Derasha 1 on Metzora 14:03

Parashas Metzora · Passuk 14:03

The Complete Passuk

וְיָצָא֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֶל־מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וְרָאָה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְהִנֵּ֛ה נִרְפָּ֥א נֶֽגַע־הַצָּרַ֖עַת מִן־הַצָּרֽוּעַ׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temima points to Toras Kohanim.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן — מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר הַכֹּהֵן? אֶלָּא כֹּהֵן שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לִכָּנֵס לִפְנִים מִן הַחוֹמָה מְטַהֵר אֶת הַמְּצֹרָע, וְשֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לִכָּנֵס אֵין מְטַהֵר, שֶׁאֵין מְצֹרָע מְטַהֵר אֶת הַמְּצֹרָע.

English: “And the kohen shall look” — why does the verse say “the kohen”? Rather, a kohen who is himself able to enter inside the wall may purify the metzora; one who is unable to enter may not purify, for a metzora does not purify a metzora.

Type of Learning

Mi’ut from repeated “ha-kohen”

What Is Learned

Chazal teach that only a kohen who is not himself excluded from the camp may purify a metzora; one metzora cannot purify another. A kohen who is a zav or tamei meis remains eligible.