📜 Daily Chumash & Rashi Parshas Tazria Metzora – Revi’i: The laws of the purification of a Metzora (Wednesday 28th Nissan)

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Shevi’i (Revi’i when connected to Metzora)

  • If the lesion on the clothing did not change color, it is impure and is to be burnt in the fire. If the lesion lightened in color, the area of the lesion is to be torn off the garment. If the lesion ever returns to the garment or vessel, it is to be burned. If the lesion disappeared after being laundered, it is to be laundered a second time and then purified.

Parshas Metzora

Pesukim: 90 [Siman: עידו]

Haftorah: Melachim 2 7:3-20

 

 

Number of Mitzvos:

There are a total of Eleven Mitzvos in Parshas Metzora; Eleven positive commands and Zero negative commands. The following are the commands in the chronological order that they are brought in the Parsha.

 

A. Positive:

1. Mitzvah 173/Positive 79: To follow the process instructed for purifying Tzaraas, such as to take two birds, the cedar wood, hyssop, crimson wool, fresh water and do as instructed for the purification.

2. Mitzvah 174/Positive 80: To shave off all the hair of the body of a Metzora.

3. Mitzvah 175/Positive 81: To immerse in a Mikveh when one desires to purify oneself from impurity.

4. Mitzvah 176/Positive 82: For the Metzora to bring a Karban when he is cured.

5. Mitzvah 177/Positive 83: To follow the laws instructed regarding a house which has grown Tzaraas.

6. Mitzvah 178/Positive 84: To attribute laws of impurity to a Zav.

7. Mitzvah 179/Positive 85: For a Zav to bring a Karban after he is healed.

8. Mitzvah 180/Positive 86: To attribute laws of impurity to one who expels or touches Shichvas Zera/semen.

9. Mitzvah 181/Positive 87: To attribute laws of impurity to a Niddah.

10. Mitzvah 182/Positive 88: To attribute laws of impurity to a Zava.

11. Mitzvah 183/Positive 89: For a Zava to bring a Karban after she is healed.

 

 

Rishon

  1. The laws of the purification of a Metzora:
    • The following are the laws of a Metzora on the day of his purification when he is brought to a Kohen. The Kohen is to come visit the Metzora outside of the camp. If the Metzora is seen to be healed of his Tzaraas, the Kohen is to begin his purification process.
    • The first stage of purification: The Metzora is to take two birds, cedar wood, a wool string, and hyssop. One bird is to be slaughtered and have its blood poured into an earthenware vessel that is filled with water. The cedar wood, a wool string, and hyssop are to be bound and dipped into the water and blood. The live bird is to also be dipped into the vessel. The above items are then to be sprinkled seven times onto the Metzora. The bird is then to be let free. The Metzora is to wash his clothing and shave all his hair and immerse himself in a Mikveh. He is then able to enter the camp. He must, however, remain outside his tent for another seven days.
    • The second stage of purification after seven days: On the seventh day, he is to have all his hair shaved a second time. He is to wash his clothing and immerse himself in a Mikveh.
    • The Karbanos on eighth day: On the eighth day, he is to take two unblemished male lambs and a female lamb in its first year, and three tenth-ephahs of flour and one Lug of oil. The Kohen is to place the Metzora in front of the opening of the Heichal, before Hashem. One lamb is to be offered as an Asham with the oil and then they are both taken and waved before Hashem.

 

Sheiyni

  • The Asham blood: The Asham is to be slaughtered in the same area that the Chatas and Olah is slaughtered. The blood of the Asham is to be placed on the Metzoras right ear lobe and right thumb of his hand and foot.
  • The oil: The oil is to be poured into the left palm of the Kohen and the Kohen is to dip his right finger into the oil and sprinkle the oil seven times in front of Hashem. The remaining oil is to be placed on the Metzora’s right ear lobe and right thumb of his hand and foot, on top of the blood. The remaining oil is then to be poured on the head of the Metzora.
  • The Kohen is then to offer the Chatas and then offer the Olah and then the Mincha. The Metzora is now pure.

📘 Rashi Q&A — Vayikra 13:55–59

 

13:55 — After Washing the Garment

Q1. What does “אַחֲרֵי הֻכַּבֵּס” mean grammatically according to Rashi?

A: It is a passive infinitive, similar in form to הֵעָשׂוֹת.

 

Q2. What does “לֹא הָפַךְ הַנֶּגַע אֶת־עֵינוֹ” mean?

A: The lesion did not become duller than its earlier appearance.

 

Q3. What ruling applies if the lesion neither changed color nor spread?

A: The garment is ritually defiled and must be burned.

 

Q4. What if the lesion did not change color but did spread?

A: It is certainly ritually defiled and must be burned.

 

Q5. What case required further clarification by the Sages?

A: If the lesion changed color (red to green or vice versa) but did not spread.

 

Q6. How does Rabbi Yehudah understand such a change?

A: A color change indicates a new lesion, requiring quarantine.

 

Q7. How do the Sages disagree?

A: They hold it is still considered unchanged and defiled.

13:55 — Nature of the Lesion

Q8. What does “פְּחֶתֶת הוּא” mean according to Rashi?

