וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

זֹ֤את תִּֽהְיֶה֙ תּוֹרַ֣ת הַמְּצֹרָ֔ע בְּי֖וֹם טָהֳרָת֑וֹ וְהוּבָ֖א אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃

This shall be the law of the leper on the day, at the time, of his purification, his healing: He shall be brought to the priest. The leper must return to the priest, as he has the exclusive authority to deal with leprosy.

וְיָצָא֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֶל־מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וְרָאָה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְהִנֵּ֛ה נִרְפָּ֥א נֶֽגַע־הַצָּרַ֖עַת מִן־הַצָּרֽוּעַ׃

The priest shall go outside the camp, and the leper shall come before him for examination. And the priest shall examine, and behold, the mark of leprosy has been healed from the leper, that is, it disappeared or signs of purification appeared (see 13:13, 37).

וְצִוָּה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְלָקַ֧ח לַמִּטַּהֵ֛ר שְׁתֵּֽי־צִפֳּרִ֥ים חַיּ֖וֹת טְהֹר֑וֹת וְעֵ֣ץ אֶ֔רֶז וּשְׁנִ֥י תוֹלַ֖עַת וְאֵזֹֽב׃

The priest shall command, and one, that is, any person, shall take for the one being purified two living, pure birds. When the Torah mentions an unspecified bird, the reference is to a sparrow or to another small, chirping bird. And cedar wood, which by tradition is a wooden beam that is not particularly large, and scarlet wool , and hyssop.

וְצִוָּה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְשָׁחַ֖ט אֶת־הַצִּפּ֣וֹר הָאֶחָ֑ת אֶל־כְּלִי־חֶ֖רֶשׂ עַל־מַ֥יִם חַיִּֽים׃

The priest shall command, and one shall slaughter the one bird of the two, in an earthenware vessel, so that its blood will be poured over spring water that is already in the vessel.

אֶת־הַצִּפֹּ֤ר הַֽחַיָּה֙ יִקַּ֣ח אֹתָ֔הּ וְאֶת־עֵ֥ץ הָאֶ֛רֶז וְאֶת־שְׁנִ֥י הַתּוֹלַ֖עַת וְאֶת־הָאֵזֹ֑ב וְטָבַ֨ל אוֹתָ֜ם וְאֵ֣ת ׀ הַצִּפֹּ֣ר הַֽחַיָּ֗ה בְּדַם֙ הַצִּפֹּ֣ר הַשְּׁחֻטָ֔ה עַ֖ל הַמַּ֥יִם הַֽחַיִּֽים׃

The living bird, he shall take it, and separately the cedar wood, and the scarlet wool, and the hyssop bound together, and he shall dip them and the living bird, by the ends of its limbs and its tail, adjacent to its body. In this manner, the bird’s wings remain out of the blood, so that they will not adhere to its body, thereby enabling it to fly over the field at a later point. He shall dip them in the blood of the slaughtered bird that is over the spring water.

וְהִזָּ֗ה עַ֧ל הַמִּטַּהֵ֛ר מִן־הַצָּרַ֖עַת שֶׁ֣בַע פְּעָמִ֑ים וְטִ֣הֲר֔וֹ וְשִׁלַּ֛ח אֶת־הַצִּפֹּ֥ר הַֽחַיָּ֖ה עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃

He shall sprinkle from this mixture of the blood of the slaughtered bird and the spring water into which the aforementioned items were dipped, on the one being purified from the leprosy seven times, and he shall then be able to pronounce him pure , and shall dispatch the living bird over the field, set it free, concluding its role in this ritual. This completes the first stage of the leper’s purification, which is performed in the field, outside the camp.

וְכִבֶּס֩ הַמִּטַּהֵ֨ר אֶת־בְּגָדָ֜יו וְגִלַּ֣ח אֶת־כָּל־שְׂעָר֗וֹ וְרָחַ֤ץ בַּמַּ֙יִם֙ וְטָהֵ֔ר וְאַחַ֖ר יָב֣וֹא אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וְיָשַׁ֛ב מִח֥וּץ לְאָהֳל֖וֹ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים׃

In the next stage, the one being purified shall wash, immerse, his garments, as they too were rendered ritually impure by his wearing them, shave all his hair, bathe, immerse in water, and be purified; and then he shall enter the camp, and shall dwell outside his tent seven days. Although he is now inside the Israelite camp, or the city, he remains somewhat in isolation, as he may not enter his house and must remain apart from his wife. According to rabbinic tradition, he renders people and vessels impure through contact.

