Commentary for Negaim 1:5
כֵּיצַד לְהָקֵל. הָיָה בוֹ שֵׂעָר לָבָן וְהָלַךְ לוֹ שֵׂעָר לָבָן, הָיוּ לְבָנוֹת וְהִשְׁחִירוּ, אַחַת לְבָנָה וְאַחַת שְׁחוֹרָה, וְהִשְׁחִירוּ שְׁתֵּיהֶן, אֲרֻכּוֹת וְהִקְצִירוּ, אַחַת אֲרֻכָּה וְאַחַת קְצָרָה וְהִקְצִירוּ שְׁתֵּיהֶן, נִסְמַךְ הַשְּׁחִין לִשְׁתֵּיהֶן אוֹ לְאַחַת מֵהֶן, הִקִּיף הַשְּׁחִין לִשְׁתֵּיהֶן אוֹ לְאַחַת מֵהֶן, אוֹ חִלְּקָן הַשְּׁחִין וּמִחְיַת הַשְּׁחִין וְהַמִּכְוָה וּמִחְיַת הַמִּכְוָה וְהַבֹּהַק, הָיְתָה בוֹ מִחְיָה וְהָלְכָה לָהּ הַמִּחְיָה, הָיְתָה מְרֻבַּעַת וְנַעֲשֵׂית עֲגֻלָּה אוֹ אֲרֻכָּה, מְבֻצֶּרֶת וְנַעֲשֵׂית מִן הַצַּד, מְכֻנֶּסֶת וְנִתְפַּזְּרָה, וּבָא הַשְּׁחִין וְנִכְנַס בְּתוֹכָהּ. הִקִּיפָהּ, חִלְּקָהּ, אוֹ מִעֲטָהּ הַשְּׁחִין אוֹ מִחְיַת הַשְּׁחִין, וְהַמִּכְוָה וּמִחְיַת הַמִּכְוָה וְהַבֹּהַק, הָיָה בוֹ פִסְיוֹן וְהָלַךְ לוֹ פִסְיוֹן, אוֹ שֶׁהָלְכָה לָהּ הָאוֹם אוֹ שֶׁנִּתְמַעֲטָה וְאֵין בָּזֶה וּבָזֶה כַגְּרִיס, הַשְּׁחִין וּמִחְיַת הַשְּׁחִין וְהַמִּכְוָה וּמִחְיַת הַמִּכְוָה וְהַבֹּהַק חוֹלְקִין בֵּין הָאוֹם לַפִּסְיוֹן, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ לְהָקֵל:
How [is waiting until after Shabbat considered] a leniency? [If] he had in [the <i>Nega</i>] white hair [on Shabbat] and [after Shabbat] the white hair disappeared from it, [or if] if there were white [hairs] and they blackened, [or if there were] one white and one black, and the two of them blackened, [or if the hairs were] long and they were shortened, [or if there were] one long and one short, and the two of them were shortened, [or if] a boil encroached upon the two of them or upon one of them, [or if] a boil surrounded the two of them or one of them, or divided them - [this refers to] a boil, a partly-healed boil, a burn, a partly-healed burn, or a <i>Bohak</i> [very white blemish]. [Other cases of leniency include if the skin] had a healed part and then the healed part went away, [or if the area of the <i>Nega</i>] was square and became circular or stretched, [or if a healed part of skin] was surrounded [by a <i>Nega</i>] and then [the <i>Nega</i>] moved to the side, [or if the healed part of skin] was concentrated and then became scattered, [or if] a boil came and went into [the healed part of the skin], surrounded it, split it, or diminished it - [this refers to] a boil, a partly-healed boil, a burn, a partly-healed burn, or a <i>Bohak</i>. [Other cases of leniency include if the <i>Nega</i>] had an extension and then the extension went away, or if the original [<i>Nega</i>] went away, or it decreased [so that] there was not between this one and that one [i.e. between the original and the extension] an [area of] a bean, [or if a] boil, a partly-healed boil, a burn, a partly-healed burn, or a <i>Bohak</i> separate between the original and its expansion. These are [cases in which waiting until after Shabbat is considered a] leniency.
Bartenura on Mishnah Negaim
היה בו שער לבן – on the Sabbath day. And if he (i.e., the Kohen) had seen him, he would have declared him to be a leper, but after the Sabbath, the white hair disappeared, and this is ruling leniently. But even though that he (i.e., the Kohen) declared him to be a leper on the Sabbath day, when it (i.e., the white hair) left him after the Sabbath, he would have declared him pure, nevertheless, he would have to bring a sacrifice, according to the law of a מצורע מוחלט/confirmed leper – who has been declared conclusively ritually impure by a Kohen (A confirmed leper must grow his hair long and rend his garments) who became healed, but now is exempt.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Negaim
Introduction
This mishnah explains Rabbi Akiva's position from the end of yesterday's mishnah. There he claimed that sometimes delaying the examination of a nega can lead to a leniency. Our mishnah explains when this is so. The mishnah goes over numerous (and I'm not exaggerating) cases in which a nega would be declared impure had it been seen on Shabbat, but then changes to something that is not impure. Therefore, not seeing a nega Shabbat caused a leniency.
