The commandment of the matter of impurity of a zav (one with a discharge) to be impure and to render impure: That a zav be impure and render others impure, as it is stated (Leviticus 15:2-3), “when there be any man with a discharge from his flesh, etc.” And the explanation comes, “from his flesh,” is meaning a flow from the orifice of the member. And [it is] as they, may their memory be blessed, expounded, “‘When there be a discharge’ — it is possible, a discharge from any place would be impure. [Hence,] we learn to say, ‘from his flesh’ and not all of his flesh. Once Scripture has distinguished between flesh and flesh, I have merited to learn out the law of impurity with a zav and with a zavah. Just like a zavah is from the place that she becomes impure, etc.”
And the content of discharge is that which issues as a type of fluid from a man from the orifice of the member and he has no desire or pleasure from its emission. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Niddah 35b) that it is similar to barley dough and, likewise, similar to the white of an addled egg; but semen is not like this, since it is similar to the white of an egg that is not addled. And that is the difference between them to distinguish between this and that.
And Scripture commanded that anyone to whom this matter happens, that issues a discharge, be impure and render impure, until he is purified. And the explanation comes that he is not impure on account of one appearance alone, but rather for two appearances — meaning to say that this matter flow from him twice — whether they are proximate or distant, so long as they are on one day and that they not flow exactly at one time. And it has no measure, but rather even the smallest amount [is impure] (Niddah 40a). And this is their, may their memory be blessed, saying (Megillah 8a), “The verse enumerated two and it called [it] impure, three and called [it] impure. How is this? Two for impurity and three for a sacrifice” — meaning to say that even though he is impure with two, he is not obligated to bring a sacrifice with his purification until [there were] three. And nonetheless if he [experienced] an appearance as long as three appearances, which is found to be from its beginning to its end like two immersions and two wiping downs, behold it is considered like three appearances, and he brings a sacrifice.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] since God, blessed be He, distanced us greatly from the excesses and commanded us to be holy and righteous regarding food and drink and in all other matters of man. And there is no doubt that the matter of a discharge happens to a person from his constantly leaving the straight path in his foods and drinks. And that putrid, disgusting and impure excess develops in his body, from this. And it is like they, may their memory be blessed, said (Kiddushin 2b), “It is the way of excessive drinking to lead to discharge.” And the Torah informed us that a man who has this in him is called impure; and impurity is a general name for anything disgusting and vile. And in our distancing ourselves from this, we acquire the trait of righteousness and balance in all of our dispositions and in all of our abilities. And it is from this matter that he is not impure from one appearance. As that fluid has not [yet] become so strong in his body. And [so,] this small amount is not an indication of his being very habituated to leave the straight path. And since that is so, it is not fitting to render him impure with a small amount — as a person is built in a way that it is impossible for him to prevent himself from not leaving the straight line at all. But in his leaving it much, he will then be called guilty; and it is fitting that he should be impure. And even though they, may their memory be blessed said (Mishnah Zavim 2:2), “There are seven ways a zav is examined: with regard to food; drink; a load; a jump; illness; a sight; or [improper] thoughts” — meaning to say if it happened to him because of this, he is not impure — our argument is not contradicted by this. As the matter is that we need to examine if his discharge was by way of a one-time event and he should not be made impure for that; or whether it has become strong in his body from a bad habit to which he has become accustomed many times, and [so,] it is fitting to render him impure. And so did Ramban, may his memory be blessed, write (in Ramban on Leviticus 15:11) and this is his language: “And the reason for the impurity of the discharge is because of its being a heavy illness, from the contagious illnesses.” To here [are his words]. And if it were from the angle of an event — meaning to say from one of the [seven] well-known ways — it would not be a contagious disease, and it would not be fitting to render him impure. And we only do this inspection with the second appearance, as there is no impurity of discharge without two appearances, as we said. As so did the true explanation come to us.
The laws of the commandment [includes] that which they, may their memory be blessed, said that the zav imparts impurity to the [place of] sitting, laying and riding in five ways, and these are them: standing, sitting, laying, hanging from and leaning. And the understanding of riding is that it is that board which is a vessel that is made for riding (to hold on to it) that is called artson (Rashi on Leviticus 15:9). As we cannot say that we sit upon it — as if so, it would be [the same as] sitting — and this is an obvious thing. And the rest of its many details are elucidated in the tractate that is built upon it, and that is Tractate Zavim. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Those Who Defile Bed or Seat 7.)
