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Save "Metzora ~ equal opportunity tum'ah
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Metzora ~ equal opportunity tum'ah

(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) דַּבְּרוּ֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֣ישׁ אִ֗ישׁ כִּ֤י יִהְיֶה֙ זָ֣ב מִבְּשָׂר֔וֹ זוֹב֖וֹ טָמֵ֥א הֽוּא׃ (ג) וְזֹ֛את תִּהְיֶ֥ה טֻמְאָת֖וֹ בְּזוֹב֑וֹ רָ֣ר בְּשָׂר֞וֹ אֶת־זוֹב֗וֹ אֽוֹ־הֶחְתִּ֤ים בְּשָׂרוֹ֙ מִזּוֹב֔וֹ טֻמְאָת֖וֹ הִֽוא׃ (ד) כׇּל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֗ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכַּ֥ב עָלָ֛יו הַזָּ֖ב יִטְמָ֑א וְכׇֽל־הַכְּלִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־יֵשֵׁ֥ב עָלָ֖יו יִטְמָֽא׃ (ה) וְאִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִגַּ֖ע בְּמִשְׁכָּב֑וֹ יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (ו) וְהַיֹּשֵׁב֙ עַֽל־הַכְּלִ֔י אֲשֶׁר־יֵשֵׁ֥ב עָלָ֖יו הַזָּ֑ב יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (ז) וְהַנֹּגֵ֖עַ בִּבְשַׂ֣ר הַזָּ֑ב יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (ח) וְכִֽי־יָרֹ֥ק הַזָּ֖ב בַּטָּה֑וֹר וְכִבֶּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (ט) וְכׇל־הַמֶּרְכָּ֗ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִרְכַּ֥ב עָלָ֛יו הַזָּ֖ב יִטְמָֽא׃ (י) וְכׇל־הַנֹּגֵ֗עַ בְּכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִהְיֶ֣ה תַחְתָּ֔יו יִטְמָ֖א עַד־הָעָ֑רֶב וְהַנּוֹשֵׂ֣א אוֹתָ֔ם יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (יא) וְכֹ֨ל אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִגַּע־בּוֹ֙ הַזָּ֔ב וְיָדָ֖יו לֹא־שָׁטַ֣ף בַּמָּ֑יִם וְכִבֶּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (יב) וּכְלִי־חֶ֛רֶשׂ אֲשֶׁר־יִגַּע־בּ֥וֹ הַזָּ֖ב יִשָּׁבֵ֑ר וְכׇ֨ל־כְּלִי־עֵ֔ץ יִשָּׁטֵ֖ף בַּמָּֽיִם׃ (יג) וְכִֽי־יִטְהַ֤ר הַזָּב֙ מִזּוֹב֔וֹ וְסָ֨פַר ל֜וֹ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֛ים לְטׇהֳרָת֖וֹ וְכִבֶּ֣ס בְּגָדָ֑יו וְרָחַ֧ץ בְּשָׂר֛וֹ בְּמַ֥יִם חַיִּ֖ים וְטָהֵֽר׃ (יד) וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֗י יִֽקַּֽח־לוֹ֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י תֹרִ֔ים א֥וֹ שְׁנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יוֹנָ֑ה וּבָ֣א ׀ לִפְנֵ֣י ה' אֶל־פֶּ֙תַח֙ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וּנְתָנָ֖ם אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ (טו) וְעָשָׂ֤ה אֹתָם֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֶחָ֣ד חַטָּ֔את וְהָאֶחָ֖ד עֹלָ֑ה וְכִפֶּ֨ר עָלָ֧יו הַכֹּהֵ֛ן לִפְנֵ֥י ה' מִזּוֹבֽוֹ׃ {ס}