וְהָיָה֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י יְגַלַּ֣ח אֶת־כָּל־שְׂעָר֗וֹ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֤וֹ וְאֶת־זְקָנוֹ֙ וְאֵת֙ גַּבֹּ֣ת עֵינָ֔יו וְאֶת־כָּל־שְׂעָר֖וֹ יְגַלֵּ֑חַ וְכִבֶּ֣ס אֶת־בְּגָדָ֗יו וְרָחַ֧ץ אֶת־בְּשָׂר֛וֹ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָהֵֽר׃

It shall be on the seventh day; he shall again shave all his hair, his head and his beard and his eyebrows; all his hair he shall shave from his entire body, or alternatively, only from hairy places. There is an opinion that by Torah law he is required to shave only those parts of his body where the hair is visible, and by rabbinic law he must shave all his hair. And he shall wash his garments a second time, bathe his flesh in water, and be purified.

וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֗י יִקַּ֤ח שְׁנֵֽי־כְבָשִׂים֙ תְּמִימִ֔ים וְכַבְשָׂ֥ה אַחַ֛ת בַּת־שְׁנָתָ֖הּ תְּמִימָ֑ה וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה עֶשְׂרֹנִ֗ים סֹ֤לֶת מִנְחָה֙ בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשֶּׁ֔מֶן וְלֹ֥ג אֶחָ֖ד שָֽׁמֶן׃

Although the leper is ritually purified, his status is that of one who lacks atonement; he must bring the requisite offerings in order to be rendered fit to enter the Temple and partake of consecrated food. Therefore, on the eighth day he shall take two unblemished male lambs, and one unblemished ewe in its first year, and three-tenths of an ephah of high-quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering. In current measures, three-tenths of an ephah equals more than 7 L; and there is an opinion that it equals 12.8 L. And one log of oil, which according to the conventional opinion is about 0.33 L, and according to the other opinion, approximately 0.6 L.

וְהֶעֱמִ֞יד הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַֽמְטַהֵ֗ר אֵ֛ת הָאִ֥ישׁ הַמִּטַּהֵ֖ר וְאֹתָ֑ם לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

The priest who purifies shall position the man who is being purified and them, the lambs, before the Lord, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.

וְלָקַ֨ח הַכֹּהֵ֜ן אֶת־הַכֶּ֣בֶשׂ הָאֶחָ֗ד וְהִקְרִ֥יב אֹת֛וֹ לְאָשָׁ֖ם וְאֶת־לֹ֣ג הַשָּׁ֑מֶן וְהֵנִ֥יף אֹתָ֛ם תְּנוּפָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

The priest shall take one of the lambs and present it as a guilt offering, and likewise he shall present the log of oil brought by the one who is being purified, and wave them, the living sheep with the log , as a wave offering before the Lord. If he waved each separately, he fulfills his obligation.

וְשָׁחַ֣ט אֶת־הַכֶּ֗בֶשׂ בִּ֠מְקוֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁחַ֧ט אֶת־הַֽחַטָּ֛את וְאֶת־הָעֹלָ֖ה בִּמְק֣וֹם הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ כִּ֡י כַּ֠חַטָּאת הָאָשָׁ֥ם הוּא֙ לַכֹּהֵ֔ן קֹ֥דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֖ים הֽוּא׃

He shall slaughter the lamb in the same place where one slaughters the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place, on the north side of the altar (1:11, 6:18), and unlike offerings of lesser sanctity, it may not be slaughtered anywhere else in the Tabernacle courtyard. Since like the sin offering, the guilt offering is for the priest, they are similar with regard to all matters involving the service of the priest, or in that both are given solely to the priest. This is an indication that it is a sacred sacrament, an offering of the most sacred order.

