Torah Portion: Tazria
“ואת הנתק לא יגלח“ (ויקרא יג לג)
It is a negative commandment to not shave off the hair of a nesek, which is a type of tzara’as [that affects the head or the beard], as it is written: he shall not shave the nesek (Vayikra 13:33) — that is, he may not shave the hair that is on the place of the nesek.
Among the roots of the mitzvah is the purpose of conveying the lesson that every person should accept whatever suffering or punishment Hashem inflicts upon him, and not kick against them. Another lesson is that the person should not think that he has the ability to eliminate them or to hide them from other people. Rather, an afflicted person should beseech God, may He be blessed, that He heal the wound of His blows.
This mitzvah applies to both men and women, at all times and places where there is a kohen [in that generation] knowledgeable in examining tzara’as afflictions. One who transgressed this and shaved the nesek receives lashes.
