Zot torat nega tzara'at beged hatzemer o hapishtim o hashti o ha'erev o kol kli or letaharo o letam'o
{פ}׃
In this aliyah we conclude chapter 13, which deals entirely with the laws of tzara’at, and move to the details of the purification or impurity of tzara’at on a garment or on a leather vessel.
Summary of the Verses
Verse 55: If after washing the affliction on the garment has not changed and has not faded, the garment is impure and must be burned in fire. The Torah emphasizes: it is pechetet, washing does not help.
Verse 56: But if the affliction has faded after washing, one must tear out the afflicted part from the garment or the leather.
Verse 57: If the affliction reappears, the garment or vessel must be burned again.
Verse 58: If after washing the affliction has completely vanished, it must be washed a second time, and the garment is purified.
Verse 59: A concluding verse, this is the law of tzara’at on a garment, whether of wool, linen, or leather, to purify it or to render it impure.
A Thought from the Parsha
“It is pechetet, on his bald head or on his forehead”
Can a garment have a “bald spot”? The Torah uses the language of the human body to speak of a garment. Why?
It teaches a powerful principle here: our clothing is like a part of us.
It is not merely external, it expresses identity, dignity, and even a spiritual state.
And when clothing is damaged, there are consequences for purity, just like a blemish on the body.