וְלָקַ֣ח הַכֹּהֵן֮ מִדַּ֣ם הָאָשָׁם֒ וְנָתַן֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן עַל־תְּנ֛וּךְ אֹ֥זֶן הַמִּטַּהֵ֖ר הַיְמָנִ֑ית וְעַל־בֹּ֤הֶן יָדוֹ֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית וְעַל־בֹּ֥הֶן רַגְל֖וֹ הַיְמָנִֽית׃

The priest shall take from the blood of the slaughtered guilt offering, and the priest shall place some of the blood on the tip of the right ear of the one being purified, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.

וְלָקַ֥ח הַכֹּהֵ֖ן מִלֹּ֣ג הַשָּׁ֑מֶן וְיָצַ֛ק עַל־כַּ֥ף הַכֹּהֵ֖ן הַשְּׂמָאלִֽית׃

The priest shall take with his right hand from the log of oil brought by the one undergoing purification, and pour it on the cupped left palm of the priest, either a different priest or on his own palm.

וְטָבַ֤ל הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֶת־אֶצְבָּע֣וֹ הַיְמָנִ֔ית מִן־הַשֶּׁ֕מֶן אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־כַּפּ֖וֹ הַשְּׂמָאלִ֑ית וְהִזָּ֨ה מִן־הַשֶּׁ֧מֶן בְּאֶצְבָּע֛וֹ שֶׁ֥בַע פְּעָמִ֖ים לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

The priest shall dip his right finger from, into, the oil that is accumulated on his left palm, and he shall sprinkle from the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord, toward the Sanctuary.

וּמִיֶּ֨תֶר הַשֶּׁ֜מֶן אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־כַּפּ֗וֹ יִתֵּ֤ן הַכֹּהֵן֙ עַל־תְּנ֞וּךְ אֹ֤זֶן הַמִּטַּהֵר֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית וְעַל־בֹּ֤הֶן יָדוֹ֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית וְעַל־בֹּ֥הֶן רַגְל֖וֹ הַיְמָנִ֑ית עַ֖ל דַּ֥ם הָאָשָֽׁם׃

And from the rest of the oil that is inevitably left on his palm, the priest shall place some on the tip of the right ear of the one being purified, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the guilt offering, which he previously placed on those spots.

וְהַנּוֹתָ֗ר בַּשֶּׁ֙מֶן֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־כַּ֣ף הַכֹּהֵ֔ן יִתֵּ֖ן עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַמִּטַּהֵ֑ר וְכִפֶּ֥ר עָלָ֛יו הַכֹּהֵ֖ן לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

Even after placing the three drops on the parts of the leper’s body, oil will remain on the priest’s palm. The remainder of the oil that is on the priest’s palm, he, the priest, shall place, that is, spread, on the head of the one being purified; and the priest shall thereby atone for him before the Lord.

וְעָשָׂ֤ה הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֶת־הַ֣חַטָּ֔את וְכִפֶּ֕ר עַל־הַמִּטַּהֵ֖ר מִטֻּמְאָת֑וֹ וְאַחַ֖ר יִשְׁחַ֥ט אֶת־הָעֹלָֽה׃

The priest shall perform the service of the ewe of the sin offering that was brought by the one undergoing purification and atone for the one being purified from his impurity; and then he shall slaughter the sheep of the burnt offering.

וְהֶעֱלָ֧ה הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֶת־הָעֹלָ֥ה וְאֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֖ה הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה וְכִפֶּ֥ר עָלָ֛יו הַכֹּהֵ֖ן וְטָהֵֽר׃ (ס)

The priest shall offer up the burnt offering and the meal offering, consisting of the three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour that was brought by the purifying leper, on the altar; and the priest shall atone for him through these rites, and he shall become pure.

וְאִם־דַּ֣ל ה֗וּא וְאֵ֣ין יָדוֹ֮ מַשֶּׂגֶת֒ וְ֠לָקַח כֶּ֣בֶשׂ אֶחָ֥ד אָשָׁ֛ם לִתְנוּפָ֖ה לְכַפֵּ֣ר עָלָ֑יו וְעִשָּׂר֨וֹן סֹ֜לֶת אֶחָ֨ד בָּל֥וּל בַּשֶּׁ֛מֶן לְמִנְחָ֖ה וְלֹ֥ג שָֽׁמֶן׃

If the leper is impoverished, and his means do not suffice for all the above offerings, he shall take one lamb as a guilt offering for waving, to atone for him as would the offering of a wealthy individual, and only one-tenth, not three-tenths, of an ephah of high-quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering, and a log of oil.

