וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃

The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying:

דַּבְּרוּ֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֣ישׁ אִ֗ישׁ כִּ֤י יִהְיֶה֙ זָ֣ב מִבְּשָׂר֔וֹ זוֹב֖וֹ טָמֵ֥א הֽוּא׃

Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: Any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh, the member, his discharge is impure.

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

This shall be his impurity with his discharge: Whether his flesh, member, emits his discharge of fluid, or his flesh is blocked from his discharge, due to the fact that the discharge is thick and blocks the orifice, either way it is his impurity.

כָּל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֗ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכַּ֥ב עָלָ֛יו הַזָּ֖ב יִטְמָ֑א וְכָֽל־הַכְּלִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־יֵשֵׁ֥ב עָלָ֖יו יִטְמָֽא׃

Any bedding or article of furniture designed for reclining, on which the one who has a discharge lies, shall be impure; and any item on which he sits, any object fashioned for sitting, shall be impure. In other words, any object designed for reclining, e.g., a bed or chair, is rendered impure by the use of the one who had the discharge, even if he did not touch the object with an exposed part of his body.

וְאִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִגַּ֖ע בְּמִשְׁכָּב֑וֹ יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

A man who will touch his bedding shall wash his garments and bathe in water, and he is impure until the evening. The seats and bedding rendered impure by a zav have a severe level of impurity; in the terminology of the Sages, they are referred to as a primary source of ritual impurity. Like the zav himself, they transmit impurity to people with whom they come in contact and to the garments those people are wearing at the time.

וְהַיֹּשֵׁב֙ עַֽל־הַכְּלִ֔י אֲשֶׁר־יֵשֵׁ֥ב עָלָ֖יו הַזָּ֑ב יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

Furthermore, one who sits on an article on which the one who has a discharge sat, even if neither he nor the zav touched it directly with an exposed part of the body, he too shall wash his garments and bathe in water, and he is impure until the evening.

וְהַנֹּגֵ֖עַ בִּבְשַׂ֣ר הַזָּ֑ב יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

In addition to the impurity of vessels and items upon which the zav has leaned, there is also the impurity of his own body: One who touches the flesh, any part of the body, of the one who has a discharge shall wash his garments and bathe in water, and he is impure until the evening.

וְכִֽי־יָרֹ֛ק הַזָּ֖ב בַּטָּה֑וֹר וְכִבֶּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

If the one who has a discharge shall spit on one who is pure, that individual who was pure shall wash his garments and bathe in water, and he is impure until the evening. Not only does the discharge of the zav itself, and his body, transmit impurity, but his spittle is also impure and imparts impurity. This category includes other emissions, the so-called founts of a zav , in the terminology of the Sages, which also render one who touches them ritually impure.

וְכָל־הַמֶּרְכָּ֗ב אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִרְכַּ֥ב עָלָ֛יו הַזָּ֖ב יִטְמָֽא׃

Any saddle on which the one who has a discharge shall ride shall be impure. Similar to items used for lying and sitting, articles on which a zav rides, such as a saddle, are rendered impure even without direct contact with his body.

וְכָל־הַנֹּגֵ֗עַ בְּכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִהְיֶ֣ה תַחְתָּ֔יו יִטְמָ֖א עַד־הָעָ֑רֶב וְהַנּוֹשֵׂ֣א אוֹתָ֔ם יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

Anyone who touches any item that was underneath him, the zav , such as the aforementioned articles used for bedding, sitting, and riding, shall be impure until the evening, as stated above. The verse adds: And one who carries them, one of these articles, even if he does not touch it, shall wash his garments and bathe in water, and he is impure until the evening. The two ways in which one can contract this impurity are direct contact with one of those objects upon which the zav leaned, or by carrying and leaning without direct contact, e.g., the sitting mentioned in verse 6.

וְכֹ֨ל אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִגַּע־בּוֹ֙ הַזָּ֔ב וְיָדָ֖יו לֹא־שָׁטַ֣ף בַּמָּ֑יִם וְכִבֶּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

Anyone whom the one who has a discharge shall touch when he, the zav , did not rinse his hands in water, if the zav has yet to immerse himself from his impurity, he shall wash his garments and bathe in water, and he is impure until the evening. The touch of a zav transmits impurity even if the flow of his emission has ceased until he immerses for his purification.

וּכְלִי־חֶ֛רֶשׂ אֲשֶׁר־יִגַּע־בּ֥וֹ הַזָּ֖ב יִשָּׁבֵ֑ר וְכָל־כְּלִי־עֵ֔ץ יִשָּׁטֵ֖ף בַּמָּֽיִם׃

And an earthenware vessel, which cannot be purified while it remains whole (see 11:33), that the one who has a discharge shall touch, shall be broken; and every wooden implement, and likewise vessels made from other materials, such as metal shall be rinsed in water, it is immersed in a ritual bath and is thereby purified.