What we now need to do is explain all of these scenarios.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Negaim
היו לבנות – alternatively, if his hair was white on the Sabbath day that he would have been designated to have been declared a confirmed leper, and on the morrow (i.e., Sunday), [his hair] blackened, this is ruling leniently.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Negaim
How does it lead to a leniency?
If the nega had two white hairs and one white hair disappeared. If there were two white hairs and they turned black. If one hair was white and the other black and both turned black. If they were long and then they became short. If one was long and the other short and both became short. On Shabbat, the person had two white hairs on his nega. Had the priest examined him that day, he would have certified him as impure. By the next day, there is only one white hair. If this was the end of the first week, the priest would isolate him for a second week and as long as the appearance stays the same, at the end of the second week he would be pure. Note that had the priest declared him impure, he would have had to bring a sacrifice and shaved the hair of his body. The mishnah now brings up various other scenarios in which on Shabbat there is a nega that would make him impure but then something happens to one of the hairs such that they are now no longer sufficient to make him impure. Only white hairs are impure and the hairs must be of sufficient length.
If the nega had two white hairs and one white hair disappeared. If there were two white hairs and they turned black. If one hair was white and the other black and both turned black. If they were long and then they became short. If one was long and the other short and both became short. On Shabbat, the person had two white hairs on his nega. Had the priest examined him that day, he would have certified him as impure. By the next day, there is only one white hair. If this was the end of the first week, the priest would isolate him for a second week and as long as the appearance stays the same, at the end of the second week he would be pure. Note that had the priest declared him impure, he would have had to bring a sacrifice and shaved the hair of his body. The mishnah now brings up various other scenarios in which on Shabbat there is a nega that would make him impure but then something happens to one of the hairs such that they are now no longer sufficient to make him impure. Only white hairs are impure and the hairs must be of sufficient length.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Negaim
אחת לבנה ואחת שחורה והשחירו שניהן – he just refers to it by the way/without specific reason, for here one cannot be lenient, and whether it was white [and turned black] or had been black all along, he is ritually pure. But subsidiary to this/on account of, [as] the concluding clause [of the Mishnah] is stringent (see Mishnah 6), it (i.e., the Mishnah) took this term as it teaches, "ולהבינו"/and they became white – in both [clauses].
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English Explanation of Mishnah Negaim
If a boil adjoined both hairs or one of them. If the boil surrounded both hairs or one of them. Or if they were separated from each other by a boil, the quick flesh of a boil, a burning, or the quick flesh of a burning, or a white scurf. For the hairs to be a sign of impurity, they must be inside a discoloration, swelling or rash. If they are in a boil they are not a sign of impurity. If they were in some type of discoloration on Shabbat and then they were either adjoined by a boil or surrounded by a boil, they are pure. The final piece here is a parenthetical remark regarding the boil mentioned above. Such a boil can either be a boil, the quick flesh of a boil, a burn or the quick flesh of a burn, or "white scurf." Now if you don’t know what "white scurf" is don't worry. Albeck explains that it is some kind of whitish discoloration that is not considered impure. Note that if you google-image this, you will get many pictures of a white scarf. Pretty, but not very helpful.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Negaim
ארוכות – his hair was [long] on the Sabbath day in order to cut it with scissors, that is the measure of defilement. On the morrow, they will be shortened, which is to be lenient.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Negaim
If it had undiscolored flesh and this undiscolored flesh disappeared. Leviticus 13:10 says, 10 If the priest finds on the skin a white swelling which has turned some hair white, with a patch of undiscolored flesh in the swelling, 11 it is chronic leprosy on the skin of his body, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean; he need not isolate him, for he is unclean." If it had such undiscolored flesh on Shabbat and then it disappeared, he is pure.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Negaim
אחת ארוכה ואחת קצרה – he just refers to it by the way/without specific reason, for either way (i.e., whether is hair is short or long) is a pure. But on account of the concluding clause [of the Mishnah] that is to be stringent (see Mishnah 6), it (i.e., the Mishnah) took the phrase and taught: "והאריכו"/and they became longer, in both [clauses].
