Sifra 8.0.6

Metzora Parashat Zavim, Chapter 4

1) (Vayikra 15:10) ("And whoever touches anything that is beneath him shall be unclean until the evening, and one who carries them shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and he shall be unclean until the evening.") "And whoever touches anything that is beneath him": beneath the zav (i.e., if one touches the saddle). I might think (that the meaning is) "beneath it," the saddle. It follows a fortiori (that this cannot be said), for if the zav (himself), the stringent (instance), does not confer tumah upon vessels requiring rinsing (to release them from tumah) except by touch (of the zav himself), then the saddle, the less stringent (instance), how much more so does it not confer tumah upon vessels requiring rinsing, except by touch. How, then, am I to understand "And whoever touches anything that is tachtav? As meaning "beneath him," the zav, (i.e., if one touches the saddle).

2) "and one who carries them": What is the intent of this? I might think that only merkav alone confers tumah by being carried. Whence do I derive the same for mishkav and moshav? (But a verse is not necessary for this.) I know it a fortiori, viz.: It merkav, which does not confer tumah upon garments by being touched, does confer tumah upon garments by being carried, then mishkav and moshav, which do confer tumah upon garments by being touched, how much more so do they do so by being carried! — (No,) this is refuted by the upper board and the side board of a coffin (viz. Bamidbar 19:16), which do confer tumah upon garments by being touched, but which do not do so by being carried.

3) Do not wonder, then, if mishkav and moshav do not confer tumah by being carried even though they do confer tumah by being touched. It must, therefore, be written "and one who carries them," to include mishkav and moshav.

4) R. Elazar says: What is the intent of "and one who carries them"? I might think that only these (merkav, mishkav, and moshav) confer tumah by being carried. Whence do I derive the same for the discharge of the zav and his spittle and his urine and his semen and the menstrual blood of the niddah? From "and one who carries them" — to include all that is mentioned in that context.

5) (Vayikra 15:11) ("And whoever the zav touches, if he (the zav) did not wash his hands with water (i.e., if he did not immerse), shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and he shall be unclean until the evening." (touches) "him": him and not the excrement upon him, and not the hair-knot upon it, and not the clasps, and not the nose rings, and not the finger rings, even though they do not come off. I might think to exclude the hair and the nails; it is, therefore, written "and he shall be unclean." "if he did not wash his hands with water": What is the intent of this? Because it is written "and he shall wash his flesh with water," I might think even the hidden parts; it is, therefore written "his hands." Just as his hands are visible, so all that is visible (is to be bathed), excluding the hidden parts.

6) Whence is it derived that if a zav finished counting (the seven days and did not yet immerse himself) — (Whence is it derived) that his status is the same as that of one who was rid (of his plague-spot before he began to count the seven days)? From "if he did not wash his hands with water" — even after a hundred years.

7) R. Elazar b. Arach said: From here the sages adduced a Scriptural support for the (Rabbinical) ordinance of washing the hands.