Tzara'at/2/en

Tzaraat

Exegetical Approaches

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Divine Punishment

Tzaraat is a malady sent by Hashem to warn or punish a person for sin.

Sources:ToseftaNegaim 6:6About the Tosefta, BavliYoma 11bArakhin 15bArakhin 16aAbout the Bavli, Vayikra Rabbah17:317:4About Vayikra Rabbah, Bemidbar Rabbah7:5About Bemidbar Rabbah, TanchumaTazria 10Metzora 4About the Tanchuma, RashiVayikra 13:45-46Vayikra 14:4About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, Kuzari2:58-62About R. Yehuda HaLevi, R. Yosef Bekhor ShorVayikra 13:45-46Vayikra 14:4-7Vayikra 14:21Vayikra 14:53About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, RambamHilkhot Tume'at Tzara'at 16:10Moreh Nevukhim 3:47About R. Moshe b. Maimon, RambanVayikra 13:47Vayikra 14:4Vayikra 14:18Vayikra 14:34Vayikra 14:53About R. Moshe b. Nachman, AbarbanelVayikra 12Vayikra 13:1Vayikra 14:33About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, SefornoVayikra 13:2-3,5Vayikra 14:12Vayikra 14:55About R. Ovadyah Seforno, R. S"R HirschVayikra 13About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch

Natural or supernatural?

For which sins? These sources disagree regarding which sins cause a person to be plagued with צרעת, but most of them speak of  slander¹ and/or haughtiness.  Several of the  Midrashic sources² include entire lists of potential sins,³ mentioning theft, murder, selfishness, lying, desecration of God's name, overstepping boundaries, illicit sexual relations, and swearing falsely.

Biblical cases – This position is supported by the fact that most of the stories in Tanakh which mention a person being afflicted with צרעת, explicitly speak of it as a punishment:

• Bemidbar 12– Miriam is Divinely struck with tzaraat for speaking against Moshe.
• Shemuel II 3 – After killing Avner against David's wishes, Yoav is cursed that he shall be afflicted with צרעת.
• Melakhim II 5 – Gechazi is plagued by tzaraat upon the word of Elisha after he disobeys the prophet.
• Divrei HaYamim II 26 – King Uziyahu is punished with tzaraat for his haughtiness in bringing the ketoret.

From this list, it seems that  the common denominator between the various sins is a rebellion against authority.⁴

Comparison to tzaraat of the house and clothing – According to many of these sources,⁵ the afflictions brought on a person's clothing and house are meant to serve as warnings of sin, to lead the person to repent before he himself is bodily afflicted.⁶  Abarbanel adds that the obvious supernatural nature of the plague on the house comes to teach that the others as well are Divine and providential.⁷

"וְנָתַתִּי נֶגַע צָרַעַת" – Ramban⁸ points out that the language of "וְנָתַתִּי" suggests that Hashem is actively bringing the plague and that it cannot be attributed to natural causes.⁹ R. Hirsch adds that the word "נֶגַע" itself has the specific connotation of a plague brought by Divine decree,¹⁰ rather than an ordinary disease.

Comparison to other forms of impurity – Most other conditions which cause impurity (bodily emissions, childbirth, and death) do not seem to be connected to sin and punishment, but are rather natural states.  As such, this understanding of tzaraat would make it an exceptional form of impurity.

Role of priest – The afflicted person is checked by a priest rather than a doctor since this is a cultic issue of sin and impurity rather than natural disease.¹¹  Seforno adds that the priest will both push the person to reflect on his deeds and pray for him as well.

Aspects of the purification process – These sources understand many aspects of the purification process as correctives to, or punishment for sin:

• Isolation – Rashi, following Bavli Arakhin, explains that this is a measure for measure punishment. Since the metzora, through his gossip, caused people to separate from one another, so too he he is separated from society. Rav Hirsch, instead, suggests that the isolation serves to shame the person into self reflection¹² and correction of his negative social behavior.¹³
• Sending away of birds – Ramban compares the birds to the goat that is sent to Azazel as part of the purification process of Yom HaKippurim, suggesting that in both cases their role is to carry away the people''s sins.  Bavli Arakhin explains that birds were chosen specifically because they chirp, thereby reminding the person of his sin of speaking about others.¹⁴ 
• Cedar and hyssop – Rashi and R. Yosef Bekhor Shor suggest that these symbolize the fact that the person who had been haughty¹⁵ is now humbled and brought low.
• Seven day
• Asham and chatat sacrfiices

Natural Disease

Sources:perhaps Bavli KetubotKetubot 77bAbout the Bavli, RalbagVayikra 13:5About R. Levi b. Gershom, ShadalVayikra 12:2About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto, R. David Zvi HoffmannVayikra 13About R. David Zvi Hoffmann

Natural or supernatural?

