1) (Vayikra 14:7) ("And he shall sprinkle upon the one to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and he shall cleanse him, and he shall send the living bird over the face of the field.") "And he shall sprinkle": on the upper surface of the leper's hand, and others say on his forehead. "And he shall sprinkle upon the one to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times": The one to be cleansed from the leprosy requires seven sprinklings; one (who is to be cleansed from) dead body uncleanliness does not require seven sprinklings. 2) (The verse is needed for the above, for without it we would say) Does it not follow a fortiori that he does require seven sprinklings, viz.: If a leper, who does not require sprinkling on the third and seventh day (viz. Bamidbar 19:12) requires seven sprinklings, then one who is tamei through a dead body, who does require sprinkling on the third and seventh day — how much more so does he require seven sprinklings! It must, therefore, be written "And he shall sprinkle upon the one to be cleansed from the leprosy." The one to be cleansed from the leprosy requires seven sprinklings; one (who is to be cleansed from) dead body uncleanliness does not require seven sprinklings. 3) But let it follow a fortiori that a leper requires sprinkling on the third and seventh day, viz.: If one who is tamei through a dead body, who does not require seven sprinklings, requires sprinkling on the third and seventh day, then a leper, who does require seven sprinklings, how much more so should he require sprinkling on the third and seventh day! It is, therefore, written "seven times and he shall cleanse him." He requires (for cleansing) seven sprinklings; he does not require sprinkling on the third and seventh day. 4) "and he shall cleanse him": through those things that are done upon his body, (viz. sprinkling, shaving, and bathing). I might think that his cleansing is thus consummated; it is, therefore, written "and he shall send," "and he shall shave," "and he shall wash," "and he shall bathe." I might think that they are all indispensable to his cleanliness; it is, therefore, written (here, after sprinkling): "and he shall cleanse him, and (after sending, washing, shaving, and bathing) (Bamidbar 19:8): "and he shall be clean." Just as the first cleansing relates to what is performed upon his body (i.e., the sprinkling), so the second relates to what is performed upon his body (i.e., the shaving and the bathing, and not the sending of the bird and the washing of his clothes.) 5) "and he shall send the living bird (over the face of the field.") He should not stand in Yaffo and send it to the sea. He should not stand in Gabbath and send it to the desert. He should not stand outside the city and send it towards the city. "over the face of the field": If he sent it and it returned to his hand, he may eat it. 6) (Vayikra 14:8) ("And the one to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and he shall shave all of his hair, and he shall bathe in water, and he shall be clean; and then he shall come into the camp. And he shall sit outside his tent for seven days.") "And the one to be cleansed shall wash his clothes": R. Shimon said: What does this come to teach us? If to confer tumah upon garments by contact, does this not follow a fortiori? viz.: If in the days of his counting (seven days, after having brought the birds), when he does not confer tumah by entry (into a house), he does confer tumah upon garments by contact (viz. Vayikra 14:9 "And he shall wash his clothes"), then in the days of his confirmation (of absolute leprosy, i.e., our instance), when he does confer tumah by entry, how much more so should he confer tumah upon garments by contact! If so, why is it written "And the one to be cleansed shall wash his clothes"? (He must wash them) from mishkav (couch) and moshav (seat) tumah, (their having become tamei by being under him, even though he did not touch them.) For there are two types of garment washing: one, for mishkav and moshav tumah (our instance); the other, for conferring tumah upon garments by contact (that in verse 14:9). 7) "and he shall shave all of his hair": I might think even his (normally) covered hair. And this would follow (by the following line of reasoning:) Shaving is mentioned in respect to his days of counting (Vayikra 14 verse 9), and shaving is mentioned in respect to his days of confirmation (Vayikra 14 verse 8). Just as the former excludes covered hair, so the latter excludes covered hair. 8) — Now if we are lenient in respect to the days of his counting, when he does not confer tumah by mishkav or moshav or by entry, should we be lenient in respect to the days of his confirmation, when he does confer tumah by mishkav and moshav and by entry! Since he confers tumah by these, he should also be required to shave what is (normally) covered! It is, therefore, written "all of his hair" (Vayikra 14 verse 8) - "all of his hair" (Vayikra 14 verse 9) for an identity (gezeirah shavah). Just as "all of his hair" in respect to the days of his counting excludes covered hair, so "all of his hair" in respect to the days of his confirmation excludes covered hair. 9) "and he shall bathe in water": even in the water of a mikveh. Now should it not follow (otherwise), viz.: If a zav (one with a genital discharge), who does not require (for his cleansing) the sprinkling of living (running) water, requires bathing in living water (viz. Vayikra 15:13), then a leper, who requires the sprinkling of living water, how much more so should he require bathing in living water! It is, therefore, written "and he shall bathe in water" — even in the water of a mikveh. 10) "and he shall bathe in water, and he shall be clean; and then he shall come into the camp": The bathing of his body is indispensable for his coming into the camp, and the washing of his garments is not indispensable for his coming into the camp. 11) "And he shall sit outside his tent": as one who is under the ban. And he is forbidden to engage in marital relations, it being written "his tent," which is none other than his wife, as it is written (Devarim 5:27) "Return to your tents" (i.e., to your wives). "for seven days". And (this abstention from marital relations does) not (obtain) during the days of his confirmation (as a leper). These are the words of Rebbi. R. Yossi b. R. Yehudah says: How much more so does it obtain for the days of his confirmation! R. Chiyya said: I asked before Rebbi: Did we not learn, master, that Yotham was conceived by Uzziyahu only during the days of his confirmation? He answered: I, too, said that.
Sifra Metzora Section 2
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