Appearances of negaim are two that are four. Ba|hsp|heres is bright like snow. Secondary to it is like the lime of the Sanctuary. S’eis is like the membrane of an egg. Secondary to it is like white wool, these are the words of R’ Meir. And the Sages say: S’eis is like white wool; secondary to it is like the membrane of an egg.

The reddish version of the snow-white [nega appears] like wine mixed with snow. The reddish version of the lime-[colored nega] is like blood mixed with milk. These are the words of R’ Yishmael. R’ Akiva says: The red version of both of them is [the color of] wine mixed with water, except that [the red tinge] of snow is bright whereas that of lime is duller.

These four appearances combine with one an- other to make tahor, to confirm, or to confine: to confine that which remains the same at the end of the first week; to make tahor that which remains the same at the end of the second week; to confirm that which develops living skin or white hair, either initially, at the end of the first week, at the end of the second week, [or] after being declared tahor; to confirm that which develops an expansion [either] at the end of the first week, at the end of the second week, [or] after being declared tahor; to confirm someone who turns completely white after being declared tahor; to make tahor someone who turns completely white after being confirmed or confined. These are the appearances of negaim upon which depend all negaim.

R’ Chaninah, the administrator of the Kohanim, says: There are sixteen appearances of negaim. R’ Dosa ben Harkinos says: There are thirty-six appearances of negaim. Akavya ben Mahalalel says: Seventy-two. R’ Chaninah, the administrator to the Kohanim, says: Negaim are not examined initially on Sunday, because its seventh day falls on Sabbath; nor on Monday, because its second week falls on Sabbath; nor on Tuesday for houses, because the third week falls on Sabbath. R’ Akiva says: [A nega] is examined on any day. If [an examination] falls on Sabbath, it is postponed until after Sabbath, and this causes both leniency and stringency.

How [does it cause] leniency? It contained white hair and the white hair disappeared; [the two white hairs] were white and turned black; one [was] white and one black, and they both turned black; [the hairs were] long and became short; one [hair was] long and one short, and they both became short; a boil touched one or both of the [white hairs]; a boil surrounded one or both [hairs]; [the hairs] were separated by a boil, the healing skin of a boil, a burn, the healing skin of a burn, or a dull white blemish; [the nega] contained living skin and the living skin disappeared; [the nega] was square and became round or oblong; it was surrounded, and moved to the side; it was together and became scattered; a boil covered, surrounded, divided, or decreased [the michyah] — whether this was done by a boil, the living skin of a boil, a burn, the living skin of a burn, or a dull white blemish; [the nega] had an expansion and then the expansion disappeared, or the original nega disappeared, or became smaller so that the two together do not contain a gris; a boil, the living skin on a boil, a burn, the living skin on a burn, or a dull white blemish divided between the original nega and its expansion. These cause leniency.

How does [the postponement] cause strin-gency? [The nega] contained no white hair and white hair appeared on it; [the hairs] were black and turned white; one was black and one white and they both turned white; they were short and became long; one was short and the other long, and they both became long; a boil touched or surrounded one or both [hairs], the [hairs] were separated by a boil, the healing skin of a boil, a burn, the healing skin of a burn, or a dull white blemish, and then [the boil, burn, or blemish] disappeared; [the nega] did not contain living skin and living skin appeared; [the living skin] was round or oblong and became square; [the living skin] was on the side [of the nega] and became surrounded; [the living skin] was scattered and came together; a boil covered [the living skin]; a boil, the living skin of a boil, a burn, the living skin of a burn, or a dull white blemish surrounded, divided, or made [the living skin] smaller and then [the boil, burn, or blemish] disappeared; [the nega] had no expansion and it expanded; a boil, the living skin of a boil, a burn, the living skin of a burn, or a dull white blemish divided the original nega from its expansion and then [the boil, burn, or blemish] disappeared. These cause stringency.