Parashat Metzo'rah forms a sequel to
Parashat Tazri'a and is defined by the words: "the Torah of the leper for
the day of his cleansing" (Lev. 14:2).
Just as it was the priest who diagnosed the state of leprosy, it is only
he who could now determine if "the affliction - or plague -
of leprosy is healed" (v. 3 literal translation, emphasis added).
This “affliction” or “plague” (which some of the English translations omit and
in others it is “plague” or “infection”) is “nega.” It stems from the
root n.g.a (noon, gimmel, ayin), with the primary meaning being "to touch." The most famous
'touch' in Scripture that had a significant influence on all the afflictions we
are dealing with here is found in B’resheet (Genesis) 3:3: "But of the fruit of the tree which is
in the midst of the garden, Elohim has said, `You shall not eat it, nor shall
you touch it, lest you die'" (italics added). The Children of
Yisrael were likewise charged not to touch Mount Chorev
Referring back to the person being cleansed…
It is now incumbent upon him to take two living and clean birds, cedar wood,
scarlet and hyssop for his offering. One of the birds was to be killed in an
earthen vessel over “living” ('running,' in English) water. The living bird is
to be taken with the cedar wood, the scarlet and the hyssop, all of which are
to be dipped in the blood of the dead bird, over “living” ('running') water
(ref. 14:4-6). Interestingly, "living" is mentioned four times in
this short passage. "Scarlet" in Hebrew is “tola'at shani,”
which is literally a "worm of scarlet" (i.e. the worm from
which the dye was extracted). Incidentally, in Parashat F’kudey (Ex. 38:21-ch.
40) the term “worm of scarlet” – tola’at shani – was rendered scarlet thread – signifying the blood of the atonement and was mentioned
along with the gold, the blue and the purple. Yet here, the worm may
denote a very humble status (e.g. Ps. 22:6; Is. 41:14). “Hyssop” is the
translation (actually a form of transliteration) of “ezov,” symbolic one
of the lowliest plants, especially when compared to the cedar. In Mlachim Alef
(I Kings) 4:33 we read: "…from the cedar tree of Lebanon
Next, the earthen vessel also connotes
humility (e.g. "we have this treasure in earthen vessels" 2nd Cor.
4:7). Whether this combination of the lowly with the lofty denotes different
types of individuals, or whether it is pointing to the characteristics within
the individual (who is to reform from the sin of pride and haughtiness and
become humble and submissive), is an issue that has been hotly debated.
However, regardless of the answer to this question, for cleanliness to be
declared the bird's blood must be sprinkled seven times on the person
undergoing the purification.
In the course of this cleansing process, the
priest had to go outside the camp to the place where the afflicted person was
quarantined (14:8). In the previous Parasha we noted that the phrase "outside
the camp" (“the city” or “the gate”), has a dual connotation. In Vayikra
(Leviticus) 4:12 and 6:11, there was "a clean place outside the
camp." Here in 14:40, 41, and 45 reference is made to "an unclean
place outside the city." Both places are singled out, and are in fact
related. The priest who goes outside the camp comes in contact with the
unclean, or afflicted person, much like our High Priest who (in order to
cleanse us) had to come to our contaminated world so that we could join Him
"outside [His] camp" (ref. Heb. 13:13).
On the “eighth day,” after the seven day
watch (ref. 14:23) and the concurrent bodily purging, the person undergoing the
cleansing comes forth with his offerings. Notice, this selfsame individual goes
through a ritual similar to the dedication for service of A’haron and his sons
(cf. Ex. 29:20,21; Lev. 8:23, 24). And thus we read: "The priest shall
take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall
put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the
thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot… And of the rest
of the oil in his hand, the priest shall put some on the tip of the
right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on
the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the trespass offering” (14:25-28).
Atonement is thus granted, as well as anointing for 'hearing,' 'doing,' and
'walking' (see Hebrew Insights into Parashat Tetzaveh, Ex. 29:20).
Since quite a substantial offering was being
expected of the person being cleansed, provision was made "if he is poor
and cannot afford it…" (14:21). "Cannot afford" is
expressed by a typical picturesque idiom, "his hand is unable to reach,"
as "hand reaching" (of this type) denotes financial well being. "To reach," stemming from the root
n.s.g (noon, sin, gimmel), also means "to pursue, or overtake."
"When you have come into the land of Canaan
A house so plagued is to be "emptied
out" of its content (14:36).
