פָּרָשַׁת מְצֹרָע Parashat Meṣoraՙ
INTRODUCTION:
Parashat Meṣoraՙ (Lev. 14:1-15:33) contains the following sidrot:
Eighty-Eighth Sidra՚, purification of a Meṣoraՙ, and the offering of the poor Meṣoraՙ;
Eighty-Ninth Sidra՚, discolouration in houses;
Ninetieth Sidra՚, impurity of a male with a flow, impurity of seminal emission, and impurity of menstruation;
Ninety-First Sidra՚ (continues into the next parasha), impurity of a female with a flow.
ANALYSIS:
Eighty-Eighth Sidra՚ (Lev. 14:1-32): Purification of a Meṣoraՙ, and the offering of the poor Meṣoraՙ.
When the ṣaraՙath of a meṣoraՙ [someone with ṣaraՙath] has healed the kohen is to inspect them outside of the camp i.e. settlement. If indeed the mark of the ṣaraՙath has healed from the one with the ṣaruwaՙ then they are to be purified. For their purification they are to take two live pure birds, cedar wood, scarlet of worm , and hyssop . One of the birds is to be slaughtered over living water (fresh water i.e. water fit for drinking) in an earthen vessel. The kohen then takes the live bird as well as the cedar wood, the scarlet of worm, and the hyssop, and they are all dipped in the blood of the slaughtered bird; he then sprinkles the person who is being purified from the ṣāraՙath seven times declaring them pure. The live bird is subsequently released into the open field. Then the person who is being purified shall launder their garments, shave off all the hair from their entire body (including eyebrows), and wash in water, then they are pure. Afterward they may come into the camp, but are to remain outside their tent (i.e. dwelling) for seven days. On the seventh day they are for a second time to shave off all the hair from their entire body, launder their garments, and wash in water; then they are pure. On the eighth day they are to take two male lambs without blemish, one female lamb in its first year without blemish, three ՙesronim [singular ՙissaron; another term for an ՙomer - between 2.2 and 4.5 litres - dry weight] of fine flour as a gift-offering mixed with oil, and one log [between 0.625 and 0.3 litres - liquid weight] of oil. The kohen performing the purification is to station the one being purified before YHWH at the Tent of Appointed Times. The kohen is to take one of the he lambs and bring it for a guilt-offering with the log of oil and elevate them as an elevation-offering before YHWH. He shall slaughter the lamb at the altar and taking some of the blood he shall put it on the lobe of the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand, and on the thumb-toe of the right foot, of the one being purified (the same is done to the kohen during his consecration). The kohen is then to take some of the log of oil and pour it out onto his left palm. He shall then dip his right finger into the oil that is on his left palm and sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before YHWH. The kohen puts some of the oil that remains on his palm on the lobe of the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand, and on the thumb-toe of the right foot, of the one being purified on the same spot where he put the blood of the guilt-offering. The remainder of the oil on the kohen's palm he is to put upon the head of the one being purified. The kohen shall then offer the sin-offering, making atonement on behalf of the one being purified before YHWH. Afterward he shall slaughter the ascent-offering; thus one lamb is for a guilt-offering, another for a sin-offering, and the third for an ascent-offering.
However, if the one being purified is poor and cannot afford the regular purification offering then on the eighth day of their purification they shall take; one he lamb as a guilt-offering - for an elevation-offering to make atonement on his behalf, one ՙissaron of fine flour mixed with oil for a gift-offering, a log of oil, and two turtledoves or two young pigeons one for the sin-offering and the other for the ascent-offering. The kohen shall take the lamb of the guilt-offering and the log of oil, elevating them as an elevation-offering before YHWH. After slaughtering the lamb of the guilt-offering the kohen takes some of the blood of the guilt-offering and puts it on the lobe of the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand, and on the thumb-toe of the right foot, of the one being purified. He is then to take some of the oil and pour it out onto his left palm and sprinkle some of it with his right finger seven times before YHWH. Then he shall put some of the oil that remains on his palm on the lobe of the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand, and on the thumb-toe of the right foot, of the one being purified on the same spot where he put the blood of the guilt-offering. The remains of the oil that is on the kohen's palm he is to put upon the head of the one being purified, to make atonement on his behalf before YHWH. Then the kohen offers one of the turtledoves or one of the young pigeons as a sin-offering and the other as an ascent-offering upon the gift-offering; the kohen thus makes atonement for the one being purified before YHWH.
