Tazria 5782 Beth Sholom Parasha haShavuah

(1) צרעת נשנת הוא IT IS AN OLD LEPROSY — i. e. it is an old leprous malady beneath the sound flesh, and this wound appears healthy above, but underneath it is full of moisture (pus), therefore the priest shall pronounce it unclean. Scripture states this in order that you should not say: since healthy flesh has come over it I shall pronounce it clean.

(18) When an inflammation appears on the skin of one’s body and it heals, (19) and a white swelling or a white discoloration streaked with red develops where the inflammation was, that person shall report to the priest. (20) If the priest finds that it appears lower than the rest of the skin and that the hair in it has turned white, the priest shall pronounce the person impure; it is a leprous affection that has broken out in the inflammation. (21) But if the priest finds that there is no white hair in it and it is not lower than the rest of the skin, and it is faded, the priest shall isolate that person for seven days. (22) If it should spread in the skin, the priest shall pronounce the person impure; it is an affection. (23) But if the discoloration remains stationary, not having spread, it is the scar of the inflammation; the priest shall pronounce that person pure.

(29) If a man or a woman has an affection on the head or in the beard, (30) the priest shall examine the affection. If it appears to go deeper than the skin and there is thin yellow hair in it, the priest shall pronounce the person impure; it is a scall, a scaly eruption in the hair or beard. (31) But if the priest finds that the scall affection does not appear to go deeper than the skin, yet there is no black hair in it, the priest shall isolate the person with the scall affection for seven days. (32) On the seventh day the priest shall examine the affection. If the scall has not spread and no yellow hair has appeared in it, and the scall does not appear to go deeper than the skin, (33) the person with the scall shall shave—but without shaving the scall; the priest shall isolate that person for another seven days. (34) On the seventh day the priest shall examine the scall. If the scall has not spread on the skin, and does not appear to go deeper than the skin, the priest shall pronounce the person pure; after washing those clothes, that person shall be pure. (35) If, however, the scall should spread on the skin after the person has been pronounced pure, (36) the priest shall conduct an examination. If the scall has spread on the skin, the priest need not look for yellow hair: the person is impure. (37) But if the scall has remained unchanged in color, and black hair has grown in it, the scall is healed; the person is pure. The priest shall pronounce that person pure.

(38) If a man or a woman has the skin of the body streaked with white discolorations, (39) and the priest sees that the discolorations on the skin of the body are of a dull white, it is a tetter broken out on the skin; that person is pure.

(47) When an eruptive affection occurs in a cloth of wool or linen fabric, (48) in the warp or in the woof of the linen or the wool, or in a skin or in anything made of skin; (49) if the affection in the cloth or the skin, in the warp or the woof, or in any article of skin, is streaky green or red, it is an eruptive affection. It shall be shown to the priest; (50) and the priest, after examining the affection, shall isolate the affected article for seven days. (51) On the seventh day he shall examine the affection: if the affection has spread in the cloth—whether in the warp or the woof, or in the skin, for whatever purpose the skin may be used—the affection is a malignant eruption; it is impure. (52) The cloth—whether warp or woof in wool or linen, or any article of skin—in which the affection is found, shall be burned, for it is a malignant eruption; it shall be consumed in fire. (53) But if the priest sees that the affection in the cloth—whether in warp or in woof, or in any article of skin—has not spread, (54) the priest shall order the affected article washed, and he shall isolate it for another seven days. (55) And if, after the affected article has been washed, the priest sees that the affection has not changed color and that it has not spread, it is impure. It shall be consumed in fire; it is a fret, whether on its inner side or on its outer side. (56) But if the priest sees that the affected part, after it has been washed, is faded, he shall tear it out from the cloth or skin, whether in the warp or in the woof; (57) and if it occurs again in the cloth—whether in warp or in woof—or in any article of skin, it is a wild growth; the affected article shall be consumed in fire. (58) If, however, the affection disappears from the cloth—warp or woof—or from any article of skin that has been washed, it shall be washed again, and it shall be pure. (59) Such is the procedure for eruptive affections of cloth, woolen or linen, in warp or in woof, or of any article of skin, for pronouncing it pure or impure.