Scriptures

Leviticus 14:1 – 15:33

Haftara:
2 Kings 7:3-20

Let us start this parasha with Rabbi Hirsch’s reflections. "Being alone outside the camp lets the afflicted reflect on his spiritual deficiencies, causing him to repent. Then YHVH removes the mark of his degradation and he can begin the process of returning to his people."

What characterizes the pure as opposed to the impure? This can be deduced from the characteristics of the impure. Impurity stems firstly from contact with a corpse. Secondly, it stems from a leper, a live person who has lost some of his flesh and who appears to be at death's door. Thirdly, impurity also stems from any discharge of liquids that represent life, which are the source of life. In other words, when a liquid of life is lost from a living organ – a sort of partial death – this leads to impurity. Thus impurity is associated with death, while purity is associated with life. Therefore, the most potent substance needed for purification is blood, and next after that flowing water, also known as "living water." This is water that is closest to its condition at the time of creation. Embodied in the notions of pure and impure are life and creation, qualities characteristic of YHVH. That which promotes creation and life is associated with purification, and that which is detrimental to creation and life is associated with impurity. In other words, life and creation represent the will of YHVH, whereas death and degeneration are contrary to His will. One could say that YHVH likes to be in a setting of purity and that He will not tolerate too much accumulation of impurity. When the level of impurity rises, YHVH abandons the Tabernacle until it is purified once more.

Torah describes that the cure for impurity is isolation. Why is isolation so important for restoration and healing?

Many of the sages refer to the impurity of the tzarat as being as the result of sin. Rabbi Aba opened a discussion on this with a verse from Job 19:29 "Be afraid of the sword: for wrath brings the punishment of the sword that you may know that there is judgment [shadun]" as an illustration of the spiritual influence on the impurity. In this instance, the word that it is pronounced shadun (judgment) is spelled shadin (demons or evil spirits).
The reason that impurity is not tolerated within the camp is that both the physical and the spiritual impurities spread. As we well know, there is always a connection between the physical and the spiritual.

Isolation gives the impure a time to reflect and, most importantly, to prepare for repentance. It is a place where you are with people in the same (or worse!) situation than you are yourself. There comes a time to choose between the wallowing in the pity of oneself or to take a conscious decision to step up out of the mess and do what is required to make right and accept and receive healing.

Many people died in leper colonies or in places of isolation, but many came out with a testimony of healing.

If this time of isolation is a punishment, there are judgments for both the soul and the body. The Hebrew word metzora contains two Hebrew words motzi and ra, literally "to remove evil" or "to take out evil" or "speaks evil" as in Lashon ha'Ra.

Lashon haRa, or slander, is a serious problem that needs to be addressed within the body. How many times have we not found ourselves listening to hurtful rumors been started by people saying things out of context and without full knowledge of the truth? To entertain these rumors is as bad as starting them!

When the one who is to be declared clean comes with his two birds (14:4) the sages tell us that this is symbolic of YHVH and the Shekinah returning to him.

The purpose of the high priest in this action is to bring the kingdom to perfection. The work of Yeshua, our current high priest, is to bring about the perfection of the Kingdom within us and in the world.

The word "to cleanse" in Hebrew, lechate, comes from the same root as the word for sin, chet. The act of cleansing or disinfecting is to do with the removal of sin and its consequence.

Isolation is not only to do with being punished, but also gives us a time to reflect inwardly. When we are sent to a place of isolation let us question YHVH as to the reason for us being placed in such a hard place and deal with it!