Eighty-Ninth Sidra՚ (Lev. 14:33-57): Discolouration in houses.
Apart from humans, garments, and items made from hide, the mark of ṣaraՙath can also afflict the houses of the Children of Israel once settled in the land of Canaan. If YHWH puts the mark of ṣaraՙath in a house in the land of Canaan the owner of the house is to inform the kohen that their house is suspect of having the mark of ṣaraՙath. The house is to be emptied of all its possessions before the kohen enters to inspect. For if the mark is that of ṣaraՙath all that remains in the house will be declared impure along with the house. The kohen examines the mark, and if it is in the walls of the house as greenish or reddish depressions, which in sight are in the wall rather than on its surface, the house is to be sealed for seven days. Anyone who enters the house while it is sealed shall be impure until the evening, and anyone lying or eating in the house shall launder their garments. On the seventh day the kohen is to re-examine the house and if the mark has spread in the walls then he shall command that they take away the stones with the mark and cast them into an impure place outside the city. The plaster is to be scraped off the inside walls of the house and the dust from the scraping is to be dumped outside the city in an impure place. The removed stones are to be replaced with new ones and the inside walls are to be re-plastered with fresh plaster. If the mark should subsequently return spreading in the house, the kohen shall re-examine the house and if the mark has indeed spread it is malignant ṣaraՙath; the house is impure. The house is to be demolished and all its stones, timber, mortar, and other building materials are to be taken outside of the city to an impure place. However, if upon inspection the mark has not spread the kohen shall pronounce the house pure because the mark is healed. In order to purify the house the owner is to take two birds i.e. doves or pigeons, cedar wood, scarlet of worm, and hyssop, and one of the birds is to be slaughtered over living water in an earthen vessel. The kohen shall take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet of worm, and the living bird, dips them in the blood of the slaughtered bird as well as in the running water, and then sprinkles the house seven times. Then the living bird is to be released outside the city into the open field, thus making atonement for the house; the house is now pure.
Ninetieth Sidra՚ (Lev. 15:1-24): Impurity of a male with a flow, impurity of seminal emission, and impurity of menstruation.
The rest of Parashat Meṣoraՙ is concerned with impurities that emanate from the reproductive organs of both men and women. There are two forms of impurity for each gender, the normal and the abnormal. Where the male is concerned the Torah progresses from the abnormal to the normal, while for the female the progression is reversed: i) abnormal male - discharge from the penis; result of an illness or infection, ii) normal male - seminal emission, iii) normal female - monthly menstrual bleeding, iv) abnormal female - vaginal bleeding persisting beyond normal menstrual period or outside of normal menstrual period.
i) Abnormal male - discharge from the penis. The Torah is graphic in its explanation of the symptoms of a man with a discharge, which the Torah calls a זוֹב [flow]. Whether the flow is a running discharge, i.e. the discharge oozes or dribbles from the penis, or one that seals up the penis i.e. the discharge is waxy and becomes encrusted on the penis or blocks the urethra; such a flow makes the man impure. This may be a result of contracting gonorrhoea or having a tubercular lesion. Anything vessel (moveable object) that the one with the flow lies upon is rendered impure and anyone that touches it is to launder their garments, wash in water, and is impure until the evening. Anything vessel that the one with the flow sits upon becomes impure, and anyone who sits upon it shall launder their garments, wash in water, and is to remain impure until the evening. Anyone that touches the one with the flow shall launder their garments, wash in water, and is impure until the evening. If the one with the flow should spit on anyone that is pure, then they shall launder their garments, wash in water, and remain impure until the evening. Any saddle that the one with the flow has ridden upon is impure. Anyone that touches anything that was under the one with the flow shall be impure until the evening, and anyone that carries such an object shall launder their garments, wash in water, and is impure until the evening. If the one with the flow - without first rinsing his hands in water - touches someone, then the one touched shall launder their garments, wash in water and remains impure until the evening. Any earthen vessel - this is generally regarded as an unglazed vessel - that the one with the flow has touched shall be smashed, and any wooden utensil shall be rinsed in water. When the flow stops, the זָב [a male with a flow] must count seven complete days from the time the flow completely ceased; then he is to launder his garments, wash in fresh water and is pure. And on the eighth day he is to bring as an offering to the Temple consisting of two turtledoves or two young doves, one for a sin-offering and the other for an ascent-offering, "And the kohen shall make atonement upon his (behalf) before YHWH from his flow" (Lev. 15:15).