וְכִֽי־יִטְהַ֤ר הַזָּב֙ מִזּוֹב֔וֹ וְסָ֨פַר ל֜וֹ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֛ים לְטָהֳרָת֖וֹ וְכִבֶּ֣ס בְּגָדָ֑יו וְרָחַ֧ץ בְּשָׂר֛וֹ בְּמַ֥יִם חַיִּ֖ים וְטָהֵֽר׃

The chapter turns to the purification of the zav . When the one who has a discharge shall be cleansed from his discharge, after he is healed, he shall count for himself seven days from his cleansing. These are the so-called seven clean days, in the terminology of the Sages, seven days on which one examined himself and did not find an emission. And he shall wash, immerse in water, his garments, those he wore when he was a zav , and he shall bathe his flesh in spring water, water connected to its source. The requirement of spring water for ritual immersion is stated only with regard to a zav ; in all other cases, the impure individual may immerse in a different type of ritual bath. And he is thereby purified.

וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֗י יִֽקַּֽח־לוֹ֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י תֹרִ֔ים א֥וֹ שְׁנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יוֹנָ֑ה וּבָ֣א ׀ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה אֶל־פֶּ֙תַח֙ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וּנְתָנָ֖ם אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃

On the eighth day, he shall take for himself two turtledoves or two young pigeons, and come before the Lord to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and he shall give them to the priest.

וְעָשָׂ֤ה אֹתָם֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֶחָ֣ד חַטָּ֔את וְהָאֶחָ֖ד עֹלָ֑ה וְכִפֶּ֨ר עָלָ֧יו הַכֹּהֵ֛ן לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה מִזּוֹבֽוֹ׃ (ס)

The priest shall offer them, one as a sin offering, and one as a burnt offering; and the priest shall atone for him before the Lord from his discharge.

וְאִ֕ישׁ כִּֽי־תֵצֵ֥א מִמֶּ֖נּוּ שִׁכְבַת־זָ֑רַע וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֛יִם אֶת־כָּל־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

The chapter mentions another type of impurity, which is somewhat similar to ziva : And a man, when semen is emitted from him, shall bathe, immerse all his flesh in water, and he is impure until the evening. The emission of semen from a man is a light category of impurity, which is unconnected to a disease, unlike the impurity of a zav .

וְכָל־בֶּ֣גֶד וְכָל־ע֔וֹר אֲשֶׁר־יִהְיֶ֥ה עָלָ֖יו שִׁכְבַת־זָ֑רַע וְכֻבַּ֥ס בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (פ)

Every garment and any leather skin, upon which there shall be semen, shall be washed in water, and it is impure until the evening.

וְאִשָּׁ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכַּ֥ב אִ֛ישׁ אֹתָ֖הּ שִׁכְבַת־זָ֑רַע וְרָחֲצ֣וּ בַמַּ֔יִם וְטָמְא֖וּ עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

And a woman with whom a man shall lie with the emission of semen, as both the man and woman participated in the act, they shall bathe in water, and they are impure until the evening.

וְאִשָּׁה֙ כִּֽי־תִהְיֶ֣ה זָבָ֔ה דָּ֛ם יִהְיֶ֥ה זֹבָ֖הּ בִּבְשָׂרָ֑הּ שִׁבְעַ֤ת יָמִים֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה בְנִדָּתָ֔הּ וְכָל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בָּ֖הּ יִטְמָ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

A woman, if she has a discharge, not like the ziva of a man, but her discharge from her flesh being blood, referring not to an illness but to the blood of the menstrual cycle, seven days she shall be in the ritual impurity of her menstrual state. This severe form of impurity lasts for seven days, regardless of the duration of the blood flow during that period. Anyone who touches her on those days shall be impure until the evening.

וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּשְׁכַּ֥ב עָלָ֛יו בְּנִדָּתָ֖הּ יִטְמָ֑א וְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־תֵּשֵׁ֥ב עָלָ֖יו יִטְמָֽא׃

Anything on which she lies in her menstrual state shall be impure; and anything on which she sits shall be impure, whether or not she touches them directly. In this regard, the impurity of a menstruating woman parallels that of a zav .

וְכָל־הַנֹּגֵ֖עַ בְּמִשְׁכָּבָ֑הּ יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

Anyone who touches her bedding shall wash his garments and bathe in water, and he is impure until the evening.

וְכָל־הַנֹּגֵ֔עַ בְּכָל־כְּלִ֖י אֲשֶׁר־תֵּשֵׁ֣ב עָלָ֑יו יְכַבֵּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

Anyone who touches any article on which she sits shall wash his garments and bathe in water, and he is impure until the evening.

וְאִ֨ם עַֽל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֜ב ה֗וּא א֧וֹ עַֽל־הַכְּלִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־הִ֥וא יֹשֶֽׁבֶת־עָלָ֖יו בְּנָגְעוֹ־ב֑וֹ יִטְמָ֖א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

If he, a ritually pure person, or a pure vessel, or the aforementioned blood is on the bedding, or on any article on which she sits, in touching it he shall be impure until the evening.

