Saadia's Tafsir on Vayikra 15 (Parashat Tazria-Metzora)

Vayikra 15:1

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל-אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר

Then God spoke to Moses and Aaron directly.

Vayikra 15:2

דַּבְּרוּ אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַאֲמַרְתֶּם אֲלֵהֶם אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי יִהְיֶה זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ--זוֹבוֹ טָמֵא הוּא

. . .

Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them: any man who has a discharge from his member — his discharge is impure.

Vayikra 15:3

וְזֹאת תִּהְיֶה טֻמְאָתוֹ בְּזוֹבוֹ רָר בְּשָׂרוֹ אֶת-זוֹבוֹ אוֹ-הֶחְתִּים בְּשָׂרוֹ מִזּוֹבוֹ--טֻמְאָתוֹ הִוא

. . .

And this is the description of his discharge by which his impurity occurs: whether his member lets the discharge flow like a coin, or it becomes sealed from it — that is his impurity.

Vayikra 15:4

כָּל-הַמִּשְׁכָּב אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב עָלָיו הַזָּב--יִטְמָא וְכָל-הַכְּלִי אֲשֶׁר-יֵשֵׁב עָלָיו יִטְמָא

.

And his ruling is that every bed upon which he lies shall become impure, and every vessel upon which he sits shall become impure.

Vayikra 15:5

וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִגַּע בְּמִשְׁכָּבוֹ--יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם וְטָמֵא עַד-הָעָרֶב

. .

And any person who approaches his bed shall wash his garments, and bathe in water, and be impure until sunset.

Vayikra 15:6

וְהַיֹּשֵׁב עַל-הַכְּלִי אֲשֶׁר-יֵשֵׁב עָלָיו הַזָּב--יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם וְטָמֵא עַד-הָעָרֶב

. . .

And whoever sits upon the vessel upon which the one with a discharge sits shall wash his garments, and bathe in water, and be impure until sunset.

Vayikra 15:7

וְהַנֹּגֵעַ בִּבְשַׂר הַזָּב--יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם וְטָמֵא עַד-הָעָרֶב

. .

And whoever approaches him bodily shall wash his garments, and bathe in water, and be impure until sunset.

Vayikra 15:8

וְכִי-יָרֹק הַזָּב בַּטָּהוֹר--וְכִבֶּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם וְטָמֵא עַד-הָעָרֶב

. .

And if the one with a discharge spits upon the pure person, he shall wash his garments, and bathe in water, and be impure until sunset.

Vayikra 15:10

וְכָל-הַנֹּגֵעַ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה תַחְתָּיו--יִטְמָא עַד-הָעָרֶב וְהַנּוֹשֵׂא אוֹתָם--יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם וְטָמֵא עַד-הָעָרֶב

. . . .

And whoever approaches anything that was beneath him shall be made impure until sunset; and whoever carries any of those things shall wash his garments, and bathe in water, and be impure until sunset.

Vayikra 15:11

וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִגַּע-בּוֹ הַזָּב וְיָדָיו לֹא-שָׁטַף בַּמָּיִם--וְכִבֶּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם וְטָמֵא עַד-הָעָרֶב

. . .

And everyone whom the one with a discharge approaches, he himself not having washed in water, shall wash his garments, and bathe in water, and be made impure until sunset.

Vayikra 15:12

וּכְלִי-חֶרֶשׂ אֲשֶׁר-יִגַּע-בּוֹ הַזָּב יִשָּׁבֵר וְכָל-כְּלִי-עֵץ--יִשָּׁטֵף בַּמָּיִם

. . .

And any earthenware vessel which the one with a discharge approaches shall be broken; and any wooden vessel shall be washed in water.

Vayikra 15:13

וְכִי-יִטְהַר הַזָּב מִזּוֹבוֹ--וְסָפַר לוֹ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים לְטָהֳרָתוֹ וְכִבֶּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ בְּשָׂרוֹ בְּמַיִם חַיִּים וְטָהֵר

. . .

