Derasha 129 on Vayikra 13:12

TT #129 · Parshas Tazria · Aliyah 2 · Passuk 12

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 requirement that the examining kohen be able to see the lesion.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Sifra
לכל מראה עיני. פרט לסומא שלא יראה את הנגעים.

English: “For every appearance of the eyes” excludes a blind priest from inspecting the lesions.

Type of Learning

Textual derivation

What Is Learned

The examining kohen must be able to see the lesion; a blind kohen cannot perform this visual examination.