The practice of wildness and rending of a metsora and all who render a person impure: That a metsora act like the statute written in the section of the Torah, as it is stated (Leviticus 13:45), “his clothes shall be rent, his head shall be wild.” And likewise, all other impure ones must let themselves be known. And the language of Sifra, Tazria, Parashat Nega’im, Chapter 12:9 is “One who is impure from a dead body, one who has intercourse with a menstruant and all who render a person impure — from where [do I know they are included? Hence] we learn to say, ‘“impure, impure,” he shall call out’ (Leviticus 13:45).” And the calling is that he should do a matter in his body that people will recognize about him that he is impure and veer away from him.
It is from the root of the commandment that he take his distancing from people as an example for his soul. As a person is distanced from all good as a result of sin, in order that he will repent from his evil way. And this is [the meaning] of their, may their memory be blessed saying (Arakhin 16b), “With evil speech, he separated a man from his wife and a man from his fellow. And therefore his tent is outside of the camp.” And therefore it is fitting that he should call to every man that they veer away from him. And the general principle in all things is “With the measure that a man measures, [so] will he be measured” (Sotah 8b). And many do not know the understanding of this thing. As they think to explain this thing with God, may He be blessed, modeled on the recompense of men — that each one will recompense his fellow according to the good that he did by him, or according to the bad [that he did]. But the matter is not like this with God, blessed be He — God forbid. As there is always only kindness and mercy with God, blessed be He; and His goodness is ready at every instant and every hour for all who are fitting to receive it. And “the Guardian of Israel does not slumber and does not sleep.” [Rather] the intention of that which they, may their memory be blessed said about Him, blessed be He, “With the measure that a man measures, [so] will he be measured,” is to say that according to the action of a man — whether for the good or the opposite — will he be set to receive recompense. As always in the same manner that a person sets his thoughts and does his actions — in that exact mold — will blessing or its opposite be drawn to him.
And so does the verse state, “For He does not oppress from His heart, nor bring grief to man” (Lamentations 3:33). And it is also written, “For You are not a God Who desires wickedness, etc.” (Psalms 5:5) — meaning to say that God, may He be blessed, does not obligate liability to any creature from His desire for the liability, as the good God always desires good. Rather, it is a man who makes himself liable in his moving from righteousness; and [so] removes from himself the preparations that allow him to receive the good. And the parable for this is the one who walks on a straight path that is free of stones and from anything that makes one stumble, but there is a hedge of thorns from this [side] and from that [side]. And one went and rubbed the hedge and was hurt — truthfully, one cannot say about this man that God desired his hurt. [Rather,] he was the cause, since he was not careful to walk straight. And so too, with one who sins, it is the attribute of justice that makes him liable for his sin regardless. And one cannot say that the good God desired his liability. [Rather,] in his preventing himself from the good, from the angle of his sin, did evil become [drawn] found to him. And similar to this thing did they, may their memory be blessed, say: “No evil thing descends from Above” (Bereshit Rabbah 51:3).
And the general principle of our words is that every bad event that happens to a man is an action that happens to a man by God, may He be blessed, hiding His face from the man — meaning to say, that God, may He be blessed, removes His guarding from upon him, from the angle of his sin, until he receives the fitting punishment according to his sin. And then He commands His angels to guard him, as at first. And [it is] as it is written (Deuteronomy 31:17), “And I will hide My face from them and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles will find them; and they will say on that day, ‘It is because our God is not among us, they found us, etc.’” And one sage wrote, “We know that God is one and the change [only] comes from the receivers. And God will not change His deeds, as they are all with wisdom” (Sefer Kuzari 4:3).
