There are ten [laws concerning the negaim in] houses:(1 + If during the first week a nega became faint or disappeared, it must be scraped and is then clean. (3 + If during the second week it became faint or disappeared, it must be scraped and the owner must bring the birds. If it spread during the first week, the stones must be taken out and the wall scraped and plastered, and another week must be allowed. If it then returned the entire house must be pulled down; If it did not return, the birds must be brought. If it remained unchanged during the first week but spread during the second week, the stones must be taken out and the wall scraped and plastered, and another week must be allowed. If it then returned, the house must be pulled down; If it did not return the birds must be brought. If it remained unchanged in both weeks, the stones must be taken out, and the wall scraped and plastered, and a week must be allowed. If it then returned the house must be pulled down; If it did not return, the birds must be brought. If before cleanness was attained through the birds a new nega appeared, the house must be pulled down; But if it appeared after cleanness through the birds had been attained, it must be inspected as if it had appeared for the first time.

In the case of a stone in a corner, when the stone is taken out it, he must take it all out; But when [the house is] torn down he tears down his own [part] and leaves that which belongs to his neighbor. Thus it follows that there is a greater stringency for taking out than for tearing down. Rabbi Elazar says: if a house is built of rows of head stones and small stones, and a nega appears on a head stone, all of it must be taken out; but if it appeared on the small stones, he takes out his stones and leaves the others.

A house in which a nega appeared if it had an upper chamber above it, the beams are considered part of the upper chamber. If the nega appeared in the upper chamber the beams are considered part of the lower room. If there was no upper chamber above it, its stones and wood and earth must be torn down with it. He may save the frames and the window lattices. Rabbi Judah says: a frame that is built over the house must be torn down with it. Its stones and wood and earth convey uncleanness if they are of the minimum size of an olive. Rabbi Eliezer Hisma says: whatever their size.

A house that has been isolated conveys uncleanness from its inside; And one that has been certified unclean, both from its inside and from its outside. Both convey uncleanness if one enters in.

If one who builds in cleanliness with stones from a house that was isolated and the nega returned to the [former] house, the stones must be taken out. If it returned to the stones, the first house must be torn down, and the stones serve the second house while the signs are under observation.

If a house overshadowed a house with a nega and so also if a tree overshadowed a house with a nega, anyone who enters the outer [of the two] remains clean, the words of Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah. Rabbi Elazar said: if one stone of it causes uncleanness by entering, should not the house itself cause uncleanness by entering?

If an unclean person stood under a tree and a clean person passed by, the latter becomes unclean. If a clean person stood under a tree and an unclean one passed by, the former remains clean. If the latter stood still, the former becomes unclean. Similarly in the case of a leprous stone he remains clean. But if it was set down he becomes unclean.

If a person who was clean put his head and the greater part of his body inside an unclean house, he becomes unclean. And if an unclean man put his head and the greater part of his body inside a clean house he causes it to be unclean. If he put three fingerbreadths square of a clean cloak into an unclean house, the cloak becomes unclean; And if he put even the size of an olive of an unclean [cloak] into a clean house, the house becomes unclean.

If a person entered a house afflicted with a nega, carrying his clothes upon his shoulders, and his sandals and rings in his hands, both he and they become unclean immediately. If, however, he was wearing his clothes and had his sandals on his feet and his rings on his hands, he becomes unclean immediately, but they remain clean, unless he stayed as much time as is required for the eating of half a loaf of wheat bread and not of barley bread, while in a reclining posture and eating with some condiment.

If he was standing inside, and he stretched his hands outside, with his rings on his hands, if he stayed [inside] as much time as is required for the eating of half a loaf, they become unclean. If he was standing outside, stretching his hands inside, with his rings on his hands: Rabbi Judah says that they are unclean immediately, But the sages say: only after he leaves them there as much time as is required for the eating of half a loaf. They said to Rabbi Judah: if when all his body is unclean he does not render that which is on him unclean unless he stayed there long enough to eat half a loaf, when all of his body is not unclean, is it not logical that he should not render that which is on him unclean unless he stayed there long enough to eat half a loaf?

If a metzora entered a house all the vessels in it, even up to the roof beams, become unclean. Rabbi Shimon says: only up to a height of four cubits. Vessels become unclean immediately. Rabbi Judah says: only if the metzora stayed there as much time as is required for the lighting of a lamp.

If he enters a synagogue, a partition ten handbreadths high and four cubits wide must be made for him. He should enter first and come out last. Any vessel that affords protection by having a tightly fitting cover in the tent of a corpse affords protection by a tightly fitting cover in the house of one afflicted by a nega, And whatsoever affords protection when covered in the tent of a corpse affords protection when covered in the house of one afflicted with a nega, the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yose says: any vessel that affords protection by having a tightly fitting cover in the tent of a corpse affords protection when covered in the house of one afflicted with a nega; and whatsoever affords protection when covered in the tent of a corpse remains clean even when uncovered in a leprous house.