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English Explanation of Mishnah Negaim
If it was square and then became round or elongated. For the undiscolored flesh to be impure it must be square. If it was square and then became round or elongated it is no longer impure.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Negaim
נסמך השחין (if the inflammation/boil was attached) – to two hairs, after the Sabbath, but on the Sabbath he did not have a boil/inflammation on it, for had he (i.e., the Kohen) seen it on the Sabbath, he would declare him to be a leper on account of the white hairs that are within the bright white spot on the skin/בהרת, and now after the Sabbath when the boil comes and is attached to the two of them (i.e., hairs) or to one of them, is not a sign of defilement.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Negaim
If it was encompassed and then moved to the side. If it was united and then it was dispersed. Or a boil appeared and made its way into it. If it was encompassed, parted or lessened by a boil, the quick flesh of a boil, a burning, the quick flesh of a burning, or a white scurf; If the discoloration is encompassed by the nega it is impure. Such was the case on Shabbat, but by the time Shabbat was over, it was not encompassed and it was pure. Alternatively, the discoloration was all in one place in Shabbat and then spread apart such that it is not impure. Or a boil entered the area of the discoloration and now the discoloration is now inside a boil. Or if any other way the boil or burn, or quick flesh of such, disrupted the discoloration then it is no longer impure.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Negaim
הקיף השחין וכו' – or that the boil surrounded the two white hairs.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Negaim
If it had a spreading and then the spreading disappeared; Or the first sign itself disappeared or was so lessened that both are less than the size of a split bean; Or if a boil, the quick flesh of a boil, a burning, the quick flesh of a burning, or a white scurf, formed a division between the first sign and the spreading Behold these lead to a leniency in the law. If on Shabbat the nega had spread sufficiently for it to be impure, but then by after Shabbat the part that had spread had disappeared, it is pure. Or if the original nega completely disappeared, or if the original or spreading part had been diminished from the required amount (we will learn more about this later), then the nega is not impure.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Negaim
או לאחת מהן או חלקן השחין – that the boil comes of the raw flesh of the boil or the burnt spot on the skin or the raw flesh of the burnt spot on the skin or the white scurf/בוהק between each hair. All of these on Shabbat are not there but after Shabbat came (i.e., appeared), this is a leniency.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Negaim
If a boil, burn or quick flesh divide the nega into two, it is pure. In all of these cases we have learned that there is a fine line between a pure and impure nega. Something that is impure one day can be pure the next. As we shall see in tomorrow's mishnah, this can also lead to a stringency for something that is pure one day (Shabbat) can be impure the next.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Negaim
היתה בו מחיה (if there was in it raw flesh) – on the Sabbath, which is a sign of defilement, and it went away after the Sabbath. Alternatively, it was quadrilateral on the Sabbath, and he was worthy of being declared a leper, but after Shabbat it became round or long, that now it is not a sign of defilement. Alternatively, an eruption was surrounded with raw flesh in the middle of the bright white spot on the skin/בהרת, like a kind of a fortress of a city that sits in the middle of the city, and through this, he was worthy of being declared a leper, but after Shabbat, it was made from the side. Alternatively, it was gathered/collected like a lentil in one place, but after Shabbat, it scattered.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Negaim
ובא השחין ונכנס לתוכו – meaning to say, that on Shabbat there was no boil there, but the raw flesh was a sign of defilement, and the boil came and entered into it.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Negaim
הקיפה או חלקה או מיעטה – meaning to say, or that the boil didn’t come on the entire plague but only on a part of the raw flesh, and became diminished from being like a lentil.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Negaim
השחין ומחית השחין המכוה ומחית המכוה והבהק (the boil, the raw flesh of the boil, the burning and the raw flesh of the burning and the white scurf/tetter) – all of these exist for being diminished, for the boil was lessened or the raw flesh of the boil, that is, that a membrane was made like the shell of the garlic. Or the burnt spot on the skin or the raw flesh of the burnt spot on the skin. All of these that on the Sabbath were not there, but after the Sabbath came. And similarly, the white scurf/בוהק, that on the Sabbath were from the four appearances [of plagues] and on the morrow (i.e., Sunday), it became white scurf and the raw flesh lessened, for boils and white scurf lessen the raw flesh, as is taught in Torat Kohanim (i.e., Sifra, the Midrash Halakha on Leviticus): “living flesh,” (see Leviticus 13:14: “But as soon as un-discolored flesh appears in it, he shall be impure”/"וביום הראות בו בשר חי יטמא"), but not boils; “living flesh,” but not white scurf.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Negaim
היה לו פסיון (if he had the spreading of a leprous spot) – on Shabbat.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Negaim
והלך לו הפסיון – after Shabbat, for what spread on Shabbat was gathered in on the morrow (i.e., Sunday).
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Bartenura on Mishnah Negaim
או שהלכה האום (or that the original leprosy- substance had disappeared) – the essence of the plague is called the אום/original leprosy, the original leprosy had disappeared and there remained the leprous spot, or that the original leprosy substance had become reduced , and there isn’t between them like the size of a Cilician bean.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Negaim
השחין ומחית השחין – meaning to say, alternatively, on Shabbat it spread but did not stop on Shabbat between the original leprosy substance and the leprous spot neither the boils nor the raw flesh of the boils nor the burnt spot on the skin nor the raw flesh of the skin nor the white scurf, but after the Sabbath, one of these stopped, this is its leniency.
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