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Megillah 8b), “There is no difference between a quarantined metsora and a definitive metsora except renting and wildness, [...] shaving and [offering] birds” — meaning to say that the quarantined one does not become wild and rent. And the explanation of becoming wild is the growing of hair; and of rending is that he tears his clothes. And the one who is pure [after] the quarantine is exempt from shaving and birds, but the one who is pure [after being] definitive is obligated about shaving and birds. But the impurity of both of them is the same in everything. And the matters of their impurity and how it is; whether they are prohibited in inquiring about [others’] welfare; whether they are permitted to study [Torah] while they are still in their impurity; whether they are forbidden to get a haircut and to wash clothing; whether they are permitted in bathing, anointing, the wearing of shoes and sexual relations; the law of a metsoraat (a woman that contacts tsaraat), how is her law and her practice; and the rest of its details are elucidated in Negaim. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Defilement by Leprosy 10.)
And [it] is practiced at all times that we have priests and sages that know the ailments, that are fitting to render pure and to render impure. And one who transgresses it and does not do like this statute for himself has violated this positive commandment.
הַנְהָגַת הַמְּצֹרָע וְכָל מְטַמְּאֵי אָדָם בִּפְרִיעָה וּפְרִימָה – שֶׁיִּתְנַהֵג הַמְּצֹרָע כַּמִּשְׁפָּט הַכָּתוּב בַּפָּרָשָׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יג מה) בְּגָדָיו יִהְיוּ פְרֻמִים וְרֹאשׁוֹ יִהְיֶה פָרוּעַ, וְכֵן כָּל שְׁאָר הַטְּמֵאִים גַּם כֵּן צְרִיכִים לְהוֹדִיעַ אֶת עַצְמָן. וּלְשׁוֹן סִפְרָא (ויקרא יב ט) טְמֵא מֵת וּבוֹעֵל נִדָּה וְכָל הַמְּטַמְּאִין אֶת הָאָדָם מִנַּיִן תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְטָמֵא טָמֵא יִקְרָא. וְהַקְּרִיאָה הִיא שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה בְּגוּפוֹ עִנְיָן שֶׁיֻּכַּר לִבְנֵי אָדָם בּוֹ שֶׁהוּא טָמֵא וְיָסוּרוּ מִמֶּנּוּ.
The practice of wildness and rending of a metsora and all who render a person impure: That a metsora act like the statute written in the section of the Torah, as it is stated (Leviticus 13:45), “his clothes shall be rent, his head shall be wild.” And likewise, all other impure ones must let themselves be known. And the language of Sifra, Tazria, Parashat Nega’im, Chapter 12:9 is “One who is impure from a dead body, one who has intercourse with a menstruant and all who render a person impure — from where [do I know they are included? Hence] we learn to say, ‘“impure, impure,” he shall call out’ (Leviticus 13:45).” And the calling is that he should do a matter in his body that people will recognize about him that he is impure and veer away from him.