Derasha 3 on Metzora 14:47

Parashas Metzora · Passuk 14:47

The Complete Passuk

וְהַשֹּׁכֵ֣ב בַּבַּ֔יִת יְכַבֵּ֖ס אֶת־בְּגָדָ֑יו וְהָאֹכֵ֣ל בַּבַּ֔יִת יְכַבֵּ֖ס אֶת־בְּגָדָֽיו׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temima points to Toras Kohanim.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
יְכַבֵּס אֶת בְּגָדָיו — אֶת לְרַבּוֹת הַמְּטַמֵּא מַצִּיל בְּגָדִים בְּבַיִת הַמְנֻגָּע; יָצְאוּ בְּהֵמָה וְעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁאֵין מְטַמְּאִין, אֵין מַצִּילִין.

English: “He shall wash his garments” — “es” includes [the principle that] one who becomes tamei can still save garments in an afflicted house; animals and idolaters, who do not become tamei, do not save.

Type of Learning

Saving garments

What Is Learned

Chazal teach that a person who is himself susceptible to tumah can still protect garments by his presence, whereas beings that never contract this tumah cannot.