Derasha 141 on Vayikra 13:15

TT #141 · Parshas Tazria · Aliyah 2 · Passuk 15

The Complete Passuk

וְרָאָ֨ה הַכֹּהֵ֜ן אֶת־הַבָּשָׂ֣ר הַחַ֗י וְטִמְּא֤וֹ הַכֹּהֵן֙ הַבָּשָׂ֣ר הַחַ֔י טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא צָרַ֥עַת הֽוּא׃

English: When the priest sees the raw flesh, he shall pronounce the person impure. The raw flesh is impure; it is tzaraas.

Chabad.org — Chumash, English translation + Rashi for Vayikra 13:15

Source Citation

Torah Temimah cites Sifra (Toras Kohanim) for the distinct case in which extremities reappear after the whole body had become white.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Sifra
טמא הוא. הוא טמא ואין הבא בכולו לבן שחזרו בו ראשי אברים טמא אלא טהור.

English: “He is impure” means he is impure; one whose whole body became white and whose extremities later returned is not made impure by that return.

Type of Learning

Textual derivation

What Is Learned

This is the case where the body first became entirely white and the extremities later reappeared; the Sifra treats that return differently from an initially all-white condition.