Derasha 9 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 Negaim 14:6 / Toras Kohanim.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְאֵזֹב — אֵזֹב וְלֹא אֵזֹב יָוָן וְלֹא אֵזֹב כּוֹחֲלִית וְלֹא אֵזֹב רוֹמִי וְלֹא אֵזֹב מִדְבָּרִי וְלֹא כָּל אֵזֹב שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ שֵׁם לְוַאי.

English: “And hyssop” — hyssop, but not Greek hyssop, nor kochalis hyssop, nor Roman hyssop, nor desert hyssop, nor any hyssop that has a qualifying adjective.

Type of Learning

Mi’ut from unqualified “ezov”

What Is Learned

Chazal limit the hyssop to the ordinary species that has no secondary designation.