And this matter that one with a discharge is called impure is practiced in every place and at all times. But now — due to our iniquities — that we do not have a Temple or pure objects, we should not count the impurity of a zav as a commandment that is practiced; since we do not have anything to do regarding the matter of a discharge. But at the time of the [Temple], he practices the bringing of a sacrifice for it. And one who transgresses it and goes into the Temple or eats holy [foods] before he has become purified has violated this commandment — besides that he has a punishment for it, as we wrote above (Sefer HaChinukh 167).
מִצְוַת עִנְיַן טֻמְאַת זָב לִהְיוֹת טָמֵא וּמְטַמֵּא – שֶׁיְּהֵא הַזָּב טָמֵא וּמְטַמֵּא אֶת אֲחֵרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא טו ב ג) אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי יִהְיֶה זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ וְגוֹ' וְזֹאת תִּהְיֶה טֻמְאָתוֹ וְגוֹ'. וּבָא הַפֵּרוּשׁ מִבְּשָׂרוֹ כְּלוֹמַר, זָב מִפִּי הָאַמָּה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה כִּי יִהְיֶה זָב (עפ"י ד"ו) יָכוֹל זָב מִכָּל מָקוֹם יְהֵא טָמֵא? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר מִבְּשָׂרוֹ וְלֹא כָּל בְּשָׂרוֹ. אַחַר שֶׁחִלֵּק הַכָּתוּב בֵּין בָּשָׂר לְבָשָׂר זָכִיתִי לָדוּן דִּין טִמֵּא בְזָב וְטִמֵּא בְזָבָה, מָה זָבָה מִן הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁהִיא מִטַּמְּאָהּ, וכו'.
The commandment of the matter of impurity of a zav (one with a discharge) to be impure and to render impure: That a zav be impure and render others impure, as it is stated (Leviticus 15:2-3), “when there be any man with a discharge from his flesh, etc.” And the explanation comes, “from his flesh,” is meaning a flow from the orifice of the member. And [it is] as they, may their memory be blessed, expounded, “‘When there be a discharge’ — it is possible, a discharge from any place would be impure. [Hence,] we learn to say, ‘from his flesh’ and not all of his flesh. Once Scripture has distinguished between flesh and flesh, I have merited to learn out the law of impurity with a zav and with a zavah. Just like a zavah is from the place that she becomes impure, etc.”
וְעִנְיַן זִיבָה הוּא שֶׁיּוֹצֵא מִן הָאָדָם מִפִּי הָאַמָּה כְּעֵין לֵחָה וְאֵין לוֹ בִּיצִיאָתוֹ תַּאֲוָה וְלֹא הֲנָאָה. וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (נדה לה ב) שֶׁהוּא דּוֹמֶה לְמֵי בָּצֵק שֶׁל שְׂעוֹרִים, וּכְמוֹ כֵן דּוֹמֶה לְלֹבֶן בֵּיצָה הַמּוּזֶרֶת, וְשִׁכְבַת זֶרַע אֵינוֹ כֵּן, כִּי הוּא יִדְמֶה לְלֹבֶן בֵּיצָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ מוּזֶרֶת, וְזֶהוּ הַחִלּוּק בָּהֶן לְהַכִּיר בֵּין זֶה לָזֶה.
And the content of discharge is that which issues as a type of fluid from a man from the orifice of the member and he has no desire or pleasure from its emission. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Niddah 35b) that it is similar to barley dough and, likewise, similar to the white of an addled egg; but semen is not like this, since it is similar to the white of an egg that is not addled. And that is the difference between them to distinguish between this and that.