ii) Normal male - seminal emission. When a man has an emission of semen he shall wash in water and is impure until the evening. Any garment or leather-item on which semen falls is to be laundered in water and is impure until the evening. If there is an emission of semen after a man has had sex with a woman, then they shall both wash in water and they are impure until the evening.
iii) Normal female - monthly menstrual bleeding. From the moment that a woman realizes that she has commenced her menstrual bleeding she is in niddah [separation] for seven days. Anyone who touches her shall be impure until the evening. Anything vessel that she lies upon or sits upon shall be impure. Anyone who touches her bed shall launder their garments, wash in water, and is impure until the evening. Anyone who touches anything that can be moved that the niddah has sat upon, shall launder their garments, wash in water, and remains impure until the evening. Anyone who touches any item or any object that is on the bed that the niddah has lied upon or is on anything moveable that the niddah has sat upon, shall be impure until the evening. If a man has sexual intercourse with a woman and while doing so she begins menstruating he becomes impure for seven days, and it is as if he himself is in niddah.
Ninety-First Sidra՚ (Lev. 15:25-15:33 continues into the next parasha): Impurity of a female with a flow.
iv) Abnormal female - vaginal bleeding persisting beyond normal menstrual period or outside of normal menstrual period. If a woman has vaginal bleeding for many days not in the time of her niddah (maybe because of a uterine fibroid or even a miscarriage), or that persists beyond her normal menstrual period i.e. menostaxis, she is impure just as in the days of her niddah. Any bed that she lies upon or anything moveable that she sits upon is to be treated in the same manner as if she was in niddah. Anyone who touches such an object shall be impure, and shall launder their garments, wash in water and remain impure until the evening. Once her flow ceases she shall number seven days and afterwards she shall become pure. On the eighth day she is to bring to the Temple two turtledoves or two young doves, one as a sin-offering and the other as an ascent-offering.
TEACHINGS OF HAKHAM REKHAVI:
There is a common misconception concerning the purity laws of the Torah, which stems from the erroneous notion that these laws are to do with physical cleanliness and health. How many times has one heard that the dietary laws, which form part of the purity system, are there to protect our physical health! This misconception comes about due to a misunderstanding of the very nature of the laws of purity. The essence of the laws of purity is spiritual rather than physical, even if the condition maybe brought about by a natural bodily function such as menstruation. Thus certain physical conditions or states have spiritual ramifications; after all we humans are of a dual nature - spiritual as well as physical. A physical impurity brings about a spiritual state that causes a separation for the duration of the impurity between the person who is impure and YHWH. This concept can be clearly seen throughout the laws of purity. In fact, since the laws of purity have both a spiritual and physical manifestation to them, the separation from YHWH during impurity is also both spiritual and physical. Hence the reason why someone who is impure is not permitted to enter the precinct of the Mishkan, for if they did they would transmit their impurity to the Holy place; the Yom Hakkippurim ritual encompasses the decontamination of the Holy place from the impurities of the Children of Israel. Can impurity be identical to holiness? They are after both opposing concepts, "And YHWH said to Moses go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow; and let them wash their clothes. And Moses went down from the mount to the people; and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. And he said to the people, be ready by the third day; do not come near a woman" (Ex.19:10,14-15) and again, "And Joshua said to the people sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow YHWH shall do wonders in your midst" (Josh. 3:5).
Impurity can therefore be thought of as a type of negative spiritual state brought about by a physical condition, the consequence of which has physical ramifications.
