TAZRIA - METZORAH, Leviticus 12:1-15:33
Rosh Chodesh Iyar, Yom Hazikaron, Yom Ha'atzmaut
This week we have a double Torah Portion: Tazria
and Metzora. In addition we are celebrating the arrival of the month of Iyar, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut. And
let's not forget the counting of the Omer, Friday night being the 20th day of
the Omer count. It is a busy week.
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Parshat Tazria begins by setting out the rules which govern a woman upon giving birth. In order to regain a status of ritual purity. She must undergo a time-related sanctification process. This process varies in length depending on whether she has given birth to a boy or a girl. It is 41 days for a male child and 81 days for a baby girl.
This raises a question: Why is additional time required when a mother has given birth to a girl?
The beginning of the ritual purification is set out at 12:2 (in part) -
אִשָּׁה כִּי תַזְרִיעַ, וְיָלְדָה זָכָר--וְטָמְאָה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים
"If a woman be delivered, and bear a man-child, then she shall be unclean seven days".
And continues at 12:5 -
וְאִם-נְקֵבָה תֵלֵד, וְטָמְאָה שְׁבֻעַיִם כְּנִדָּתָהּ; וְשִׁשִּׁים יוֹם וְשֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים, תֵּשֵׁב עַל-דְּמֵי טָהֳרָה
"And if she gives birth to a female, she shall be unclean for two weeks, like her menstruation. And for sixty six days, she shall remain in the blood of purity".
I think the reason for the additional time goes like this:
During the period of gestation there is a presumption that the mother knows or thinks she knows that she is carrying a girl. At that point the mother realizes that it is incumbent upon her to pass on the superior wisdom and understanding, spirituality, sensitivity and teaching skills inherent in a woman to her unborn daughter.
She does this having in mind that one day the unborn daughter will have children of her own and likewise have the responsibility to educate them. Passing on this bounty to her unborn daughter depletes the mother of her natural gifts, and she needs more time to spiritually recover and resume her maternal responsibilities.
What do you think?
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Tazaria, תַזְרִיעַ means sow a seed or inseminated. מְּצֹרָע means "one who is diseased", literally “a leper”. .
The Parshah Tazaria and Metzora concern a person punished with a spiritual disorder called צָּרַעַת, tzara'at. It manifests itself on a person’s skin, something akin to psoriasis. A Kohen is called upon to diagnose the disease.
The only treatment offered for a person with tzara’at is quarantine for a period of time outside of the camp and shaving of the body. After a period of time, if the treatment is effective as determined by the Kohen, the person undergoes a purification process. Firstly the person immerses in a Mikveh, a sort of spiritual repair and cleansing. The person must wait until the end of the day, for nightfall, and the beginning of a new day before entering back into the camp. He is now permitted to partake in, to eat sacred food, the Korban, a part of the holy offering. By consuming some of the Korban, the person has been fully restored to spiritual health
Tzara'at may also affect one’s clothing and even one’s home. We don't have this type of disease currently and we do not understand how all the details are relevant to our practical lives. But we do know that there are times when our spiritual being has been diseased and requires repair and purification.
The Tazria-Metzora and one of the haftarah for Metzora when read alone deal with people stricken with skin disease. In Parashah Tazria at 13:46 provides that the person with skin disease "shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his dwelling be,".
It is not difficult to connect the Torah readings with the situation that we have been facing today with the Covid 19 virus. I’ll leave it to you to make your own conclusions.
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YOM HAZIKARON -THE PRICE OF FREEDOM
As of last year:
The number of Israel's casualties of war stand at 23,816 as of April 2020. Since last Memorial Day, 75 new names were added to the roster of those who died defending the country. Of these, 42 deaths were members of the Defense Forces, with another 33 disabled persons dying as a result of injury in defense services.
That is the cost to keep us Israelis safe and free.
On Tuesday at 8 PM a siren will go off. and another one on Wednesday at 11 AM,
during which the country stands still for a moment of silence and remembrance
for the fallen soldiers of the IDF.
May their memory be for a blessing...Only simchas.
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OMER COUNT FOR INDEPENDENCE DAY
Let's not forget the counting of the Omer, Friday night being the 20th day of the Omer count.
Rabbi Simon Jacobson provides spiritual insight into the counting of the Omer for each and every day. For the 20th Day of the Omer, which is day six of the third week we are directed to correct the flaw in the Sefirat known as Yesod of Tiferet. Here Tiferet is considered as compassion, and Yesod having within it the ability to bond. Rabbi Jacobson explains how the compassion of the day can be rectified:
"For compassion to be fully realized, it needs bonding. It requires creating a channel between giver and receiver. A mutuality that extends beyond the moment of need. A bond that continues to live on. That is the most gratifying result of true compassion. Do you bond with the one you have compassion for, or do you remain apart? Does your interaction achieve anything beyond a single act of sympathy?"
The 20th Day of the Omer coincides with Yom Ha'atzmaut. Consider Rabbi Jacobson’s words in the context of a relationship between Jews outside of Israel and our Land of Israel.
To correct the flaw in this Sefriat, Rabbi Jacobson proposes the following exercise: Ensure that something eternal is built (the Land of Israel) as a result of your (Jews living outside of Israel) compassion.
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