1. If a nega broke out completely upon one who was unclean, he becomes clean; If the ends of his limbs reappeared, he becomes unclean until the bright spot is reduced to less than the size of a split bean. [If it broke out completely upon him] when he was clean, he becomes unclean; If the ends of his limbs reappeared, he remains unclean until his bright spot resumes its former size.

2. A bright spot the size of a split bean in which there was quick flesh the size of a lentil and then it broke out covering a person's entire skin and then the quick flesh disappeared, or if the quick flesh disappeared and then the bright spot broke out covering all his skin, he is clean. If quick flesh arose [subsequently], he is unclean. If white hair grew [subsequently]: Rabbi Joshua rules that he is unclean, But the sages rule that he is clean.

3. A bright spot in which there was white hair and then it broke out covering his entire skin, even though the white hair remained in its place, he is clean. A bright spot in which there was a spreading and then it broke out covering his entire skin, he is clean. But in all of these cases if [even] the ends of the his limbs reappeared [in their natural color], he is unclean. If it broke out covering a part of his skin he is unclean; If it broke out covering all his skin he is clean.

4. In all cases of breaking out and covering the ends of the limbs whereby the unclean have been pronounced clean, if they reappeared they become unclean again. In all cases of reappearance of the ends of the limbs whereby the clean have been pronounced unclean, if they were covered again these become clean again. If subsequently they become uncovered these are unclean, even if this occurs a hundred times.

5. Any part [of the body] that can be subject to the uncleanness of a bright spot nega can prevent the effectiveness of the breaking out [over the entire body], and any part that cannot be subject to the uncleanness of a bright spot nega does not prevent the effectiveness of the breaking out abroad. How so? If it broke out covering all of his skin, but not on the head or the beard, or on a festering boil, burn or blister, and then the head or the beard became bald, or the boil, burn or blister turned into a scar, he is clean. If it broke out covering all of his skin, except a spot of the size of half a lentil near the head or beard, or near a boil, burn or blister, and then the head or the beard became bald, or the boil, burn or blister turned into a scar, even though the place of the quick flesh became a bright spot, he is unclean unless it breaks out covering all his body.

6. If there were two bright spots, one unclean and the other clean, and they broke out from one to the other, and then [a nega] broke out covering all of his skin, he is clean. [If the bright spots] were on his upper lip and lower lip, or on two of his fingers, or on his two eyelids, even though they cleave together and appear as one, he is clean. If it broke out covering all his skin except white scurf, he is unclean. If the ends of his limbs reappeared in the color of white scurf, he is clean. If the ends of his limbs reappeared to the extent of less than a lentil: Rabbi Meir rules that he is unclean, But the sages rule that a piece of white scurf less in size than a lentil, is a sign of uncleanness in the beginning, but it is not a sign of uncleanness at the end.

7. One who came [in front of the priest] with all his body white is isolated. If white hair grew, he is certified unclean. If both hairs or one of them turned black, If both or one of them became short, If a boil adjoined both or one of them, If a boil surrounded both or one of them, Or if a boil, the quick flesh of a boil, a burn, the quick flesh of a burn, or white scurf divided them [he is pure]. If quick flesh or white hair arose, he is unclean; But if neither quick flesh nor white hair arose he is clean. In all these cases if the ends of his limbs reappeared he remains as he was before. If the nega broke out, covering a part of him, he is unclean. If it broke out covering all of them, he is clean.

8. If it broke out covering all of his skin all at once: If this originated in a condition of cleanness, he is unclean; But if it originated in a condition of uncleanness, he is clean. One who becomes clean after having been isolated is exempt from the uncovering his head and rending his clothes, from shaving his hair and from bringing the birds. If he becomes clean after he had been certified unclean, he is liable to all these. Both convey uncleanness by entering.

9. If one came with his whole body white, and on it there was quick flesh to the extent of a lentil, and then the nega spread out covering all his skin, and then the ends of his limbs reappeared: Rabbi Ishmael says: this is the same as when the ends of the limbs reappear in that of a large bright spot. Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah ruled: as when the ends of the limbs reappeared in a small bright spot.

10. There is one who shows his nega [to the priest] and thereby gains advantage, while there is one who shows and loses. How so? If one was certified unclean and the signs of his uncleanness disappeared, and before he could show it to the priest the nega broke out covering all his skin, he is clean; whereas if he had shown it to the priest he would have been unclean. If he had a bright spot in which there was nothing else, and before he could show it to the priest it broke out covering all his skin, he is unclean; whereas if he had shown it to the priest he would have been clean.

