Tazria continues the laws of purity and impurity begun in Shemini. One of the key roles of the Priest was to be able to distinguish tahor from tamei, pure from impure, the latter debarring an individual from entering the sacred space of the Sanctuary. One example given is the length of time a woman must wait after giving birth, which…
The Rabbis moralised the condition of tzara’at – often translated as leprosy – the subject that dominates both Tazria and Metzora. It was, they said, a punishment rather than a medical condition. Their interpretation was based on the internal evidence of the Mosaic books themselves. Moses’ hand became leprous when he expressed doubt about the willingness of the people to…
The Summary This summary is adapted from this week’s main Covenant & Conversation essay by Rabbi Sacks. The majority of Tazria and Metzora is given to the identification and cleansing of tsara’at. What is it exactly? In early Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible it was called “lepra”, giving rise to a long tradition identifying it with leprosy. But that…
…the parshiyot of Tazria and Metzora. It was, they said, a punishment rather than a medical condition. Their interpretation was based on the stories found in the Torah itself. Moshe’s hand became temporarily white with tzara’at when he expressed doubt about the willingness of the people to believe in his mission (Shemot 4:6-7). Miriam was struck by tzara’at when she…
…waywardness. A society built on corruption and exploitation is one where might prevails over right. That is not Judaism but idolatry, Baal-worship. Now we understand why the sign of the covenant is circumcision, the commandment given in this week’s parsha of Tazria. For faith to be more than the worship of power, it must affect the most intimate relationship between…
It was the Septuagint, the early Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, that translated tsara’at, the condition whose identification and cleansing occupies much of Tazria and Metzora as “lepra”, giving rise to a long tradition identifying it with leprosy. That tradition is now widely acknowledged to be incorrect. First, the condition described in the Torah simply does not fit the…
The Parsha in a Nutshell Parshat Tazria discusses the laws of purity (tahor) and impurity (tamei) and the key role that the Kohen plays in distinguishing between them. If you were impure, you were forbidden from entering the holy space of the Sanctuary. These laws show us the difference between God and human beings. God is immortal (exists forever), humans…
The Parsha in a Nutshell Parshat Metzora continues with the themes we started to see in parshat Tazria, including the process of purification for tsara’at, the decay that causes skin disease in humans and discolouration in garments and the walls of houses. This parsha concludes with the process of purifying after various types of bodily discharges. Questions to Ponder The…