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. שֶׁיִּקַּח דִּמְיוֹן בְּנַפְשׁוֹ בְּהַרְחָקָתוֹ מִבְּנֵי אָדָם כִּי בְּסִבַּת הַחֵטְא יִרְחַק הָאָדָם מִכָּל טוּב, לְמַעַן יָשׁוּב מִדַּרְכּוֹ הָרָעָה. וְזֶהוּ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ערכין טז ב) הוּא הִבְדִּיל בְּלָשׁוֹן הָרָע בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, וּבֵין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, וּלְפִיכָךְ מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה אָהֳלוֹ. וְלָכֵן רָאוּי שֶׁיִּקְרָא לְכָל אָדָם שֶׁיָּסוּרוּ מִמֶּנּוּ. וּכְלָל גָּדוֹל בְּכָל הַדְּבָרִים בְּמִדָּה שֶׁאָדָם מוֹדֵד בָּהּ מוֹדְדִים לוֹ (סוטה ח ב). וּפֵרוּשׁ דָּבָר זֶה לֹא יֵדָעוּהוּ רַבִּים, כִּי יַחְשְׁבוּ לְפָרֵשׁ דָּבָר זֶה אֵצֶל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּדֻגְמַת גְּמוּל בְּנֵי אָדָם, שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד יְשַׁלֵּם אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ גְּמוּל כְּפִי הַטּוֹבָה שֶׁעָשָׂה עִמּוֹ אוֹ כְּפִי הָרָעָה, וְלֹא כֵן הָעִנְיָן אֵצֶל הַשֵּׁם בָּרוּךְ הוּא חָלִילָה כִּי אֵין עִם הַשֵּׁם בָּרוּךְ הוּא כִּי אִם טוֹבָה וְחֶסֶד וְרַחֲמִים לְעוֹלָם, וּבְכָל עֵת וּבְכָל שָׁעָה טוּבוֹ מוּכָן אֶל כָּל הָרָאוּי לְקַבְּלוֹ וְלֹא יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל (תהלים קכא ד). וּמָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שוטה שם) אֶצְלוֹ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמִדָּה שֶׁאָדָם מוֹדֵד בָּהּ מוֹדְדִין לוֹ, הַכַּוָּנָה לוֹמַר כִּי לְפִי מַעֲשֵׂה הָאָדָם אִם לְטוֹבָה אִם לְהֶפֶךְ, יִתָּכֵן לְקַבָּלַת הַגְּמוּל, כִּי לְעוֹלָם בְּאוֹתוֹ הָעִנְיָן שֶׁיָּשִׂים כָּל מַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו וְיַעֲשֶׂה מַעֲשָׂיו, בְּדֻגְמָתוֹ מַמָּשׁ תִּמָּשֵׁךְ עָלָיו הַבְּרָכָה אוֹ הַהֵפֶךְ.
It is from the root of the commandment that he take his distancing from people as an example for his soul. As a person is distanced from all good as a result of sin, in order that he will repent from his evil way. And this is [the meaning] of their, may their memory be blessed saying (Arakhin 16b), “With evil speech, he separated a man from his wife and a man from his fellow. And therefore his tent is outside of the camp.” And therefore it is fitting that he should call to every man that they veer away from him. And the general principle in all things is “With the measure that a man measures, [so] will he be measured” (Sotah 8b). And many do not know the understanding of this thing. As they think to explain this thing with God, may He be blessed, modeled on the recompense of men — that each one will recompense his fellow according to the good that he did by him, or according to the bad [that he did]. But the matter is not like this with God, blessed be He — God forbid. As there is always only kindness and mercy with God, blessed be He; and His goodness is ready at every instant and every hour for all who are fitting to receive it. And “the Guardian of Israel does not slumber and does not sleep.” [Rather] the intention of that which they, may their memory be blessed said about Him, blessed be He, “With the measure that a man measures, [so] will he be measured,” is to say that according to the action of a man — whether for the good or the opposite — will he be set to receive recompense. As always in the same manner that a person sets his thoughts and does his actions — in that exact mold — will blessing or its opposite be drawn to him.