And when he is purified from his discharge, he shall count off seven days for his purification and wash his garments, and bathe his body in water from a spring, and he shall be pure.

Vayikra 15:14

וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי יִקַּח-לוֹ שְׁתֵּי תֹרִים אוֹ שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי יוֹנָה וּבָא לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֶל-פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּנְתָנָם אֶל-הַכֹּהֵן

. . . . .

And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, and come before God to the entrance of the tent of the assembly, and deliver them to the priest.

Vayikra 15:15

וְעָשָׂה אֹתָם הַכֹּהֵן--אֶחָד חַטָּאת וְהָאֶחָד עֹלָה וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו הַכֹּהֵן לִפְנֵי יְהוָה מִזּוֹבוֹ

. .

And the priest shall make one of them a purification-offering and the other a burnt-offering, and shall seek forgiveness for him before God on account of his discharge.

Vayikra 15:16

וְאִישׁ כִּי-תֵצֵא מִמֶּנּוּ שִׁכְבַת-זָרַע--וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם אֶת-כָּל-בְּשָׂרוֹ וְטָמֵא עַד-הָעָרֶב

. .

And any man from whom a drop of seed of propagation goes forth shall wash all his body in water, and be impure until sunset.

Vayikra 15:17

וְכָל-בֶּגֶד וְכָל-עוֹר אֲשֶׁר-יִהְיֶה עָלָיו שִׁכְבַת-זָרַע--וְכֻבַּס בַּמַּיִם וְטָמֵא עַד-הָעָרֶב

. .

And any garment or skin upon which anything from it has fallen shall be washed in water, and be impure until sunset.

Vayikra 15:18

וְאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב אִישׁ אֹתָהּ שִׁכְבַת-זָרַע--וְרָחֲצוּ בַמַּיִם וְטָמְאוּ עַד-הָעָרֶב

. .

And any woman with whom a man lies with a drop of seed — both of them shall bathe in water, and be made impure until sunset.

Vayikra 15:19

וְאִשָּׁה כִּי-תִהְיֶה זָבָה דָּם יִהְיֶה זֹבָהּ בִּבְשָׂרָהּ--שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תִּהְיֶה בְנִדָּתָהּ וְכָל-הַנֹּגֵעַ בָּהּ יִטְמָא עַד-הָעָרֶב

. . .

Any woman who has a discharge — that is, when blood flows from her opening — she shall remain seven days in her menstrual period; and everyone who approaches her shall be made impure until sunset.

Vayikra 15:20

וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁכַּב עָלָיו בְּנִדָּתָהּ יִטְמָא וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר-תֵּשֵׁב עָלָיו יִטְמָא

.

And everything upon which she lies during her menstrual period shall become impure, and every vessel upon which she sits shall become impure.

Vayikra 15:21

וְכָל-הַנֹּגֵעַ בְּמִשְׁכָּבָהּ--יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם וְטָמֵא עַד-הָעָרֶב

. .

And everyone who approaches her bed shall wash his garments, and bathe in water, and be impure until sunset.

Vayikra 15:22

וְכָל-הַנֹּגֵעַ--בְּכָל-כְּלִי אֲשֶׁר-תֵּשֵׁב עָלָיו יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם וְטָמֵא עַד-הָעָרֶב

. . .

And everyone who approaches anything from the vessels upon which she sits shall wash his garments, and bathe in water, and be impure until sunset.

Vayikra 15:23

וְאִם עַל-הַמִּשְׁכָּב הוּא אוֹ עַל-הַכְּלִי אֲשֶׁר-הִוא יֹשֶׁבֶת-עָלָיו--בְּנָגְעוֹ-בוֹ יִטְמָא עַד-הָעָרֶב

.

And if there is contact with it — whether upon her bed or upon the vessel upon which she is sitting — he shall be impure until sunset.

Vayikra 15:24

וְאִם שָׁכֹב יִשְׁכַּב אִישׁ אֹתָהּ וּתְהִי נִדָּתָהּ עָלָיו--וְטָמֵא שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וְכָל-הַמִּשְׁכָּב אֲשֶׁר-יִשְׁכַּב עָלָיו יִטְמָא

. .

