inspection then the person was not declared impure. Once the metzora's lesion vanishes, he is evaluated by a kohen, who leaves the community to examine him. When the kohen observes the resolution of the tzaraath, he begins a procedure that ultimately reverses the impure status of the metzora (Leviticus 14:4). Purification ritual Spring water is placed in an earthenware vessel, over which one of the birds (traditionally recognized as being a sparrow,) is slaughtered and into which the blood is allowed to run. The kohen (priest) then dips the remaining bird and other items into the bloodied water and sprinkles the metzora (the afflicted) seven times on the back of the hand. Some say the sprinkling was done onto his or her forehead. The identical procedure was performed for a house struck by tzaraath, with the sprinkling done on the lintel. The slaughtered bird was buried in the presence of the metzora and the live bird was freed into the open field. The metzora washes their garments from impurity and shaves off all their hair, save for that located in places similar to those in which nega'im are not subject to impurity. The metzora then waits for seven days to begin the final steps of his or her purification ceremony (Leviticus 14:8–9). On the seventh day, the metzora again washes the garments he or she had been wearing from impurity and again shaves off all of his or her hair. On the eighth day, the metzora brings three animal sacrifices to the Temple in Jerusalem: a sin offering of a female lamb and a guilt offering and a burnt offering, both of male lambs (Leviticus 14:10). Blood from the slaughtered guilt offering was placed on the right ear, right thumb and right big toe of the metzora (Leviticus 14:14). The need for this to be done was cause for some complication, because the metzora was not allowed into Temple grounds prior to his purification process and the blood of the offering was not allowed out of the Temple grounds. To reconcile this dilemma, the metzora stuck these body parts through the gateway one at a time to receive the blood. The same was done with the oil from the flour offerings of the metzora. If the metzora lost any of these body parts after he was ready for purification, he could never obtain purification (Mishnah Nega'im 14:9). When the priest