וּבָשָׂ֕ר כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֥ה בֽוֹ־בְעֹר֖וֹ שְׁחִ֑ין וְנִרְפָּֽא׃

The section so far has dealt with a mark that appears on healthy skin. However, a leprous mark can also appear in a different manner: Flesh, when there is in its skin a rash that is healed,

וְהָיָ֞ה בִּמְק֤וֹם הַשְּׁחִין֙ שְׂאֵ֣ת לְבָנָ֔ה א֥וֹ בַהֶ֖רֶת לְבָנָ֣ה אֲדַמְדָּ֑מֶת וְנִרְאָ֖ה אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃

on the place of the rash, where the skin has not yet fully mended, there is a white spot, or a white-red bright spot. This new form of leprosy, which is red and white in color, is referred to by the Sages as a patukh . It shall be shown to the priest.

וְרָאָ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְהִנֵּ֤ה מַרְאֶ֙הָ֙ שָׁפָ֣ל מִן־הָע֔וֹר וּשְׂעָרָ֖הּ הָפַ֣ךְ לָבָ֑ן וְטִמְּא֧וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֛ן נֶֽגַע־צָרַ֥עַת הִ֖וא בַּשְּׁחִ֥ין פָּרָֽחָה׃

The priest shall examine; and behold, its appearance, the appearance of the bright spot, is lower than the skin, and its hair turned white, which, as stated above (verse 3), is one of the indications of impurity, the priest shall pronounce it impure: It is a mark of leprosy, as it erupted in the place where there had earlier been a rash.

וְאִ֣ם ׀ יִרְאֶ֣נָּה הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְהִנֵּ֤ה אֵֽין־בָּהּ֙ שֵׂעָ֣ר לָבָ֔ן וּשְׁפָלָ֥ה אֵינֶ֛נָּה מִן־הָע֖וֹר וְהִ֣יא כֵהָ֑ה וְהִסְגִּיר֥וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים׃

But if the priest shall examine it, and behold, there is no white hair in it, and it is not lower than the skin, and it is faded, meaning that its whiteness is relatively weak, and therefore it does not appear to be lower than the skin, and some explain that the word “not” applies to both clauses, for it is neither lower nor faded, then the priest shall quarantine him in a specific place (see verse 4) for seven days.

וְאִם־פָּשֹׂ֥ה תִפְשֶׂ֖ה בָּע֑וֹר וְטִמֵּ֧א הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֹת֖וֹ נֶ֥גַע הִֽוא׃

After seven days he is examined once again, and if it shall spread on the skin, the priest shall pronounce him impure: It is a mark.

וְאִם־תַּחְתֶּ֜יהָ תַּעֲמֹ֤ד הַבַּהֶ֙רֶת֙ לֹ֣א פָשָׂ֔תָה צָרֶ֥בֶת הַשְּׁחִ֖ין הִ֑וא וְטִהֲר֖וֹ הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ (ס)

But if the bright spot shall remain in place, meaning that it stays the same size, and it did not spread, it is a scar of the rash. It is merely the natural consequence of an inflammation and has no significance with regard to ritual purity or impurity, and therefore the priest shall pronounce him pure.