Derasha 184 on Vayikra 13:29

TT #184 · Parshas Tazria · Aliyah 5 · Passuk 29

The Complete Passuk

וְאִישׁ֙ א֣וֹ אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֥ה ב֖וֹ נָ֑גַע בְּרֹ֖אשׁ א֥וֹ בְזָקָֽן׃

English: If a man or woman has an affliction on the head or on the beard,

Chabad.org — Chumash, English translation + Rashi for Vayikra 13:29

Source Citation

Torah Temimah cites Sifra (Toras Kohanim) for including a tumtum and an androgynos in the law.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Sifra
וְאִישׁ אוֹ אִשָּׁה. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא אִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה; טוּמְטוּם וְאַנְדְּרוֹגִינוֹס מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר אוֹ.

English: 'A man or a woman' includes a tumtum and an androgynos through the word 'or'.

Type of Learning

Textual derivation

What Is Learned

The word “or” extends the law to a tumtum and an androgynos, beyond the ordinary categories of man and woman.