וְכֵן אָמַר הַכָּתוּב (איכה ג לג) כִּי לֹא עִנָּה מִלִּבּוֹ וַיַּגֶּה בְּנֵי אִישׁ. וּכְתִיב גַּם כֵּן (תהלים ה ה) כִּי לֹא אֵל חָפֵץ רֶשַׁע אָתָּה וְגוֹ'. כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לֹא יְחַיֵּב בְּרִיָּה מֵחֶפְצוֹ בְּחִיּוּב, כִּי הָאֵל הַטּוֹב חָפֵץ בַּטּוֹב לְעוֹלָם. אֲבָל הָאָדָם הוּא שֶׁמְּחַיֵּב אֶת עַצְמוֹ בִּנְטוֹתוֹ מִן הַיֹּשֶׁר וְיָסִיר מִגּוּפוֹ הַהֲכָנוֹת הַמַּכְשִׁירוֹת אוֹתוֹ לְקַבֵּל הַטּוֹבָה. וְהַמָּשָׁל עַל זֶה, הַהֹלֵךְ עַל דֶּרֶךְ יָשָׁר וּפָנוּי מֵאֲבָנִים וּמִכָּל דָּבָר הַמַּכְשִׁיל וְיֵשׁ לַדֶּרֶךְ גֶּדֶר קוֹצִים מִכָּאן וּמִכָּאן וְעָבַר אֶחָד וְנִתְחַכֵּךְ בַּגָּדֵר וְנִכְוָה, בֶּאֱמֶת אֵין לוֹמַר עַל הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה שֶׁהַשֵּׁם חָפֵץ בִּכְוִיָּתוֹ, אֲבָל הוּא הַגּוֹרֵם כִּי לֹא נִזְהַר לָלֶכֶת בְּיֹשֶׁר. וּכְמוֹ כֵן בַּעַל הַחֵטְא מִדַּת הַדִּין תְּחַיְּבֶנּוּ עַל חֶטְאוֹ עַל כָּל פָּנִים, וְאֵין לוֹמַר עָלָיו שֶׁהָאֵל הַטּוֹב יַחְפֹּץ בְּחִיּוּבוֹ, אֲבָל בְּהִמָּנַע מִמֶּנּוּ הַטּוֹב מִצַּד חֶטְאוֹ [יִמָּשֵׁךְ] יִמָּצֵא אֵלָיו הָרַע, וּכְעֵין דָּבָר זֶה אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ב"ר פנ"א ג) אֵין דָּבָר רַע יוֹרֵד מִלְּמַעְלָה.
And so does the verse state, “For He does not oppress from His heart, nor bring grief to man” (Lamentations 3:33). And it is also written, “For You are not a God Who desires wickedness, etc.” (Psalms 5:5) — meaning to say that God, may He be blessed, does not obligate liability to any creature from His desire for the liability, as the good God always desires good. Rather, it is a man who makes himself liable in his moving from righteousness; and [so] removes from himself the preparations that allow him to receive the good. And the parable for this is the one who walks on a straight path that is free of stones and from anything that makes one stumble, but there is a hedge of thorns from this [side] and from that [side]. And one went and rubbed the hedge and was hurt — truthfully, one cannot say about this man that God desired his hurt. [Rather,] he was the cause, since he was not careful to walk straight. And so too, with one who sins, it is the attribute of justice that makes him liable for his sin regardless. And one cannot say that the good God desired his liability. [Rather,] in his preventing himself from the good, from the angle of his sin, did evil become [drawn] found to him. And similar to this thing did they, may their memory be blessed, say: “No evil thing descends from Above” (Bereshit Rabbah 51:3).
וּכְלָל דְּבָרֵינוּ כִּי כָּל הַמִּקְרֶה הָרַע הַמִּתְחַדֵּשׁ בָּאָדָם, הוּא פְּעֻלָּה הַמִּתְחַדֶּשֶׁת בָּאָדָם בְּהַסְתָּרַת פְּנֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מִן הָאִישׁ, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מֵסִיר שְׁמִירָתוֹ מֵעָלָיו מִצַּד חֶטְאוֹ עַד שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל הָעֹנֶשׁ הָרָאוּי לוֹ לְפִי הַחֵטְא, וְאָז יְצַוֶּה מַלְאָכָיו לְשָׁמְרוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר בַּתְּחִלָּה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים לא יז) וְהִסְתַּרְתִּי פָנַי מֵהֶם וְהָיָה לֶאֱכֹל וּמְצָאֻהוּ רָעוֹת רַבּוֹת וְצָרוֹת וְאָמַר בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא הֲלֹא עַל כִּי אֵין אֱלֹהַי בְּקִרְבִּי מְצָאוּנִי וְגוֹ' (דברים לא יז). וְכָתַב חָכָם אֶחָד (כוזרי ד ג) יָדַעְנוּ כִּי הַשֵּׁם אֶחָד, וְהַשִּׁנּוּי יָבוֹא מֵהַמְּקַבְּלִים, וְהַשֵּׁם לֹא יְשַׁנֶּה מַעֲשָׂיו, כִּי כֻּלָּם הֵם בְּחָכְמָה.