A: A lesion that appears deeply sunken, like a recess.

 

Q9. What do “קָרַחְתּוֹ” and “גַּבַּחְתּוֹ” mean here?

A:

  • קָרַחְתּוֹ = worn/old material
  • גַּבַּחְתּוֹ = new material

 

Q10. Why does Scripture use terms borrowed from baldness of the head?

A: To enable a gezerah shavah comparison with human tzara’at.

 

Q11. What law is derived from this analogy?

A: Just as a person whose tzara’at spreads over the entire body is pure, so too a garment completely overtaken by tzara’at becomes pure.

 

13:56 — Tearing Out the Lesion

Q12. What does “וְקָרַע אֹתוֹ” instruct?

A: The priest must tear out the affected area and burn that section.

 

13:57 — Recurring Lesion

Q13. What does “פֹּרַחַת הִיא” mean?

A: A lesion that grows back again.

 

Q14. What is done if the lesion recurs?

A: The entire garment must be burned.

 

13:58 — Second Washing

Q15. What does “וְסָר מֵהֶם הַנָּגַע” mean?

A: The lesion disappeared completely after the first washing.

 

Q16. What is meant by “וְכֻבַּס שֵׁנִית”?

A: Ritual immersion of the entire article in a mikveh.

 

Q17. How does Onkelos translate this washing?

A: As וְיִצְטַבַּע, indicating immersion, not laundering.

 

13:59 — Conclusion of Garment Laws

Q18. What does this verse summarize?

A: The complete law for defilement and purification of garments with tzara’at.

📘 Rashi Q&A — Vayikra 14:1–20

14:2 — Time of Purification

Q19. What does “זֹאת תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת הַמְּצֹרָע” imply?

A: That purification must follow a precise procedure.

 

Q20. Why must purification occur by day?

A: Because one may not purify a metzora at night.

 

14:3 — Outside the Camp

Q21. Why does the priest go outside the camp?

A: To where the metzora had been banished during his defilement.

 

14:4 — Two Birds and Materials

Q22. What does “חַיּוֹת” exclude?

A: Birds suffering from a fatal disease.

 

Q23. What does “טְהֹרוֹת” exclude?

A: Birds that are ritually impure (non‑kosher).

 

Q24. Why are birds used in the metzora’s purification?

A: Because tzara’at results from slander, and birds chatter constantly.

 

Q25. Why is a cedar stick included?

A: Because tzara’at comes from haughtiness.

 

Q26. What message is conveyed by the scarlet wool and hyssop?

A: The metzora must humble himself, like a worm and hyssop.

 

14:5 — Slaughter Over Water

Q27. What does “מַיִם חַיִּים” mean?

A: Spring water.

 

Q28. How much water is required?

A: A quarter‑log, enough for the blood to be visible.

 

14:6 — Dipping the Objects

Q29. Why does the Torah say “אֶת הַצִּפֹּר הַחַיָּה יִקַּח”?

A: To teach that the bird is not bound together with the other items.

 

 

Q30. Which items are tied together?

A: The cedar stick, scarlet wool, and hyssop.

 

Q31. How do we know the bird is dipped with them?

A: Because Scripture states: “and dip them along with the live bird.”

 

14:8 — Waiting Outside His Tent

Q32. What does “וְיָשַׁב מִחוּץ לְאָהֳלוֹ” teach?

A: He may not engage in marital relations.

 

14:9 — Shaving All Hair

Q33. Why does the verse repeat “all his hair” before and after listing locations?

A: To include every dense, visible area of hair.

 

14:10 — Offerings of the Metzora

Q34. What is the purpose of the three tenths of flour?

A: They accompany the libations of the offerings.

 

Q35. Why does the metzora require a log of oil?

A: For seven sprinklings and application to the ear, thumb, and toe.

 

14:11 — Standing Before God

Q36. Where does the priest stand the metzora?

A: At the Nikanor Gate, not inside the Courtyard.

 

Q37. Why not in the Courtyard?

A: Because the metzora still lacks atonement.

 

14:12 — Waving the Guilt‑Offering

Q38. Why must the guilt‑offering be waved while alive?

A: Because waving is required before slaughter.

 

Q39. What is waved together?

A: The guilt‑offering lamb and the log of oil.

 

14:13 — Slaughter Location

Q40. Why does Scripture restate that it is slaughtered north of the Altar?

A: To clarify that positioning does not determine slaughter location.

 

 

Q41. How is this guilt‑offering like a sin‑offering?

A: Regarding priestly service, not blood placement.

 

14:14 — Blood Placement

Q42. What is “תְּנוּךְ”?

A: The middle ridge of the ear (antihelix).

 

14:16–17 — Oil Application

Q43. In which direction is the oil sprinkled “before God”?

A: Toward the Holy of Holies.

 

14:19–20 — Completion

Q44. In what order are the final offerings brought?

A:

  1. Sin‑offering
  2. Ascent‑offering
  3. Grain‑offering

 

Q45. What does “וְאֶת־הַמִּנְחָה” refer to?

A: The grain‑offering that accompanies the ascent‑offering’s libation.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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