Shalom JTF readers,
Once again I am writing this thread late as my friend has been 'hanging out' late on a rainy night...
Anyway, this week we are reading the portion of Tazria which contains more commandments concerning ritual purity and impurity. This includes the description of Tzaara which afflicts those who speak lashon hara. While it is translated as 'leprosy' it is not what we know today as leprosy, but rather it was an affliction which caused the afflicted to be banished from the camp until his affliction was examined by the Kohen who would pronounce it clean...
From the Chabad 'Parsha in a Nutshell':
http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/1545/jewish/Tazria-in-a-Nutshell.htm
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 also can afflict garments. 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 is removed; if the tzaraat spreads or recurs, the entire garment must be burned.
As usual I will start with the latest posting of Rabbi Richman, of the Temple Institute, who has been busy this week preparing for the 'International Temple Awareness' program which will be broadcast this coming Sunday...
Topic: Video Study for Parsha Tazria : Holy Leprosy batman! (Read 2918 times)