Derasha 5 on Metzora 14:35

Parashas Metzora · Passuk 14:35

The Complete Passuk

וּבָא֙ אֲשֶׁר־ל֣וֹ הַבַּ֔יִת וְהִגִּ֥יד לַכֹּהֵ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ר כְּנֶ֕גַע נִרְאָ֥ה לִ֖י בַּבָּֽיִת׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temima points to Negaim 12:5.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
כְּנֶגַע — כְּנֶגַע וְלֹא נֶגַע. וַאֲפִלּוּ תַּלְמִיד חָכָם וְיוֹדֵעַ וַדַּאי שֶׁהוּא נֶגַע לֹא יִגְזֹר וְיֹאמַר נֶגַע אֶלָּא כְּנֶגַע.

English: “Something like a nega” — “like a nega” and not “a nega.” Even a Torah scholar who knows with certainty that it is a nega must not decide and say “a nega,” but only “something like a nega.”

Type of Learning

Owner’s language

What Is Learned

Chazal forbid the owner (even a scholar) from pronouncing the definitive diagnosis; only the kohen may declare it a nega.