וּשְׁתֵּ֣י תֹרִ֗ים א֤וֹ שְׁנֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יוֹנָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּשִּׂ֖יג יָד֑וֹ וְהָיָ֤ה אֶחָד֙ חַטָּ֔את וְהָאֶחָ֖ד עֹלָֽה׃

And instead of bringing the ewe of the sin offering and the sheep of the burnt offering, the poor leper shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, for which his means suffice, that he can afford; one of them shall be a sin offering and the other one a burnt offering.

וְהֵבִ֨יא אֹתָ֜ם בַּיּ֧וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֛י לְטָהֳרָת֖וֹ אֶל־הַכֹּהֵ֑ן אֶל־פֶּ֥תַח אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

He shall bring them, the sheep and the two birds, on the eighth day of his purification to the priest, to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, before the Lord.

וְלָקַ֧ח הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֶת־כֶּ֥בֶשׂ הָאָשָׁ֖ם וְאֶת־לֹ֣ג הַשָּׁ֑מֶן וְהֵנִ֨יף אֹתָ֧ם הַכֹּהֵ֛ן תְּנוּפָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

The priest shall take the lamb of the guilt offering and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them as a wave offering before the Lord.

וְשָׁחַט֮ אֶת־כֶּ֣בֶשׂ הָֽאָשָׁם֒ וְלָקַ֤ח הַכֹּהֵן֙ מִדַּ֣ם הָֽאָשָׁ֔ם וְנָתַ֛ן עַל־תְּנ֥וּךְ אֹֽזֶן־הַמִּטַּהֵ֖ר הַיְמָנִ֑ית וְעַל־בֹּ֤הֶן יָדוֹ֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית וְעַל־בֹּ֥הֶן רַגְל֖וֹ הַיְמָנִֽית׃

He shall slaughter the lamb of the guilt offering, and the priest shall take from the blood of the guilt offering, and place it on the tip of the right ear of the one being purified, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.

וּמִן־הַשֶּׁ֖מֶן יִצֹ֣ק הַכֹּהֵ֑ן עַל־כַּ֥ף הַכֹּהֵ֖ן הַשְּׂמָאלִֽית׃

The priest shall pour from the oil on the left palm of the priest.

וְהִזָּ֤ה הַכֹּהֵן֙ בְּאֶצְבָּע֣וֹ הַיְמָנִ֔ית מִן־הַשֶּׁ֕מֶן אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־כַּפּ֖וֹ הַשְּׂמָאלִ֑ית שֶׁ֥בַע פְּעָמִ֖ים לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

The priest shall sprinkle with his right finger from the oil that is on his left palm seven times before the Lord.

וְנָתַ֨ן הַכֹּהֵ֜ן מִן־הַשֶּׁ֣מֶן ׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־כַּפּ֗וֹ עַל־תְּנ֞וּךְ אֹ֤זֶן הַמִּטַּהֵר֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית וְעַל־בֹּ֤הֶן יָדוֹ֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית וְעַל־בֹּ֥הֶן רַגְל֖וֹ הַיְמָנִ֑ית עַל־מְק֖וֹם דַּ֥ם הָאָשָֽׁם׃

The priest shall place from the oil that is on his palm on the tip of the right ear of the one being purified, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the guilt offering.

וְהַנּוֹתָ֗ר מִן־הַשֶּׁ֙מֶן֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־כַּ֣ף הַכֹּהֵ֔ן יִתֵּ֖ן עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַמִּטַּהֵ֑ר לְכַפֵּ֥ר עָלָ֖יו לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

The remainder of the oil that is on the priest’s palm he shall place on the head of the one being purified, to atone for him before the Lord.

