Tazria – The Tree of Life

parasha Tazria 5784

“This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: he shall be brought unto the priest [kohein].” – Leviticus 14:2, JPS

In each case, whether a person’s home, clothing, or body is stricken with a nega (plague), he is brought to the kohein. The kohein determines not only the status of the suspected nega; he also is qualified on a spiritual level to gain insight on the state of the person’s soul. This concept is in line with the understanding of tzarras as a spiritual malaise that manifests as a skin disease.

Tzarras is one type of nega, the other two in question, here, are those that show up on a person’s clothes or the walls of a home. In all cases, as already mentioned above, the kohein is the sole individual, who uses his discernment to ascertain the specific sin that was the root cause of the blemish on a person’s soul, that manifested as a nega (literally, “plague”).

What can we learn from this connection? HaShem is merciful; He causes afflictions such as negaim (plagues), for the sake of our chastisement, to lead us to teshuvah (repentance). He will send “an early warning signal” as a “wake up call,” specifically designated for us, so that we may scrutinize our own selves, in search for our misdeeds, character defects, and deficiencies.

With the help of the light, shining from Above, we may gain insight into our inner plight.

The Biblical leper was sent outside of the camp to reflect on his spiritual path. In order to focus on their inner-self, state of mind, and psyche, the familiar moorings of community were temporarily diminished. Comparatively speaking, when all else is stripped away, and we realize that there is something more to life than the superficial veneer of materialism, and worldly comforts we have permitted ourselves to arrive at the spiritual door of contemplation, in regard to what lies beyond the mundane existence of life.

Plagues are brought upon the world, and our individual lives as a type of chastisement, to move us in the direction of spiritual growth. If we take admonition to heart, then we will seek improvement in our lives. Yet, what will bring us to that point, where there appears to be a compelling drive to seek beyond the ordinary and delve deeper into our psyche, in search of the answer to questions, unable even to be formed by our conscious mind. Rather, it is a yearning to see beyond the veil, and reach across the chasm between us and a sense of the divine. That encounter first begins in a place of solitude, wherein the silence opens up to an actuality.

The existential loneliness that is at the core of existence is usually avoided by most people through interpersonal relationships, and intrapersonal occupation. Minus these two distractions, in the midst of both interpersonal and intrapersonal isolation, we find existential isolation. Yet, there is no need to be lonely, because the creator is at hand, hidden in the silence, as if He has always been waiting to be found by us. So, like the leper, who is isolated, if we find ourselves with the time, patience, and solitude to explore the unknown, the truth may be revealed to us.

parasha Tazria 5782

weekly Torah reading: parasha Tazria 5782

The skin diseases falling under the category or tzarras (often translated as “leprosy”) needed to be determined by a kohein (Leviticus 13:1-2). Yet, the so-called “plague of leprosy,” as mentioned in the Tanach, is not exactly the leprosy of more modern times. Rather, it is a category of various skin diseases that need to be determined by the Kohein: for only the Kohein has the authority to make the pronouncement. “And the [kohein] priest shall look on him and pronounce him unclean” (Leviticus 13:3, JPS).

The leprosy of biblical times was the result of spiritual malaise, commonly, the result of lashon harah (literally, evil tongue – a type of gossip). “The word, metzorah (someone, who has tzaaras – leprosy) is a contraction of motzi ra, meaning, “one who spreads slander” (Arachin 15b). The very visible chastisement is meant to show that the metzorah must mend his ways. In other words, the outward sign is meant to compel him to do teshuvah (repentance).

Sin may be manifest in our lives, living below the surface of our awareness. For this reason, one must make an attempt to examine one’s life. There are visible signs, at times, that we need to understand as wake-up calls. Also, when the children of Israel entered the land, sometimes they found mold in the walls; so, they would have to dig out the mold. On the one hand, the nega (plague) in the form of mold should serve for them to search their conscience, on the other hand, they often found hidden treasures in the walls, hidden by the previous occupants, the Canaanites, who hoped to return. By way of an analogy, there is always a reward for rectifying our faults.

Sanctity of Life

parasha Tazria 5782 -The Sanctity of Life
“Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: if a woman be delivered, and bear a man child.”

– Leviticus 12:1, JPS 1917 Tanach

According to Torah, the miracle of life, from the beginning, is addressed within the framework of sanctification. That is, both the mother and the child are taken into consideration, in terms of their purification. Both the mother as well as child are given a means to commemorate the birth. This is a life cycle tradition. When a male is born, the mother’s temporary state of impurity is only for seven days; this permits her to be present on the eighth day for her son’s circumcision.

The parashas continues with the laws, in regard to tzarras, a skin affliction, often mistranslated as leprosy. The metzorah (person who contracts tzarras) is diagnosed and quarantined. Because the metzorah has contracted tzarras as a result of lashon hara (literally, “evil speech”), isolation outside of the camp provides time for reflection upon the harm done to the recipient of the gossip. H’Shem willing, the metzorah will be able to return to society, as a result of a tikkun (rectification).

The concept appears within the overall framework of the sanctity required to approach H’Shem. Since H’Shem’s presence dwells within the mishkan (tabernacle) at the center of the camp, the metzorah is separated by way of not being permitted to be in the vicinity of the mishkan. Thus, the sanctity of the camp is preserved; and the metzorah is given the opportunity to do teshuvah (repentance), turning the heart back to Elokim (G-d).