Tazria (She Conceives) – Metzora (Infected One) :

From: GADDI, a servant of Most High and Disciple of Yeshua Melech Messiah – To The Twelve Tribes in the Diaspora: Shalom!

Repent! Here is the Time for the Restoration, Sanctification and Purification for the Twelve Tribes of Israel Under the divine Mandate of Mashiach

The Leper Mashiach – the Mashiach will be called “the Leper of the House of Rabbi,” a strange name indeed for the promised Saviour Righteous King

Therefore, as the Ruach HaKodesh says: “Today, if you hear Most High voice”, don’t harden your hearts and this is the day of his purification refers to the moment of the redemption, when Righteous Messiah will be revealed and his righteous ones will become manifest to all

This week’s double portion of Scripture (Tazria-Metzora) continues with the laws of ritual purity (Tahorah) and impurity (Tumah).The name of the twenty-seventh reading from the Torah is Tazria (?????), which means “she conceived.” The name is derived from the words of Leviticus 12:2, where the LORD says to Moses, “When a woman ( conceives ) and bears a male child …” This Leviticus chapter discusses the laws of purification after childbirth and it also introduces the laws for diagnosing of lepers.

Tazria literally means “she gives birth” and focuses on issues that cause ritual impurity. It opens with a discussion of childbirth and expounds on the length of time of defilement after bearing a son or daughter. At the end , the woman is instructed to bring an offering to Tabernacle so the priest may make atonement on her behalf and declare her ritually pure again.

Speak to the Israelite people thus: When a woman gives birth….”

-Leviticus 12:2

SUMMARY:

• G-d describes the rituals of purification for a woman after childbirth. ( Leviticus 12:1-8)
• G-d sets forth the methods for diagnosing and treating a variety of skin diseases, including tzara-at (a leprous affection), as well as those for purifying clothing. ( Leviticus 13:1-59)
• Priestly rituals to cure tzara-at when it afflicts humans are described. ( Leviticus 14:1-32)
• Rituals to rid dwelling places of tzara-at are presented. ( Leviticus 14:33-57)
• male impurities resulting from a penile discharge or seminal emission. ( Leviticus 15:1-18)
• It concludes with accounts of female impurities caused by a discharge of blood. ( Leviticus 15:19-33)  Zohar writings: “And Hashem spoke to Moses saying, Speak to the children of Yisrael, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child (Vayikra 12:2). Rabbi Elazar opened with, “By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves” (Shir Hashirim 3:1). HE ASKS, it says, “on my bed,” while it should have said, “in my bed,” why “on my bed”? AND HE ANSWERS, the Congregation of Yisrael spoke before the Holy One, blessed be He, and beseeched him concerning the exile, because she is sitting among the other nations with her children, and lying in the dust. And since she is lying in another, defiled land, she said, “on my bed” I beseech, since I am lying in exile, AND EXILE IS CALLED ‘NIGHTS’. Therefore, “I sought him whom my soul loves,” to take me out of it.

Offer Special Sacrifices:

Most High also instructed Moses, to teach the children of Israel, the ritual and cultural practices, along with the sacrifices or offerings that were to be made for the ushering of a newborn into the community of Israel in the chapter of 13-Leviticus . It begins with the laws of a “Yoledet,” a woman after childbirth, who was required in the times of the Bet Ha’mikash to offer special sacrifices several weeks after delivering a child. Specifically, she would bring one animal as a Hatat (sin offering), and another as an Ola (sacrifice which is completely burned on the altar).

From Midrash (Leviticus Rabbah 14.7): “‘When a woman at childbirth’ (12:2)– as it is written, ‘Distribute portions to seven or even to eight’ (Eccles. 11:2). ‘Distribute portions to seven’ refers to the seven days of menstrual impurity; ‘and even to eight’ refers to the eight days to circumcision. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: If you observe the laws of menstrual impurity, I shall give you a son, and you shall circumcise him on the eighth day.”

