Menuga? Tfillin not required

Ok, a yisroel (or ישראלית, or כהן or כהנת) got a nega, was then seen by the kohen, and pronounced tammei, so what now?

Hilchot menuga

The Torah details what the menuga is and is not to do. והצרוע אשר בו הנגע בגדיו יהיו פרמים וראשו יהיה פרוע ועל שפם יעטה וטמא טמא יקרא כל ימי אשר הנגע בו יטמא טמא הוא בדד ישב מחוץ למחנה מושבו -wow.

First deal first, the menuga is to do פרימה on his garments, this act is described as tearing the neck of the outer garment (shirt, robe etc.) -by hand. this tearing is taken literally as even if the kohen gadol himself to become menugah, it would override his Torah-based prohibition of tearing his bigdei kehuna (Sifra פרשת תזריע ס”ק קנא)

No kippah

The Torah instructs ראשו יהיה פרוע, Rabbi Akiva understands this as the head being left uncovered – that’s right- no kippah or hat wearing allowed for the menuga.

Rabbi Eliezer though understands the meaning of ראשו יהיה פרוע as that the menugah isn’t to have a haircut.

Flowing into the words ועל שפם יעטה onkelos and the Talmud (מועד קטן דף טו) understand this as wrapping the head as a mourner does, (this implies that the menugah does in fact have his head covered?).

No good morning? No how are you?

But, one isn’t to greet the menuga, as per the words ועל שפם יעטה -his lips are to remain as if they are one lip, essentially meaning no inquiries allowed as to the menugah’s well-being as this would cause his lips to part in speech (Sifra פרשת תזריע ס”ק קנד)

Tefillin and ברית מילה

Shulchan aruch (אורח חיים סוף סימן לח) prohibits the menugah from donning tfillin. Of note is Rav Pappa’s opinion (מועד קטן דף טו) that teffilin aren’t considered a covering. (What about teffilin shell yad, according to shulchan aruch would it be allowed?) (Sifra tazria min. ch. 153). Another instance of nega’im is listed in the shulchan aruch regarding מילה; the person with a נגע on his אבר is permitted to undergo the מצוה of ברית מילה.

All alone

The menugah is to be in solitude (outside the city) , he may not even enjoy the company of another menuga. Too, his mere presence causes tumah (similar to that of a dead body) to another person or and vessel – כלי המוכשר לקבל טומאה – that is in his residence (טומאת אוהל).

Marital relationship

What about martial reslationship, is that affected too? The sifra (metzora ch. 34) quotes Rabbi Yehuda as permitting the menuga for conjugal interaction whereas Rabbi Yossi Ben Yehuda argues, the famed Halacha work “halachot gedolot” agrees with the stricter view. (הלכות גדולות מהדורת מכון י״ם תשנ״ב דף קנד)

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