וְעָשָׂ֤ה אֶת־הָֽאֶחָד֙ מִן־הַתֹּרִ֔ים א֖וֹ מִן־בְּנֵ֣י הַיּוֹנָ֑ה מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּשִּׂ֖יג יָדֽוֹ׃

He shall offer one of the turtledoves or one of the young pigeons, from that which his means suffice. Turtledoves are birds that exist in the wild and are at times easy to acquire without payment. In contrast, pigeons were more plentiful in the Land of Israel; however, their acquisition often involved payment or greater exertion.

אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־תַּשִּׂ֞יג יָד֗וֹ אֶת־הָאֶחָ֥ד חַטָּ֛את וְאֶת־הָאֶחָ֥ד עֹלָ֖ה עַל־הַמִּנְחָ֑ה וְכִפֶּ֧ר הַכֹּהֵ֛ן עַ֥ל הַמִּטַּהֵ֖ר לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

The priest shall sacrifice that for which his means suffice, one as a sin offering and one as a burnt offering, with, in addition to, the meal offering; the priest shall thereby atone for the one being purified before the Lord.

זֹ֣את תּוֹרַ֔ת אֲשֶׁר־בּ֖וֹ נֶ֣גַע צָרָ֑עַת אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־תַשִּׂ֥יג יָד֖וֹ בְּטָהֳרָתֽוֹ׃ (פ)

This is the law of one in whom there is a mark of leprosy, whose means do not suffice in his purification.

וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃

The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying:

כִּ֤י תָבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לָכֶ֖ם לַאֲחֻזָּ֑ה וְנָתַתִּי֙ נֶ֣גַע צָרַ֔עַת בְּבֵ֖ית אֶ֥רֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶֽם׃

When you come to the land of Canaan, which I give to you as a portion, if I shall place a mark of leprosy on a house, that is, on one of the houses, in the land of your ancestral portion. Although the various forms of leprosy are somewhat similar in that they involve the appearance of a mark and are all included in the general framework of the laws of leprosy, it is obvious that a mark on one’s skin is very different from a spot found on a garment or on stones.

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

He to whom the house belongs shall come and tell to the priest, saying: Something like a mark seems to me to be on the house. He cannot attest to the fact that it is leprosy, as he is not authorized to make that determination. Until a priest diagnoses the plague, the owner of the house can only assert his suspicion that there is leprosy in his house.

וְצִוָּ֨ה הַכֹּהֵ֜ן וּפִנּ֣וּ אֶת־הַבַּ֗יִת בְּטֶ֨רֶם יָבֹ֤א הַכֹּהֵן֙ לִרְא֣וֹת אֶת־הַנֶּ֔גַע וְלֹ֥א יִטְמָ֖א כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּבָּ֑יִת וְאַ֥חַר כֵּ֛ן יָבֹ֥א הַכֹּהֵ֖ן לִרְא֥וֹת אֶת־הַבָּֽיִת׃

The directive in this verse does not relate to treatment of the leprosy; rather, it relates to another aspect of this matter. The priest shall command and they shall empty the house of any vessels, before the priest shall come to see the mark, so that all that is in the house shall not become impure; and afterward the priest shall come to see the house.

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

He, the priest, shall examine the mark after entering the house, and behold, the mark is , or appears to be, recessed [ sheka’arurot ] in the walls of the house, similar to the shape of a bowl [ ke’ara ], giving the impression of deep green or deep reddish recesses, and their appearance is lower than the wall. Due to their color, they appear to be sunken relative to the wall, although that is not the case.

וְיָצָ֧א הַכֹּהֵ֛ן מִן־הַבַּ֖יִת אֶל־פֶּ֣תַח הַבָּ֑יִת וְהִסְגִּ֥יר אֶת־הַבַּ֖יִת שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים׃

The priest shall exit the house and proceed to the entrance of the house, and he shall quarantine the house, he shall issue an instruction to seal the house for seven days .

וְשָׁ֥ב הַכֹּהֵ֖ן בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֑י וְרָאָ֕ה וְהִנֵּ֛ה פָּשָׂ֥ה הַנֶּ֖גַע בְּקִירֹ֥ת הַבָּֽיִת׃

The priest shall return on the seventh day, and shall examine it; and behold, the mark has spread on the walls of the house. The mark that was on one wall has now relocated to other walls, or it has become enlarged.