The topic of Tum’at Yoledet, the special status of Tum’a (impurity) that applies to a woman after childbirth. The Torah instructs that after delivering a baby boy, a woman has a status of Tum’a for seven days, whereas after the birth of a girl she is considered impure for fourteen days.

our Sages teach that Mashiach will come once all the souls in the heavens have been dispatched to the earth. Each birth thus brings us a bit closer to our final redemption. Why, then, should it cause impurity? Another question that arises from this section is the inclusion of the Misva of Berit Mila. After mentioning that a woman is impure for seven days after a boy’s birth, the Torah immediately adds that the boy must be circumcised on the eighth day.

Our Sages teach that during pregnancy, the infant studies Torah with an angel. The body of a pregnant woman is endowed with extreme sanctity, as it is occupied by an angel who sits and teaches Torah to the child. This Kedusha is lost at the time of childbirth, and this loss is what results in Tum’a (impurity). A place that had been filled with high levels of holiness for nine months now loses that special quality, and for this reason the woman becomes impure.

Tum’a surfaces when something that had been endowed with holiness loses that Kedusha. Thus, for example, a human corpse has the most intense level of Tum’a, because it had contained within it a soul, which is part of G-d Himself. When something possessed such a high level of Kedusha and was then emptied of that Kedusha, the forces of impurity attach themselves to it, resulting in the status of Tum’a.

Eliyahu’s Presnce : Berit Mila

A week after the birth of a boy, a Berit Mila is performed, and it is attended by Eliyahu Hanavi. As we know, it is customary to designate a special chair for Eliyahu at a Berit because he personally attends every Berit Mila ceremony. Eliyahu’s presence has a profound purifying effect. Just as Eliyahu will come before the arrival of Mashiah to purify the twelve tribes of Israel and prepare them for redemption, similarly, whenever he comes he brings purity to those around him. This is why, for example, many people try to position themselves near Eliyahu’s chair at a Berit, so they could be as close to him as possible and come under the influence of his purification.

Birth of a Boy and Birth of a Girl:

“Tell the people of Isra’el: ‘If a woman conceives and gives birth to a boy, she will be unclean for seven days with the same uncleanness as inniddah, when she is having her menstrual period. On the eighth day, the baby’s foreskin is to be circumcised. She is to wait an additional thirty-three days to be purified from her blood; she is not to touch any holy thing or come into the sanctuary until the time of her purification is over. But if she gives birth to a girl, she will be unclean for two weeks, as in her niddah; and she is to wait another sixty-six days to be purified from her blood. -Leviticus 12:2-5

The Berit Mila held a week after a child’s birth has a purifying effect, and the mother’s period of Tum’a thus ends at that point. Whereas the Tum’a following the birth of a girl lasts for two weeks, it lasts only one week after a boy’s birth because of the Berit Mila. Eliyahu Hanavi’s attendance at the ritual brings purity to everybody in the room, and especially to the child’s mother, enabling her to conclude her period of Tum’a. The great prophet comes to the Berit and purifies the mother who had lost the great levels of Kedusha she had possessed during pregnancy, and at that point her purity is restored through the powerful influence of Eliyahu.

First Adam ( i.e Seed – Death)- Living Being, but Last Adam ( i. e Seed – Life ) – Giving Spirit of Torah/Quickening Spirit of Torah

The Sages remarked that Leviticus 12:2 has a redundancy in it. If a woman gives birth – And its about “conceived” ( Tazria ) and its root “Zara” ( seed ).

Let look into the Genesis 3:15 where the word “Zera” ( seed ) originated from “Zara”:

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” -Genesis 3:15-16

The “seed” sown in the Garden bore fruit. Yes, later Eve conceived and bore a son, Cain. In pain she birthed Cain. The very act of giving birth revealed mortality and displays its corruption and death – blood is present at birth.