§ The Sages taught: There are three partners in the creation of a person: The Holy One, Blessed be He, and his father, and his mother. His father emits the white seed, from which the following body parts are formed: The bones, the sinews, the nails, the brain that is in its head, and the white of the eye. His mother emits red seed, from which are formed the skin, the flesh, the hair, and the black of the eye. And the Holy One, Blessed be He, inserts into him a spirit, a soul, his countenance [ukelaster], eyesight, hearing of the ear, the capability of speech of the mouth, the capability of walking with the legs, understanding, and wisdom.

And when a person’s time to depart from the world arrives, the Holy One, Blessed be He, retrieves His part, and He leaves the part of the person’s father and mother before them. Rav Pappa said: This is in accordance with the adage that people say: Remove the salt from a piece of meat, and you may then toss the meat to a dog, as it has become worthless.

One who splits a boil on Shabbat in order to widen the opening of the wound, in the way that the physicians do when they intend to widen the opening of the wound in order to heal, is surely liable on account of striking with a hammer – as this is a type of work of physicians. But if he split [it] to extract the pus from it, that is surely permissible.

One who chisels a minimal amount of a stone is liable on account of striking with a hammer. One who removes a stone in the foundation of a house, fixes it with his hand and replaces it in the place that is fitting for it, is liable on account of striking with a hammer. One who plucks a growth on the surface of garments – such as those growths in wool clothes – with his hand is liable on account of striking with a hammer. And that is when he is exacting about them. But if removes them in the way of preoccupation (and without being aware of his actions), he is surely exempt. One who shakes a new black cloak in order to beautify it and to remove the white wool stuck in it in the way that the craftsmen do this is liable for a sin-offering. But if he is not exacting, it is permitted.

The third section: The flatterer who praises the evildoer to his face, yet his wisdom restrains him - for he does not praise him in front of [other] people, lest he be a stumbling block for them. The sin of this flatterer is also great, as he blandished him in his eyes; such that he will not repent from his evil path and not worry about his iniquities - for he is righteous in his eyes. And when they praise anyone who is not from the congregation of the righteous - he will say in his heart, “Indeed, I knew that it was like this''; like the matter that is stated (Proverbs 11:9), “The flatterer destroys his neighbor through speech; but through knowledge, the righteous is rescued.” The explanation is that the flatterer destroys his neighbor with his mouth, because he will praise him and [the neighbor] will believe [his] words. So he will harden his spirit and he will see himself with honor, and not understand that his soul is murky. And with this stumbling block in his hand, he will fall into the trap of his pride. So behold, he surely destroyed him with his flattering lips. “But through knowledge, the righteous is rescued”: The righteous are saved from the damage of the flatterer through their knowledge. For if he flatters him, his heart will not be elevated as a result, like our Rabbis said (Niddah 30b), “Even [if] all of the world says about you, ‘You are righteous’ - be like an evildoer in your [own] eyes.” And they [also] said (Avot D’Rabbi Natan 29), “If you have companions, some of whom praise [you], and some of whom reprimand [you] - love the ones that reprimand you, and hate the ones that praise [you]. For these are bringing you to life eternal, and those, when they praise you, are gladdening you to your [own] detriment." And it is also possible to explain [it as]: “Through knowledge, the righteous rescue” their neighbors - as they will not flatter them; but will rather reprimand them and show them the path, when they err in the chaos that is not a path. And it is stated (Proverbs 26:28), “and a flattering mouth throws one down.” This compares a flattering mouth with a crooked path; and it says that just like a man falls and is thrown down by walking on a crooked path - like the matter that is stated (Psalms 35:5-6), “Let them be as chaff, etc., the Lord’s angel throwing them down. Let their path be dark and slippery” - so too does a man fall and get thrown down by a flattering mouth. And that is the mouth of the flatterer. And about the matter that we are discussing, King David, peace be upon him, said (Psalms 12:4), “May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, every tongue that speaks arrogance.” He cursed a flattering mouth, since he destroys his neighbor with it; and a harsh tongue - which is the opposite of the smooth [one], and that is evil speech. And among the flatterers, there are those that intend to flatter intimidating people, in order that they should honor them and promote them. And our Rabbis said (Avot D’Rabbi Natan 29), “Anyone that flatters his fellow for the sake of honor will in the end be removed from it in shame.”