Derasha 127 on Vayikra 13:12

TT #127 · Parshas Tazria · Aliyah 2 · Passuk 10

The Complete Passuk

וְאִם־פָּר֨וֹחַ תִּפְרַ֤ח הַצָּרַ֙עַת֙ בָּע֔וֹר וְכִסְּתָ֣ה הַצָּרַ֗עַת אֵ֚ת כׇּל־ע֣וֹר הַנֶּ֔גַע מֵרֹאשׁ֖וֹ וְעַד־רַגְלָ֑יו לְכׇל־מַרְאֵ֖ה עֵינֵ֥י הַכֹּהֵֽן׃

English: If the eruption spreads out in the skin, so that the eruption covers all the skin of the affected person from head to foot, as far as the priest can see,

Chabad.org — Chumash, English translation + Rashi for Vayikra 13:12

Source Citation

Torah Temimah cites Sifra (Toras Kohanim) for the limits of the phrase “from his head to his foot”.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Sifra
מראשו ועד רגליו. מראשו ולא ראשו בכלל, עד רגליו ולא רגליו בכלל.

English: “From his head to his foot” means that the head and foot themselves are not included in the stated endpoints.

Type of Learning

Textual derivation

What Is Learned

The Sifra reads the endpoints precisely: the phrase covers the span from the head to the feet without including the head and feet themselves.