Tazria-Metzora

The last few week’s Torah readings have not been so easy to follow. After all the details of the building of the Tabernacle we are faced with the details of the various sacrifices. Last week, at least, we came to something that finally seemed relevant to us: the laws of kashrut. Yet this week we read something hard to understand and harder still to connect to our lives: the laws of leprosy. Yet the Torah does devote almost two whole Parshiot to discussing this issue, so we should try and understand its relevance. These Parshiot in fact contain an important message which, in fact, goes to the heart of our difficulty with these passages. We fail to comprehend what relevance these laws have to our spiritual life. Surely they are more relevant to be discussed by doctors rather than Rabbis. Yet that is precisely the point of the Parshah. The Torah doesn’t see a dividing line between the physical and the spiritual. Rather it postulates a world view whereby one influences the other. Last week we read about the laws of kashrut, whereby the physical influences the spiritual. Eating forbidden foods has a negative influence on our spirituality. This week we look at the issue from the opposite direction. A person becomes sick with leprosy. The Torah, and later the Rabbis, understand that this is not by chance or for purely physical reasons. Rather it is a consequence of a spiritual deficiency, taken in this case to be an arrogance towards others leading to slander. In other words the fact that someone becomes ill is not only a function of their physiology but also of their inner life. If we wish to try and cure someone we obviously have to look to medicine. But, the Torah asserts, that is not enough. We must also look at their spiritual life. What are the deeper reasons for illness and what can we do to also deal with them. Since Freud science has also recognised this with regard to mental health. Less has been understood in regard to spiritual or religious wellbeing. Yet increasingly people are coming to recognise that the holistic attitude of the Torah is correct. We need to regard people as whole human beings consisting of physical, psychological and spiritual needs. We cannot promote their well being by ignoring their religious needs or spiritual life. Our Parshah, rather than being irrelevant, teaches us a very modern concept that is relevant to us all.

ALIYAH BY ALIYAH SYNOPSIS

Rishon	Laws of childbirth and leprosy.
Sheni	Leprosy of the head and face.
Shelishi	Leprosy in garments.
Revi’i	Purification from leprosy.
Chamishi	Purification of the poor leper.
Shishi	Leprosy in houses.
Shevi’i	Laws of bodily issues.
Haftorah	II Kings: 7;2-20: Lepers save Samaria.

 

Sidra Statistics

Parshat Tazria -  Metzoria

·               has 67 + 90 = 157 verses;

·               is the  4th + 5th in Leviticus,  27th + 28th in the Torah

·               8th + 5th longest in Leviticus,  40th and 41st longest  in the Torah  

·               have together 16 pos + 2 neg  = 18  mitzvot.