Parshat Metzora

Often, the two Parshiyot of Tazria and Metzora are read in the same week as a double Parsha. However, in leap years, the Parshiyot are separated.

Last week’s Parsha (Tazria) discusses Hashem commanding Moshe concerning the symptoms and quarantine measures to be taken in a case of a Metzora, a person with a skin disease similar to leprosy. This week’s parsha, Parashat Metzora, expands on that topic and discusses in more detail the specific steps the Kohein Gadol takes in order to purify the afflicted Metzora. As mentioned last week, when someone notices a skin disorder, he must immediately go to the Kohein for an examination.

As a result of this examination, he is to be quarantined outside the camp for seven days to determine the progress of the disease. Then he is to be retested. If nothing changes, he stays outside the camp for another seven days. Then if when tested, he still has not changed, he is declared clean. On the other hand,  if the disease has noticeably spread, he is to be declared as someone who has Tzara’at. He is then to be sent outside the camp until he is healed. He has to warn anyone who comes near him that he is ‘Tameh’ -- unclean.

When it is felt that the stricken person is healed, he is brought to the Kohein for a final examination. If he is healed, the Kohein instructs him concerning the purification ceremony 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.

On the eighth day following this ceremony, the healed person is to bring three sacrifices. The special disease is not limited to the skin; it can affect one’s clothing or even home. In these cases too, the Kohein had to be consulted and only he can determine if the home, for example, can be purified or if it must be destroyed.

Tzara’at is a punishment for committing the sin of speaking lashon hara (gossiping). We learn this from a story in another Parsha where Miriam is punished with Tzara’at for speaking lashon hara about her brother Moshe.

The Parsha also discusses other kinds of impurity that may require a person to bring sacrifices in order to be considered pure again.

Questions:

1.    What is this week’s Parsha? What other Parsha is usually read together with this week’s Parsha?

2.    What is the first thing one must do if someone sees a blemish on himself?

3.    When the person believes he is healed, to whom does he go?

4.    How do you say ‘unclean’ in Hebrew?

5.    For what sin is Tzara’at a punishment? Who in the Torah is punished with Tzara’at for committing this sin?

6.    When does the healed person have to bring three sacrifices?

Answers:

1.    This week’s Parsha is Parashat Metzora. It is usually read together with Parashat Tazria as a double
        Parsha. 

2.    He must immediately go to the Kohein for an examination.

3.    When the person believes he is healed, he has to go back to the Kohein to be retested to make sure he
        is, in fact, healed.

4.    The Hebrew word for ‘unclean’ is Tameh.

5.    Tzara’at is a punishment for speaking lashon hara (gossip). In the Torah, Miriam is punished with
       Tzara’at for speaking lashon hara about Moshe.

6.    The healed person has to bring three sacrifices to Hashem on the eighth day following his purification
       ceremony.