Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (February 11, 2018)
Reading 1 (Lev 13:1-14)
The Test for Leprosy
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1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
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2 When a man has on the skin of his flesh a swelling or a rash or a shiny spot [types of lesions, one brighter than the other], and it forms a lesion of leprosy on the skin of his flesh, then he must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests [it is a Scriptural decree that only a priest rules on the cleanliness or uncleanliness of lesions].
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Rashi’s Commentary
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Swelling or a rash or a shiny spot—The terms swelling and shiny spot are the names of two major lesions and the term rash refers to categories related to these two major lesions, and one major lesion, namely, shiny spot is whiter than the other swelling (cf. Shevuot 5b; Sifra, Tazria Parashat Nega'im, Section 1 4).
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He must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons—It is an enactment of Scripture that the uncleanness and purification of leprous plagues are pronounced only by the mouth of a priest (Sifra, Tazria Parashat Nega'im, Section 1 9).
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Shevuot 5b:6
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The mishna teaches: With regard to different shades of leprous marks, there are two types that are actually four. We learned in a mishna there (Nega’im 1:1): The shiny spot, mentioned in the law (see Lev 13:2), is considered a primary mark; it is an intense white, like snow. Secondary to it, i.e., a sub-category of it, is a mark that is white like the lime plaster of the Sanctuary walls.
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Shevuot 6b:6
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A different source for this was taught in a baraita: The verse (see Lev 13:2) placed the word a rash between a swelling and a shiny spot, to say to you: Just as there is a shade that is secondary to a swelling, so too, there is a shade that is secondary to a shiny spot.
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3 The priest shall examine the sore on the skin of the flesh, and if hair [at least two hairs] in the sore has turned [from black to] white and the appearance of the sore is deeper than the skin of his flesh [as things in the sun seem deeper than those in the shadow], it is a lesion of leprosy. When the priest examines this, he shall pronounce him unclean [he shall say to him: “You are unclean”].
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Rashi’s Commentary
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If hair in the sore has turned white—This means that at first it was dark, and it turned white within the sore. The smallest number of hairs implied by the term שֵׂעָר is two (Sifra, Tazria Parashat Nega'im, Chapter 2 2).
And the appearance of the sore is deeper than the skin of his flesh—Every white colour is deep (in contrast to a dark colour surrounding it) just as the colour of anything illuminated by the sun is deeper than the shadow (Shevuot 6b).
He shall pronounce him unclean—He (the priest) shall say to him: “You are unclean”—for it is an enactment of Scripture that hair that has become white is a symptom of uncleanness.
4 And if it is a shiny spot on the skin of his flesh, and its appearance is not deeper than the skin, and its hair has not turned white, the priest shall isolate the person with the lesion for seven days [not to be looked at until the end of the week].
Rashi’s Commentary
And if it is a shiny spot . . . and its appearance is not deeper—I do not know the meaning of this.
Isolate—He shall have him confined to one house, and the person shall not be seen by the priest until the end of the week. Then the symptom that show themselves
shall decide regarding him whether he is unclean or not.
5 And on the seventh day, the priest shall examine him, and if the sore has remained the same [in its appearance and size] and the sore has not spread in the skin, then the priest shall isolate him for seven days a second time [but if it spread in the first week, he is a confirmed leper].
Rashi’s Commentary
In its appearance means in its original appearance and size.
The priest shall isolate him . . . a second time—Consequently if the sore has spread during the first week, he is decidedly unclean.
6 And the priest shall examine him again on the seventh day, and if the sore has become paler and the sore has not spread in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean [but if it remained the same or spread, he is unclean]; it is only a rash [a type of clean sore]. He must wash his clothes and be clean [since he required quarantine he is called “unclean” and requires immersion].
Rashi’s Commentary
Has become paler means it has become paler than its former color—consequently if it remains in its color or if it has spread he is unclean.
Rash—This is the name of a clean sore.
He must wash his clothes and be clean—Since he required shutting up he was termed (was regarded as coming under the term) “unclean” (although it now transpires that he was clean), and he must undergo immersion in a ritual bath.
7 But if the rash spreads farther on the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he must appear again to the priest.
8 The priest shall look at it, and if the rash has spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean [whereupon he is a confirmed leper, requiring birds, shaving, and the offering (see Chapter 14)]; it is leprosy.
Rashi’s Commentary
It is leprosy—This rash is a leprosy.
The word צָרַעַת, leprosy is feminine; × Ö¶×’Ö·×¢, lesion, however, is masculine.
symptom of uncleanness(cf. Sifra, Tazria Parashat Nega'im, Section 3 1; Mishnah Negaim 4:6).
11 It is a chronic leprosy in the skin of his flesh [there is an old wound, full of pus, beneath the healthy flesh, so that the healthy flesh is no reason to declare him clean] and the priest shall pronounce him unclean; he shall not isolate him, because he is unclean.
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Rashi’s Commentary
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It is a chronic leprosy—i. e. it is chronic lesion 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 the lesion I shall pronounce it clean.
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12 “And if the disease has spread over the skin, and the disease covers all the skin of the person with the lesion from his head to his feet, wherever the eyes of the priest can see it [to exclude a priest whose sight has dimmed],
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9 “When the infection of leprosy is on a man, then he must be brought to the priest.
