Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Metzora/0/en

Shabbat Table Topics – Parashat Metzora

Tzara'at: Natural Disease or Divine Punishment?

Among the many mysteries of Tanakh, tzara'at ranks high on the list. What is this malady? Why does a person get afflicted? Is it a natural disease that anyone can contract, or is it a Divinely sent, supernatural phenomenon, meant as punishment for sin? Contrast the understandings of Chazal¹ and Ralbag in the topic of Tzara'at, and debate each position at your Shabbat Table.

• Examine all of the instances in Tanakh in which someone is plagued by tzara'at. Can you find a common offense perpetrated by each of those afflicted? If the malady is indeed a punishment, what seems to be the crime?
• Why does tzara'at cause impurity? Compare the various cases of impurity in Torah. Is there any common denominator which might explain why specifically these conditions defile a person?

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For more, see: Parashat Metzora Topics.

¹ See, for example, Vayikra Rabbah17:3About Vayikra Rabbah and Bemidbar Rabbah7:5About Bemidbar Rabbah.