וְצִוָּה הַכָּתוּב שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁיִּקְרֶה בּוֹ עִנְיָן זֶה שֶׁיֵּצֵא מִמֶּנּוּ זִיבָה שֶׁיְּהֵא טָמֵא וּמְטַמֵּא עַד שֶׁיִּטְהַר, וּבָא הַפֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁאֵינוֹ טָמֵא מִשּׁוּם רְאִיַּת פַּעַם אַחַת לְבַד אֶלָּא בִּשְׁתֵּי רְאִיּוֹת, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁיָּזוּב מִמֶּנּוּ אוֹתוֹ עִנְיָן שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים בֵּין סְמוּכִין אוֹ חֲלוּקִין, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בְּיוֹם אֶחָד וְשֶׁלֹּא יָזוּב בְּפַעַם אַחַת מַמָּשׁ, וְאֵין לוֹ שִׁעוּר (שם מ א) אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ כָּל שֶׁהוּא. וְזֶהוּ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מגילה ח א) מָנָה הַכָּתוּב שְׁתַּיִם וְקָרָא טָמֵא, שָׁלֹשׁ וְקָרָא טָמֵא, הָא כֵּיצַד? שְׁתַּיִם לְטֻמְאָה וְשָׁלֹשׁ לְקָרְבָּן, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא טָמֵא בִּשְׁתַּיִם, לֹא יִתְחַיֵּב לְהָבִיא קָרְבָּן בְּטַהֲרָתוֹ עַד שָׁלֹשׁ. וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם אִם רָאָה רְאִיָּה אַחַת אֲרֻכָּה כְּשָׁלֹשׁ רְאִיּוֹת שֶׁנִּמְצָא מִתְּחִלָּתָהּ וְעַד סוֹפָהּ כִּשְׁתֵּי טְבִילוֹת וּשְׁנֵי סִפּוּגִין, הֲרֵי זוֹ נֶחְשֶׁבֶת כְּשָׁלֹשׁ רְאִיּוֹת וּמֵבִיא קָרְבָּן.
And Scripture commanded that anyone to whom this matter happens, that issues a discharge, be impure and render impure, until he is purified. And the explanation comes that he is not impure on account of one appearance alone, but rather for two appearances — meaning to say that this matter flow from him twice — whether they are proximate or distant, so long as they are on one day and that they not flow exactly at one time. And it has no measure, but rather even the smallest amount [is impure] (Niddah 40a). And this is their, may their memory be blessed, saying (Megillah 8a), “The verse enumerated two and it called [it] impure, three and called [it] impure. How is this? Two for impurity and three for a sacrifice” — meaning to say that even though he is impure with two, he is not obligated to bring a sacrifice with his purification until [there were] three. And nonetheless if he [experienced] an appearance as long as three appearances, which is found to be from its beginning to its end like two immersions and two wiping downs, behold it is considered like three appearances, and he brings a sacrifice.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁהַשֵּׁם בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִרְחִיקָנוּ מְאֹד מִן הַמּוֹתָרוֹת וְצִוָּנוּ לִהְיוֹת קְדוֹשִׁים וִישָׁרִים בְּעִנְיַן הַמַּאֲכָל וְהַמִּשְׁתֶּה וּבְכָל שְׁאָר עִנְיְנֵי הָאָדָם, וְאֵין סָפֵק כִּי עִנְיַן הַזִּיבָה יִקְרֶה בָּאָדָם בְּצֵאתוֹ מִדֶּרֶךְ הַיָּשָׁר בְּהַתְמָדָה בְּמַאֲכָלָיו וְשִׁקּוּיָיו, וְיִגְדַּל בְּגוּפוֹ מִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ אוֹתוֹ הַמּוֹתָר הַסָּרוּחַ הַמָּאוּס וְהַטָּמֵא, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (קידושין ב ב ) דַּרְכָּא דְּמֵיכְלָא יַתִּירָא לְאָתוֹיֵי לִידֵי זִיבָה. וְהוֹדִיעַתְנוּ הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁהָאָדָם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בּוֹ כֵּן, נִקְרָא טָמֵא, וְהַטֻּמְאָה שֵׁם כּוֹלֵל כָּל דָּבָר נִמְאָס וְנֶאֱלָח. וּבְהַרְחִיקֵנוּ מִזֶּה, נִקְנֶה בְּנַפְשֵׁנוּ מִדַּת הַיֹּשֶׁר וְהַהַשְׁוָיָה בְּכָל דַּעְתֵּנוּ וּבְכָל כֹּחֵנוּ. וּמִזֶּה הָעִנְיָן הוּא שֶׁאֵינוֹ טָמֵא בִּרְאִיָּה אַחַת, לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא נִתְחַזְּקָה בְּגוּפוֹ אוֹתָהּ הַלֵּחָה כָּל כָּךְ, וְהַמִּעוּט הַזֶּה אֵינֶנּוּ הוֹרָאָה, לִהְיוֹתוֹ מֻרְגָּל הַרְבֵּה לָצֵאת מִדֶּרֶךְ הַיֹּשֶׁר, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁכֵּן, אֵין רָאוּי לְטַמְּאוֹ בַּמּוּעָט, כִּי הָאָדָם בָּנוּי בְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ בְּשׁוּם צַד לְהִנָּצֵל שֶׁלֹּא לָצֵאת מִקַּו הַיֹּשֶׁר כְּלוּם, אֲבָל בְּצֵאתוֹ הַרְבֵּה אָז יִקָּרֵא אָשֵׁם וְרָאוּי לִהְיוֹתוֹ טָמֵא. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם ב ב) בְּשִׁבְעָה דְּרָכִים בּוֹדְקִין אֶת הַזָּב בְּמַאֲכָל וּבְמִשְׁתֶּה, בִּקְפִיצָה, בְּמַשָּׂא, בְּחֹלִי, בְּמַרְאֶה, בְּהִרְהוּר. כְּלוֹמַר, וְאִם אֵרַע לוֹ מִפְּנֵי זֶה אֵינוֹ טָמֵא, לֹא תִּסָּתֵר טַעֲנָתֵנוּ זֹאת בָּזֶה, כִּי הָעִנְיָן הוּא שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָנוּ לִבְדֹּק אִם נִהְיְתָה הַזִּיבָה בּוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ מִקְרֶה שֶׁל פַּעַם אַחַת וְאֵין לְטַמְּאוֹ בָּהּ, אוֹ נִהְיְתָה בּוֹ חֲזָקָה בְּגוּפוֹ מִתּוֹךְ הֶרְגֵּל רַע שֶׁהֻרְגַּל פְּעָמִים רַבּוֹת וְרָאוּי לְטַמְּאוֹ. וְכֵן כָּתַב הָרַמְבַּ"ן זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה (בפי' לתורה ויקרא טו יא) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ וְטַעַם טֻמְאַת הַזּוֹב מִפְּנֵי הֱיוֹתוֹ חֹלִי כָּבֵד מִן הֶחֳלָאִים הַנִּדְבָּקִים, עַד כָּאן. וְאִלּוּ נִהְיָה מִצַּד הַמִּקְרֶה, כְּלוֹמַר מֵאַחַת מִן הַדְּרָכִים הַיְּדוּעִים, לֹא יִהְיֶה חֹלִי נִדְבָּק וְאֵין רָאוּי לְטַמְּאוֹ. וְזֹאת הַבְּדִיקָה אֵין עוֹשִׂין אוֹתָהּ כִּי אִם בִּרְאִיָּה שְׁנִיָּה, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין טֻמְאַת זִיבָה אֶלָּא בִּשְׁתֵּי רְאִיּוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ, שֶׁכֵּן בָּא לָנוּ הַפֵּרוּשׁ הָאֲמִתִּי.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] since God, blessed be He, distanced us greatly from the excesses and commanded us to be holy and righteous regarding food and drink and in all other matters of man. And there is no doubt that the matter of a discharge happens to a person from his constantly leaving the straight path in his foods and drinks. And that putrid, disgusting and impure excess develops in his body, from this. And it is like they, may their memory be blessed, said (Kiddushin 2b), “It is the way of excessive drinking to lead to discharge.” And the Torah informed us that a man who has this in him is called impure; and impurity is a general name for anything disgusting and vile. And in our distancing ourselves from this, we acquire the trait of righteousness and balance in all of our dispositions and in all of our abilities. And it is from this matter that he is not impure from one appearance. As that fluid has not [yet] become so strong in his body. And [so,] this small amount is not an indication of his being very habituated to leave the straight path. And since that is so, it is not fitting to render him impure with a small amount — as a person is built in a way that it is impossible for him to prevent himself from not leaving the straight line at all. But in his leaving it much, he will then be called guilty; and it is fitting that he should be impure. And even though they, may their memory be blessed said (Mishnah Zavim 2:2), “There are seven ways a zav is examined: with regard to food; drink; a load; a jump; illness; a sight; or [improper] thoughts” — meaning to say if it happened to him because of this, he is not impure — our argument is not contradicted by this. As the matter is that we need to examine if his discharge was by way of a one-time event and he should not be made impure for that; or whether it has become strong in his body from a bad habit to which he has become accustomed many times, and [so,] it is fitting to render him impure. And so did Ramban, may his memory be blessed, write (in Ramban on Leviticus 15:11) and this is his language: “And the reason for the impurity of the discharge is because of its being a heavy illness, from the contagious illnesses.” To here [are his words]. And if it were from the angle of an event — meaning to say from one of the [seven] well-known ways — it would not be a contagious disease, and it would not be fitting to render him impure. And we only do this inspection with the second appearance, as there is no impurity of discharge without two appearances, as we said. As so did the true explanation come to us.
דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה שֶׁהַזָּב מְטַמֵּא הַמִּשְׁכָּב וְהַמּוֹשָׁב וְהַמֶּרְכָּב בַּחֲמִשָּׁה דְּרָכִים, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן עוֹמֵד, יוֹשֵׁב, שׁוֹכֵב, נִתְלֶה, נִשְׁעָן. וּפֵרוּשׁ מֶרְכָּב הוּא אוֹתוֹ הַלּוּחַ שֶׁהוּא כִּכְלִי הֶעָשׂוּי לִרְכִיבָה הַנִּקְרָא ארצו"ן (רש"י ויקרא טו ט) שֶׁאֵין לוֹמַר שֶׁיְּהֵא אוֹתוֹ שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין עָלָיו, דְּאִם כֵּן, הַיְנוּ מוֹשָׁב וְזֶה דָּבָר בָּרוּר. וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטִים רַבִּים מְבֹאָרִים בַּמַּסֶּכְתָּא הַבְּנוּיָה עַל זֶה וְהִיא מַסֶּכֶת זָבִים [הלכות מטמאי משכב ומושב פ"ז]
The laws of the commandment [includes] that which they, may their memory be blessed, said that the zav imparts impurity to the [place of] sitting, laying and riding in five ways, and these are them: standing, sitting, laying, hanging from and leaning. And the understanding of riding is that it is that board which is a vessel that is made for riding (to hold on to it) that is called artson (Rashi on Leviticus 15:9). As we cannot say that we sit upon it — as if so, it would be [the same as] sitting — and this is an obvious thing. And the rest of its many details are elucidated in the tractate that is built upon it, and that is Tractate Zavim. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Those Who Defile Bed or Seat 7.)
וְנוֹהֵג עִנְיָן זֶה, שֶׁבַּעַל זִיבָה נִקְרָא טָמֵא, בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן, אֲבָל עַכְשָׁו בַּעֲוֹנֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁאֵין לָנוּ מִקְדָּשׁ וְלֹא טָהֳרוֹת, אֵין לָנוּ לַחְשֹׁב טֻמְאַת הַזָּב בְּמִצְוָה נוֹהֶגֶת, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין לָנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּעִנְיַן הַזִּיבָה שׁוּם דָּבָר, וּבִזְמַן הַבַּיִת נוֹהֵג לְהָבִיא עָלֶיהָ קָרְבָּן. וְהָעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ וְנִכְנַס לַמִּקְדָּשׁ אוֹ אָכַל קֹדֶשׁ קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּטְהַר, בִּטֵּל עֲשֵׂה מִלְּבַד שֶׁיֵּשׁ עָלָיו עֹנֶשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב לְמַעְלָה (מצוה קסז).
And this matter that one with a discharge is called impure is practiced in every place and at all times. But now — due to our iniquities — that we do not have a Temple or pure objects, we should not count the impurity of a zav as a commandment that is practiced; since we do not have anything to do regarding the matter of a discharge. But at the time of the [Temple], he practices the bringing of a sacrifice for it. And one who transgresses it and goes into the Temple or eats holy [foods] before he has become purified has violated this commandment — besides that he has a punishment for it, as we wrote above (Sefer HaChinukh 167).