“Pina” - of the root p.n.h (pey, noon, hey, meaning "to
turn"), is the verb used here. In
Parashat Trumah (in Ex. 25:20), we have already encountered p.n.h, in
relationship to the "showbread" ("bread of the face") and the
faces of the cherubim placed on the Ark of the Covenant. In the course of
"emptying out" the house there is a “turning” - that is, "making
way" and by implication a “clearing” or an “emptying out." The act of
emptying out one's house (and taking it apart, if need be, 14:40-45) has a
further symbolic meaning. We thus read in 2Corinthians 5:1: "For
we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building
from Elohim, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
According to Midrash Rabba 17:7: "And I will put the plague of tza'ra'at
in the house of the land of your possession (14:34) - this refers to the Temple
"Scale"
is “netek,” from the root n.t.k (noon. tav, kof), meaning “to pull
off, draw, disconnect, or remove." Ee’yov
(Job) laments: "…my purposes are broken off – “nitku”…” (Job 17:11
italics added). And again in Jeremiah, "my tent is plundered, all my
chords are broken…” (10:20, italics added). The swelling is called “s'et,”
of the root n.s.a (noon, sin, alef), meaning "to lift, carry
or hold up." S'et, as such, according to B.D.B Lexicon is
"exaltation, dignity or swelling". [7] Ee’yov (Job - 41:25),
speaking of Leviathan, says: "When he raises himself up, the mighty
are afraid" (italics added). “Scab” is the translation of “sapa'chat,”
which is of the root s.f.ch (samech, fey, chet), meaning "to join,
or add." It can also refer to that which is overgrown. In Chavakuk
(Habakkuk) 2:15 we read, "Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor, joining
him to your wineskin, even to make him drunk, that you may
look on his nakedness!” (Italics added). Finally, the "bright spot"
is “baheret,” of the root b.h.r (bet, hey, resh), which means "bright
or brilliant," used almost exclusively in relationship to a physical
condition. However, one reference in Ee’yov (Job) 37:21 seems to indicate a
light so bright that men cannot look at it.
Lining up the terms, according to their
respective connotations, will create the following picture: A breaking
or removal (possibly from the Almighty) will lead to the attitude of loftiness
resulting in rebelliousness and pride, followed by wrong attachments.
From there the path is open to what may appear as an effulgence, but is
actually nothing more than a blinding false light. The entire body of
instructions is finalized by the words: "…to teach on the day of the
unclean, and on the day of cleansing; this is the Torah of the tza'ra'at"
(14:57, literal translation). Thus, this long passage, which starts in verse
34, is solely for the purpose of teaching (“le'horot”) the Torah
(as it pertains to the issue at hand). Torah impartation, therefore, is what it
takes to counteract the sequence portrayed above and its dismal results.
The next section of the Parasha (chapter 15)
deals with unclean discharges omitted by the body (which are the natural
outcome of the sequel of conditions described above). "This was an emblem
of the corruption of nature, and of all evil things that are in or flow out of
the evil heart of man, which are defiling to him"[8] (see Mat. 15:18).
"If a woman has a discharge of blood
for many days, other than at the time of her customary impurity [her regular
menstrual cycle], or if it runs beyond her usual time of impurity, all the days
of her unclean discharge shall be as the days of her customary impurity. She
shall be unclean [for as long as she has the discharge]… Whoever touches those
things [which she has handled] shall be unclean…" (15:25, 27). This
injunction makes the episode recorded in the Gospels, of Yeshua healing the
woman with the issue of blood, most remarkable (ref. Matt. 9:19-22; Mark
5:25-34, Luke 8:43-48)! Yeshua does not appear to be alarmed by the fact that
an unclean woman has touched him. In fact, He does not even refer to her as
such. As much as Yeshua respected the regulations of Torah (being the Torah
incarnate), it was the Torah of Life and NOT the “letter” which He advocated
and practiced. Yeshua ministered the life of the (Re)New(ed) Covenant, as
defined by 2nd Corinthians 3:6: A "new covenant, not of the letter but of
the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."
Toward the end of Parashat Metzora we read: “So you shall cause the sons
of Israel to be estranged – vehizartem,
root of zar, stranger, foreigner - from their uncleanness, so that they do not
die in their uncleanness when they defile My dwelling place that is among them”
(15:31, literal translation). As those who form the abode of YHVH, the
Israelites are to be “strangers” to uncleanliness. These words truly encapsulate
the spirit of the Torah injunctions - a spirit that the Elohim of Yisrael
wishes to bestow upon His people.
[1] New Studies in
Vayikra Part 1, Nechama Leibowitz, trans. Aryeh Newman.
Eliner Library, Department for Torah
Education and Culture in the Diaspora.Hemed
Books Inc., Brooklyn , N.Y.
[2] The New Brown,
Driver, Briggs, Gesenius Lexicon, Francis Brown Hendrickson.
Publishers, Peabody , Mass.
[3] Gill Commentary, Online Bible
Hebrew Tools for Everyday Use
The “nega” –
affliction – that we examined above is connected, as was mentioned, to the verb
“to touch” – la’ga’at. A plagued house was to be emptied out, with the verb
used there being the same one that one which is in use today. The noun
evacuation, emptying out etc. is pin’nuy.
We already had “horim” – parents – in our of our previous Tools. In the
Parasha’s text we encountered “to teach” – le’horot – from which comes
“ho’ra’ah” which is “instruction”. Another verb in the Parasha is “natan” – to
give. Let’s see how all of those work together.
Don’t touch!
Lo la’ga’at
(literally not to touch)
Before the
evacuation they gave instructions
Lifney ha’pinuy hem
natnu ho’ra’a
Recording:
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