Derasha 118 on Vayikra 13:11

TT #118 · 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 status of chronic tzaraas even when the lesion’s appearance has changed.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Sifra
נושנת היא. מלמד שהיא מטמאה הפוכה ושלא הפוכה.

English: “It is long-standing”: the lesion can render a person impure whether its appearance has changed to the opposite shade or remains unchanged.

Type of Learning

Textual derivation

What Is Learned

A long-standing lesion retains its impurity status whether its appearance has shifted to the opposite shade or remains unchanged.