AND THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES AND UNTO AARON. This commandment was directly communicated to Aaron because all human maladies shall be determined according to his pronouncement.¹ Aaron shall declare who is clean and who is unclean.

footnotes: ¹ See Deut. 21:5.

WHEN A MAN. Scripture does notread, “Whosoever… of the house of Israel”² because it wants to include strangers.³, Scripture employs the term “man” because the latter includes converts to Judaism. According to Krinsky, I.E. interprets similarly. However, this is far from certain, for elsewhere I.E. refers to any non-Jew living in the Land of Israel as a stranger. See I.E. on Ex. 20:8 (Vol. 2, p. 427). Similarly When any man of you⁴. (Lev. 1:2), for there is one law to the native born and to the stranger⁵. regarding offerings. The Torah includes the stranger [in the laws relating to maladies]⁶ so that the stranger does not defile another person, for leprosy is a disease that is passed on from the sick to the healthy.⁷

footnotes: ² I.E. paraphrases Lev. 20:2. His point is that our verse reads “a man,” not an Israelite. ³ According to the Sifra ⁴ Bringeth an offering unto the Lord ⁵ See Lev. 22:18: Whosoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel ⁶ The stranger, like the Israelite, is quarantined as long as he has the malady. ⁷ This comment seems to indicate that I.E., contrary to Krinsky, refers to a non-Jewish stranger.

THEN HE SHALL BE BROUGHT. By his consent or against his will, for one who sees one of these signs⁸ will force the afflicted [to go to the kohen ].

footnotes: ⁸ On someone’s body.

[UNTO AARON THE PRIEST.] The meaning of Aaron the priest is, the kohen who is anointed in his place.⁹.

footnotes: ⁹ Aaron means Aaron and those who succeed him as kohen gadol

OR UNTO ONE OF HIS SONS THE PRIESTS. This means one of the common priests outside of the temple¹⁰ such as the kohanim of Anatot.¹¹. It was the birthplace of the prophet Jeremiah. See Jer. 1:1. The meaning of the priests is that they should not be from among those who are disqualified to serve as priests.¹²? Hence I.E.’s comment.

footnotes: ¹⁰ In the temple period. ¹¹ A city of kohanim ¹² Aaron’s descendents are priests by virtue of their pedigree. Why then was it necessary for Scripture to add the priests

[A RISING.] The word se’et (a rising) means a burn.¹³ is the name of an illness caused by the burning bile in the body (Nahmanides). Similarly maset (fire) in But when the fire began to rise¹⁴ (Jud. 20:40) and va-yisa’em david (and David burnt them)¹⁵ (II Sam. 5:21). The se’et is probably so called because it is the nature of fire to rise upwards.¹⁶, which means to lift up. Hence I.E.’s comment.

footnotes: ¹³ Se’et ¹⁴ Translated according to I.E. ¹⁵ Translated according to I.E. ¹⁶ The word for fire comes from the root nun, sin, alef

A SCAB. The word sappachat (scab) is related to sefachani (put me)¹⁷ in Put me, I pray thee (I Sam. 2:36) and ve-nispechu (and they shall cleave) in and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob (Is. 14:1). It refers to a disease which attaches itself to one place.

footnotes: ¹⁷ That is, attach me.

A BRIGHT SPOT. The word baheret (bright spot) is related to the word bahir (bright) in which is bright in the skies (Job 37:21). It is a known malady which produces a mark and a sign.

BE TURNED WHITE. Hafakh lavon means be turned white.¹⁸ is a kal. A kal is active. I.E. points out that in our verse, hafakh has the meaning of a passive form.

footnotes: ¹⁸ Hafakh

BE DEEPER. Its depth is deeper than the depth of the skin. The word amok (deep) does not mean the same as shafal (lower) (v. 20).¹⁹ (deep) is deeper than shafal (lower) (Weiser).

footnotes: ¹⁹ Amok

AND PRONOUNCE HIM UNCLEAN.²⁰ Verbally.²¹ should be rendered, and shall pronounce him unclean. He shall declare him unclean.

footnotes: ²⁰ Literally, and shall make him unclean. ²¹ In other words, and shall make him unclean

THEN THE PRIEST SHALL SHUT UP HIM THAT HATH THE PLAGUE SEVEN DAYS.²²) seven days. The person shall be shut up.²³ (et ha-nega) means the person who has the affliction. He shall wait up to seven days, for most illnesses change on the seventh day.²⁴

footnotes: ²² Literally, then the priest shall shut the plague (et ha-nega ²³ In other words, the plague ²⁴ See I.E. on Lev. 12:2 and the notes thereto.