וְצִוָּה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְחִלְּצוּ֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲבָנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּהֵ֖ן הַנָּ֑גַע וְהִשְׁלִ֤יכוּ אֶתְהֶן֙ אֶל־מִח֣וּץ לָעִ֔יר אֶל־מָק֖וֹם טָמֵֽא׃

The priest shall command, and they shall remove the stones on which there is a mark. The stone house described in the verse was apparently not compactly constructed; therefore, it was possible to remove an individual stone from the wall. And they shall dispose of them, as they are ritually impure, in an impure place outside the city. Although not all places outside the city are impure, there were certain areas designated for the disposal of impure objects, perhaps in places where there were garbage heaps or graves, locations not frequented by those carrying ritually pure items.

וְאֶת־הַבַּ֛יִת יַקְצִ֥עַ מִבַּ֖יִת סָבִ֑יב וְשָׁפְכ֗וּ אֶת־הֶֽעָפָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִקְצ֔וּ אֶל־מִח֣וּץ לָעִ֔יר אֶל־מָק֖וֹם טָמֵֽא׃

And as for the house, in which there are holes, he shall scrape and remove the layer of plaster from inside all around . According to the Sifra , cited by Rashi, he would scrape only the plaster immediately around the mark. And they shall pour out the plaster that they scraped outside the city in an impure place.

וְלָקְחוּ֙ אֲבָנִ֣ים אֲחֵר֔וֹת וְהֵבִ֖יאוּ אֶל־תַּ֣חַת הָאֲבָנִ֑ים וְעָפָ֥ר אַחֵ֛ר יִקַּ֖ח וְטָ֥ח אֶת־הַבָּֽיִת׃

They shall take other stones, and they shall bring them in the place of the stones that they removed from the wall; and he shall take other plaster, and then he shall plaster the house, at which point it may once again serve as a residence.

וְאִם־יָשׁ֤וּב הַנֶּ֙גַע֙ וּפָרַ֣ח בַּבַּ֔יִת אַחַ֖ר חִלֵּ֣ץ אֶת־הָאֲבָנִ֑ים וְאַחֲרֵ֛י הִקְצ֥וֹת אֶת־הַבַּ֖יִת וְאַחֲרֵ֥י הִטּֽוֹחַ׃

If these actions are ineffective, and the mark returns and erupts in the house, after removing the stones, and after scraping the house and after plastering it,

וּבָא֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְרָאָ֕ה וְהִנֵּ֛ה פָּשָׂ֥ה הַנֶּ֖גַע בַּבָּ֑יִת צָרַ֨עַת מַמְאֶ֥רֶת הִ֛וא בַּבַּ֖יִת טָמֵ֥א הֽוּא׃

the priest shall come and examine; and if behold, the mark has spread again either in the same place or elsewhere in the house, it is a malignant leprosy, a leprosy accompanied by a curse (see 13:51), in the house, which does not affect only those particular stones, but the entire house, and it is impure.

וְנָתַ֣ץ אֶת־הַבַּ֗יִת אֶת־אֲבָנָיו֙ וְאֶת־עֵצָ֔יו וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־עֲפַ֣ר הַבָּ֑יִת וְהוֹצִיא֙ אֶל־מִח֣וּץ לָעִ֔יר אֶל־מָק֖וֹם טָמֵֽא׃

He, that is, anyone, shall demolish the entire house, its stones, and its timber, and all the plaster of the house; and he shall take it, all these, outside the city to an impure place.

וְהַבָּא֙ אֶל־הַבַּ֔יִת כָּל־יְמֵ֖י הִסְגִּ֣יר אֹת֑וֹ יִטְמָ֖א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

Special laws of impurity apply to a leprous house: One who comes into the house all the days that it is quarantined shall be impure until the evening.

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

One who remains and sleeps in the house shall wash his garments that he is wearing; and one who eats in the house, even if he did not sleep there but remained there long enough to eat, shall wash his garments. These laws of ritual impurity apply to this house during the quarantine period, at which point it is uncertain whether the house will be purified.