(1) ה' spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: (2) Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: When any man has a discharge issuing from his , he is impure. (3) The impurity from his discharge shall mean the following—whether his runs with the discharge or is stopped up so that there is no discharge, his impurity means this: (4) Any bedding on which with the discharge lies shall be impure, and every object on which he sits shall be impure. (5) Those persons who touch his bedding shall wash their clothes, in water, and remain impure until evening. (6) Those who sit on an object on which with the discharge has sat shall wash their clothes, in water, and remain impure until evening. (7) Those who touch the body of with the discharge shall wash their clothes, in water, and remain impure until evening. (8) If the one with a discharge spits on someone who is pure, the latter shall wash those clothes, bathe in water, and remain impure until evening. (9) Any means for riding that the one with a discharge has mounted shall be impure; (10) all those who touch anything that was under him shall be impure until evening; and all those who carry such things shall wash their clothes, bathe in water, and remain impure until evening. (11) All those whom the one with a discharge touches, without having rinsed his hands in water, shall wash their clothes, bathe in water, and remain impure until evening. (12) An earthen vessel that the one with a discharge touches shall be broken; and any wooden implement shall be rinsed with water. (13) When the one with a discharge becomes purified of his discharge, he shall count off seven days for his purification, wash those clothes, and bathe his body in fresh water; then he shall be pure. (14) On the eighth day he shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons and come before ה' at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and give them to the priest. (15) The priest shall offer them, the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. Thus the priest shall make expiation on his behalf, for his discharge, before ה'.

~ How do you explain what we are reading?

~ Is this the result of a disease?

~ What happens to objects, and why is this for our Torah ?

~ What is the process to come back to regular life?

~ What do you imagine is the reason for the sin offering?

(טז) וְאִ֕ישׁ כִּֽי־תֵצֵ֥א מִמֶּ֖נּוּ שִׁכְבַת־זָ֑רַע וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֛יִם אֶת־כׇּל־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (יז) וְכׇל־בֶּ֣גֶד וְכׇל־ע֔וֹר אֲשֶׁר־יִהְיֶ֥ה עָלָ֖יו שִׁכְבַת־זָ֑רַע וְכֻבַּ֥ס בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (יח) וְאִשָּׁ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכַּ֥ב אִ֛ישׁ אֹתָ֖הּ שִׁכְבַת־זָ֑רַע וְרָחֲצ֣וּ בַמַּ֔יִם וְטָמְא֖וּ עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ {פ}

(16) When a man has an emission of semen, he shall bathe his whole body in water and remain impure until evening. (17) All or leather on which semen falls shall be washed in water and remain impure until evening. (18) Likewise for a woman: when a man has carnal relations with her, both shall bathe in water and remain impure until evening.

~ What is this case?

~ Is this the result of a disease?

~ What is the process?

~ Does the state of tum'ah pass to objects?

(יט) וְאִשָּׁה֙ כִּֽי־תִהְיֶ֣ה זָבָ֔ה דָּ֛ם יִהְיֶ֥ה זֹבָ֖הּ בִּבְשָׂרָ֑הּ שִׁבְעַ֤ת יָמִים֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה בְנִדָּתָ֔הּ וְכׇל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בָּ֖הּ יִטְמָ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (כ) וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּשְׁכַּ֥ב עָלָ֛יו בְּנִדָּתָ֖הּ יִטְמָ֑א וְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־תֵּשֵׁ֥ב עָלָ֖יו יִטְמָֽא׃ (כא) וְכׇל־הַנֹּגֵ֖עַ בְּמִשְׁכָּבָ֑הּ יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (כב) וְכׇ֨ל־הַנֹּגֵ֔עַ בְּכׇל־כְּלִ֖י אֲשֶׁר־תֵּשֵׁ֣ב עָלָ֑יו יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (כג) וְאִ֨ם עַֽל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֜ב ה֗וּא א֧וֹ עַֽל־הַכְּלִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־הִ֥וא יֹשֶֽׁבֶת־עָלָ֖יו בְּנׇגְעוֹ־ב֑וֹ יִטְמָ֖א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (כד) וְאִ֡ם שָׁכֹב֩ יִשְׁכַּ֨ב אִ֜ישׁ אֹתָ֗הּ וּתְהִ֤י נִדָּתָהּ֙ עָלָ֔יו וְטָמֵ֖א שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים וְכׇל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ב אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁכַּ֥ב עָלָ֖יו יִטְמָֽא׃ {ס}