STAY IN ITS APPEARANCE. Amad be-enav²⁵ means stay in its appearance. The term enav²⁶ is employed, for its appearance is seen by the eye. All the commentaries says that beenav (in its appearance) means in its make-up, that is, in the way it was.²⁷ (it remains as it was). Also see Rashi: “In its appearance in its original size.” According to this interpretation amad be-enav (stay in appearance) is to be rendered, remained as it was.

footnotes: ²⁵ Literally, stay in its eyes. ²⁶ Literally, its eyes. ²⁷ See Onkolos: kum ke-dehavah

SPREAD. Pasah means spread.

AGAIN. Shenit (again) means a second time.

THE PLAGUE BE DIM. Many of the wise men say that the word kehah (dim) means dark.²⁸ (the plague be dim) means the affliction is black. They offer proof from vatikhhena (were dim) in and his eyes were dim (Gen. 27:1).²⁹ They say that the phrase kehot levanot (dull white) (v. 39) is similar to le-vanah adamdamet (reddish-white) (v. 19)³⁰ (dull white) means black white. in that it contains both colors. However, I believe that the word kehah (dim) is the reverse of pasah (spread).³¹ It is related to the word va-tikhhena (were dim) in and his eyes were dim (Gen. 27:1). The word khihah (stopped) in and he diminished³² them not³³ (I Sam. 3:13) is close to it. The meaning of kahah ha-nega (the plague be dim) is that the plague did not spread to another place. Note, there are two signs, namely, the size of the affliction was diminished and it did not spread to the healthy part of the body.

footnotes: ²⁸ According to this interpretation kehah ha-nega ²⁹ According to this interpretation the clause should be rendered, and his eyes were dark. ³⁰ In other words, kehot levanot ³¹ It means diminished. ³² Translated according to I.E. See Krinsky. ³³ He did not “cut them down to size.”

THEN THE PRIEST SHALL PRONOUNCE HIM CLEAN.³⁴ The kohen shall say that he is clean,³⁵ shall declare him clean. for it was a scab (mispachat). However, if it spreads afterwards he is unclean.

footnotes: ³⁴ Literally, and the priest shall clean him. ³⁵ In other words, “and the priest shall clean him” means: and the kohen

THEN HE SHALL BE BROUGHT. The man having the affliction. Be brought is to be interpreted like its counterpart.³⁶

footnotes: ³⁶ In verse 2. It means he shall be brought with or without his consent. See I.E. on verse 2.

AND IT HAVE TURNED. The black hair white.³⁷

footnotes: ³⁷ The illness turned the black hair white.

QUICK. The meaning of michyat (quick) is live flesh.³⁸ (raw flesh; literally, live flesh) explains michyat (quick). Flesh which does not feel is not alive.

footnotes: ³⁸ In other words, basar chai

OLD. Of yore.

Yasgirennu (shut him up) governs two actions.³⁹. It means he shall command that the afflicted be shut up.

footnotes: ³⁹ I.E.’s term for the hifil

HE SHALL PRONOUNCE HIM CLEAN THAT HATH THE PLAGUE. For the plague has already surfaced and removed itself from the afflicted. The meaning of ve-tiher et hanaga⁴⁰ (he shall pronounce him unclean that hath the plague) is that he shall verbally clean the affliction; that is, he shall declare that this plague will not make others unclean.

footnotes: ⁴⁰ Literally, and he shall clean the malady.

BUT IF THE RAW FLESH AGAIN BE TURNED.⁴¹ For it is possible that the affliction will return.

footnotes: ⁴¹ Literally, but if the raw flesh return. Hence I.E.’s comment.

REDDISH-WHITE. A mixture of the two colors. Or a little of each.

The word tzara’at (leprosy) (v. 20) means a disease. Similarly ha-tzirah (the disease)⁴² in I will send the disease (Ex. 23:28). The fact that the Torah reads, and I will send is no argument against this interpretation,⁴³ means a disease. There are some who argue that the term “sent” (shalach) applies only to living things. They translate ha-tizirah (the disease) in Ex. 23:28 as the hornet. They render Ex. 23:28 as I will send the hornet. for Scripture reads, He sent His word (Ps. 107:20); For I…send all My plagues (Ex. 9:14); and He sent forth upon them the fierceness of His anger (Ps. 78:49).

