[א] "וקרע" – יכול יקרע בו קרע קטן יקיים בו מצות קריעה? ת"ל "אותו". אי "אותו", יכול ישצפנו ויניחנו במקומו? ת"ל "מן הבגד" – ינתקנו מן הבגד. 1) (Vayikra 13:56) ("And if the Cohein saw, and, behold, the plague-spot became dim after it was washed, then he shall tear it from the garment, or from the skin, or from the warp, or from the woof, (Vayikra 13:57). And if it be seen again in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in any article of skin, it is porachath. In fire shall you burn it, what contains the plague-spot.") "then he shall tear": I might think that he tears it just a little to fulfill the mitzvah of tearing; it is, therefore, written "it." If "it," I might think that he might slash it and leave it in its place; it is, therefore, written "from the garment" — he must remove it from the garment.
[ב] יכול יקרע וישליך את הקרעים לאשפות? ת"ל "באש תשרפנו את אשר בו הנגע" – לימד על כל הקרעים שהם טעונים שריפה. 2) If "from the garment," I might think that he could tear it out and throw the torn pieces on the dung heap; it is, therefore, written (the redundant) "In fire shall you burn it, what contains the plague-spot," to teach us that the torn pieces require burning.
[ג] למדנו לכהה בסוף שבוע שני למראה שני שהוא קורעו. ומנין לכהה בסוף שבוע ראשון למראה שני ולא למראה שלישי שהוא מכבסו? ת"ל "נגע" – נאמר כאן נגע ונאמר להלן נגע, מה נגע האמור כאן, כהה למראה שני ולא כהה למראה שלישי, אף נגע האמור להלן כהה למראה שני ולא כהה למראה שלישי. 3) We learned about what dimmed at the end of the second week to a second-degree appearance (see Chapter 15:10) that he tears it out. And whence is it derived that what dims at the end of the first week to a second-degree appearance and not to a third degree that he washes it (and quarantines it again as it if had remained in its original appearance? It is written here "plague-spot" ("and, behold, the plague-spot became dim") and there (Vayikra 13 verse 54), "plague-spot" ("Then the Cohein shall command and they shall wash what contains the plague-spot"). Just as with "plague-spot" here — it dimmed to the second degree and not to the third degree, so with "plague-spot" there — it dimmed to the second degree but not to the third degree.
[ד] ומנין שהוא טולה עליו מטלית? ת"ל "ואם תראה עוד", ואין "עוד" אלא מקומו – מלמד שהוא טולה עליו מטלית. 4) (Vayikra 13:57) ("And if it be seen again in the garment, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in any article of skin, it is porachath (something whose "blossoming" recurs). In fire shall you burn it (the entire garment), what contains the plague-spot"). Whence is it derived that he places a patch upon it (the site of the torn out plague-spot)? From "and if it be seen again," and "again" can apply only to the site," whereby we learn that he places a patch upon it.
[ה] ר' נחמיה אומר אין צריך מטלית. חזר נגע על הבגד- מציל על המטלית. חזר על המטלית- שורף את הבגד. הטולה מן המוסגר בטהור, חזר נגע על הבגד – שורף את המטלית. חזר על המטלית – הבגד הראשון ישרף והמטלית תשמש את הבגד השני בסימנים. 5) R. Nechemiah says: A patch is not required, ("again" referring to the garment from which the plague-spot was torn out). If (after the patch was placed on the site) the plague-spot returned to the garment (at a different site), the patch is "rescued" (i.e., it need not be burned, not being part of the original garment). If it returned upon the patch, the (entire) garment is burned (along with the patch). If one patched aught of a quarantined (garment) on a clean (garment), and the plague-spot reappeared on the (clean) garment, the patch is burned. If it reappeared on the patch, the first garment is burned. And (a separate ruling:) The patch can be used for the second garment with (identifying signs [so that it not be confused with other patches]).
[ו] אין לי אלא מקומו, מנין לרבות כל הבגד? ת"ל "בבגד". יכול כל שהוא? ת"ל "עוד" – מה ראשונה כגריס אף שניה כגריס. 6) This ("And if it be seen again") implies in its original place. Whence is it derived (that it requires burning if it reappears) anywhere on the garment? From "in the garment." I might think (this applies if it reappeared) in any size. It is, therefore, written "again." Just as the first, the size of a garis, so the second, the size of a garis.
[ז] אין לי אלא במראה, שלא במראה מנין? ת"ל "פורחת" – במראה ושלא במראה. 7) ("and if it be seen again":) This tells me only (if it is seen again) in its original appearance. Whence do I derive (that it is tamei) even not in its original appearance (but in any appearance of tumah, e.g., from deep green to deep red)? From "a blossoming" — whether or not in its original appearance.
[ח] או אינו אלא "פורחת" שלא תהיה טמאה עד שתחזור ותפשה? כשהוא אומר "היא" -הרי היא כמות שהיתה- הא מה אני מקיים "פורחת" – במראה ושלא במראה. 8) — But perhaps the thrust of "a blossoming" is that it is not tamei unless it returns and spreads even more (than its original appearance). — (This is not so, for) "it (is a blossoming") connotes its remaining as it was. How, then, is "a blossoming" to be construed? As "whether or not in its original appearance."
