Rashi on TanakhLeviticus 15

Should [discharge] flow. Perhaps [a discharge] flowing from anywhere should be impure? The verse says, “from his flesh” — and not all his flesh. After the verse distinguished between flesh and flesh, I may argue: [The Torah] declared a male with a discharge unclean and a female with a discharge unclean; just as a female with a discharge [has a flow] from a place from which she becomes unclean with a less severe impurity — נִדָּה, [from that same place] she becomes unclean with a severe impurity — זִיבָה — so [too] regarding a male with a discharge: from the place from which he becomes unclean with a less severe impurity — קֶרִי, he becomes unclean with a severe impurity — זִיבָה .

His discharge, he is impure. [This] teaches in regard to a drop [of discharge] that it causes impurity. [This] discharge resembles water of dough made of barley, and dissolved, and similar to the white of an egg which is crushed; semen is thick, like the white of an egg that is not crushed.

[His flesh] drips. An expression [denoting] spittle — which drips from his flesh.

[With] his discharge, like spittle, it issues [in a] clear [form]. Or [his flesh] be stopped up, because [the discharge] issues [in a] thick [form], and closes up the opening of the membrum, and his flesh is closed up by the drop of his discharge — this is its plain meaning. And its midrashic interpretation: The first verse counts two sightings and calls him unclean, as it is said: “discharge [zovo] flows [zov] from the flesh — he is unclean;” and the second verse three sightings and called him unclean as it is said “his uncleanness is in his discharge [בְּזוֹבוֹ], his flesh drips [with] his discharge [זוֹבוֹ], or his flesh is clogged with his discharge [מִזּוֹבוֹ]; it is his uncleanness.” How is this possible? Two [sightings] for uncleanness, and the third requires him [to bring] a sacrifice.

Every bed [= anything that is used specifically for sleeping], that which is fit for laying down on. Perhaps [this applies] even to [something used] specifically for another activity? The verse says: “upon which he lies” — “which he lay [down on]” is not said, but upon “which he [customarily] lies” — something specifically [and] always [employed] for this. [This] excludes [an object] of which [workmen] say: “Get up so that we can do our work!”

[On] which he sits. “[On which] he sat” is not said, but “on which he [customarily] sits,” something specifically [and] always [employed] for this.

A person who touches his bed. [This] teaches [that] [sitting on] a bed [causes] a more severe [uncleanness] than [that transmitted] by touch, for this becomes a primary source, to cause uncleanness to people [who in turn] cause uncleanness to the clothes [they are wearing]. But touching which [does not involve] a bed is only a secondary source of uncleanness, and only causes uncleanness to food and drink.

Whoever sits on a vessel, even if he did not touch [it], even if ten vessels [lie] one on another, all cause impurity by means of “sitting,” and so [too] in regard to a bed.

If the zov spits on a ritually clean person, and [the spittle] touches him or he carries it, [he becomes unclean], because spittle causes uncleanness by means of carrying.

Anything that is used for riding, even if he had not sat on it [when riding], for example the hold on the saddle which is called arcon, becomes impure by means of “riding.” [Likewise,] the saddle, which is called alves is unclean as being something to sit upon.

Anyone who touches anything which is beneath him, [beneath] the zov. [This] comes to teach [us] regarding a saddle that one who touches it is unclean, [but] does not require washing clothes, and this is a severity of a bed over a saddle.

Whoever carries them — [who carries] anything mentioned in regard to the matter of a zov, his discharge, his spit, his semen, his urine, his “sitting” and his “riding” — carrying them causes uncleanness to people, [who in turn] cause uncleanness to clothes [they are wearing].

And his hands were not rinsed in water. As long as he did not immerse [to cleanse himself] from his uncleanness, and even if his discharge ceased and he counted seven [clean days] and he is [still] lacking immersion — he causes uncleanness in all his [ways] of uncleanness. And the reason the verse expressed [the idea] of the immersion of the body of the zov with the phrase “washing of the hands” — is to teach you that [a person’s] hidden parts do not need to have water touch them, but [only] the exposed parts of the person’s body, such as the hands.

And an earthenware vessel that [the zov] will touch. Perhaps [it is unclean] even if he touches it from the outside, etc. as it is stated in Toras Kohanim until [the words]: “what [type] of touch is as though [he touched] all of it? Say: this is [when one] causes it to move.”

And when he (a zov) becomes ritually clean — when he stops [seeing a discharge].

Seven days for his purification. Seven days clean of the uncleanness of zivoh, that he not see a discharge, and all of them consecutive.

They shall bathe in water. This is a royal decree that a woman should become unclean as a result of marital relations. The reason [for her uncleanness] is not because of the touch of semen, for it is considered contact with one’s inner parts [and is not considered a touch which transmits impurity].

When a woman has a discharge. Perhaps [this refers to a discharge] from one of her organs? The verse says: “And she exposed the source of her blood,” [which implies] that only [that] blood causes uncleanness which comes from the womb.

The discharge will be blood in her body. Her discharge is called a “discharge” to cause impurity only when it is red.

In her menstrual impurity. As [the verse] “and they shall drive him out of the world.” [This implies] that she is driven out of contact with everyone.

She shall be in her menstrual impurity. Even if she only saw one sighting.

If he is on the bed. One who lies or sits on her bed or on her seat, even if he did not touch her, he too, is under the rule of the uncleanness mentioned in the verse above, which requires the washing of clothes.

On the vessel — to include a saddle.

When he touches it. This speaks only of a saddle, which was included [midrashically] from [by the phrase] “on the vessel.”

When he touches it, he is unclean. But is not required to wash his clothes, for touching a saddle does not cause a person to make his clothes unclean.

Her menstrual impurity shall be on him. Perhaps he will join her in her state — that [is,] if he has marital relations with her on the fifth day of her menstrual impurity he will only be unclean for [the remaining] three days, as she is? The verse says: “He will be unclean seven days.” Why does the verse say: “Her menstrual impurity will be on him”? Just as she causes impurity to people and earthenware vessels, so [too] he will cause impurity to people and earthenware vessels.

Many days, three days.

Outside her menstrual cycle. After the passing of the seven days of her menstrual uncleanness.

Or if [the discharge] flows these three days,

after her menstrual cycle — one day after her menstrual cycle, she is a zovoh, and her status is determined by this section, not by the regulation of menstruation, for this one is required to count seven clean days and [bring a] sacrifice — while a menstruant woman is not required to count clean days, but will remain in her menstrual impurity for seven days, whether she sees [a discharge] or whether she does not see [a discharge within that time]. The [Rabbis] expounded in this section [the rule that] there are eleven days between the end of the menstrual period and the beginning of the [next] menstrual period, which if she sees [a discharge] for three consecutive days during these eleven days she will become a zovoh.

You shall separate. [The word] נְזִירָה [means] separation, and so [too the words as used in the verse] “they have separated themselves, [moving] backwards [away from God]. So [too] “the one separate from his brothers.”

And they will not die because of their impurity. Thus the “being cut off” (כָּרֵת) of one who causes impurity to the sanctuary is called “death.”

This is the law of the zov — one who has had one sighting — and what is his rule?

And of him from whom semen issues — he is like one who has had an involuntary seminal emission (בַּעַל קֶרִי), [and] is unclean [until] evening.

And for one who has a discharge, [that is,] one who has had two sightings, and one who has had three sightings, whose rule is explained above.