footnotes: ⁴² Translated according to I.E. ⁴³ That tzirah

AND, BEHOLD, IF THE APPEARANCE THEREOF. It is not grammatically correct to vocalize the alef of mareha (its appearance) with a long kamatz and a mappik⁴⁴ of marah is a pronominal suffix. We would therefore expect it to have a mappik. Hence I.E.’s comment. in the heh as in the case of yadah (her hand) and raglah (her foot),⁴⁵ (her hand) and raglah end in kamatz, mappik heh. If marehah followed their vocalization, the word would read marah. for we do not find words whose roots end in a silent heh to be so treated.⁴⁶.

footnotes: ⁴⁴ A dot which indicates a pronominal suffix (her or its). The heh ⁴⁵ Yadah ⁴⁶ The root of marehah is resh, alef, heh

[LOOK ON IT.] The nun of yirennah (look upon it) has a dagesh in it like the nun of yasgirennu (v. 11) to compensate for the missing added heh.⁴⁷. The word should have read yirenhah. Yasgirennu should have read yasgirennhu. The same is true with mi-mennah (from her) and mi-mennu (from it).⁴⁸ and mi-mennu (from it) should have read mi-mennhah and mi-mennhu. See I. E. on Ex 1:9 (Vol. 2, pp. 11-14).

footnotes: ⁴⁷ A pronominal suffix heh ⁴⁸ Mi-mennah

IN ITS PLACE.⁴⁹ (literally, beneath it). If the affliction stays in its place,⁵⁰ is to be rendered, it its place. for there are afflictions that move from place to place.

footnotes: ⁴⁹ Hebrew, tachtehah ⁵⁰ Tachtehah

SCAR. The word tzarevet (scar) is similar to the word ve-nitzrevu (shall be seared) in and all faces…shall be seared (Ezek. 21:30). It has the meaning of a burning mass, heat, and a flame.⁵¹ (scar) is a mark caused by the searing of the skin. It does not indicate disease.

footnotes: ⁵¹ A tzarevet

OR WHITE. Alone.

AND IF THE BRIGHT SPOT STAY IN ITS PLACE…BUT BE DIM. The word kehah (dim) is to be understood as I explained it earlier (v. 6).⁵² means be diminished. Scripture does not mention kehah (dim) the first time, But if the bright spot stay in its place (v. 23), because there the bright spot remains as it was.⁵³

footnotes: ⁵² According to I.E. kehah ⁵³ In verse 23 if the affliction remains as it was, it is declared clean. However, the affliction in our verse has to diminish, in addition to not spreading, for the afflicted person to be declared clean (Krinsky).

[AND WHEN…] Scripture mentions a man or a woman⁵⁴ (man). It now employs ish ve-ishah (a man or a woman). Hence I.E.’s comment. because it deals with an affliction in the beard⁵⁵, then we would have thought that the law spoken of in our verse applies only to males. Hence Scripture speaks of a man and a woman. The law regarding the affliction in the head applies to both a man and a woman, while the law of the beard applies only to a man. [and the head]. Also, because the Torah has to use the word ish (man), and not the term adam (a human being) to exclude women from the law of the bald head and the bald forehead (v. 40).⁵⁶ with regard to the aforementioned. Scripture thus wanted to emphasize that the law regarding afflictions in the hairy head applies to both men and women. Note, our verse means, when a man or a woman has an affliction upon the head or a man upon the beard.⁵⁷

footnotes: ⁵⁴ Till now Scripture introduced the afflictions with the term adam ⁵⁵ Our verse deals with an affliction in the head and the beard. Had it read adam ⁵⁶ The law regarding an affliction in a bald head does not apply to a woman, for women are rarely bald. Hence Scripture could not use the term adam ⁵⁷ So Sarim and Krinsky.

YELLOW. The word tzahov (yellow) in Arabic refers to a color that is close to white.

IT IS A SCALL. The word netek (scall) is related to the word yennatek (is broken) in as a string of tow is broken (Jud. 16:9). The reference is to the hair.⁵⁸ is so called because the hair is torn or removed from the place of the malady.

footnotes: ⁵⁸ A netek

THEN HE SHALL BE SHAVEN. The head or the beard shall be shaven. However, the place of the netek (scall) shall not be shaven.

AND HE SHALL WASH HIS CLOTHES. It is unnecessary to say that he shall bathe in water.

SHALL NOT SEEK. The meaning of yevakker is, he shall seek. Similarly u-vikkartim (and seek them out) (Ezek. 34:11). It is close in meaning to the word separate.⁵⁹ Similarly He shall not inquire (yevakker) whether it be good or bad (Lev. 27:33).

footnotes: ⁵⁹ It means to investigate in order to separate.

