1) (Vayikra 15:12) ("And an earthen vessel which the zav touches shall be broken, and every wooden vessel shall be rinsed in water.") "earthen vessel": This tells me only of an earthen vessel. Whence do I derive for inclusion a vessel made of alum crystals? From "And an earthen vessel. "which the zav touches": I might think even if he touches it from the back it becomes tamei. But (why is a verse needed for this?) It follows a fortiori, viz.: If a dead body, the stringent instance (of tumah), does not confer tumah upon an earthen vessel from the back, then zav, the lesser instance, how much more so does it not confer tumah upon an earthen vessel from the back! — No, this may be so with a dead body, which does not effect (tumah of) mishkav and moshav, as opposed to a zav, which does effect such tumah. And since it does, I would think that since it does so, it would confer tumah upon earthen vessels from the back. It is, therefore, written (lit.,) "which the zav touches bo" ["in it"], and, elsewhere (Vayikra 6:21) (lit.,) "which is cooked bo." Just as there, the meaning is "in its atmosphere", here, too, the meaning is "in its atmosphere" (and not if he touches it from the back). 2) Now that we have learned that tumah is conferred upon it from its atmosphere (i.e., even without touching it), what is the intent of "which he touches"? As if he "touches" all of it (i.e., If he moves it without touching it) — "heset" — (all of it must be moved). 3) "and every wooden vessel shall be rinsed in water": R. Shimon said: What does this come to teach us? If that he (the zav) confers tumah upon vessels requiring rinsing, by touching (them), is it not already written (Vayikra 6 verse 7) "and he who touches the flesh of the zav shall wash his clothes"? If one who touches the zav, thereby confers tumah upon vessels requiring rinsing, then if he himself (touches them), how much more so should he confer tumah upon them! What, then, is the intent of "and every wooden vessel shall be rinsed in water"? This refers to the food, drink, and vessels on top of the zav. 4) (And the verse is necessary to teach us this) for (without it) would it not follow a fortiori (that he should not confer tumah to the vessels above him that he is not in direct contact with)? Viz.: If where Scripture made vessels under him that are fit for mishkav (reclining) subject to mishkav tumah, it did not make vessels under him that are unfit for mishkav subject to middaf (indirect contact tumah) — then, above him, where Scripture did not make even vessels fit for mishkav subject to mishkav tumah, how much more so should vessels (above him) not be subject to middaf tumah! It must, therefore, be written "and every wooden vessel shall be rinsed in water," to teach that the vessels above him are subject to middaf tumah. 5) (But now we have a) kal vachomer (a fortiori argument) that the zav is subject to mishkav tumah above him (when there are on his head things that are fit for mishkav beneath him), viz.: If beneath him, where Scripture did not make things subject to middaf tumah, it made him subject to mishkav tumah, then (above him), where Scripture made things subject to middaf tumah, how much more so should they be subject to mishkav tumah! It is, therefore, written (Vayikra 6 verse 4) "Every mishkav on which the zav lies down shall be tamei" — He confers mishkav (tumah) beneath him and not above him. 6) (But now we have) a kal vachomer that the zav makes (vessels unfit for mishkav) that are beneath him subject to middaf tumah, viz.: If above him, where Scripture did not make things subject to mishkav tumah, it made them subject to middaf tumah, then beneath him, where Scripture made them subject to mishkav tumah, how much more so should they be subject to middaf tumah! It is, therefore, written "Every mishkav on which the zav lies down shall be tamei" — He confers mishkav tumah beneath him and not middaf tumah. 7) (But now we have) a kal vachomer that the zav does not confer mishkav tumah (upon layers not directly in contact beneath him), viz.: If above him, where Scripture made things subject to middaf tumah, it did not make them subject to mishkav tumah, then (beneath him), where Scripture did not make them subject to middaf tumah, how much more so should they not be subject to mishkav tumah! It is, therefore, written "Every mishkav on which the zav lies down shall be tamei" — whereby we are taught that he does confer mishkav tumah (even upon layers not directly in contact beneath him).
Sifra Metzora Zavim Section 3
Tap any verse to see what it echoes — and start a chain or echo from it.