The name of the Parshah, “Tazria,” means “conceives” and it is found in Leviticus 12:2. The name of the Parshah, “Metzora,” is often translated as “leper” and it is found in Leviticus 14:2.
The Parshah of
Tazria continues the discussion of the laws of tumah v’taharah, ritual
impurity and purity.
A
woman giving
birth should undergo a process of purification, which includes immersing in a
mikvah (a naturally gathered pool of water) and bringing offerings to the
Holy Temple. All male infants are to be
circumcised on
the eighth day of life.
Tzaraat(
often mistranslated as leprosy) is a supra-natural plague, which can afflict people as well as garments or homes. If white or pink patches appear on a person’s skin (dark red or green in garments), a
kohen is summoned. Judging by
various signs, such as an increase in size of the afflicted area after a seven-day quarantine, the kohen
pronounces it
tamei
(impure) or
tahor
(pure).
A person afflicted with
tzaraat must dwell alone outside of the camp (or city) until he is healed. The afflicted area in a garment or home must be removed; if the tzaraat recurs, the entire garment or home must be destroyed.
As outlined at the start of
the portion of Metzora, when the
metzora
(“leper”) heals, he or she is purified by the kohen with a special procedure involving two birds, spring water in an earthen vessel, a piece of cedar wood, a scarlet thread and a bundle of hyssop.
When a
home is afflicted with tzaraat, in a process lasting as long as nineteen days, a kohen determines
if the house can be purified, or whether it must be demolished.
Ritual impurity is also engendered through a seminal or other discharge in a man, and
menstruation or other discharge of blood in a woman, necessitating purification through immersion in a mikvah.
Learn:
Tazria-Metzorah in Depth
Browse:
Tazria-Metzorah Parshah Columnists
Prep:
Devar Torah Q&A for Tazria-Metzorah
Read:
Haftarah in a Nutshell
Play:
Tazria-Metzorah Parshah Quiz