A TETTER. The word bohak (tetter) is known in Rabbinic literature.⁶⁰. 1: “When the candles burned brightly (mavhikim).” It has no counterpart in Scripture.

footnotes: ⁶⁰ It has the meaning of shine or glisten. See Yershalmi, Pes

BE FALLEN OFF. Yimmaret (be fallen off) is similar to moretim (them that plucked off the hair) in And my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair (Is. 50:6).⁶¹ and have a similar meaning. The latter⁶² refers to the hair that is around the cheeks.

footnotes: ⁶¹ Both words come from the root mem, resh, tet ⁶² Unlike the similar word in our verse, which refers to the hair on the head.

HE IS BALD. Kere’ach (bald) is similar to korchah (baldness) in nor make any baldness (Deut. 14:1). The meaning of his head is, his entire head.

FOREHEAD-BALD. The word gibbe’ach (forehead-bald) has no neighbor⁶³ is not found elsewhere in Scripture. except in this section. Gibbe’ach is an adjective. In my opinion kere’ach (bald) refers to the top of the head.⁶⁴ Scripture does not mention a woman⁶⁵ because a woman does not become bald as she contains a lot of moisture,⁶⁶ and hair is similar to grass.⁶⁷

footnotes: ⁶³ The word gibbe’ach ⁶⁴ From the top of the head backwards to the base of the skull. ⁶⁵ In introducing this law. ⁶⁶ A woman’s body contains more water than that of a man. ⁶⁷ Grass requires water in order to grow. Similarly, hair requires moisture to grow. Thus a well-watered body such as that of a female will not lose its hair. I.E. speaks from the point of view of medieval science. What he says is rejected by modern biology.

AS THE APPEARANCE OF LEPROSY IN THE SKIN OF THE FLESH. On the rest of the body.⁶⁸

footnotes: ⁶⁸ See Rashi: “As the appearance of leprosy that is stated in the section (treating) of the skin of the flesh (Lev. 13:2).”

HIS CLOTHES SHALL BE RENT. The word perumim means rent. The leper is to be so dressed so that he may be recognized because of his abnormal garb. Or the leper is to behave like a mourner. Scripture therefore states, his clothes shall be rent, and the hair of his head shall go loose. The reason for the latter is so that the leper mourn for his evil actions, for this plague came upon him because of his deeds.

HIS UPPER LIP. Safam refers to the upper lip. The mem of safam is a root letter. The word sefamo (his beard) in nor trimmed his beard (II Sam. 19:22)⁶⁹. is proof.⁷⁰ of safam were not a root letter, then it would not be present when the word is followed by a pronominal suffix.

footnotes: ⁶⁹ I.E. renders this as nor trimmed his upper lip ⁷⁰ If the mem

AND HE SHALL COVER.⁷¹ With his garments. The word yateh (he shall cover) is related to the word oteh (coverest) in Who coverest Thyself with light (Ps. 104:2). He shall cover his upper lip so that he does not harm anyone with the breath of his mouth.

footnotes: ⁷¹ His upper lip.

AND…UNCLEAN. The word unclean is repeated. When the leper passes on a road in an inhabited area he shall continually announce⁷² that he is unclean so that people will be on guard and not touch him.

footnotes: ⁷² The repetition of the word unclean indicates consistency. It does not mean he should announce twice that he is unclean.

ALL THE DAYS WHEREIN THE PLAGUE IS IN HIM HE SHALL BE UNCLEAN. For he is truly unclean.

The word badad (alone) is explained⁷³ in the Book of Lamentations.⁷⁴

footnotes: ⁷³ Grammatically explained. ⁷⁴ See I.E. on Lam. 1:1.

OR IN THE WARP, OR IN THE WOOF. The meaning of sheti (warp) and erev (woof) is known. It is possible that the word sheti is related to the word shet (buttocks) in ve-chasufe shet (buttocks uncovered) (Is. 20:4) wherein the word shet means the foundation,⁷⁵ (Is. 20:4), and with foundations uncovered. as the clause When the foundations (ha-shatot) are destroyed (Ps. 11:3) proves.

footnotes: ⁷⁵ I.E. renders ve-chasufay shet

The word erev (woof) refers to that which is mixed with the warp.⁷⁶ means a mixture.

footnotes: ⁷⁶ The root of erev

OR IN THE SKIN. As it is.⁷⁷

footnotes: ⁷⁷ Unworked skin, raw material.

