| 1God spoke to Moses, saying: |
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אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: |
| 2“Speak to the Israelites, saying: ‘If a woman conceives and gives birth to a male child, she becomes ritually defiled for seven days. She becomes ritually defiled to the same degree as she does during the days of her menstrual flow. |
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בדַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אִשָּׁה֙ כִּ֣י תַזְרִ֔יעַ וְיָֽלְדָ֖ה זָכָ֑ר וְטָֽמְאָה֙ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֔ים כִּימֵ֛י נִדַּ֥ת דְּוֹתָ֖הּ תִּטְמָֽא: |
| אִשָּׁה כִּי תַזְרִיעַ - If a woman conceives. Rabbi Simlai said: Just as man was formed after all animals, beasts, and fowl in the order of Creation, so are the laws concerning him enumerated after the laws of animals, beasts, and fowl. |
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אִשָּׁה כִּי תַזְרִיעַ.
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׂמְלַאי: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁיְּצִירָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם אַחַר כָּל בְּהֵמָה חַיָּה וָעוֹף בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, כָּךְ תּוֹרָתוֹ נִתְפָּרְשָׁה אַחַר תּוֹרַת בְּהֵמָה חַיָּה וָעוֹף (ויקרא רבה יד):
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| כִּי תַזְרִיעַ - If…conceives. This word is added to include the law that even if she gave birth to a dissolved fetus, i.e., it was liquified so that it resembled semen (זֶרַע), its mother contracts ritual defilement of birth. |
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כִּי תַזְרִיעַ.
לְרַבּוֹת שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ יְלָדַתּוּ מָחוּי — שֶׁנִּמְחָה וְנַעֲשָׂה כְּעֵין זֶרַע — אִמּוֹ טְמֵאָה לֵידָה (נדה כ"ז):
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| כִּימֵי נִדַּת דותה תִּטְמָֽא - She becomes ritually defiled as during the days of her menstrual flow - i.e., she contracts the same ritual defilement through childbirth as stated in all the rules regarding ritual defilement of a menstruating woman, even if the womb opened without any discharge of blood. |
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כִּימֵי נִדַּת דְּוֹתָהּ תִּטְמָֽא.
כְּסֵדֶר כָּל טֻמְאָה הָאֲמוּרָה בְנִדָּה מִטַּמְּאָה בְטֻמְאַת לֵידָה, וַאֲפִלוּ נִפְתַּח הַקֶּבֶר בְּלֹא דָם (שם כ"א):
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| דְּוֹתָהּ - denotes “something that flows from her body.” Another explanation: It denotes pain (מַדְוֶה) and sickness, for a woman does not see her menstrual flow of blood without her head and limbs feeling painful and heavy. |
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דְּוֹתָהּ.
לְשׁוֹן דָּבָר הַזָּב מִגּוּפָהּ; לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר לְשׁוֹן מַדְוֶה וְחֹלִי, שֶׁאֵין אִשָּׁה רוֹאָה דָם שֶׁלֹּא תֶחֱלֶה וְרֹאשָׁהּ וְאֵבָרֶיהָ כְבֵדִין עָלֶיהָ (שם ט'):
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| 3On the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin must be circumcised. |
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גוּבַיּ֖וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֑י יִמּ֖וֹל בְּשַׂ֥ר עָרְלָתֽוֹ: |
| 4For 33 days, she will remain in a transitional state, during which her uterine blood is not a source of ritual defilement. She may not touch any consecrated food, nor may she enter the Sanctuary, until the days of her purification have been completed. |
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דוּשְׁלשִׁ֥ים יוֹם֙ וּשְׁל֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים תֵּשֵׁ֖ב בִּדְמֵ֣י טָֽהֳרָ֑ה בְּכָל־קֹ֣דֶשׁ לֹֽא־תִגָּ֗ע וְאֶל־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ֙ לֹ֣א תָבֹ֔א עַד־מְלֹ֖את יְמֵ֥י טָֽהֳרָֽהּ: |
| תֵּשֵׁב - Will remain. The term תֵּשֵׁב here denotes nothing other than remaining, as in “you stayed (וַתֵּשְׁבוּ) in Kadesh,” and “he settled (וַיֵּשֶׁב) in Elonim, the plains of Mamre.” |
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תֵּשֵׁב.