In the Garden, Death was conceived, because of sin, it was death. the Seed that was sown for man’s redemption from the state of living death. That (Zera) Seed is alluded in above verse and it is Messiah Himself, the ultimate Seed and he is the same Seed promised to Abraham. The same Seed promised to King David who brings blessings and life to his people from Most High.

Life is hidden With Mashiach:

For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in G-d.When the Messiah, who is our life, appears, then you too will appear with him in glory! – Colossians 3: 3 -4

In fact, the Tanakh says so: Adam, the first man, became a living human being; but the last “Adam” has become a life-giving Spirit.46 Note, however, that the body from the Spirit did not come first, but the ordinary human one; the one from the Spirit comes afterwards.47 The first man is from the earth, made of dust; the second man is from heaven. -1 Corinthians 15:45-47

Obeyed the Torah:

And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Yeshua, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. Now when the days of her purification according to the Torah of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the L-rd.

-Luke 2:21-22

Birth-Pangs of the Messianic Era:

The process of birth in Jewish tradition is the expression “the birthpangs of the Messiah.”

My dear children, I am suffering the pains of giving birth to you all over again — and this will go on until the Messiah ( i.e image of Elohim) takes shape in you. -Galatians 4:19

“A woman who brings forth seed by giving birth to a male child, she shall be ritually unclean for seven days…” -Leviticus 12:2

The Torah continues: “…she shall be ritually unclean for seven days,” describing the extent to which the mother contracts ritual impurity as a result of giving birth. Here the Torah alludes to the way G-d initiates a process which culminates in the rehabilitation of Israel so that it will attain a spiritual level that qualifies for the description “masculine”. The days mentioned here are to be understood as seven years similar to the verse in Genesis 24:55 where Laban and his mother wanted Rebecca to delay her departure by “yamim”[Hebrew for “days”], i.e. a year. The years which are viewed as the “the birth pangs of Mashiach”, last for seven years during which Israel will be refined spiritually in preparation of his arrival. He will make his appearance during the eighth year.

On the eight day, at the beginning of the eight day [i.e “year”] the baby is to have its foreskin removed – i.e. the concept of a foreskin which acts as a barrier between man and G-d will be removed from the universe. We read in Zachariah (13:2) that G-d will destroy the spirit of impurity form the earth. It is well known that conceptually the foreskin is identical with the forces of the kelipa, the spiritually negative emanations. When the Torah wrote the word “unclean”, describing the state of the mother, this is a simile for the afflictions experienced during the birth pangs of the Mashiach.

When a woman is giving birth, she is in pain; because her time has come. But when the baby is born, she forgets her suffering out of joy that a child has come into the world. -John 16:21

In the Zohar: Lowe Mother( i.e Rachel is Symbol) Birth Pains symbolizes the era immediately preceding the coming of Redeemer, the birth pains of Messiah. As revealtion says: Now a great sign was seen in heaven — a woman clothed with the sun, under her feet the moon, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and about to give birth, and she screamed in the agony of labor. She gave birth to a son, a male child, the one who will rule all the nations with a staff of iron. But her child was snatched up to G-d and his throne; – Revelation 12:1-2; 5

Dream of Yosef: He had another dream which he told his brothers: “Here, I had another dream, and there were the sun, the moon and eleven stars prostrating themselves before me.” He told his father too, as well as his brothers, but his father rebuked him: “What is this dream you have had? Do you really expect me, your mother and your brothers to come and prostrate ourselves before you on the ground?” His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. – Genesis 37:9-11

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of G-d. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of G-d. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. – Romans 8:18-23

TORAH

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Leviticus 12:1-13:59

Genesis 3:15-16

Haftarah Portion

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II Kings 4:42- 5:19

II Kings 7:3-7:20

Ezekiel 36:16-38

Ha-Berit ha-Hadasha

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Mark 9:14-50

John 6:8-13

Matthew 8:1-4

Notes:

This is a double Torah portion. Tazria describes the period of impurity after child-birth. It also goes into great details about the ailment of tzara’at – a disorder which could affect skin or clothes. Metzora deals with the purification ritual for a leper .

