Derasha 6 on Metzora 15:03

Parashas Metzora · Passuk 15:03

The Complete Passuk

וְזֹ֛את תִּהְיֶ֥ה טֻמְאָת֖וֹ בְּזוֹב֑וֹ רָ֣ר בְּשָׂר֞וֹ אֶת־זוֹב֗וֹ אֽוֹ־הֶחְתִּ֤ים בְּשָׂרוֹ֙ מִזּוֹב֔וֹ טֻמְאָת֖וֹ הִֽוא׃

Torah Temima points to Niddah 43b (verified on the daf).

Core Text

אוֹ הֶחְתִּים בְּשָׂרוֹ — מִכָּאן שֶׁמְּטַמֵּא לַח וְאֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא יָבֵשׁ.

English: “Or his flesh is stopped up” — from here [we learn] that it conveys tumah when moist and does not convey tumah when dry.

Moisture requirement

Chazal require the discharge to be moist; a dried residue does not create the impurity of zivah.