10 The priest shall look at it, and behold, there is a white swelling in the skin, and it has turned the hair white and there is healthy, raw flesh in the swelling [part of the whiteness within the swelling having assumed the appearance of flesh, this, too, is a sign of uncleanliness—white hair (even) without healthy flesh, or healthy flesh (even) without white hair. (Note: Though “healthy flesh” is stated only in reference to swelling, it is a sign of uncleanliness in all lesions)].
Rashi’s Commentary
Healthy flesh—Sainement in old French English healing—it means that the part of the white within the “higher-lying white spot” has turned to a flesh-colour; this, too, is a symptom of uncleanness—white hair without healthy flesh, and healthy flesh without white hair. Although healthy flesh is mentioned only in connection with a spot of higher-lying colour, in the case of all pure white colours (snow-white and wool-white) and their shades (lit., derivations) it is also a
Rashi’s Commentary
From his head—i.e., from the head of the person down to his feet.
Wherever the eyes of the priest can see it (lit., to the whole sight of the priest’s eyes)—This excludes a priest the sight of whose eyes is darkened (whose sight is imperfect) (Sifra, Tazria Parashat Nega'im, Chapter 4 4).
13 then the priest shall look at it. And, behold! the disease has covered all his body, he shall pronounce the person with the lesion clean. He has turned completely white; he is clean.
14 But on the day [There is a “day” when lesions are inspected and a “day” when they are not inspected. A groom is given all seven days of his festivity—him, his garments, and his house (not to be inspected). Likewise, one is granted all the days of a festival.] that raw flesh appears on him [if a limb tip, which could not be rendered unclean by the appearance of healthy flesh (which normally does render a lesion unclean)
because the entire limb, by virtue of its “slopes” could not be viewed at one time—if such a limb tip broadened and leveled, so that it could be viewed at one time, and healthy flesh appeared in it, then] he will be unclean.
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Berakhot 5b:5
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The Gemara asks: Is leprosy not an affliction of love? Didn’t we learn in a baraita: If one has any of the four signs of leprosy (Lev 13) they are nothing other than an altar of atonement?
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Moed Katan 7b:9
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The Gemara returns to the original dispute with regard to the priest’s examination of the symptoms of leprosy. Is this to say that the matter depends upon the discretion of the priest, i.e., the priest can decide whether to declare the affected person ritually pure or impure or whether to examine the leprous symptoms or not? The Gemara answers: Yes, and so too it is taught in a baraita: The verse states: “But on the day it appears on him” (Lev 13:14), from which it may be inferred that there is a day when you examine the symptoms found on him and there is a day when you do not examine those symptoms.
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Rashi’s Commentary
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But on the day that raw flesh appears—The verse could have simply said, “But when raw flesh appears.” What does Scripture teach us by saying, “on the day”? To inform us that there are days when you may see (examine) the plague and there are days when you may not examine. On this account they (the Rabbis) said: A bridegroom is given a respite of all the seven days of the marriage festivities—to him, and to his clothing and his house, and similarly on a festival he (everyone) is given a respite all the days of that festival—and during these periods the priest may not come to examine him or
his clothing or his house (Mishnah Negaim 3:2; Moed Katan 7b; Sifra, Tazria Parashat Nega'im, Chapter 5 2; cf. Bekhorot 43b).
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Gospel (Mar 1:40-45)
Jesus Heals a Leper
40 And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”
41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.
43 And he sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, 44 and he said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but stayed out in lonely places; and they were coming to him from everywhere.
from both of them, so that it was as though they were both speaking (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 12:3:2).
This work is a derivative of "The Rashi Chumash" and "The Rashi Ketuvim" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein used under CC BY 3.0
3 Speak [today, on the first of the month] to the whole community of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth day of this month [the “taking” of the Passover sacrifice of Egypt was on the tenth, but not that of future generations] each man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father [and, in the event that the family is large and one lamb will not suffice for it], a lamb for each household [i.e., for each household within that family].
Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:3:2
Speak to the whole community of Israel—R. Achai b. R. Yoshiyah says: Now did they both speak? Is it not written (Ibid. 7:2) “You (Moses) shall speak all that I command you?” Moses accorded honor to Aaron and said “Teach me,” and Aaron did likewise with Moses, and the speech emanated from both as if both were speaking.
Pesachim 96a:7
The Gemara discusses the meaning of this difficult phrase, as obviously, the Passover sacrifice is slaughtered on the fourteenth and eaten on the evening of the fifteenth. GEMARA: The Gemara asks: From where do we conclude that the requirements of the Passover sacrifice sacrificed in Egypt do not apply to later generations? As it is written: “Speak to the whole community of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth day of this month each man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for each household” (Exo 12:3); and we derive from the superfluous word “this” that this Passover sacrifice offered in Egypt had to be taken from the tenth of Nisan, and the Passover sacrifice of later generations is not taken from the tenth of Nisan.
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Rashi’s Commentary
Speak to the whole community—But did Aaron speak? Has it not already been stated, “You shall speak” (Exo 7:2)? But the explanation is: they paid respect one to the other, saying to each other, “Instruct me what to say” and the divine communication in question issued