אֵין תֵּשֵׁב אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן עַכָּבָה, כְּמוֹ וַתֵּשְׁבוּ בְקָדֵשׁ (דברים א'), וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא (בראשית י"ג):
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| בִּדְמֵי טָֽהֳרָה - (lit.) In blood of purity - i.e., even though she sees blood, she remains ritually undefiled. |
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בִּדְמֵי טָֽהֳרָה.
אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרוֹאָה טְהוֹרָה:
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| בִּדְמֵי טָֽהֳרָה - the ה of טָהֳרָה is not sounded, and it is therefore a noun, similar in meaning to טֹהַר “purity,” i.e., even her blood itself does not convey ritual defilement. |
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בִּדְמֵי טָֽהֳרָה.
לֹא מַפִּיק הֵ"א, וְהוּא שֵׁם דָּבָר כְּמוֹ טֹהַר:
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| יְמֵי טָֽהֳרָה - the ה of טָהֳרָהּ is sounded as indicated by the dot inside it, which serves as a possessive suffix meaning “her days of purity,” i.e., they are ritually pure in all respects. |
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יְמֵי טָֽהֳרָה.
מַפִּיק הֵ"א — יְמֵי טֹהַר שֶׁלָּהּ:
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| לֹֽא־תִגָּע - She may not touch. This is an injunction against eating consecrated food, as is stated in Yevamot. |
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לֹֽא־תִגָּע.
אַזְהָרָה לָאוֹכֵל וְכוֹ' כְּמוֹ שֶׁשְּׁנוּיָה בִיבָמוֹת (דף ע"ה):
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| בְּכָל־קֹדֶשׁ - Any consecrated [food]…. The word כָל “any” is added to include terumah; the reason being that this woman is in a prolonged state of tevul yom, for although she immersed herself at the end of seven days, the state of ritual purity allowing her to eat terumah that usually takes effect at nightfall does not take effect until nightfall following the 40th day, on the day following which she brings her atonement sacrifices that achieve her full ritual purity with regard to consecrated food. |
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בְּכָל־קֹדֶשׁ.
לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַתְּרוּמָה, לְפִי שֶׁזּוֹ טְבוּלַת יוֹם אָרֹךְ, שֶׁטָּבְלָה לְסוֹף שִׁבְעָה וְאֵין שִׁמְשָׁהּ מַעֲרִיב לְטַהֲרָהּ עַד שְׁקִיעַת הַחַמָּה שֶׁל יוֹם אַרְבָּעִים שֶׁלְּמָחָר תָּבִיא אֶת כַּפָּרַת טָהֳרָתָהּ:
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| 5If she gives birth to a female child, she becomes ritually defiled—to the same degree as she does during her menstruation period—and remains so for two weeks. She will remain in a transitional state—during which her uterine blood is not a source of ritual defilement—for 66 days. |
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הוְאִם־נְקֵבָ֣ה תֵלֵ֔ד וְטָֽמְאָ֥ה שְׁבֻעַ֖יִם כְּנִדָּתָ֑הּ וְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים יוֹם֙ וְשֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים תֵּשֵׁ֖ב עַל־דְּמֵ֥י טָֽהֳרָֽה: |
| 6When the period of her purification has been completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she must bring the priest a sheep in its first year as an ascent-offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin-offering into the Courtyard, outside the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. |
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ווּבִמְלֹ֣את | יְמֵ֣י טָֽהֳרָ֗הּ לְבֵן֘ א֣וֹ לְבַת֒ תָּבִ֞יא כֶּ֤בֶשׂ בֶּן־שְׁנָתוֹ֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה וּבֶן־יוֹנָ֥ה אוֹ־תֹ֖ר לְחַטָּ֑את אֶל־פֶּ֥תַח אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֖ד אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן: |
| 7The priest must offer it up before God and effect atonement for her. She will be purified from the source of her blood. This is the law that applies to a woman who gives birth, whether to a male or a female. |
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זוְהִקְרִיב֞וֹ לִפְנֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ וְכִפֶּ֣ר עָלֶ֔יהָ וְטָֽהֲרָ֖ה מִמְּקֹ֣ר דָּמֶ֑יהָ זֹ֤את תּוֹרַת֙ הַיֹּלֶ֔דֶת לַזָּכָ֖ר א֥וֹ לַנְּקֵבָֽה: |
| וְהִקְרִיבוֹ - He must offer it up. The suffix וֹ “it” teaches you that offering only one of the sacrifices is essential to allow her to eat consecrated food. Which one is it? It is the sin-offering, for it says: “the priest must effect atonement for her and she will be purified” – the ritual purification is dependent on that which is brought for atonement. |
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וְהִקְרִיבוֹ.
