The culmination of the purification process for the afflicted individual arrives on the seventh day, marking a profound transition from isolation back into the heart of the community. This final stage demands absolute dedication and a thorough physical and spiritual cleansing, preparing the person to receive holiness once again. The required actions must be performed during the daylight hours, not at night [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם]. If the seventh day passes without these steps being completed, the obligation does not expire, and the individual must fulfill it on the eighth day or any time thereafter [תורה תמימה, חזקוני, מלבי״ם].
The core of this process involves a comprehensive shaving of the body. The primary approach among commentators is that this requirement applies specifically to visible areas where hair grows in clusters, such as the mustache, legs, arms, and chest, while excluding scattered hairs or those in hidden places like the armpits [רש״י, רמב״ן, מזרחי, אבן עזרא]. A broader perspective maintains that the entire body must be shaved, excepting only the hair inside the nose [רמב״ן, גור אריה]. Regardless of the exact boundaries, the removal of hair must be absolute. Leaving even two hairs behind invalidates the entire purification process [רלב״ג].
The requirement to shave the head, the beard, and the eyebrows carries both legal and symbolic weight. Legally, the command to shave the afflicted person overrides other biblical prohibitions. For instance, a Nazirite, who is normally forbidden to cut his hair, or a priest, who may not shave the edges of his beard, must nonetheless shave completely when undergoing this purification [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם, ביאור יש״ר, הירש]. The eyebrows specifically refer to the hair on the forehead above the eyes, rather than the eyelashes [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם]. Symbolically, these areas point to the primary sins that bring about the affliction in the first place. The head represents arrogance and the desire to place oneself above others. The beard, which frames the mouth, corresponds to harmful gossip and evil speech. The eyebrows represent a narrow, envious outlook [כלי יקר].
Following the shaving, the individual must wash his clothes and bathe. The clothes washed at this stage are the ones currently being worn, as his previous garments were already cleansed at the onset of the purification [ביאור יש״ר]. While the initial stage of the process required living spring water, this second immersion, which elevates the person entirely from impurity, requires only the standard waters of a ritual bath [אור החיים].
The resulting state of purity is achieved gradually. Immediately following the immersion, the individual attains a partial state of purity, permitting the consumption of the second tithe. Upon sunset, he is permitted to eat the priestly portion. Only on the following day, after bringing the required sacrifices, is his purification fully complete, allowing him to partake of holy offerings [הירש, הופמן].
On a broader spiritual level, this entire sequence serves as an allegory for the redemption of Israel. The affliction itself is compared to exile and the sins that distance humanity from God. Consequently, the washing in water symbolizes the purification achieved through the study of Torah, paving the way for an ultimate return to the Divine Presence [אור החיים].