(19) When a woman has a discharge, her discharge being blood from her body, she shall remain in her menstrual separation days; whoever touches her shall be impure until evening. (20) Anything that she lies on during her menstrual separation shall be impure; and anything that she sits on shall be impure. (21) All those who touch her bedding shall wash their clothes, bathe in water, and remain impure until evening; (22) and all those who touch any object on which she has sat shall wash their clothes, bathe in water, and remain impure until evening. (23) Be it the bedding or be it the object on which she has sat, on touching it one shall be impure until evening. (24) And if a man lies with her, her menstrual separation applies to him; he shall be impure seven , and any bedding on which he lies shall become impure.

~ What is this case?

~ Is this the result of a disease?

~ What is missing in this process, that you would expect to see?

~ What is similar to case?

~ What is similar to the second case?

(כה) וְאִשָּׁ֡ה כִּֽי־יָזוּב֩ ז֨וֹב דָּמָ֜הּ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים בְּלֹא֙ עֶת־נִדָּתָ֔הּ א֥וֹ כִֽי־תָז֖וּב עַל־נִדָּתָ֑הּ כׇּל־יְמֵ֞י ז֣וֹב טֻמְאָתָ֗הּ כִּימֵ֧י נִדָּתָ֛הּ תִּהְיֶ֖ה טְמֵאָ֥ה הִֽוא׃ (כו) כׇּל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֞ב אֲשֶׁר־תִּשְׁכַּ֤ב עָלָיו֙ כׇּל־יְמֵ֣י זוֹבָ֔הּ כְּמִשְׁכַּ֥ב נִדָּתָ֖הּ יִֽהְיֶה־לָּ֑הּ וְכׇֽל־הַכְּלִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּשֵׁ֣ב עָלָ֔יו טָמֵ֣א יִהְיֶ֔ה כְּטֻמְאַ֖ת נִדָּתָֽהּ׃ (כז) וְכׇל־הַנּוֹגֵ֥עַ בָּ֖ם יִטְמָ֑א וְכִבֶּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (כח) וְאִֽם־טָהֲרָ֖ה מִזּוֹבָ֑הּ וְסָ֥פְרָה לָּ֛הּ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים וְאַחַ֥ר תִּטְהָֽר׃ (כט) וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֗י תִּֽקַּֽח־לָהּ֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י תֹרִ֔ים א֥וֹ שְׁנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יוֹנָ֑ה וְהֵבִיאָ֤ה אוֹתָם֙ אֶל־הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃ (ל) וְעָשָׂ֤ה הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֶת־הָאֶחָ֣ד חַטָּ֔את וְאֶת־הָאֶחָ֖ד עֹלָ֑ה וְכִפֶּ֨ר עָלֶ֤יהָ הַכֹּהֵן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י ה' מִזּ֖וֹב טֻמְאָתָֽהּ׃

(25) When a woman has had a discharge of blood for many days, not at the time of her menstrual separation, or when she has a discharge beyond her period of menstrual separation, she shall be impure, as though at the time of her menstrual separation, as long as her discharge lasts. (26) Any bedding on which she lies while her discharge lasts shall be for her like bedding during her menstrual separation; and any object on which she sits shall become impure, as it does during her menstrual separation: (27) All those who touch them shall be impure—and shall wash their clothes, bathe in water, and remain impure until evening. (28) When she becomes purified of her discharge, she shall count off seven days, and after that she shall be pure. (29) On the eighth day she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, and bring them to the priest at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. (30) The priest shall offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering; and the priest shall make expiation on her behalf, for her impure discharge, before ה'.

