Derasha 8 on Metzora 14:04

Parashas Metzora · Passuk 14:04

The Complete Passuk

וְצִוָּה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְלָקַ֧ח לַמִּטַּהֵ֛ר שְׁתֵּֽי־צִפֳּרִ֥ים חַיּ֖וֹת טְהֹר֑וֹת וְעֵ֣ץ אֶ֔רֶז וּשְׁנִ֥י תוֹלַ֖עַת וְאֵזֹֽב׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temima points to Toras Kohanim.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וּשְׁנִי תוֹלַעַת — אִי וּשְׁנִי יָכוֹל פִּיקָס, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר תוֹלַעַת; אִי תוֹלַעַת יָכוֹל אֶחָד מִן הַצְּבָעִים, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וּשְׁנִי — זוֹ זְהוֹרִית טוֹבָה.

English: “And crimson wool” — if it said only “sheni,” any red shade might suffice; therefore it says “tola’as.” If it said only “tola’as,” other worm-derived colors might be included; therefore it says “sheni” — this is the fine scarlet dyed specifically with the tola’as.

Type of Learning

Mi’ut / ribui pair

What Is Learned

Chazal require the specific scarlet produced by the tola’as, not merely any red or any worm-derived color.