ויקרא, פרק י״ג, פסוק ז׳

Spiritual skin afflictions are not static conditions. A person's physical and spiritual state remains dynamic even after undergoing an examination and being declared pure. If the afflicted area grows and spreads, it signifies a profound shift in the individual's status. On a physical level, this expansion shows that the body's natural defenses cannot overcome the illness [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. On a spiritual level, it serves as a clear sign that the person has not yet been cleansed of their underlying sin and has not fully committed to repentance [כלי יקר].

This expansion brings impurity at any stage and in any manner, even if the spreading occurs repeatedly [מלבי״ם, אילת השחר]. Furthermore, the spreading area does not need to perfectly match the original mark to cause impurity. Even if the initial spot was a bright, intense white and the new growth appears in a darker shade, the person becomes impure, provided the new color falls within the recognized categories of the affliction [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם]. Although this growth happens after the individual was already examined and cleared, it is not treated as an entirely new affliction. Therefore, it does not require a fresh period of quarantine; instead, it is viewed as a direct continuation of the original condition [העמק דבר].

The timing of this expansion is crucial. The growth is only considered a sign of impurity if it occurs after the individual has been presented to the priest. If the mark spreads immediately upon its first appearance, before any examination takes place, it does not trigger this specific impurity [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם]. However, the moment it is shown to the priest, any subsequent spreading renders the person impure, even if it happens right away [חזקוני]. This strict rule applies specifically because the priest has already engaged in the process of purifying the individual. During the very first examination, the person is still presumed pure, so the viewing is not technically part of a purification process. It is only at the end of a quarantine period—when the priest evaluates the person to transition them from impurity to purity—or after they have been completely cleared, that the spreading takes on its severe consequences [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם, רד״צ הופמן].

When the affliction spreads, the individual is required to present themselves to the priest a second time. The numbering of these visits might seem confusing, as this would practically be the third encounter, following the initial inspection and the post-quarantine check [דעת זקנים]. However, the description highlights that this is the second time the individual must take personal initiative. While the priest proactively goes to check on the person at the end of a quarantine period, a new spreading requires the afflicted individual to actively seek out the priest once again [ביאור יש״ר]. The primary approach among commentators is that this subsequent examination must be conducted by the exact same priest who performed the earlier inspections. Only the priest who observed the initial dimensions of the mark can accurately compare the stages and determine with absolute certainty whether the affliction has genuinely spread [רלב״ג, רש״ר הירש].