Parashat tazria

summary

This weeks portion, Tazria, and next weeks, Metzora, is one of seven designated occasions that two portions can be read as one to insure that the entire Torah is read in a year. This week they are separate and Tazria (Lev 12:1-13:59) begins with the regulations concerning the ritual status of a mother after childbirth. Whereas the newborn is considered pure, the mother is impure for different lengths of times depending on the sex of the child, and the level of defilement she carries with her. No reason is given for her impurity although her impurity is compared to a menstruating woman. The section also states that a boy should be circumcised on its eighth day and at the end of her impurity, the mother should present a hatta’at (sin offering) as well as an olah (burnt offering).

The remainder of the portion concerns tsara’at. This is a kind of skin condition, usually translated as leprosy although this is not necessarily the exact intent. The symptoms are described, its chronic ailments and when it is a complication. There also seems to be a slightly mis-aligned section on tsara’at of garments (should it go at the end of chapter 14 with tsara’at of houses?). In each case, it is the priest who is called in to decide on the severity of the affliction and therefore and the level of subsequent isolation from others within the encampment.

commentary

Tazria raises issues of health. I know that at ‘tent’ and in these thoughts I am constantly reminding you not to forget the soul and its need for spiritual exercise but I guess it is okay to have week off and focus on our physical bodies! Many Jews understand the body as being a temporary container for the soul, which is loaned to us by God. That is why we say each morning, ”I give thanks, O everliving Sovereign, for in Your mercy You restore my soul to me. Great is Your faithfulness (Siddur Lev Chadash, 264).” And in the evening we say, “Into Your hands I commend my soul, both when I sleep and when I wake; and with my soul, my body too; You are my God, I need not fear (SLC, 535 for the Morning and Bedtime Prayers).
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Rambam (Moses Maimonides in his Mishneh Torah, Hilchot De’ot 4:1)

To keep one’s body healthy and in good condition is part of what it means to walk in God’s ways, for it is difficult to know and understand God when one is sick. Therefore, we have a duty to avoid whatever is injurious to the body, and cultivate habits conducive to health and strength.

Philo (1st Century CE)

Is not the soul, the body’s house? Why then should we not take care of the house, that it may not fall into ruins?

However, we know that life is not as easy as taking care of the body and it functioning as it should do. With this knowledge how should we go on?

Praying together to God helps us strengthen our resolve to help one another.  When we pray together we understand how much needs to be done.  Rabbi Moses Lev of Sassov was once asked why God permitted atheism in the world.  He answered:  Atheism is important because when confronted with another person in trouble or in need, we should respond as if there were no God; rather than ask God to help the one in need, we should take action ourselves.

The rabbis state categorically that "one should never rely on a miracle."  By praying in community we remind ourselves that we need to take action in this world.  We have God's concern and encouragement but the decisive steps must be ours.

(The Israelites prayed) a prayer of distress.  "And the children of Israel were terribly afraid [of the Egyptians]. And they cried out to God" (Exodus 14:10).  (What is) God's answer to that prayer?  Moses comforts the people, telling them that they are about to see God's great power work for them.  God then says to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me?  Tell the Israelites to go forward."  (Exodus 14:15)  Even at this moment , which precedes the splitting of the sea, we understand the essence of prayer.  It is not to persuade God to split the sea - it is to persuade us to move forward.

(from Rabbi David Wolpe's book "Teaching Your Children About God" (pp156-157))

May it be Your will, Eternal One, our God and God of our ancestors, speedily to grant a perfect healing of body and soul to all who are sick. We praise You, O God, healer of the sick.

(Part of our 5th petitionary prayer of the Amidah, SLC, 21 and 264)