And the general principle of our words is that every bad event that happens to a man is an action that happens to a man by God, may He be blessed, hiding His face from the man — meaning to say, that God, may He be blessed, removes His guarding from upon him, from the angle of his sin, until he receives the fitting punishment according to his sin. And then He commands His angels to guard him, as at first. And [it is] as it is written (Deuteronomy 31:17), “And I will hide My face from them and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles will find them; and they will say on that day, ‘It is because our God is not among us, they found us, etc.’” And one sage wrote, “We know that God is one and the change [only] comes from the receivers. And God will not change His deeds, as they are all with wisdom” (Sefer Kuzari 4:3).
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מגילה ח ב) אֵין בֵּין מְצֹרָע מֻסְגָּר לִמְצֹרָע מֻחְלָט אֶלָּא פְּרִיעָה וּפְרִימָה וְתִגְלַחַת רֹאשׁ וְצִפֳּרִים, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁהַמֻּסְגָּר אֵינוֹ פּוֹרֵעַ וּפוֹרֵם. וּפֵרוּשׁ פּוֹרֵעַ גִּדּוּל הַשֵּׂעָר, וּפוֹרֵם שֶׁיִּקְרַע בְּגָדָיו. וְהַטָּהוֹר מִתּוֹךְ הֶסְגֵּר פָּטוּר מִתִּגְלַחַת וְצִפֳּרִים, וְהַטָּהוֹר מִתּוֹךְ הֶחְלֵט חַיָּב בְּתִגְלַחַת וְצִפֳּרִים, אֲבָל טֻמְאַת שְׁנֵיהֶם שָׁוָה לְכָל דָּבָר. וְעִנְיְנֵי טֻמְאָתָן בַּמֶּה וְכֵיצַד, וְאִם אֲסוּרִין בִּשְׁאֵלַת שָׁלוֹם, וְאִם הֵן מֻתָּרִין לִשְׁנוֹת בְּעוֹדָן בְּטֻמְאָתָן, וְאִם אֲסוּרִין לְסַפֵּר וּלְכַבֵּס, וְאִם מֻתָּרִין בִּרְחִיצָה וּבְסִיכָה וּבִנְעִילַת הַסַּנְדָּל וּבְתַשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּטָּה, וְדִין הַמְּצֹרַעַת כֵּיצַד דִּינָהּ וְהַנְהָגָתָהּ, וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ מְבֹאָרִים בִּנְגָעִים [שם].
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Megillah 8b), “There is no difference between a quarantined metsora and a definitive metsora except renting and wildness, [...] shaving and [offering] birds” — meaning to say that the quarantined one does not become wild and rent. And the explanation of becoming wild is the growing of hair; and of rending is that he tears his clothes. And the one who is pure [after] the quarantine is exempt from shaving and birds, but the one who is pure [after being] definitive is obligated about shaving and birds. But the impurity of both of them is the same in everything. And the matters of their impurity and how it is; whether they are prohibited in inquiring about [others’] welfare; whether they are permitted to study [Torah] while they are still in their impurity; whether they are forbidden to get a haircut and to wash clothing; whether they are permitted in bathing, anointing, the wearing of shoes and sexual relations; the law of a metsoraat (a woman that contacts tsaraat), how is her law and her practice; and the rest of its details are elucidated in Negaim. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Defilement by Leprosy 10.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל זְמַן שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לָנוּ כֹּהֲנִים וַחֲכָמִים שֶׁיּוֹדְעִים הַנְּגָעִים שֶׁרְאוּיִין לְטַהֵר וּלְטַמֵּא. וְעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְלֹא עָשָׂה בְּעַצְמוֹ כַּמִּשְׁפָּט הַזֶּה, בִּטֵּל עֲשֵׂה זֶה.
And [it] is practiced at all times that we have priests and sages that know the ailments, that are fitting to render pure and to render impure. And one who transgresses it and does not do like this statute for himself has violated this positive commandment.