Parashat Meṣoraՙ (Lev. 14:1-15:33) contains the following sidrot:
Eighty-Eighth Sidra՚, purification of a Meṣoraՙ, and the offering of the poor Meṣoraՙ;
Eighty-Ninth Sidra՚, discolouration in houses;
Ninetieth Sidra՚, impurity of a male with a flow, impurity of seminal emission, and impurity of menstruation;
Ninety-First Sidra՚ (continues into the next parasha), impurity of a female with a flow.
ANALYSIS:
Eighty-Eighth Sidra՚ (Lev. 14:1-32): Purification of a Meṣoraՙ, and the offering of the poor Meṣoraՙ.
When the ṣaraՙath of a meṣoraՙ [someone with ṣaraՙath] has healed the kohen is to inspect them outside of the camp i.e. settlement. If indeed the mark of the ṣaraՙath has healed from the one with the ṣaruwaՙ then they are to be purified. For their purification they are to take two live pure birds, cedar wood, scarlet of worm , and hyssop . One of the birds is to be slaughtered over living water (fresh water i.e. water fit for drinking) in an earthen vessel. The kohen then takes the live bird as well as the cedar wood, the scarlet of worm, and the hyssop, and they are all dipped in the blood of the slaughtered bird; he then sprinkles the person who is being purified from the ṣāraՙath seven times declaring them pure. The live bird is subsequently released into the open field. Then the person who is being purified shall launder their garments, shave off all the hair from their entire body (including eyebrows), and wash in water, then they are pure. Afterward they may come into the camp, but are to remain outside their tent (i.e. dwelling) for seven days. On the seventh day they are for a second time to shave off all the hair from their entire body, launder their garments, and wash in water; then they are pure. On the eighth day they are to take two male lambs without blemish, one female lamb in its first year without blemish, three ՙesronim [singular ՙissaron; another term for an ՙomer - between 2.2 and 4.5 litres - dry weight] of fine flour as a gift-offering mixed with oil, and one log [between 0.625 and 0.3 litres - liquid weight] of oil. The kohen performing the purification is to station the one being purified before YHWH at the Tent of Appointed Times. The kohen is to take one of the he lambs and bring it for a guilt-offering with the log of oil and elevate them as an elevation-offering before YHWH. He shall slaughter the lamb at the altar and taking some of the blood he shall put it on the lobe of the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand, and on the thumb-toe of the right foot, of the one being purified (the same is done to the kohen during his consecration). The kohen is then to take some of the log of oil and pour it out onto his left palm. He shall then dip his right finger into the oil that is on his left palm and sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before YHWH. The kohen puts some of the oil that remains on his palm on the lobe of the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand, and on the thumb-toe of the right foot, of the one being purified on the same spot where he put the blood of the guilt-offering. The remainder of the oil on the kohen's palm he is to put upon the head of the one being purified. The kohen shall then offer the sin-offering, making atonement on behalf of the one being purified before YHWH. Afterward he shall slaughter the ascent-offering; thus one lamb is for a guilt-offering, another for a sin-offering, and the third for an ascent-offering.
However, if the one being purified is poor and cannot afford the regular purification offering then on the eighth day of their purification they shall take; one he lamb as a guilt-offering - for an elevation-offering to make atonement on his behalf, one ՙissaron of fine flour mixed with oil for a gift-offering, a log of oil, and two turtledoves or two young pigeons one for the sin-offering and the other for the ascent-offering. The kohen shall take the lamb of the guilt-offering and the log of oil, elevating them as an elevation-offering before YHWH. After slaughtering the lamb of the guilt-offering the kohen takes some of the blood of the guilt-offering and puts it on the lobe of the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand, and on the thumb-toe of the right foot, of the one being purified. He is then to take some of the oil and pour it out onto his left palm and sprinkle some of it with his right finger seven times before YHWH. Then he shall put some of the oil that remains on his palm on the lobe of the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand, and on the thumb-toe of the right foot, of the one being purified on the same spot where he put the blood of the guilt-offering. The remains of the oil that is on the kohen's palm he is to put upon the head of the one being purified, to make atonement on his behalf before YHWH. Then the kohen offers one of the turtledoves or one of the young pigeons as a sin-offering and the other as an ascent-offering upon the gift-offering; the kohen thus makes atonement for the one being purified before YHWH.