~ How do you explain what we are reading?

~ Is this the result of a disease?

~ What is the process to come back to regular life?

~ What do you imagine is the reason for the sin offering?

~ How similar is this to the first case?

NOTES:

~ This chapter has an obvious chiastic structure (A-B-B’-A’) in which the abnormal male discharge (A) is followed by the normal male discharge (B), with v. 18 serving as the intersection point where male and female genitals meet in coitus. Normal menstruation serves as B’, while abnormal uterine bleeding, A’, ends the section.

~ In modern Hebrew, zivah (זיבה) is the term for gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacterial species Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The word gonorrhea is from the Greek roots gone meaning seed and rhein, meaning flow. We nowadays know that this is a disease spread to sexual contact.

~ If a Zov is indeed a man suffering from gonorrhea, that would explain the laws of isolation and impurity in regard to people with discharge as being hygienic rules to prevent the spread of the disease.

~ Gonorrhea nowadays is generally easy to treat – there are antibiotics for that. Also, condoms made the spread become significantly more controlled. The Torah and the Talmud, however, speak of a time when none of this is available.

~ Note that this has a Mishnah tractate, Zavim, but it has no Gemara - the issue disappears in practicality once the temple is not around.

מַתְנִי׳ בְּשִׁבְעָה דְּרָכִים בּוֹדְקִין אֶת הַזָּב עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִזְקַק לְזִיבָה בְּמַאֲכָל וּבְמִשְׁתֶּה בְּמַשָּׂא וּבִקְפִיצָה וּבְחוֹלִי וּבְמַרְאֶה וּבְהִירְהוּר מִשֶּׁנִּזְקַק לְזִיבָה אֵין בּוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ אוֹנְסוֹ וּסְפֵיקוֹ וְשִׁכְבַת זַרְעוֹ טְמֵאִים שֶׁרַגְלַיִם לַדָּבָר

MISHNA: One examines a man who experienced a discharge [zav] in seven ways, as long as he has not been confirmed as having a discharge [ziva.] One examines him with regard to food and with regard to drink, in case the discharge might have been the result of overeating or excess drinking; with regard to a burden, as it might have been caused by the weight of a heavy burden; and with regard to jumping, in case he jumped and this led to the discharge; and with regard to sickness; and with regard to an arousing sight; and with regard to the thought of a woman. Once he has been confirmed as having a ziva, after two definite discharges of ziva, one no longer examines him in this way, as any discharge is deemed impure. If one experiences three discharges of ziva, he is obligated to bring an offering following his purification. Accordingly, his discharge that was due to circumstances beyond his control, i.e., for one of the seven reasons listed above, and his discharge about which it is uncertain if it is ziva, and even his semen, which is not usually considered the discharge of a zav, are all impure. Why is this so? It is because there is a basis for anticipating the matter. Once he has the status of a zav, it can be assumed that subsequent discharges are of ziva as well.

וְהָא דִּתְנַן בְּשִׁבְעָה דְּרָכִים בּוֹדְקִין אֶת הַזָּב לִיתְנֵי דְּבָרִים הָתָם הָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן דְּדַרְכָּא דְּמֵיכְלָא יַתִּירָא לְאֵתוֹיֵי לִידֵי זִיבָה וְדַרְכָּא דְּמִישְׁתְּיָא יַתִּירָא לְאֵתוֹיֵי לִידֵי זִיבָה
The Gemara asks: But with regard to that which we learned in a mishna: One examines a zav in seven ways, why does it use this phraseology? Let it teach the word: Matters. The Gemara answers that the mishna there teaches us this halakha, that it is the way of excessive eating to lead to ziva, and likewise it is the way of excessive drinking to lead to ziva. Therefore, the mishna uses the phrase: Seven ways, to emphasize that there are ways of behavior that can cause the emission of a zav.

~ What was done to the man that experienced a discharge? Why?

