Derasha 106 on Vayikra 13:9

TT #106 · Parshas Tazria · Aliyah 2 · Passuk 9

The Complete Passuk

נֶ֣גַע צָרַ֔עַת כִּ֥י תִֽהְיֶ֖ה בְּאָדָ֑ם וְהוּבָ֖א אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃

English: If a man has a lesion of tzara'ath, he shall be brought to the kohen.

Chabad.org — Chumash, English translation + Rashi for Vayikra 13:9

Source Citation

Torah Temimah cites Sifra (Toras Kohanim) for the rule that a patch of healthy flesh can render impure a person whose skin is otherwise entirely white.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Sifra
כי תהיה באדם. להביא את הבא בכולו לבן שתהא מחיה מטמאתו

English: This includes one whose whole body has become white, so that a patch of healthy flesh renders him unclean.

Type of Learning

Textual derivation

What Is Learned

When the skin is otherwise entirely white, the appearance of a patch of healthy flesh (מחיה) is the sign that renders the person impure.