Eighty-Ninth Sidra՚ (Lev. 14:33-57): Discolouration in houses.
Apart from humans, garments, and items made from hide, the mark of ṣaraՙath can also afflict the houses of the Children of Israel once settled in the land of Canaan. If YHWH puts the mark of ṣaraՙath in a house in the land of Canaan the owner of the house is to inform the kohen that their house is suspect of having the mark of ṣaraՙath. The house is to be emptied of all its possessions before the kohen enters to inspect. For if the mark is that of ṣaraՙath all that remains in the house will be declared impure along with the house. The kohen examines the mark, and if it is in the walls of the house as greenish or reddish depressions, which in sight are in the wall rather than on its surface, the house is to be sealed for seven days. Anyone who enters the house while it is sealed shall be impure until the evening, and anyone lying or eating in the house shall launder their garments. On the seventh day the kohen is to re-examine the house and if the mark has spread in the walls then he shall command that they take away the stones with the mark and cast them into an impure place outside the city. The plaster is to be scraped off the inside walls of the house and the dust from the scraping is to be dumped outside the city in an impure place. The removed stones are to be replaced with new ones and the inside walls are to be re-plastered with fresh plaster. If the mark should subsequently return spreading in the house, the kohen shall re-examine the house and if the mark has indeed spread it is malignant ṣaraՙath; the house is impure. The house is to be demolished and all its stones, timber, mortar, and other building materials are to be taken outside of the city to an impure place. However, if upon inspection the mark has not spread the kohen shall pronounce the house pure because the mark is healed. In order to purify the house the owner is to take two birds i.e. doves or pigeons, cedar wood, scarlet of worm, and hyssop, and one of the birds is to be slaughtered over living water in an earthen vessel. The kohen shall take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet of worm, and the living bird, dips them in the blood of the slaughtered bird as well as in the running water, and then sprinkles the house seven times. Then the living bird is to be released outside the city into the open field, thus making atonement for the house; the house is now pure.
Ninetieth Sidra՚ (Lev. 15:1-24): Impurity of a male with a flow, impurity of seminal emission, and impurity of menstruation.
The rest of Parashat Meṣoraՙ is concerned with impurities that emanate from the reproductive organs of both men and women. There are two forms of impurity for each gender, the normal and the abnormal. Where the male is concerned the Torah progresses from the abnormal to the normal, while for the female the progression is reversed: i) abnormal male - discharge from the penis; result of an illness or infection, ii) normal male - seminal emission, iii) normal female - monthly menstrual bleeding, iv) abnormal female - vaginal bleeding persisting beyond normal menstrual period or outside of normal menstrual period.
i) Abnormal male - discharge from the penis. The Torah is graphic in its explanation of the symptoms of a man with a discharge, which the Torah calls a זוֹב [flow]. Whether the flow is a running discharge, i.e. the discharge oozes or dribbles from the penis, or one that seals up the penis i.e. the discharge is waxy and becomes encrusted on the penis or blocks the urethra; such a flow makes the man impure. This may be a result of contracting gonorrhoea or having a tubercular lesion. Anything vessel (moveable object) that the one with the flow lies upon is rendered impure and anyone that touches it is to launder their garments, wash in water, and is impure until the evening. Anything vessel that the one with the flow sits upon becomes impure, and anyone who sits upon it shall launder their garments, wash in water, and is to remain impure until the evening. Anyone that touches the one with the flow shall launder their garments, wash in water, and is impure until the evening. If the one with the flow should spit on anyone that is pure, then they shall launder their garments, wash in water, and remain impure until the evening. Any saddle that the one with the flow has ridden upon is impure. Anyone that touches anything that was under the one with the flow shall be impure until the evening, and anyone that carries such an object shall launder their garments, wash in water, and is impure until the evening. If the one with the flow - without first rinsing his hands in water - touches someone, then the one touched shall launder their garments, wash in water and remains impure until the evening. Any earthen vessel - this is generally regarded as an unglazed vessel - that the one with the flow has touched shall be smashed, and any wooden utensil shall be rinsed in water. When the flow stops, the זָב [a male with a flow] must count seven complete days from the time the flow completely ceased; then he is to launder his garments, wash in fresh water and is pure. And on the eighth day he is to bring as an offering to the Temple consisting of two turtledoves or two young doves, one for a sin-offering and the other for an ascent-offering, "And the kohen shall make atonement upon his (behalf) before YHWH from his flow" (Lev. 15:15).
