וְכִבֶּס֩ הַמִּטַּהֵ֨ר אֶת־בְּגָדָ֜יו וְגִלַּ֣ח אֶת־כָּל־שְׂעָרֹ֗ו וְרָחַ֤ץ בַּמַּ֨יִם֙ וְטָהֵ֔ר וְאַחַ֖ר יָבֹ֣וא אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וְיָשַׁ֛ב מִח֥וּץ לְאָהֳלֹ֖ו שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים׃
In the intricate choreography of ritual purity described in the Torah, language becomes more than a tool for instruction — it is the very mechanism through which metaphysical states are transformed. In this verse from Vayiqra 14:8, we find a striking grammatical phenomenon embedded within the sequence of actions that must be performed by the one who has become pure after contact with impurity. The verbs march forward in perfect coordination — washing, shaving, bathing — but one verb stands apart, not only in form, but in function.
We will explore the unique use of the verb וְטָהֵ֔ר — “and he shall be pure” — which breaks the chain of active imperatives and signals a shift in the ritual process. This subtle linguistic pivot reveals a profound theological insight about the nature of purification in biblical thought: action leads to transformation, and transformation is marked linguistically as a passive state. But there’s more beneath the surface.
A Chain of Imperatives — Until One Becomes Passive
Let us first examine the structure of the sentence. The verse opens with a series of coordinated clauses connected by consecutive וְ (“and”), each introducing an action required of the purified individual:
- וְכִבֶּס֩ — He shall wash
- וְגִלַּ֣ח — He shall shave
- וְרָחַ֤ץ — He shall bathe
These three verbs are in the qatal pattern (perfective aspect), used here in the imperative force due to context and parallelism. Each one demands a specific physical act. Then comes the pivotal clause:
- וְטָהֵ֔ר — and he shall be pure
This verb is different. It is not a command to do something; rather, it is a declaration of becoming. The root is טהר, and this form is in the qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular. Yet, curiously, it appears in what would normally be a jussive or cohortative form — typically used for wishes or commands — but here it functions as a statement of result or transition.
| Word | Root | Form | Literal Translation | Grammatical Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְטָהֵ֔ר | ט-ה-ר | Qal imperfect, 3ms | “and he shall be pure” | Functions as a declarative statement of status change rather than an imperative. |
The Linguistic Marker of Metaphysical Shift
The verb וְטָהֵ֔ר marks a turning point in the ritual process. Up until now, the individual was engaged in doing — washing garments, shaving, bathing. These are all external acts. But purity itself is not something you can “do”; it is something you become. Hence, the language shifts from active imperatives to a passive declaration.
This kind of grammatical shift occurs elsewhere in Tanakh when describing transitions between spiritual or ritual states. Consider this example from Leviticus:
וְכִפֶּר עַל־הַקֹּדֶשׁ מִטֻּמְאֹות בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִפִּשְׁעֵיהֶם לְכָל־חַטֹּאתֵיהֶם וְכֵן יַעֲשֶׂה לָֽאוֹהֶל מוֹעֵד הַשֹּׁכֵן אִתָּם בְּתוֹךְ טֻמְאֹתָֽם׃ (Vayiqra 16:16)
Here too, purification follows action, and the verb טָהֵר often appears in contexts where a threshold has been crossed — from death to life, from sin to atonement, from uncleanness to cleanness.
The Syntax of Becoming: Passive Verbs as Ritual Milestones
What makes וְטָהֵ֔ר particularly interesting is its syntactic placement and semantic function. It serves as a sort of linguistic gatekeeper — the moment when the subject moves from being an actor to being a recipient of divine recognition.
This phenomenon is known in Hebrew grammar as a performative passive: a passive form that does not describe a mere state, but a transformation enacted by some external force — often God or the ritual system itself. Compare this to another instance in Second Temple literature:
וְנִטְהַר הַלֵּב מִכָּל־מִקְצֵה רָעָה אֲשֶׁר חָלַקְנוּ בְּנַפְשֵׁנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתָהּ (Jeremiah 4:1)
There, too, וְנִטְהַר (“and it shall be cleansed”) follows repentance and confession — again marking a metaphysical shift triggered by human action but linguistically framed as a passive outcome.
From Action to Acceptance: The Grammar of Holiness
In Biblical Hebrew, the movement from action to state is often encoded grammatically. Here, in Vayiqra 14:8, the sequence of imperatives gives way to a declarative verb — a syntax mirroring theology. The individual performs the rites, and then, as if by divine decree, the state of purity is conferred. The verb וְטָהֵ֔ר captures this moment of sanctification, not merely as a legal category, but as a linguistic event.
It reminds us that holiness is not simply attained by behavior alone, but also by the acceptance of that behavior by the sacred order of the world. And so, in this single word, the text encodes both the human effort and the divine acknowledgment — a duality that lies at the heart of the priestly vision of purity.
The Verb That Crosses Thresholds
In closing, the verb וְטָהֵ֔ר is more than a marker of cleanliness — it is a bridge between worlds. It signifies the moment when the metzora, long excluded, is no longer outside the camp, when the profane becomes sacred, and when time begins anew. Its form — a passive that declares an outcome — echoes across the biblical corpus as a sign of divine alignment.
Thus, in the grammar of this verse, we find not just instructions, but a reflection of how ancient Israelite religion understood transformation: not as a simple cause-effect relationship, but as a journey punctuated by moments of becoming — each one marked by a verb that says not “do,” but “now you are.”
