Derasha 117 on Vayikra 13:11

TT #117 · Parshas Tazria · Aliyah 2 · Passuk 10

The Complete Passuk

צָרַ֨עַת נוֹשֶׁ֤נֶת הִוא֙ בְּע֣וֹר בְּשָׂר֔וֹ וְטִמְּא֖וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֑ן לֹ֣א יַסְגִּרֶ֔נּוּ כִּ֥י טָמֵ֖א הֽוּא׃

English: It is chronic leprosy on the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him impure; he shall not isolate him, for he is impure.

Chabad.org — Chumash, English translation + Rashi for Vayikra 13:11

Source Citation

Torah Temimah cites Sifra (Toras Kohanim) for the minimum lesion area needed to accommodate the relevant signs.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Sifra
א"כ למה נאמר שער לבן ומחית בשר, מלמד שלא תהיה טמאה עד שיהא בה כדי לקבל שער לבן ומחיה.

English: Why, then, does Scripture mention white hair and living flesh? It teaches that the lesion must be large enough to receive the signs of white hair and living flesh.

Type of Learning

Textual derivation

What Is Learned

This unit addresses capacity and size: the lesion must be large enough to accommodate the relevant signs, even where the signs are not both present.