Tzaraat of the house and clothing

Why does it  cause impurity?

Connection to other forms of impurity

• Other cases of impurity, too, come as the result of natural processes.
• Kashrut has been understood by many as related to health.
• –

Biblical cases of tzaraat

Aspects of the purification process

• Isolation
• Chatat and asham
• Sending away of birds
• Ezov
• Seven day waiting periods

Role of kohen

¹ See, for example Resh Lakish in Bavli Arakhin who makes a play on words, "זאת תהיה תורת המצורע זאת תהיה תורתו של מוציא שם רע".  Vaykira Rabbah, Tanchuma and others learn this from Miriam who is struck by tzaraat after speaking against Moshe. Rambam similarly points to Devarim 24:8-9 where the Torah points to Miriam specifically when warning about the malady.

² See Bavli Arakhin 16a, Vayikra Rabbah 17:3, Bemidbar Rabbah 7:5 and Tanchuma Metzora 4.

³ These range from 7 to 11 and more items. The various sources attempt to link each suggestion with a case in Tanakh where someone sinned and was afflicted.  However, in many of the cases brought, it is either not explicit that the person actually sinned, or that the punishment they received was indeed tzaraat.

⁴ See Menachem Ben-Yashar, "נגע הצרעת – על שום מה", who elaborates on this point.  He suggests that when Hashem has Moshe's hand be afflicted in Shemot 4:1-7., this, too, might stem from a similar rebellion against authority, his hesitation to heed Hashem's command and embark on His mission.  Similarly, though the text never states the reason for the tzaraat of Naaman (Melakhim II 5) or the 4 metzoraim (), both sets of characters lead to a demonstration of the power of the prophet and his word. See Elisha's words, "יָבֹא נָא אֵלַי וְיֵדַע כִּי יֵשׁ נָבִיא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל".

⁵ See Tosefta Negaim, Vayikra Rabbah, Tanchuma, R. Yehuda HaLevi, Rambam and Abarbanel.

⁶ Ramban explains similarly but claims that these forms of the affliction only occur in Israel (as it says by tzaraat of the house, "כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן").  Hashem's spirit rests upon the nation there, and normally affixes a positive appearance on all, but when a person sins and Hashem's spirit leaves him, his clothing, house or body are "stained" as a sign of Divine disapproval. [In this last point he follows the Kuzari.]

⁷ Despite this, Abarbanel offers a fairly natural explanation of tzaraat of the clothing.  He suggests that certain materials which are worn close to a person's body might be affected by the moisture and stench of the afflicted person's skin, causing stains.

⁸ See also Abarbanel.

⁹ Though the phrase only appears by tzaraat of the house, one might learn from this case to the others.

¹⁰ See Bereshit 12:17 regarding the plague that Hashem brings on Paroh's house after his taking of Sarah and Shemot 11:1 regarding the Plague of Firstborns.

¹¹ See R. Hirsch, who comments, "אין להעלות על הדעת, שהכהנים ממלאים תפקיד במסגרת "שירותי התברואה.

¹² He brings evidence from the story of Miriam who is banished from the camp with the explanation, "וְאָבִיהָ יָרֹק יָרַק בְּפָנֶיהָ הֲלֹא תִכָּלֵם שִׁבְעַת יָמִים".

¹³ R"Y Bekhor Shor, in contrast, suggests that this is actually a measure instituted not as punishment  but for the protection of others as the affliction was contagious.

¹⁴ R"Y Bekhor Shor, in contrast, suggests that freeing the birds represents the freeing of the metzora, who after the purification process will be able to come out of isolation.

¹⁵ See above that many sources suggest that tzaraat comes as punishment for haughtiness.