ii) Normal male - seminal emission. When a man has an emission of semen he shall wash in water and is impure until the evening. Any garment or leather-item on which semen falls is to be laundered in water and is impure until the evening. If there is an emission of semen after a man has had sex with a woman, then they shall both wash in water and they are impure until the evening.
iii) Normal female - monthly menstrual bleeding. From the moment that a woman realizes that she has commenced her menstrual bleeding she is in niddah [separation] for seven days. Anyone who touches her shall be impure until the evening. Anything vessel that she lies upon or sits upon shall be impure. Anyone who touches her bed shall launder their garments, wash in water, and is impure until the evening. Anyone who touches anything that can be moved that the niddah has sat upon, shall launder their garments, wash in water, and remains impure until the evening. Anyone who touches any item or any object that is on the bed that the niddah has lied upon or is on anything moveable that the niddah has sat upon, shall be impure until the evening. If a man has sexual intercourse with a woman and while doing so she begins menstruating he becomes impure for seven days, and it is as if he himself is in niddah.
Ninety-First Sidra՚ (Lev. 15:25-15:33 continues into the next parasha): Impurity of a female with a flow.
iv) Abnormal female - vaginal bleeding persisting beyond normal menstrual period or outside of normal menstrual period. If a woman has vaginal bleeding for many days not in the time of her niddah (maybe because of a uterine fibroid or even a miscarriage), or that persists beyond her normal menstrual period i.e. menostaxis, she is impure just as in the days of her niddah. Any bed that she lies upon or anything moveable that she sits upon is to be treated in the same manner as if she was in niddah. Anyone who touches such an object shall be impure, and shall launder their garments, wash in water and remain impure until the evening. Once her flow ceases she shall number seven days and afterwards she shall become pure. On the eighth day she is to bring to the Temple two turtledoves or two young doves, one as a sin-offering and the other as an ascent-offering.
TEACHINGS OF HAKHAM REKHAVI:
There is a common misconception concerning the purity laws of the Torah, which stems from the erroneous notion that these laws are to do with physical cleanliness and health. How many times has one heard that the dietary laws, which form part of the purity system, are there to protect our physical health! This misconception comes about due to a misunderstanding of the very nature of the laws of purity. The essence of the laws of purity is spiritual rather than physical, even if the condition maybe brought about by a natural bodily function such as menstruation. Thus certain physical conditions or states have spiritual ramifications; after all we humans are of a dual nature - spiritual as well as physical. A physical impurity brings about a spiritual state that causes a separation for the duration of the impurity between the person who is impure and YHWH. This concept can be clearly seen throughout the laws of purity. In fact, since the laws of purity have both a spiritual and physical manifestation to them, the separation from YHWH during impurity is also both spiritual and physical. Hence the reason why someone who is impure is not permitted to enter the precinct of the Mishkan, for if they did they would transmit their impurity to the Holy place; the Yom Hakkippurim ritual encompasses the decontamination of the Holy place from the impurities of the Children of Israel. Can impurity be identical to holiness? They are after both opposing concepts, "And YHWH said to Moses go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow; and let them wash their clothes. And Moses went down from the mount to the people; and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. And he said to the people, be ready by the third day; do not come near a woman" (Ex.19:10,14-15) and again, "And Joshua said to the people sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow YHWH shall do wonders in your midst" (Josh. 3:5).
Impurity can therefore be thought of as a type of negative spiritual state brought about by a physical condition, the consequence of which has physical ramifications.