OR IN ANY THING MADE OF SKIN. Such as a coverlet (II Kings 8:15) or a bottle (Jud. 4:19).

GREENISH. The word yerakrak (greenish) is related to the word yerek (green), for the color of the affliction is like it. The word is doubled⁷⁸ and kof of yerek are doubled in yerakrak. to indicate that it is less than full green. The same applies to shecharchoret (swarthy) (Cant. 1:6).⁷⁹ (black). Shecharchoret means blackish. Others say that the reverse is true.⁸⁰ (greenish) means very green and shecharchoret very black.

footnotes: ⁷⁸ The resh ⁷⁹ From the word shachar ⁸⁰ They say that the word yerakrak

MALIGNANT. The word mameret (malignant) is similar to the word mammir (pricking) in a pricking brier (sillon mamir) (Ezek. 28:24). Now, since the word sillon (brier) means a thorn, the word mamir means painful.⁸¹ (Ezek. 28:24) as a painful thorn. The second mem in mameret is a root letter and the word mameret is not related to the word me’erah (curse).⁸² has only one mem in it. It is possible that the reason Scripture does not mention silk and cotton⁸³ is that the Torah speaks of what is contemporarily present.⁸⁴ Compare, If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee (Ex. 23:5). The same law applies to a horse and a mule. On the other hand, it is possible that the affliction only strikes wool and flax.

footnotes: ⁸¹ I. E. renders sillon mamir ⁸² For the word me’erah ⁸³ When it lays down the laws dealing with plagues in garments. ⁸⁴ Plagues do not usually strike silk or wool (Weiser).

AFTER THAT THE PLAGUE IS WASHED. The word hukkabbes (is washed) is an infinitive whose subject is not identified. It is in the hofal.

A FRET. The word pechetet (fret) has no brother in Scripture.⁸⁵ It is known in Rabbinic literature.⁸⁶ in Rabbinic literature refers to a cavity, a pit or a defective spot. See Sotah 21a; Betzah 4:3. Pechetet refers to a defect which appears in the karachat (bareness…within) or the gabachat (bareness…without) of the garments. The Gaon says that karachat refers to the underside of the garment, for gabachat refers to the face of the garment. If this is the case, then the word kere’ach (bald) (v. 40) refers to the back of the head. He explained well.

footnotes: ⁸⁵ The word is not found again in Scripture. ⁸⁶ Pachat

AND IF IT APPEAR STILL. The word tera’eh (it appear)⁸⁷ refers to the pechetet (the fret).⁸⁸ (plague), which is masculine. Similarly porachat hi (it is breaking out).⁸⁹ (it) is feminine. It too refers to pechetet, not to nega. After stating thou shalt burn [it], Scripture goes on to say that the place of the affliction alone shall be burned.⁹⁰ (thou shalt burn that wherein the plague is with fire) as thou shalt burn it (tisrefennu), i.e., the place where the malady is. In other words, “it” refers to the place on the garment, not to the entire garment.

footnotes: ⁸⁷ Which is feminine. ⁸⁸ Which is feminine, and not to the word nega ⁸⁹ Hi ⁹⁰ I.E. renders be-esh tisrefennu et asher bo ha-naga

THEN IT SHALL BE WASHED THE SECOND TIME. There is divine command to wash it twice.

IF THE PLAGUE BE DEPARTED FROM THEM. Ve-sar me-hem ha-naga means if the plague be departed from them.⁹¹ I have previously shown you many such instances.⁹² does not mean and, but indicates the pluperfect.

footnotes: ⁹¹ Not and the affliction will depart from them. ⁹² Where the vav

Ve-khubbas (it shall be washed) is a pu’al.⁹³

footnotes: ⁹³ Literally, a verb whose subject is not identified.

THIS IS THE LAW OF THE PLAGUE OF LEPROSY IN A GARMENT OF WOOL. Our verse has four words in the construct.⁹⁴ (this is the law of the plague of leprosy). Elsewhere in Scripture we find five words in the construct.⁹⁵ Compare, Gibore chayil melechet avodat bet haElohim (very able men for the work of the service of the house of God) (I Chron. 9:13). They all depend (semukhim)⁹⁶ on God, who supports (somekh) all who fall.⁹⁷ literally means connected or dependent. Hence I.E.’s homily.

footnotes: ⁹⁴ In succession. They are zot, torat, negaha, tzara’at ⁹⁵ In succession. ⁹⁶ The words in the construct in I Chron. 9:13 are connected to the word God. ⁹⁷ See Ps. 145:14. This is a word play. The Hebrew word for the construct form samukh