1) "And if the leprosy blossom": What is the intent of this? (i.e., Why not merely state "if it blossomed"?) I might think that the blossoming is tahor only from a se'eth (the appearance under discussion). Whence do I derive the same for the other appearances? From "the leprosy." "and the leprosy cover": not the bohak (white scurf). For I would say that since it is a sign of cleanliness at the end (see Chapter 6:2), it is also a sign of cleanliness in the beginning; it is, therefore, written "and the leprosy cover," and not the bohak. 2) "all the skin of the plague-spot": skin which is susceptible of a plague-spot — to exclude a "rebellious" boil or a "rebellious" burn. — But perhaps the intent (of "all the skin of the plague-spot") is (the amount of) skin that is susceptible of (the minimal size of) a plague-spot — a garis — that that (if it is not covered) can impede "all of the skin"); but that which is not susceptible of a plague-spot the size of a garis does not impede it. It is, therefore, (to negate this) written "all of it has turned white." If "all of it has turned white," I might think (even) the midst of his head (must be covered to qualify as "all of his skin"); it is, therefore, written "from his head" — to exclude the midst of his head; "until his feet" — to exclude the midst (i.e., the soles) of his feet. 3) "to all of the sight of the eyes of the Cohein": to include the inside (of the buttocks) — whence they ruled: A man is inspected as if he were hoeing (and bending) and as if he were picking olives (and lifting his arms). As if he were hoeing — for (examination of) the buttocks. As if he were picking olives — for (examination of) the arm-pits. A woman (is inspected) as if she were kneading flour (and bending) and as if she were nursing her babe. As if she were kneading flour for (examination of) the buttocks. As if she were nursing — (for examination of) the lower breast. As if she were weaving while standing — for (examination of) the right arm-pit. R. Yehudah says: And as if she were spinning flax for (examination of) the left (arm-pit). And just as this is the criterion for examination of the plague-spot, so is it the criterion for (the area) to be shaved in his (the leper's) cleansing. 4) Variantly: "to all of the sight of the eyes of the Cohein": to exclude (from examination) a Cohein whose sight has darkened — whence they ruled: A Cohein who was blind in one eye or whose sight has dimmed is not to inspect plague-spots. 5) (Vayikra 13:13) ("And the Cohein shall see, and, behold, the leprosy has covered all of his flesh, then he shall declare the plague-spot clean; all of it has turned white — it is clean.") "And the Cohein shall see, and, behold, the leprosy has covered": What is the intent of this? I might think that the blossoming (in all of his flesh) renders him clean only in a se'eth. Whence is the same derived for the other (three) appearances? From "and the leprosy has covered." "all of his flesh": to include in between the fingers of his hands and his feet. Variantly: What is the intent of "all of his flesh"? Whence do you derive that if it blossomed in all of him but not in a half-lentil size near the head, the beard, the boil, the burn and the blister, and then it returned to the head and the beard, and they became bald — the boil and the burn and the blister, and they became scarred — I might think that he would be tahor. It is, therefore, written "all of his flesh" — it must blossom in all of him (for him to be tahor). 6) "then he shall declare the plague-spot clean … it is clean": What is the intent of this? I might think that blossoming renders clean only after confirmation of michyah in the beginning (i.e., at the first inspection, as per the verse). Whence do I derive the same for confirmation of michyah at the end of the first week (of quarantine), at the end of the second week; after confirmation of white hair in the beginning, at the end of the first week, at the end of the second week, after exemption (at the end of the second week by reason of its remaining the same in appearance); after confirmation of spreading at the end of the first week, at the end of the second week, after exemption; and blossoming (in all of him) after quarantine? (Whence do you derive that blossoming renders all of these clean?) From "then he shall declare the plague-spot clean … it is clean." — to include all (of the above instances). 7) I might think that (an unclean plague-spot) which blossoms from a clean one is clean. It is, therefore, written "It is clean, but (an unclean plague-spot) which blossoms from a clean one is not clean but unclean.
Sifra Tazria Negaim Chapter 4
Tap any verse to see what it echoes — and start a chain or echo from it.