Parsha #27 Tzaria (She Conceives) Leviticus 1`2:1-13:59
Haftarah: M'lakhim Bet (2 Kings) 4: 42-5:19
B’rit Hadashah: Mattiyahu (Matthew) 8: 1-4, Mark 1: 40-45; Luke 2: 22-24; 5:12-16; 7: 18-23
Parsha:
YHVH tells Moshe that a woman who give birth to a boy is impure for seven days. On the eighth day, her son is to be circumcised. For an an additional 33 days she cannot go into the Mishkan or touch anything holy. After her period of impurity whether she gave birth to a boy or girl, the woman must bring a Burnt Offering and a Sin Offering .
YHVH then explains to Moshe the laws of T’zara’at. We should note that this affliction has superficial similarities to leprosy but is not necessarily leprosy. A person who is suspected of having T’zara’at is brought before a priest and the priest will declare them pure, impure or quarantined then for seven days. If quarantined and after seven days the disease has not spread or is the same color then here is an additional seven day quarantine and if after that the t’zara’at has diminished the Kohen will declare him/her pure and he/she must wash his clothes in a mikvah.
There are different reason given in the Talmud for receiving T’zara’at. One is haughtiness and the other lashon hara. However, these two transgressions are related. The Torah teaches us that we should be humble and not let our egos get the better of us. When we talk badly about someone we are directly or indirectly making our status higher so that we feel superior to the other person. This helps us to understand the two types of tzara’at mentioned in this week’s Parsha
First, there is the s’ayt, which is a white blotch, slightly raised. It indicates that the person regards his behavior as pure and faultless, above all others. This is a sure sign that he/she is suffering from haughtiness. This type of tzara’at starts out on one part of the body, but the Torah warns us it spreads rapidly. It must be treated in its early stages. That is why the Kohen tells the person to go into quarantine away from everyone. He is to think about what he/she has done; how he treats others, and what he says about those he/she calls “friends.” He has seven days to think about it and repair his/her spiritual life.
The other type of Tzara’at is lashon hara, speaking evil about others and needs no explanation. .
Halftarah Connection: (M'lakhim Bet [2 Kings] 4: 42-5:19)
This weeks Parsha deals with those afflicted with tzara’at, how it is discovered in the purification process. The Halftarah proceeds to tell us a story of Na’aman, a high-ranking officer in the army of Aram, who get tzara’at and how Elisha the prophet purifies him.. The Halftarah ends with a declaration from this officer proclaiming how there is no one like the G-d of Israel for only He was able to cure him of his disease.
Think About it:
1. Why is the time span for a woman ‘s impurity who gives birth to a girl double that of one who gives birth to a boy?
2. Why must a woman who just gave birth bring a sin offering?
3. Why is a man covered partially with tzara’at considered impure while one who is completely covered considered pure?
Wisdom of the Sages:
“And the hair has turned white.” (13:3)
The hair turning white is a sign of impurity. Why? Usually white is perceived as a color of something pure. Tzara’at is a punishment for speaking evil about someone. When a person is spoken badly about causes that person embarrassment, and this often causes him/her to turn white. Therefore, the person who caused the embarrassment falls victim to the same color that caused embarrassment by forcing him/her to leave the camp of B’nai Yisrael.
“He will sit alone outside the camp.” (13:46)
The Tractate Nedarim states that a person with tzara’at is like someone who is dead. This is because a person is on his own away from others. Yet, this person like most people craves companionship and the interaction of others. For him/her to be ostracized is equivalent to death.
Gematria:
U'va'yom ha'shemini yimol bisar orlato. "And on the eighth circumcise his flesh." (12:3)
The numeric value of this phrase is 1,067. The Torah says a boy must be circumcised eight days after he is born. But when on the eighth day? There are many mitzvot that one can only do up until a certain time during the day. Is there a time limit for circumcision on the eighth day? The words, "the whole day is kosher for circumcision" also has the numeric value of 1.067, indicating that there is no time limit during the eighth day.
Shalom and Brachas,
Rabbi Davis