his head down to his upper lip to atone for the sin of the speech he spoke with his lips. He shall call out, “unclean, unclean,” for someone who besmirches others with his speech shall be called unclean as well, for [the reason he besmirched them is that] he certainly found his own faults in them.

והצרוע, “and the so afflicted person;” even if he happens to be the High Priest of whom it has been written in the Torah (Leviticus 21,10) that he must not let his hair grow loose nor rend his garments [as signs of mourning, Ed.] when faced with the problem discussed here he must ignore what is written in chapter 21. (Sifra)

פרוע means his head shall be over-grown with hair (Sifra, Tazria Parashat Nega'im, Chapter 13 6).

ועל שפם יעטה, “and he shall cloak himself up to his lips.” This means that he is to keep his mouth covered so that his breath does not offend anyone around him as it contains bacteria harmful to others.

בגדיו יהיו פרומים, “his clothes shall be rent;” this will serve as a symbol that he mourns over his errors which led to him becoming afflicted. (Ibn Ezra)

ועל שפם יעטה AND HE SHALL COVER HIS LIPS as one who mourns for the dead (Sifra, Tazria Parashat Nega'im, Chapter 13 7; cf. Onkelos).

ועל שפם יעטה, “and he shall cover his upper lip.” This is to stop bad smell coming forth from his mouth which might affect people negatively. (Ibn Ezra)

שפם denotes the hair on the lips; grenon in old French, (English = moustache).

וטמא טמא יקרא AND HE SHALL CALL OUT, UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN — he must proclaim aloud that he is unclean, so that people may keep away from him (Sifra, Tazria Parashat Nega'im, Chapter 13 7; Moed Katan 5a).

That is that He commanded us that a metsora (a person with tsaarat) be known to all, such that people will separate from him. And that is His, may He be exalted, saying, "As the person with a leprous affection, his clothes shall be rent [... and he shall call out, 'Impure; impure!]'" (Leviticus 13:45). And the proof about its being a positive commandment is their saying in the Sifra (Sifra, Tazria Parashat Nega'im, Chapter 12:5-6) "Because it is stated (of the high priest, Leviticus 21:10), 'his hair he shall not grow long and his clothes he shall not rend, etc.,' I might think (that this holds) even if he is afflicted. And how will I fulfill, 'his clothes shall be rent and his hair shall grow long?' With all other people besides the high priest. [Hence] we learn to say, 'with a leprous affection' - even if he be the high priest - his clothes shall be torn; 'and his hair shall grow long' - he shall grow out his hair." And it is clear that a high priest is [prohibited] with a negative commandment from renting [his clothes] and growing [his hair] long. And the principle with us is that any place you find a positive commandment and a negative commandment - if you can fulfill both of them, that is best; but if not, the positive commandment pushes off the negative commandment. And since we have found that their language instructs that when the high priest has tsaarat, he grows [his hair] out and rents [his clothes], it indicates that it is a positive commandment. And the tradition has already come [to teach] that people with other impurities are also obligated to make a sign about themselves, such that other people will distance themselves from them. And the language of the Sifra (Sifra, Tazria Parashat Nega'im, Chapter 12:9) is, "From where [do we know that the same holds for] someone impure from a corpse or one who had sexual intercourse with a menstruant woman? [Hence] we learn to say, 'and he shall call out, "Impure; impure!"'" And the explanation is that anyone impure must announce his impurity and place a sign upon himself, through which it will be known that he is impure, and one touches him is impure - hence they will distance themselves. And behold it has been explained that women are not obligated in [providing for] the recognition of a metzora. And that is their saying (Sotah 23a), "A man grows [his hair] out and rents [his clothes], but a woman does not grow [her hair] out and rent [her clothes]." But she does cover the lip and makes known that she is impure, like other impure people. (See Parashat Tazria; Mishneh Torah, Defilement by Leprosy 6.)