זב מבשרו כבר באה הקבלה מבשרו ולא מחמת אנסו' וזה שיהיה הזב שותת בסבת בשרו שהוא כנוי לאמה או לכלי הזרע ולא מחמת סבה אחרת מגרת את הזוב. וכבר פירשו ז''ל (נדה לה, ב) שהזוב הוא כלובן ביצה המוזרת. וכאשר יקרה זה מבשרו שהוא בסיבת חולי כלי הזרע בלבד, הנה זה יורה על חולשתם וחסרון עכולם אשר יקרה על הרוב בסבת רוב התמדת המשגל והרהוריו אשר בו לא תחדל זמת אולת חטאת ובכן ראוי שיספור ז' נקיים אשר בם יסורו הרהוריו מלבו ויטבול מן הטומאה ויכפר בחטאת ועולה על מה שפעל והרהר:

"A discharge 'mebesaro [from his flesh]' - the tradition explained the preposition מ in the word mibesaro מבשרו as meaning “emanating from,” and not as “due to, on account of.” The word basar בשר refers to the male organ. Unless the symptoms described here are due to a physiological imbalance and are not a secondary effect of some other primary cause such as overeating, for instance, these symptoms will not result in and confer ritual impurity. Rashi and our sages in Niddah 35b explained that the symptom called zov זוב is very similar in to the albumen in which has become rotten. This is of the word מבשרו, a disturbance in the male organ to function properly. Behold, one falls sick like this because of common reasons, such as overly frequent indulgence in the sex act, which in turns leads to insufficient time for the seminal fluid being replaced properly, and fantasizing about the sex act too . The remedy of counting the clean seven is so he will expunge these from his heart, and will immerse and then offer a sin offering and a burnt offering for what he did and thought.

~ What is the Sforno [Italy, 15th century] clarifying regarding the reasons for the examination?

~ What other case can you think of, of something we would call but that is attributed to actions?

~ If zivah is gonorrhea and if gonorrhea is spread through sexual contact, is the requirement of teshuvah important in this case? Why, or why not, in your opinion?

א"ר שמואל בר נחמני א"ר יוחנן על שבעה דברים נגעים באין על לשון הרע ועל שפיכות דמים ועל שבועת שוא ועל גילוי עריות ועל גסות הרוח ועל הגזל ועל צרות העין על לשון הרע דכתיב (תהלים קא, ה) מלשני בסתר רעהו אותו אצמית על שפיכות דמים דכתיב (שמואל ב ג, כט) ואל יכרת מבית יואב זב ומצורע וגו' ועל שבועת שוא דכתיב (מלכים ב ה, כג) ויאמר נעמן הואל קח ככרים וכתי' (מלכים ב ה, כז) וצרעת נעמן תדבק בך וגו' ועל גילוי עריות דכתיב (בראשית יב, יז) וינגע ה' את פרעה נגעים וגו' ועל גסות הרוח דכתיב (דברי הימים ב כ״ו, טז) ובחזקתו גבה לבו עד להשחית וימעול בה' אלקיו (דברי הימים ב כ״ו, יט) והצרעת זרחה במצחו ועל הגזל דכתיב (ויקרא יד, לו) וצוה הכהן ופנו את הבית תנא הוא כונס ממון שאינו שלו יבא הכהן ויפזר ממונו ועל צרות העין דכתיב (ויקרא יד, לה) ובא אשר לו הבית [וגו'] ותנא דבי ר' ישמעאל מי שמיוחד ביתו לו

§ Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Leprous marks come and afflict for sinful matters: For malicious , for bloodshed, for an oath taken in vain, for forbidden sexual relations, for , for theft, and for stinginess. The Gemara explains the source for the claim that each of these sins is punishable with leprosy. For malicious one is punished, as it is written: “Whoever defames his neighbor in secret, I will destroy him; whoever is haughty of eye and proud of heart, I will not suffer him” (Psalms 101:5). The Gemara explained above (15b) that this is referring to leprosy. For bloodshed, as it is written about Joab, as punishment for murdering Abner: “And let there not fail from the house of Joab a zav, or a leper, or that leans on a staff, or that falls by the , or that lacks bread” (II Samuel 3:29). And for an oath taken in vain, as it is written: “And Naaman said: Be content [ho’el], take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garment, and laid them upon two of his servants; and bore them before him” (II Kings 5:23). The Sages maintain that the term ho’el indicates an oath, and that Naaman requested of Gehazi, to whom this was stated, to take an oath that Elisha had sent him to accept gifts, which Elisha had not done, and Gehazi took the oath. When Elisha found out what Gehazi had done he cursed him, and so it is written: “The leprosy of Naaman shall stick to you and to forever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow” (II Kings 5:27). And for forbidden sexual relations, as it is written: “And the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great afflictions because of Sarai, Abram’s wife” (Genesis 12:17). And for , as it is written with regard to King Uzziah: “But when he was strong his heart became arrogant so that he did corruptly, and he trespassed against the Lord his God; for he went into of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense” (II Chronicles 26:16). And it states: “Then Uzziah was angry; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy broke forth in his forehead” (II Chronicles 26:19). And for theft, as it is written: “And the priest shall command that empty the house, before the priest go in to see the mark, that all that is in the house not become impure; and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house” (Leviticus 14:36). In explanation of this verse, the Sages taught: He gathered that is not his, therefore let the priest come and scatter his . And for stinginess, as it is written: “Then he that owns the house shall come and tell the priest, saying: There seems to me to be as it were a mark in the house” (Leviticus 14:35). And the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: The verse calls him the one who owns the house because it is referring to one who was stingy and treated his house as being exclusively his, and did not others to share his property.

~ What are the moral reasons the rabbis understand bring the affliction of tzara'at to a person?

(ד) בַּעַל קֶרִי מְהַרְהֵר בְּלִבּוֹ וְאֵינוֹ מְבָרֵךְ, לֹא לְפָנֶיהָ וְלֹא לְאַחֲרֶיהָ. וְעַל הַמָּזוֹן מְבָרֵךְ לְאַחֲרָיו, וְאֵינוֹ מְבָרֵךְ לְפָנָיו. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, מְבָרֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם וּלְאַחֲרֵיהֶם:

(ה) הָיָה עוֹמֵד בַּתְּפִלָּה, וְנִזְכַּר שֶׁהוּא בַעַל קְרִי, לֹא יַפְסִיק, אֶלָּא יְקַצֵּר. יָרַד לִטְבֹּל, אִם יָכוֹל לַעֲלוֹת וּלְהִתְכַּסּוֹת וְלִקְרוֹת עַד שֶׁלֹּא תָנֵץ הַחַמָּה, יַעֲלֶה וְיִתְכַּסֶּה וְיִקְרָא. וְאִם לָאו, יִתְכַּסֶּה בַמַּיִם וְיִקְרָא. אֲבָל לֹא יִתְכַּסֶּה, לֹא בַמַּיִם הָרָעִים וְלֹא בְמֵי הַמִּשְׁרָה, עַד שֶׁיַּטִּיל לְתוֹכָן מָיִם. וְכַמָּה יַרְחִיק מֵהֶם וּמִן הַצּוֹאָה, אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת:

(ו) זָב שֶׁרָאָה קְרִי, וְנִדָּה שֶׁפָּלְטָה שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע, וְהַמְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת שֶׁרָאֲתָה נִדָּה, צְרִיכִין טְבִילָה, וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה פּוֹטֵר:

(4) If the time for the recitation of Shema arrived and one is impure due to a seminal emission, he may contemplate Shema in his heart, but neither recites the blessings preceding Shema, nor the blessings following it. Over food which, after partaking, one is obligated by Torah law to recite a blessing, one recites a blessing afterward, but one does not recite a blessing beforehand, because the blessing recited prior to eating is a requirement by rabbinic law. And in all of these instances Rabbi Yehuda says: He recites a blessing beforehand and thereafter in both the case of Shema and in the case of food.

