Derasha 206 on Vayikra 13:33

TT #206 · Parshas Tazria · Aliyah 5 · Passuk 33

The Complete Passuk

וְהִ֨תְגַּלָּ֔ח וְאֶת־הַנֶּ֖תֶק לֹ֣א יְגַלֵּ֑חַ וְהִסְגִּ֨יר הַכֹּהֵ֧ן אֶת־הַנֶּ֛תֶק שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים שֵׁנִֽית׃

English: he shall shave himself, but he shall not shave the netek; and the priest shall isolate the netek for a second seven-day period.

Chabad.org — Chumash, English translation + Rashi for Vayikra 13:33

Source Citation

Torah Temimah cites Sifra (Toras Kohanim) for the prohibition on shaving an uncertain netek despite another haircut obligation.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Sifra
יָכוֹל תְּהֵא תִּגְלַחַת הַנֶּדֶר דּוֹחָה לְתִגְלַחַת הַנֶּתֶק בִּזְמַן שֶׁהוּא סָפֵק נֶתֶק? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְאֶת הַנֶּתֶק לֹא יְגַלֵּחַ.

English: Even when a nazirite is obligated to shave as part of his vow, that shaving does not override the prohibition against shaving an area that may be a netek.

Type of Learning

Textual derivation

What Is Learned

A nazirite’s prescribed shaving does not permit him to remove the hair of a suspected netek; the possible sign of impurity must be preserved until the priest clarifies its status.