וְאִ֡ם שָׁכֹב֩ יִשְׁכַּ֨ב אִ֜ישׁ אֹתָ֗הּ וּתְהִ֤י נִדָּתָהּ֙ עָלָ֔יו וְטָמֵ֖א שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים וְכָל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ב אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁכַּ֥ב עָלָ֖יו יִטְמָֽא׃ (פ)

If a man lies with her, during her menstrual period or afterward, before she has immersed, then the impurity of her menstrual status shall be upon him, due to contact with a menstruating woman, he has the same level of impurity as she does, but she does not actually transmit menstrual impurity to him. And he shall be impure seven days; and also any bedding on which he lies shall be impure.

וְאִשָּׁ֡ה כִּֽי־יָזוּב֩ ז֨וֹב דָּמָ֜הּ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים בְּלֹא֙ עֶת־נִדָּתָ֔הּ א֥וֹ כִֽי־תָז֖וּב עַל־נִדָּתָ֑הּ כָּל־יְמֵ֞י ז֣וֹב טֻמְאָתָ֗הּ כִּימֵ֧י נִדָּתָ֛הּ תִּהְיֶ֖ה טְמֵאָ֥ה הִֽוא׃

Although menstruation usually occurs at regular intervals, with regard to both its appearance and its duration, a woman occasionally can bleed in a similar manner at other times. And consequently, with regard to a woman, if her discharge of blood

כָּל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֞ב אֲשֶׁר־תִּשְׁכַּ֤ב עָלָיו֙ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י זוֹבָ֔הּ כְּמִשְׁכַּ֥ב נִדָּתָ֖הּ יִֽהְיֶה־לָּ֑הּ וְכָֽל־הַכְּלִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּשֵׁ֣ב עָלָ֔יו טָמֵ֣א יִהְיֶ֔ה כְּטֻמְאַ֖ת נִדָּתָֽהּ׃

Consequently, any bedding on which she lies all the days of her discharge shall be for her like the bedding of her menstruation with regard to ritual impurity, and any article on which she shall sit, including bedsheets, shall be impure, like the impurity of her menstruation.

וְכָל־הַנּוֹגֵ֥עַ בָּ֖ם יִטְמָ֑א וְכִבֶּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

And anyone who touches them, the vessels, furniture, or bedsheets on which she had sat or lain, shall become impure, and he shall wash his garments and bathe in water, and he is impure until the evening.

וְאִֽם־טָהֲרָ֖ה מִזּוֹבָ֑הּ וְסָ֥פְרָה לָּ֛הּ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים וְאַחַ֥ר תִּטְהָֽר׃

But if she was cleansed from her discharge, when the blood flow ends, she shall count for herself seven days, and then she shall be pure. The counting of seven clean days applies by Torah law only to a zav and a zava , whose bleeding is considered a form of illness, unlike regular menstrual bleeding, as stated previously in the commentary (see verse 19).

וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֗י תִּֽקַּֽח־לָהּ֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י תֹרִ֔ים א֥וֹ שְׁנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יוֹנָ֑ה וְהֵבִיאָ֤ה אוֹתָם֙ אֶל־הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

Furthermore, like the zav , the zava must bring offerings to atone for herself and permit her to enter the Temple: And on the eighth day, after seven days clean without bleeding, she shall take for herself two turtledoves or two young pigeons, and she shall bring them to the priest, to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.

וְעָשָׂ֤ה הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֶת־הָאֶחָ֣ד חַטָּ֔את וְאֶת־הָאֶחָ֖ד עֹלָ֑ה וְכִפֶּ֨ר עָלֶ֤יהָ הַכֹּהֵן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה מִזּ֖וֹב טֻמְאָתָֽהּ׃

The priest shall perform one as a sin offering, and one as a burnt offering; and the priest shall atone for her before the Lord for the discharge of her impurity.

וְהִזַּרְתֶּ֥ם אֶת־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִטֻּמְאָתָ֑ם וְלֹ֤א יָמֻ֙תוּ֙ בְּטֻמְאָתָ֔ם בְּטַמְּאָ֥ם אֶת־מִשְׁכָּנִ֖י אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּתוֹכָֽם׃

You shall separate, distance, the children of Israel from their impurity, that they shall not die in their impurity, by their rendering My Tabernacle that is in their midst impure.

זֹ֥את תּוֹרַ֖ת הַזָּ֑ב וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר תֵּצֵ֥א מִמֶּ֛נּוּ שִׁכְבַת־זֶ֖רַע לְטָמְאָה־בָֽהּ׃

The chapter concludes: This is the law of the one who has a discharge, and of one from whom semen will be emitted, to become impure through it;

וְהַדָּוָה֙ בְּנִדָּתָ֔הּ וְהַזָּב֙ אֶת־זוֹב֔וֹ לַזָּכָ֖ר וְלַנְּקֵבָ֑ה וּלְאִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִשְׁכַּ֖ב עִם־טְמֵאָֽה׃ (פ)

and the law of she who is suffering with her menstruation, at the time of her period, and the law for one who has a discharge, for a man or for a woman; and likewise for one who lies with an impure woman, whether she is a menstruating woman, a zava , or has given birth.