(5) One who was standing in prayer and he recalled that he experienced a seminal emission, and according to this opinion he is prohibited from praying, should not interrupt his prayer, rather he should abridge each individual blessing. They stated a general principle: One who descended to immerse himself, if he is able to ascend, cover himself with a garment, and recite the morning Shema before sunrise, he should ascend, cover himself, and recite Shema, and if not, he should cover himself in the water and recite Shema there. He may not, however, cover himself in either foul water, or water in which flax was soaked, until he pours other water into it. And in general, how far must one distance himself from urine and feces in order to recite Shema? At least four cubits.

(6) Consequently, even a zav, whose impurity lasts at least seven days, who experienced a seminal emission, for which, were he not a zav, he would be impure for only one day; a menstruating woman who discharged semen, despite the fact that she is already impure with a severe impurity unaffected by her immersion; and a woman who engaged in conjugal relations with her husband and later saw menstrual blood, all require immersion. And Rabbi Yehuda exempts them from immersion.

~ What are the limits proposed by the Mishnah, regarding all of those cases?

~ Why is this difficult for the Rabbinic enterprise?

דְּתַנְיָא: ״וְהוֹדַעְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנֵי בָנֶיךָ״, וּכְתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ ״יוֹם אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתָּ לִפְנֵי ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ בְּחוֹרֵב״, מָה לְהַלָּן בְּאֵימָה וּבְיִרְאָה וּבִרְתֵת וּבְזִיעַ, אַף כָּאן בְּאֵימָה וּבְיִרְאָה וּבִרְתֵת וּבְזִיעַ. מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ: הַזָּבִים וְהַמְצֹרָעִים וּבָאִין עַל נִדּוֹת — מוּתָּרִים לִקְרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַנְּבִיאִים וּבַכְּתוּבִים, לִשְׁנוֹת בַּמִּשְׁנָה וּגְמָרָא וּבָהֲלָכוֹת וּבָאַגָּדוֹת. אֲבָל בַּעֲלֵי קְרָיִין אֲסוּרִים. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: שׁוֹנֶה הוּא בָּרְגִילִיּוֹת, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יַצִּיעַ אֶת הַמִּשְׁנָה. רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן בֶּן יוֹסֵף אוֹמֵר: מַצִּיעַ הוּא אֶת הַמִּשְׁנָה, וְאֵינוֹ מַצִּיעַ אֶת הַגְּמָרָא. רַבִּי נָתָן בֶּן אֲבִישָׁלוֹם אוֹמֵר: אַף מַצִּיעַ אֶת הַגְּמָרָא, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר אַזְכָּרוֹת שֶׁבּוֹ. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן הַסַּנְדְּלָר תַּלְמִידוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: לֹא יִכָּנֵס לַמִּדְרָשׁ כׇּל עִיקָּר. וְאָמְרִי לַהּ: לֹא יִכָּנֵס לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ כׇּל עִיקָּר. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: שׁוֹנֶה הוּא בְּהִלְכוֹת דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה שֶׁרָאָה קֶרִי, וְהָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ עַל גַּב הַנָּהָר. אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו: רַבֵּינוּ, שְׁנֵה לָנוּ פֶּרֶק אֶחָד בְּהִלְכוֹת דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ. יָרַד וְטָבַל וְשָׁנָה לָהֶם. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: לֹא כָּךְ לִמַּדְתָּנוּ רַבֵּינוּ, שׁוֹנֶה הוּא בְּהִלְכוֹת דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ?! אָמַר לָהֶם: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמֵּיקֵל אֲנִי עַל אֲחֵרִים, מַחְמִיר אֲנִי עַל עַצְמִי. תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתֵירָא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: אֵין דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה מְקַבְּלִין טוּמְאָה. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּתַלְמִיד אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה מְגַמְגֵּם לְמַעְלָה מֵרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתֵירָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ: בְּנִי, פְּתַח פִּיךָ וְיָאִירוּ דְבָרֶיךָ, שֶׁאֵין דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה מְקַבְּלִין טוּמְאָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הֲלֹא כֹה דְבָרִי כָּאֵשׁ נְאֻם ה׳״, מָה אֵשׁ אֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל טוּמְאָה אַף דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה אֵינָן מְקַבְּלִין טוּמְאָה.