לִמֶּדְךָ שֶׁאֵין מְעַכְּבָהּ לֶאֱכֹל בְּקָדָשִׁים אֶלָּא אֶחָד מֵהֶם, וְאֵי זֶה הוּא? זֶה חַטָּאת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְכִפֶּר עָלֶיהָ הַכֹּהֵן וְטָהֵרָה, מִי שֶׁהוּא בָא לְכַפֵּר, בּוֹ הַטָּהֳרָה תְלוּיָה:
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| וְטָֽהֲרָה - She will be purified - from which it is to be inferred that until now she was called ritually defiled, in that she was not allowed to eat sacrificial meat or enter the Tabernacle, although she was partially ritually pure. |
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וְטָֽהֲרָה.
מִכְּלָל שֶׁעַד כָּאן קְרוּיָה טְמֵאָה:
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| 8If she cannot afford a sheep, she may take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one as an ascent-offering and one as a sin-offering. The priest must effect atonement for her and she will be rid of defilement.’” |
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חוְאִם־לֹ֨א תִמְצָ֣א יָדָהּ֘ דֵּ֣י שֶׂה֒ וְלָֽקְחָ֣ה שְׁתֵּֽי־תֹרִ֗ים א֤וֹ שְׁנֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יוֹנָ֔ה אֶחָ֥ד לְעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶחָ֣ד לְחַטָּ֑את וְכִפֶּ֥ר עָלֶ֛יהָ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן וְטָהֵֽרָה: |
| אֶחָד לְעֹלָה וְאֶחָד לְחַטָּאת - One as an ascent-offering and one as a sin-offering. Scripture mentions the ascent-offering first only because it is consumed in its entirety on the Altar and is therefore given precedence with regard to being mentioned, but with regard to being brought, the sin-offering precedes the ascent-offering. So we have learnt in Zevachim, in Chapter Kol HaTadir. |
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אֶחָד לְעֹלָה וְאֶחָד לְחַטָּאת.
לֹא הִקְדִּימָהּ הַכָּתוּב אֶלָּא לְמִקְרָאָהּ, אֲבָל לְהַקְרָבָה חַטָּאת קוֹדֵם לָעוֹלָה, כָּךְ שָׁנִינוּ בִּזְבָחִים בְּפֶרֶק כָּל הַתָּדִיר (זבחים צ ע"א):
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| 1God spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: |
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אוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר: |
| 2“If a person develops a wool-white spot, an egg-membrane-white spot, or a snow-white spot on the skin of his flesh, and it forms a tzara’at-lesion on the skin of his flesh, he must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons, the priests. |
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באָדָ֗ם כִּי־יִֽהְיֶ֤ה בְעֽוֹר־בְּשָׂרוֹ֙ שְׂאֵ֤ת אֽוֹ־סַפַּ֨חַת֙ א֣וֹ בַהֶ֔רֶת וְהָיָ֥ה בְעֽוֹר־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ לְנֶ֣גַע צָרָ֑עַת וְהוּבָא֙ אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֔ן א֛וֹ אֶל־אַחַ֥ד מִבָּנָ֖יו הַכֹּֽהֲנִֽים: |
| שְׂאֵת אֽוֹ־סַפַּחַת וגו' - These are names of tzara’at-lesions, and one is whiter than the other. |
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שְׂאֵת אֽוֹ־סַפַּחַת וגו'.
שְׁמוֹת נְגָעִים הֵם וּלְבָנוֹת זוֹ מִזּוֹ:
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| בַהֶרֶת - are spots; “taye” in Old French. Similarly we find: “it forms a bright spot (בָּהִיר) in the skies.” |
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בַהֶרֶת.
חֲבַרְבּוּרוֹת, טיי"א בְּלַעַז, וְכֵן בָּהִיר הוּא בַּשְּׁחָקִים (איוב ל"ז):
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| אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן וגו' - To Aaron… So was decreed by Scripture, that the ritual defilement of tzara’at-lesions or lack thereof take effect only by a priest pronouncing them so. |
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אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן וגו'.