וְאִם־בֹּ֨א יָבֹ֜א הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְרָאָה֙ וְ֠הִנֵּה לֹא־פָשָׂ֤ה הַנֶּ֙גַע֙ בַּבַּ֔יִת אַחֲרֵ֖י הִטֹּ֣חַ אֶת־הַבָּ֑יִת וְטִהַ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֶת־הַבַּ֔יִת כִּ֥י נִרְפָּ֖א הַנָּֽגַע׃

Until this point, the reference has been to a case where the leprosy returned after the removal of the stones and the scraping of the plaster. The Torah now proceeds to address the alternative case. If the priest shall come and examine, and behold, the mark did not spread in the house after the plastering of the house, the priest shall pronounce the house pure, because the mark was healed.

וְלָקַ֛ח לְחַטֵּ֥א אֶת־הַבַּ֖יִת שְׁתֵּ֣י צִפֳּרִ֑ים וְעֵ֣ץ אֶ֔רֶז וּשְׁנִ֥י תוֹלַ֖עַת וְאֵזֹֽב׃

He shall take, to cleanse, purify, the house, two birds, cedar wood, scarlet wool, and hyssop.

וְשָׁחַ֖ט אֶת־הַצִּפֹּ֣ר הָאֶחָ֑ת אֶל־כְּלִי־חֶ֖רֶשׂ עַל־מַ֥יִם חַיִּֽים׃

He shall slaughter one of the birds in an earthenware vessel over spring water.

וְלָקַ֣ח אֶת־עֵֽץ־הָ֠אֶרֶז וְאֶת־הָ֨אֵזֹ֜ב וְאֵ֣ת ׀ שְׁנִ֣י הַתּוֹלַ֗עַת וְאֵת֮ הַצִּפֹּ֣ר הַֽחַיָּה֒ וְטָבַ֣ל אֹתָ֗ם בְּדַם֙ הַצִּפֹּ֣ר הַשְּׁחוּטָ֔ה וּבַמַּ֖יִם הַֽחַיִּ֑ים וְהִזָּ֥ה אֶל־הַבַּ֖יִת שֶׁ֥בַע פְּעָמִֽים׃

He shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet wool, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slaughtered bird and in the spring water, and he shall sprinkle on the house seven times. This entire process parallels the purification process of a leprous individual; however, in this case, one sprinkles on the leprous house rather than on a leprous person.

וְחִטֵּ֣א אֶת־הַבַּ֔יִת בְּדַם֙ הַצִּפּ֔וֹר וּבַמַּ֖יִם הַֽחַיִּ֑ים וּבַצִּפֹּ֣ר הַחַיָּ֗ה וּבְעֵ֥ץ הָאֶ֛רֶז וּבָאֵזֹ֖ב וּבִשְׁנִ֥י הַתּוֹלָֽעַת׃

He shall thereby cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the spring water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet wool.

וְשִׁלַּ֞ח אֶת־הַצִּפֹּ֧ר הַֽחַיָּ֛ה אֶל־מִח֥וּץ לָעִ֖יר אֶל־פְּנֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וְכִפֶּ֥ר עַל־הַבַּ֖יִת וְטָהֵֽר׃

He shall dispatch the living bird outside the city out on the field; and he shall atone for the house, eliminate its punishment, and it shall be purified.

זֹ֖את הַתּוֹרָ֑ה לְכָל־נֶ֥גַע הַצָּרַ֖עַת וְלַנָּֽתֶק׃

This is the law for any leprous mark, which appears primarily on the skin, and for a scall, leprosy of the head or the beard;

וּלְצָרַ֥עַת הַבֶּ֖גֶד וְלַבָּֽיִת׃

and for leprosy of the garment, and of the house;

וְלַשְׂאֵ֥ת וְלַסַּפַּ֖חַת וְלַבֶּהָֽרֶת׃

and for the following marks specifically: for the spot, and for the scab, and for the bright spot.

לְהוֹרֹ֕ת בְּי֥וֹם הַטָּמֵ֖א וּבְי֣וֹם הַטָּהֹ֑ר זֹ֥את תּוֹרַ֖ת הַצָּרָֽעַת׃ (ס)

To teach on which day it is impure, when one must declare the afflicted house impure, and on which day it is pure; this is the law of leprosy.