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?

Comparison to tzaraat of the house and clothing

Biblical cases – Most of the stories in Tanakh which mention a person being afflicted with tzaraat explicitly speak of it as 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 tzaraat.
• 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.

It is possible that the common denominator between all these people's sins is a rebellion against authority.¹

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.
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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 Menachem Ben-Yashar, "נגע הצרעת – על שום מה", who elaborates on this approach.  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".