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.

A bright baheres appears dull on a lightcomplexioned person, and a dull blemish appears bright on an Ethiopian. R’ Yishmael says: The Children of Israel, for whom I should be their atonement, are like boxwood, neither black nor white but an intermediate color. R’ Akiva says: Painters have dyes with which they paint shapes in black, white, and intermediate shades. He brings a dye of an intermediate color and paints around [the nega], which is then examined [by comparing it] to the intermediate color. R’ Yehudah says: Appearances of negaim are dealt with leniently and not strictly. A light-complexioned person is examined leniently [by comparing the nega] with his own skin, whereas an Ethiopian is examined leniently [by comparing the nega] to an intermediate color. The Sages say: Both [are compared] to an intermediate color.