1)

Why does the Torah insert the (otherwise superfluous) words "Ve'ra'ah ha'Kohen es ha'Nega"?

1.

Sifra: To teach the Kohen that it is not enough for him to examine Nega'im by looking at the Metzora in general, but that he must look specifically at the Nega.

2)

Why does the Torah add the (otherwise superfluous) words "be'Or ha'Basar"?

1.

Sifra: To teach the Kohen that he is obligated to examine the Nega together with the surrounding Basar 1 simultaneously.

2.

Oznayim la'Torah: The Torah mentions "be'Or ha'Basar" or just "be'Or" over and over again, since, like the mark on Kayin's forehead - which the Midrash says was Tzara'as - was to remind him of the day of death ('a Metzora is compared to a Meis'). 2 And since all the things that remind a person not to sin - culminating with remembering the day of death - did not stop the Metzora from sinning, Hashem placed this reminder on the skin of his flesh, for all, (above all, he himself) to see - a warning to the people to keep away from the sinner and a warning to him to keep away from sin.


1

See Torah Temimah, note 20.

2

And that, like Kayin, he is Chayav Misah bi'Yedei Shamayim, and that he only remains alive by the good Grace of Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu (Oznayim la'Torah).

3)

How many hairs need to turn white for the Nega to be Tamei?

1.

Rashi: "Se'or" implies at least two hairs. 1


1

See Sifsei Chachamim and Torah Temimah, note 21.

4)

What are the implications of "ve'Se'or ba'Nega Hafach Lavan" (as opposed to ve'Se'or Hafach Lavan ba'Nega")?

1.

Sifra: It implies that the hairs that turn white have grown inside the Nega - even if the other end of the hairs are lying outside the Nega, but not vice-versa. 1


1

See Torah Temimah, note 22.

5)

What are the implications of the phrase "ve'Se'ar ba'Nega Hafach Lavan"?

1.

Rashi: It implies that the hair was initially black, and that it turned white inside the Nega. 1

2.

Sifra: It implies that it is the root of the hair that must turn white inside the Nega, even if the remainder of the hair is still black, but not vice-versa. 2


1

To preclude where the white hairs preceded the Nega. See Torah Temimah, note 24.

2

See Torah Temimah, note 23.

6)

What does the Torah mean when it writes "u'Mar'eh ha'Nega Amok min ha'Or?

1.

Rashi and Ramban: It means that the Nega appears deeper than the skin 1 - since (bright) white always 2 appears deeper than whatever surrounds it. 3


1

Refer also to 13:2:3:1.

2

Rashi (citing Shevu'os, 6b): Just as the spot on which the sun shines appears deeper than the shade.

3

Ramban: Because the brightness deflects one's vision away from it. And that explains why Rashi did not understand how a Nega can sometimes be not deeper than the skin (See Pasuk 4). Refer to 13:4:1:1-10. The Ramban solves the problem however, by confining the statement to where there are white hairs inside the Nega. Refer also to 13:2:4:1.

7)

Why does the Torah write "Tzara'as Hi", but "Nega Tzara'as Hu"?

1.

Rashi (on Pasuk 8): Because "Tzara'as" is feminine, whereas "Nega" is masculine.

8)

Why does the Torah refer to the Nega by different names; sometimes as "Tzara'as", sometimes as "Tzara'as Noshenes" and sometimes as "Nega"?

1.

Seforno: Like all illnesses, Tzara'as comes in stages - the beginning, the middle and the end, and the same applies to when it heals. In the initial stage, it refers to it as "Nega", then as "Nega Tzara'as", later still, as "Tzara'as" and finally, as "Tzara'as Noshenes". And when it has healed, it refers to it first as "Nirpa ha'Nega" and as "Nirpa ha'Nesek". 1


1

See also Ramban (DH 'veha'Torah Ratz'sah') who explains the different expressions used in connection with Tzara'as in similar fashion.

9)

Why does the Torah repeat "Vera'ahu"?

1.

Sifra: To teach the Kohen that, if initially, he sees two Simanim, one Muchlat and one Musgar, he rules on both of them simultaneously. 1


1

See Torah Temimah, note 27.

10)

What are the implications of the extra "hu" at the end of the word "Vera'ahu ha'Kohen"?

1.

Sifra: It implies that the Kohen must be able to see the whole Nega at once, but not if he has to move his eyes round a bend - such as where the Nega is on the Metzora's finger-tip or on the tip of his nose.

11)

What are the connotations of "ve'Timei oso"?

1.

Rashi and Ramban: The Kohen declares him Tamei (Muchlat). 1 It is a Gezeiras ha'Kasuv that two white hairs are a Siman Tum'ah. 2


1

Until the Kohen declares him Tamei he is Tahor..

2

Since a black hair is merely a mark on the skin, and not a sign of moist that leads to illness (Ramban).

12)

What is the word "Vetimei Oso" coming to preclude?

1.

Sifra: It precludes where the Metzora removed the white hairs from a Nega on the skin or the yellow hairs from the Nesek, 1 which the Kohen cannot declare Tamei - even though the Metzora transgresses a Lo Sa'aseh by re3moving them.


1

See Torah Temimah, note 29.

13)

Why does the period of Hesger (waiting to see whether the Nega will be Muchlat), vary? For some Nega'im it is one week, for others, two, and for houses it can even be three weeks!

1.

Seforno: Since Tzara'as comes to atone for various sins, 1 the Torah presents different time-periods to arouse the sinner to do Teshuvah (Iyov, 36:10). 2


1

As the Gemara explains in B'rachos, 5b (Seforno). See also Erchin, 16a.

2

Presumably the Seforno means that different sinners require different amounts of time, according to the depth of the sin and how quickly they react to the punishment and do Teshuvah.

QUESTIONS ON RASHI

14)

Rashi writes first that the hair was black, and it turned white in the middle of the Nega, and afterwards he says that the minimum of 'Se'ar'is two. Why did he not first explain 'Se'ar', which is mentioned earlier in the Pasuk?

1.

Divrei Eliyahu and Kol Eliyahu: Rashi is teaching us that "Hafach" means that the Nega made the hair turn color, and not that the hair turned by itself, for the minimum of 'Se'ar' is two. If the Pasuk meant that the hair turned by itself, it would have said "Hafchu".

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