גְּזֵרַת הַכָּתוּב הִיא שֶׁאֵין טֻמְאַת נְגָעִים וְטָהֳרָתָן אֶלָּא עַל פִּי כֹהֵן (ספרא):
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| 3The priest must examine the lesion on the skin of the flesh, and if dark hairs within the lesion have turned white, and the appearance of the lesion is deeper than that of the skin of his flesh, it is a tzara’at-lesion. When the priest sees this, he must pronounce him ritually defiled. |
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גוְרָאָ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֣ן אֶת־הַנֶּ֣גַע בְּעֽוֹר־הַ֠בָּשָׂ֠ר וְשֵׂעָ֨ר בַּנֶּ֜גַע הָפַ֣ךְ | לָבָ֗ן וּמַרְאֵ֤ה הַנֶּ֨גַע֙ עָמֹק֙ מֵע֣וֹר בְּשָׂר֔וֹ נֶ֥גַע צָרַ֖עַת ה֑וּא וְרָאָ֥הוּ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן וְטִמֵּ֥א אֹתֽוֹ: |
| הָפַךְ לָבָן - And [if] hairs within the lesion have turned white - i.e., first having been black and then turned white within the area of the lesion. The minimum number of hairs termed as שֵׂעָר is two. |
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הָפַךְ לָבָן.
מִתְּחִלָּה שָׁחֹר וְהָפַךְ לְלָבָן בְּתוֹךְ הַנֶּגַע; וּמִעוּט שֵׂעָר שְׁנַיִם:
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| עָמֹק מֵעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ - Deeper than the skin of his flesh. Every white color appears deeper than a darker color next to it, just as an area lit by the sun appears deeper than the shade. |
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עָמֹק מֵעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ.
כָּל מַרְאֵה לָבָן עָמֹק הוּא, כְּמַרְאֵה חַמָּה עֲמֻקָּה מִן הַצֵּל:
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| וְטִמֵּא אֹתֽוֹ - He must pronounce him ritually defiled. He says to him: “You are ritually defiled,” for white hairs are a sign of tzara’at-defilement by decree of Scripture. |
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וְטִמֵּא אֹתֽוֹ.
יֹאמַר לוֹ טָמֵא אַתָּה, שֶׁשֵּׂעָר לָבָן סִימָן טֻמְאָה הוּא גְּזֵרַת הַכָּתוּב:
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| 4If the lesion on the skin of his flesh is a snow-white spot whose appearance is not deeper than that of the skin, but no dark hairs have turned white, the priest must quarantine the person with the lesion for seven days. |
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דוְאִם־בַּהֶ֩רֶת֩ לְבָנָ֨ה הִ֜וא בְּע֣וֹר בְּשָׂר֗וֹ וְעָמֹק֙ אֵֽין־מַרְאֶ֣הָ מִן־הָע֔וֹר וּשְׂעָרָ֖ה לֹֽא־הָפַ֣ךְ לָבָ֑ן וְהִסְגִּ֧יר הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֶת־הַנֶּ֖גַע שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים: |
| וְעָמֹק אֵֽין־מַרְאֶהָ - Whose appearance is not deeper. I do not know the meaning of this. |
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וְעָמֹק אֵֽין־מַרְאֶהָ.
לֹא יָדַעְתִּי פֵרוּשׁוֹ:
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| וְהִסְגִּיר - Must quarantine - i.e., he must close him up in a house and not see him until the end of the week, so that the symptoms will clarify his status. |
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וְהִסְגִּיר.
יַסְגִּירֶנּוּ בְּבַיִת אֶחָד וְלֹא יִרְאֶה עַד סוֹף הַשָּׁבוּעַ וְיוֹכִיחוּ סִימָנִים עָלָיו:
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| 5On the seventh day, the priest must examine him. If the lesion has remained the same in its appearance and the lesion has not spread on the skin, the priest must quarantine him for seven days a second time. |
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הוְרָאָ֣הוּ הַכֹּהֵן֘ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי֒ וְהִנֵּ֤ה הַנֶּ֨גַע֙ עָמַ֣ד בְּעֵינָ֔יו לֹֽא־פָשָׂ֥ה הַנֶּ֖גַע בָּע֑וֹר וְהִסְגִּיר֧וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֛ן שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים שֵׁנִֽית: |
| בְּעֵינָיו - In its appearance - i.e., with its original appearance (i.e., color) and size. |
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בְּעֵינָיו.
בְּמַרְאֵהוּ וּבְשִׁעוּרוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן:
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| וְהִסְגִּירוֹ … שֵׁנִֽית - [The priest] must quarantine him…a second time. inferred is that if it spread during the first week, he is pronounced conclusively ritually defiled. |
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וְהִסְגִּירוֹ … שֵׁנִֽית.
הָא אִם פָּשָׂה בְּשָׁבוּעַ רִאשׁוֹן, טָמֵא מֻחְלָט:
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