Rebbe,
Today's daf posits a scenario in which a a person who isn't sure if he's a metzorah brings his asham and log shemen al tnai. If I am a metzora then the korban and shemen should count for my chiyuv and if I'm not then they should be a nedava. Then the gemara discusses how this could technically work.
The whole scenario confuses me a little. I thought that a person becomes a metzora only after the kohein declares him a definite metzora, he goes michutz lamachane (all 3 machanos I think) and waits 7 days. Only after the kohain declares that the nega has cleared does he bring his korbanos (3 sheep-2 males & 1 female, a chatas, an olah and an asham, or a different set if he's poor), a mincha, shemen and 2 birds, one to be shechted and one to be dipped in the other one's blood and freed. Then he shaves all his hair, washes his clothes and is tovail himself. I don't see that the Torah allows him to bring his korbanos until the first conditions are met. If the kohein declares him still menuga or safek menuga he doesn't bring his korbanos and doesn't rejoin klall Yisrael. Why and when would he be bringing korbanos and shemen if he's mesupak? Also the gemara doesn't discuss what condition he should be making about the 2 birds. They are not actually korbonos but he should stil!
l have something in mind as a tnai.
B'kavod,
Sam Kosofsky, Hillcrest Queens NY, USA
Sholom Rav,
The procedure in most cases is as follows: Once the Kohen declares someone a Metzora Musgar (quarantined), he immediately is sent out of all three camps, where he waits seven days before the Kohen's second inspection. If the Kohen then declares him a Muchlat (a confirmed Metzora), he must remain outside the camp until the Tzara'as dims, becomes smaller, or disappears altogether. Then he summons the Kohen once more. If the Kohen declares him Tahor, he brings two birds, etc. Then he waits seven days, during which time he remains forbidden to be with his wife. On the seventh day, he shaves off all his hair, and on the eighth day he brings his Korbanos.
The Gemara in question is speaking about a case where the Metzora, who was certainly a Musgar, has a doubt as to whether he became a Muchlat or not. Presumably, what happened was that the Kohen inspected him and issued a declaration, but he (the Metzora) does not remember whether the Kohen declared him a Musgar for a second week, or a Muchlat, in which case he would now be obligated to count a final seven days and to bring his Korbanos. The Gemara mentions the Asham and the Log of oil because they permit him to eat Korbanos (Tekunei Gavra). Morever, it is possible to bring them conditionally, Al Tenai (as the Gemara explains on Amud Beis).
I assume that he does not bring the birds and the other Korbanos because they are not necessary for his Tikun (the Chatas cannot be brought b'Safek in any case). So there is no point in brining them until it becomes clear that he is obligated to bring them.
B'Virchas Kol Tuv,
Eliezer Chrysler