Derasha 2 on Metzora 14:37

Parashas Metzora · Passuk 14:37

The Complete Passuk

וְרָאָ֣ה אֶת־הַנֶּ֗גַע וְהִנֵּ֤ה הַנֶּ֙גַע֙ בְּקִירֹ֣ת הַבַּ֔יִת שְׁקַֽעֲרוּרֹת֙ יְרַקְרַקֹּ֔ת א֖וֹ אֲדַמְדַּמֹּ֑ת וּמַרְאֵיהֶ֥ן שָׁפָ֖ל מִן־הַקִּֽיר׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temima points to Nazir 8b (verified on the daf).

E-Daf.com — Tsurras Hadaf (size=3)
HebrewBooks / Shas PDF of the daf

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
בְּקִירֹת הַבַּיִת — תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: בַּיִת עָגֹל, דִּיגוֹן, טְרִיגוֹן, פַּנְטִיגוֹן אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא בִּנְגָעִים; טֶטְרָגוֹן מְטַמֵּא בִּנְגָעִים. מַאי טַעְמָא? לְמַטָּה הוּא אוֹמֵר קִיר קִירוֹת וּלְמַעְלָה הוּא אוֹמֵר קִיר קִירוֹת — הֲרֵי כָּאן אַרְבַּע.

English: “In the walls of the house” — the Sages taught: A round house, a digon, a trigon, or a pentagon does not become tamei through negaim; a tetragon does become tamei through negaim. Why? Below it says “wall / walls” and above it says “wall / walls” — here are four.

Type of Learning

Requirement of four walls

What Is Learned

Chazal require a four-walled (rectangular) structure; houses with fewer or more than four walls are exempt from house-nega laws.