And if a man lies with her, then the ruling of her menstrual period comes upon him, and he shall be impure seven days; and every bed upon which he lies shall become impure.

Vayikra 15:25

וְאִשָּׁה כִּי-יָזוּב זוֹב דָּמָהּ יָמִים רַבִּים בְּלֹא עֶת-נִדָּתָהּ אוֹ כִי-תָזוּב עַל-נִדָּתָהּ כָּל-יְמֵי זוֹב טֻמְאָתָהּ כִּימֵי נִדָּתָהּ תִּהְיֶה--טְמֵאָה הִוא

. . .

And any woman whose blood flows for many days outside the time of her menstrual period, or following upon it — all the days of the flow of her impurity she shall be in it as in the days of her menstrual period: impure.

Vayikra 15:26

כָּל-הַמִּשְׁכָּב אֲשֶׁר-תִּשְׁכַּב עָלָיו כָּל-יְמֵי זוֹבָהּ--כְּמִשְׁכַּב נִדָּתָהּ יִהְיֶה-לָּהּ וְכָל-הַכְּלִי אֲשֶׁר תֵּשֵׁב עָלָיו--טָמֵא יִהְיֶה כְּטֻמְאַת נִדָּתָהּ

. . . . .

And every bed upon which she lies throughout the days of her flow shall be to her as her bed during her menstrual period; and every vessel upon which she sits shall be impure, as its impurity during her menstrual period.

Vayikra 15:27

וְכָל-הַנּוֹגֵעַ בָּם יִטְמָא וְכִבֶּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם וְטָמֵא עַד-הָעָרֶב

. .

And everyone who approaches anything of hers shall become impure; and he shall wash his garments, and bathe in water, and be impure until sunset.

Vayikra 15:28

וְאִם-טָהֲרָה מִזּוֹבָהּ--וְסָפְרָה לָּהּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וְאַחַר תִּטְהָר

.

But if she is purified from her flow, she shall count off seven days, and after that she shall be pure.

Vayikra 15:29

וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי תִּקַּח-לָהּ שְׁתֵּי תֹרִים אוֹ שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי יוֹנָה וְהֵבִיאָה אוֹתָם אֶל-הַכֹּהֵן אֶל-פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד

. . . .

And on the eighth day she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, and bring them to the priest, to the entrance of the tent of the assembly.

Vayikra 15:30

וְעָשָׂה הַכֹּהֵן אֶת-הָאֶחָד חַטָּאת וְאֶת-הָאֶחָד עֹלָה וְכִפֶּר עָלֶיהָ הַכֹּהֵן לִפְנֵי יְהוָה מִזּוֹב טֻמְאָתָהּ

. . .

And the priest shall make one of them a purification-offering and the other a burnt-offering, and shall seek forgiveness for her before God on account of the flow of her impurity.

Vayikra 15:31

וְהִזַּרְתֶּם אֶת-בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל מִטֻּמְאָתָם וְלֹא יָמֻתוּ בְּטֻמְאָתָם בְּטַמְּאָם אֶת-מִשְׁכָּנִי אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹכָם

. .

It is therefore required that the sons of Israel be kept apart from their impurity, so that they do not perish through their impurity — for they would defile My dwelling that is among them.

Vayikra 15:32

זֹאת תּוֹרַת הַזָּב וַאֲשֶׁר תֵּצֵא מִמֶּנּוּ שִׁכְבַת-זֶרַע לְטָמְאָה-בָהּ

This is the ordinance of the one with a discharge, and of him from whom a drop of seed goes forth, causing impurity.

Vayikra 15:33

וְהַדָּוָה בְּנִדָּתָהּ וְהַזָּב אֶת-זוֹבוֹ לַזָּכָר וְלַנְּקֵבָה וּלְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב עִם-טְמֵאָה

. . .

And of the menstruating woman in her menstruation, and of the one with a flow in his discharge — male and female — and of a man who lies with an impure woman.