[ט] קיטא שיש בה פסים פסים צבועים לבנים – פוסים מזו לזו. שאלו את ר' אליעזר והרי הוא פספס יחידי? אמר להם לא שמעתי. אמר לו ר' יהודה בן בתירה אלמד בו? אמר לו אם לקיים דברי חכמים הין. אמר לו שמא יעמד ב' שבועות והעובד בבגדים ב' שבועות טמא. אמר לו חכם גדול אתה שקיימת דברי חכמים. הפשיון הסמוך – כל שהוא. הרחוק – כגריס. 9) Of a linen curtain that had stripes running through it, dyed and white, they asked R. Eliezer: It has only one white stripe (the size of a garis, which has nowhere to spread, the other stripes being dyed and thus not being subject to plague-spot tumah. [the question: Does this require quarantine if there is no point in quarantining it to see whether or not it will spread?]) He answered: (It must be quarantined, but) I have not heard (why). R. Yehudah b. Betheirah said to him: Shall I study it? R. Eliezer: If to substantiate the words of the sages (that it must be quarantined), yes, (but not to contravene them). R. Yehudah (after study): Perhaps it will remain (without dimming) for two weeks, and a plague-spot that remains (undimmed) in garments for two weeks (even without spreading) is tamei. R. Eliezer: You are a great sage, for you have substantiated the words of the sages. A spreading, if it adjoins (the original plague-spot is tamei) with any amount; if distant, it requires the size of a garis.
[י] "והבגד או השתי או הערב…אשר תכבס" – יכול יקיים בו מצות כיבוס? ת"ל "וסר מהם הנגע". אי "וסר" יכול מצד זה לצד זה? ת"ל "מהם" – עד שיעקר מהם מכולו. 10) (Vayikra 13:58) ("And the garment, or the warp, or the woof, or any article of skin that you shall wash, and the plague-spot depart from them, then it shall be cleansed (i.e., immersed) a second time and it shall be clean.") "And the garment … that you shall wash": I might think (if not for "and the plague-spot depart") that it is sufficient to perform the mitzvah of washing (and that it need not be rubbed thoroughly); it is, therefore, written "and the plague-spot depart" (i.e., to the end that it depart or that it dim to the third degree [and if he sees that it does not depart, it is quarantined for a second seven days]). If only "and it depart" were written, I might think from this side to the other side; it is, therefore, written "from them" — until it is entirely uprooted from them.
[יא] "וכבס שנית וטהר" – השניה לטהרו והראשונה להסגיר את נגעו. 11) "then it shall be cleansed a second time and it shall be clean": the second (i.e., this cleansing), to cleanse it from tumah (i.e., ritual immersion); the first, (in verse 54), to quarantine the plague-spot (if it does not depart).
[יב] "זאת תורת נגע צרעת בגד הצמר או הפשתים" – מקישם לבית. מה בית מיטמא בביאה אף כולם מיטמאים בביאה. אי מה בית טעון צפרים אף כולם יטענו צפרים? ת"ל "זאת". רבי אומר, הרי הוא אומר "זאת התורה לכל נגע הצרעת ולנתק ולצרעת הבגד ולבית" – הקיש בגד לבית, מה בית מטמא בביאה אף כולם מטמאים בביאה. אין לי אלא בגד, מנין לרבות את כולם? ת"ל "זאת תורת נגע צרעת בגד הצמר וכולי" – מקישן לבגד, מה בגד מטמא בביאה אף כולם מטמאים בביאה. אי מה בגד מטמא בכל הטומאות אף כולם מטמאים בכל הטומאות… ת"ל "זאת". 12) (Vayikra 13:59) ("This is the law of the plague-spot of leprosy, in a garment of wool or linen, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in any article of skin, to declare it clean or to declare it unclean.") "This is the plague-spot of leprosy, etc.": (Vayikra 14:54) ("This is the law for all plague-spots or leprosy and for a nethek (Vayikra 14:55) and for the leprosy of a garment and of a house.") They (plague-spot garments) are being likened to a house, viz., Just as a house is rendered unclean by the entry (of an unclean person), so it is rendered unclean by the entry of all (plague-spot garments). — But perhaps just as a house requires birds (for its cleansing, [viz. Vayikra 14:49]), so all (plague-spot garments) should require birds (for their cleansing)! It is, therefore, written "This" (i.e., only in this respect [that of "entry"] are they similar, and not in the other.) Rebbi says: It is written "This is the law for all plague-spots of leprosy and for a nethek and for the leprosy of a garment and of a house." Just as a house renders unclean by entry, so all are rendered unclean by entry. This tells me only of a garment. Whence do I derive all of them (i.e., warp and woof, etc.) for inclusion? From "This is the law of the plague-spot of leprosy … in the warp or in the woof, etc." Just as a garment renders unclean by entry, so all (i.e., warp and woof, etc.) render unclean by entry. — But perhaps just as a garment is rendered unclean by all that are tamei (e.g., sheratzim, semen, etc.), so all (warp and woof etc.) are rendered unclean by all that are tamei! It is, therefore, written "This" (and not the others).
[יג] "לטהרו או לטמאו" – כשם שמצוה בארץ כך מצוה בחוץ לארץ. "לטהרו או לטמאו" – כשם שמצוה לטהרו כך מצוה לטמאו. "לטהרו או לטמאו" – כהן שהוא מטהרו, מטמאו. ואם מת, רואהו כהן אחר רואוהו 13) "to render it clean and to render it unclean": Just as it (the law of plague-spots) is a mitzvah in Eretz Yisrael, so it is a mitzvah outside Eretz Yisrael. "to declare it clean or to declare it unclean": Just as it is a mitzvah to declare it clean, so it is a mitzvah to declare it unclean. "to declare it clean or to declare it unclean": The Cohein who declares it clean declares it unclean, and if he dies, a different Cohein inspects it.