Commentary for Negaim 5:3
שְׂעַר פְּקֻדָּה, עֲקַבְיָא בֶן מַהֲלַלְאֵל מְטַמֵּא, וַחֲכָמִים מְטַהֲרִין. אֵיזֶה הוּא שְׂעַר פְּקֻדָּה, מִי שֶׁהָיְתָה בוֹ בַהֶרֶת וּבָהּ שֵׂעָר לָבָן, הָלְכָה הַבַּהֶרֶת וְהִנִּיחָה לְשֵׂעָר לָבָן בִּמְקוֹמוֹ וְחָזְרָה, עֲקַבְיָא בֶן מַהֲלַלְאֵל מְטַמֵּא, וַחֲכָמִים מְטַהֲרִין. אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, מוֹדֶה אֲנִי בְזֶה שֶׁהוּא טָהוֹר. אֵיזֶה הוּא שְׂעַר פְּקֻדָּה, מִי שֶׁהָיְתָה בוֹ בַהֶרֶת כַּגְּרִיס וּבָהּ שְׁתֵּי שְׂעָרוֹת, וְהָלַךְ הֵימֶנָּה כַחֲצִי גְרִיס וְהִנִּיחוֹ לְשֵׂעָר לָבָן בִּמְקוֹם הַבַּהֶרֶת וְחָזַר. אָמְרוּ לוֹ, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁבִּטְּלוּ אֶת דִּבְרֵי עֲקַבְיָא, אַף דְּבָרֶיךָ אֵינָן מְקֻיָּמִין:
The hair of <i>Pekudah</i> - Akavya ben Mahalaleil declares impure and the Sages declare pure. What is the hair of <i>Pekudah</i>? Someone who had upon him a <i>Baheret</i> with white hair in it, [if] the <i>Baheret</i> disappeared and left white hair in its place, and then returned - Akavya ben Mahalaleil declares it impure and the Sages declare it pure. Rabbi Akiva said: "I agree [with the Sages] in this [case] that it is pure." What is the hair of <i>Pekudah</i> [about which Rabbi Akiva disagrees with the Sages]? Someone who had upon him a <i>Baheret</i> like [the size of] a bean with two [white] hairs in it, and then [the size of] half a bean went from it and left the white hair in the area of the <i>Baheret</i> and [then] returned. They [the Sages] said to him: Just like they discredited Akavya’s words, so too your words will not be established [as law].
Explore commentary for Negaim 5:3. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.