Dear Kollel,
(a) The Mishnah in sotah daf 7a says that we bring the Sotah woman to Sha'ar Nikanur to start the process. Rashi explains that the gate was not sanctified like the Azarah, so that Metzora'im could stand there and have their thumbs sprinkled with the blood of their Asham.
Rashi refers to this gemara in parashas Metzora perek 14 pasuk 11 when explaining the words "Lifnei Hash-m", describing where the Mitzora stands during the tahara process, "Sha'ar Nikanur".
Does Rashi mean to say that this pasuk is referring only to a future time, that of the Bais Hamikdash but not during the time of the Mishkan? In other words, when explaining Lifnei Hash-m why doesn't Rashi explain the pasuk as referring to the entrance way to the Chatzer of the mishkan, i.e. the kohen stands the Metzora in the entrance of the Chatzer, and the metzora could extend his head, hand and foot inside the chatzer to receive the blood etc.?
If Rashi does indeed learn this pasuk as referring only to the Bais hamikdash,how, then, would the tahara process take place during the time of the Mishkan?
(b) On a totally different note, regarding the kohen shaving all visible hair of the mitzora, does this also apply to a woman with tzaraat, i.e the kohen would shave all her hair, as well? The Rambam mentions that a woman would not have to keep the laws of aveilus that a mitzora keeps while outside the machane (rending her clothes and growing hair etc.), but seemingly, all other laws would apply.
Thank you,
Donny W.
Donny,
(a) Rashi refers to this Mishnah in the Parsha describing the Sotah as well (Bamidbar 5:18). It would seem that during the times of the Mishkan, Lifnei Hash-m referred to the area before the Masach of the Mishkan (which took the place of Sha'ar Nikanur of the Mikdash); there is no reason to differentiate between the Mishkan and the Mikdash.
1. Why, then, does Rashi mention Sha'ar Nikanur? He is simply quoting the Mishnah, which understandably mentions the gate that existed at the time of the more familiar Mikdash. Once we know that Lifnei Hash-m refers to Sha'ar Nikanur, it is a simple matter to translate that into "the Eastern entrance" when referring to the Mishkan.
2. Perhaps we may suggest that there was indeed a difference between the Mikdash and the Mishkan. The Nikanur gate of the Mikdash was on top of a stairway, due to the difference in elevation between the Ezras Nashim and the Azarah. However, the Masach of the Mishkan was not. Perhaps even if the Sotah stood at a distance from the Mishkan's Masach, as long as she was in line with the entrance to the Mishkan it would be called Lifnei Hash-m. (For the Metzora this would not be possible, of course, since he had to extend his hands into the Azarah.)
However, in the Mikdash the Sotah would not be standing "Lifnei Hash-m" unless she stood at the same elevation as the Azarah, i.e. right inside the Sha'ar Nikanur.
(b) The laws of Taharah for a man or woman Metzora seem to be identical. There is no reason for a woman to be treated differently with regard to shaving, just as a woman Nazir shaves just like a man Nazir. This seems clear from the exhaustive list of differences between the man and the woman provided by the Mishnah in Sotah 23a. The Mishnah makes no mention of a difference between men and woman with regard to shaving a Metzora.
Best regards,
Mordecai Kornfeld
Kollel Iyun Hadaf