Derasha 162 on Vayikra 11:29

TT #163 · Parshas Shemini · Aliyah 6 · Passuk 29

The Complete Passuk

וְזֶה לָכֶם הַטָּמֵא בַּשֶּׁרֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵץ עַל־הָאָרֶץ הַחֹלֶד וְהָעַכְבָּר וְהַצָּב לְמִינֵהוּ:

Chabad.org — Vayikra Chapter 11 with Rashi

English: These are the creatures that are impure among the swarming things that swarm on the earth: the weasel, the mouse, and the various kinds of lizard.

Source Citation

Nazir 64a.

E-Daf.com — Nazir 64a (Tsurras Hadaf)

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text

בַּשֶּׁרֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵץ עַל הָאָרֶץ. כְּתִיב בַּשֶּׁרֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵץ כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא שׁוֹרֵץ, וּכְתִיב עַל הָאָרֶץ, הָא כֵּיצַד? וַדַּאי מַגָּעוֹ טָמֵא, סָפֵק מַגָּעוֹ טָהוֹר, מִכָּאן לְסָפֵק טֻמְאָה צָפָה בֵּין בַּכֵּלִים בֵּין בַּקַּרְקַע טְהוֹרָה.

Type of Learning

Certainty distinction — The doubled wording distinguishes definite contact, which conveys impurity, from doubtful contact, which does not.

What Is Learned

Certain contact with floating impurity is treated differently from uncertain contact, yielding the rule of floating doubtful impurity.