As it was taught in a baraita: It is written: “And you shall impart them to your children and your children’s children” (Deuteronomy 4:9), and it is written thereafter: “The day that you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb” (Deuteronomy 4:10). Just as below, the Revelation at Sinai was in reverence, fear, quaking, and trembling, so too here, in every generation, Torah must be studied with a sense of reverence, fear, quaking, and trembling. From here the Sages stated: Zavim, lepers, and those who engaged in intercourse with menstruating women, despite their severe impurity, are permitted to read the Torah, Prophets, and Writings, and to study Mishna and Gemara and halakhot and aggada. However, those who experienced a seminal emission are prohibited from doing so. The reason for this distinction is that the cases of severe impurity are caused by ailment or other circumstances beyond his control and, as a result, they do not necessarily preclude a sense of reverence and awe as he studies Torah. This, however, is not the case with regard to impurity resulting from a seminal emission, which usually comes about due to frivolity and a lack of reverence and awe. Therefore, it is inappropriate for one who experiences a seminal emission to engage in matters of in Torah. Rabbi Yosei says: One who experiences a seminal emission studies mishnayot that he is accustomed to study, as long as he does not expound upon a new mishna to study it in depth. Rabbi Yonatan ben Yosef says: He expounds upon the mishna but he does not expound upon the Gemara, which is the in-depth of the Torah. Rabbi Natan ben Avishalom says: He may even expound upon the Gemara, as long as he does not utter the mentions of God’s name therein. Rabbi Yoḥanan the Cobbler, Rabbi Akiva’s , says in the name of Rabbi Akiva: One who experiences a seminal emission may not enter into homiletic interpretation [midrash] of verses at all. Some say that he says: He may not enter the study hall [beit hamidrash] at all. Rabbi Yehuda says: He may study only Hilkhot Derekh Eretz. In terms of raised above, Rabbi Yehuda considers the legal status of the blessings to be parallel to the legal status of Hilkhot Derekh Eretz, and therefore one may utter them orally. The Gemara relates an incident involving Rabbi Yehuda himself, who experienced a seminal emission and was walking along the riverbank with his disciples. His disciples said to him: Rabbi, teach us from Hilkhot Derekh Eretz, as he maintained that even in a state of impurity, it is permitted. He descended and immersed himself in the river and taught them Hilkhot Derekh Eretz. They said to him: Did you not teach us, our , that he may study Hilkhot Derekh Eretz? He said to them: Although I am lenient with others, and them to study it without immersion, I am stringent with myself. Further elaborating on the issue of Torah study while in a state of impurity, it was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira would say: Matters of Torah do not become impure and therefore one who is impure is permitted to engage in Torah study. He implemented this halakha in practice. The Gemara relates an incident involving who was reciting mishnayot and baraitot hesitantly before the study hall of Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira. experienced a seminal emission, and when he was asked to recite he did so in a rushed, uneven manner, as he did not want to utter the words of Torah explicitly. Rabbi Yehuda said to him: My son, open your mouth and let your words illuminate, as matters of Torah do not become impure, as it is stated: “Is not my word like fire, says the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:29). Just as fire does not become impure, so too matters of Torah do not become ritually impure.

~ Why do the sages affirm that words of Torah do not receive tum'ah? Why is this important for the rabbinic project?

~ How does of Rabbi Yehuda ben Betera help with the stigma of a nocturnal emission? How does the general rule help with the other sources of impurity?

~ How can this have been used regarding women, menstruation and Torah?

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