Triennial Reading Cycle 2
For Year 5784

Parshat Tazria

Leviticus 13:29 - 13:59

April 12-13, 2024

Because Tazria details one general theme, this week’s Shabbat brochure will describe the entire portion. Tazria begins with the subject of tum-ah, or ritual impurity. Tumah is a concept misunderstood. Ritual impurity has no connection to physical cleanliness but represents a state of being which follows certain life experiences - such as childbirth. A woman who has just given birth was considered ritually impure and could not enter the Sanctuary. We moderns might seriously question such a designation. The new Torah commentary, the Etz Hayyim, suggests the following reason for considering a woman to be ritually impure after childbirth:

A woman who had just given birth might feel the presence of God so strongly in that experience that she would feel no need to go to the sanctuary to find God (the commentary adds this parenthetical comment with which I agree:) although we might be more comfortable with that decision being left to the new mother rather than being written into law.

Tazria then begins a lengthy description of what the Torah calls leprosy; but was actually a more curable skin disease, which afflicted someone for a limited time. In graphic detail, the Torah identifies the affliction - an illness which is not evidenced on one's body but on one's house. The Metzora (what we call the afflicted individual) must be isolated from the community for a period of time, and then examined to determine his/her health. Any clothes which bear the marks of this disease must be discarded.

Despite a reading which seems grotesque and remote to our lives, there are several pertinent themes:

#1- Health is as important to the future of Israel, as is ritual. Some of us recall how when we were young and contracted the measles, we were quarantined - forbidden from attending school (I rather enjoyed that part of it!) People with high temperatures, other illnesses, lice, etc., should not attend school, because their illness and physical condition might be contagious. Schools often contact parents to inform them about unanticipated healthy concerns which arise.

#2- People isolated from the camp were not stripped of human dignity; they were isolated for health reasons alone. Today, as we confront the problem of life-threatening diseases (as we did with the AIDS crisis) we need to recognize that those who are sick should not be emotionally or spiritually isolated from the community but should benefit from our love and compassion.

#3- Commentators explain that the word metzora is an abbreviation for the Hebrew motzi shem ra; the Hebrew expression for slander. One who slanders is guilty of such insensitivity that he/she is worthy of being afflicted with the disease. Lashon Hara, or evil speech extends beyond mere gossip to threaten a person's reputation and psyche. As caring human beings, we need to care for what we say as well as for how we act. The subject of indecent speech is such a Jewish concern that one, great Jewish teacher in the last century devoted much of his life to that topic.

Haftarah 2 Kings 4:42-5:19

The Haftarah shared two “miracle” stories from the life of Elisha, a prophet in the Northern Kingdom. In one story a small amount of bread will feed the masses; in the second story we learn about Naaman, a “leper” who is miraculously healed. As this Haftarah is often omitted for calendar reasons, today provides a nice opportunity to learn a little bit more about Elisha.