Sefer HaChinuch ספר החינוך

The commandment of shaving the metsora on the seventh day: That the metsora shave all of his hair — and that is the second purification, as they, may their memory be blessed, said in Negaim (Mishnah Negaim 14:3) — as it is stated (Leviticus 14:9), “And it shall be on the seventh day and he shall shave all of his hair, etc.” And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishnah Negaim 14:4), “Three shave, and their shaving is a commandment: the nazirite; the metsora; and the Levites.” And the Levites require [the same] shaving as the metsora, and it was in the wilderness (after the Exodus).

A little of the reason that we said above about the water (Sefer HaChinukh 173) is from the roots of the commandment: So that a man appear as if he was created today, and today his hair starts growing and he start his actions for the good. As when a man is cleansed from all [the] hair, he is properly cleansed from all dirt. And therefore in order to emerge from the impurity of his tsaraat it is fitting for him to, himself, do an act of cleansing with all of his might; so that he also cleanse his actions with all of his might and change them from evil to good and to make them fit.

From its laws is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Sotah 16a), “How is the shaving? He passes the razor over his visible flesh — and even [on] the underarm and the pubic area and all the rest of the body — until he becomes [smooth] like a gourd, as it is stated (Leviticus 14:9), ‘all of his hair.’” And when he shaves the two shavings, he only shaves with a razor. But if he shaved not with a razor — or he left two hairs — [it is as if] he has not done anything. And the rest of its details are in Tractate Negaim. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Defilement by Leprosy 10.)

And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, said regarding this commandment (Sefer HaMitzvot, Positive Commandments 111) and this is the language of the transcriber: And I will now elucidate what is the reason for us [that] the shaving of the metsora is a commandment on its own and the bringing of his sacrifices is a commandment on its own, and we did not do this with the nazirite (Sefer HaChinukh 377), but rather placed his shaving and the bringing of his sacrifices as one commandment. And that is that there is no connection between the shaving and the bringing of sacrifices of the metsora; and the purpose that comes from his shaving is not the purpose that comes from his sacrifices. And that is [because] the purification of the metsora is dependent upon his shaving: And in the sixth chapter of Nazir 44b, they said, “What is [the difference] between a nazirite and a metsora? Rather the purification of this one is dependent upon his day — meaning the nazirite — and the purification of the metsora is dependent upon his shaving. And [so] when the metsora shaves and completes his second shaving, he is pure from giving off the impurity like a swarming creature, as is elucidated at the end of Mishnah Negaim 14:3. And [then] he remains lacking his atonement until he brings his sacrifices, like the rest of those that lack atonement, as is elucidated there.

And that is that the purpose of his shaving is his purification from giving off impurity like a swarming creature — whether he brought his sacrifices or he did not bring [them]. But the purpose of his bringing his sacrifices is the completion of his atonement, like the rest of those lacking in atonement — meaning to say, the zav, the zavah and the woman who has given birth. And the language of their statement has already preceded us, “There are four who are lacking atonement” (Keritot 8b). And there it is elucidated that the nazirite is not lacking atonement, but [rather] the procedure in its entirety — the shaving and the bringing of the sacrifice — [is what] permits him in drinking wine. And the one will not suffice without the other; and [so] the shaving is connected with the sacrifice and the sacrifice is connected with the shaving. And with their combination, the purpose comes at once — and that is that the things from which he was prevented during the days of his naziriteship will be permitted to him. And in the sixth chapter of Nazir 46b, they said “If he shaved over the sacrifice, and the sacrifice was found disqualified, his shaving is disqualified, and his sacrifices did not count for him.” Behold, it is elucidated that the shaving is from the conditions of the sacrifice, and [that] the sacrifice is from its conditions.

And in Tosefta Nazir 2, it is likewise elucidated that the nazirite who completed his days is forbidden to shave, drink wine and to become impure to the dead, until he does the complete procedure. And that is the shaving of purification, as is elucidated in the sixth chapter of Nazir 45; and that is that he shaves at the opening of the Tent of Meeting, throws his hair under the cauldron and offers the sacrifices that come in the verse. And you will find (at the end of the commandments) [in most places], that they call the bringing of [these] sacrifices, “shaving.” And in the elucidation they said, in explaining the Mishnah (Nazir 11b) [that states that one who says,] “Behold, I am a nazirite, and it is upon me to shave as a nazirite,” [that] he means to say with this that he will bring the sacrifices of [another] nazirite and he will sacrifice them for him. Behold, it has been elucidated to you that the shaving [also means] the bringing of sacrifices. And the reason for this is their being a part of them, as we explained. And in their combination, the law of naziriteship is removed and the nazirite may drink wine. Moreover, the shaving of impurity (if a nazirite becomes impure) is from the detail[s] — the understanding of which is, from the substance — of the commandment, and not a commandment on its own, as we explained in what preceded (Sefer HaMitzvot, Positive Commandments 93). To here [are his words].

And [it] is practiced by males and females in every place and at all times when there are great wise priests that are fitting to give rulings about tsaraat. And one who transgresses it and does not shave has violated a positive commandment, and is [still] impure.