Tazria-Metzora ( a double parsha) , is often used as an opportunity to talk about lashon hara. The word Metzora [lit. a leper] sounds like the words motzi –ra; meaning one who speaks lashon hara.

Lashon Hara (Evil tongue):

In Hebrew, such speech is called ‘lashon hara’ (literally, “an evil tongue”). ‘Lashon hara’ is the practice of speaking about other people, rather than speaking to them.

In the words of the Rabbis, “A loose tongue is like an arrow. Once it is shot, there is no holding it back.” The Midrash notes that five times, the word “Torah,” teaching, is used to refer to ‘tzara’at.’ From this superfluous repetition, the sages derive that “one who utters evil reports is considered in violation of the entire five books of the Torah.” The affliction is called tzarat and would affect people due to certain sins, particularly that of speaking evil of someone. This is called Lashon Hara (evil tongue) in Hebrew. Is this the same lashon hara that is parallel to murder, adultery and idol worship?

Tzaraat is a punishment for negative speech. – Talmud, Arachin 15b

To be susceptible to Tzaraat you need to have: Self perfection and Not a trace of bad inside your heart -Likutei Torah 22b

… But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother … – Matthew 5:22

Yeshua is focusing on this verse about “speaking evil” and is called speaking “Lashon Hara” (Evil Tongue) against a person, and is equated with murder throughout Jewish literature.

Talmud: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Mezia 58b – One who shames the face of his fellow, it is as if he has murdered him.

We find the connection in the following below verse: “Murder”

“You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Do not murder,and that anyone who commits murder will be subject to judgment. – Matthew 5 : 21

Do not go around spreading slander among your people, but also don’t stand idly by when your neighbor’s life is at stake; I am Adonai. – Leviticus 19:16

Thus you are not to take advantage of each other, but you are to fear your G-d; for I am Adonai your G-d. – Leviticus 25:17

Tongue is a fire: tongue (of men), tongue (literal), tongue (organ of speech), language, tongue (of animals), tongue (of fire)

The book of “James” : Yes, the tongue is a fire, a world of wickedness. The tongue is so placed in our body that it defiles every part of it, setting ablaze the whole of our life; and it is set on fire by Gei-Hinnom itself. -James 3:6

But as long as my soul is within me and the spirit of G-d is in my nostrils, my lips shall not speak iniquity and my tongue shall not utter deceit. – Job 27:3-4

A Psalm by David. Lord, who may sojourn in Your Tent? Who may dwell on Your Holy Mountain? One who walks in perfect innocence, and does what is right, and speaks the truth from his heart; who has no slander on his tongue, who has done his fellow no evil, nor cast disgrace upon his close one; in whose eyes a contemptible person is repulsive, but who honors those who fear the Lord; who can swear to his detriment without retracting; who lends not his money on interest; and takes not a bribe against the innocent. The doer of these shall not falter forever. – Psalm 15:1-5

Guard your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. – Psalm 34:14

Lord, rescue my soul from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. What can He give you, and what can He add to you, O deceitful tongue? – Psalm 120:2-3

The mouth of a righteous one speaks wisdom, but a duplicitous tongue will be cut off. – Proverbs 10:31:

True speech is established forever, but a false tongue is only for a moment. – Proverbs 12:19

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” – Matthew 12:36-37

Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. – Matthew 5:37

A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but corruption of it is damage of the spirit. – Proverbs 15:4

Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love [to use] it will eat its fruit. – Proverbs 18:21

EVIL SPEECH AND LEPROSY:

What is it that makes a leper so unique that the Torah says [in Leviticus 13:46], “He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp”? His gossiping separated a husband from his wife and a man from his neighbor. Therefore said the Torah said, “He shall live alone.” (b.Arachin 16b)

The association between evil speech and leprosy is derived from the story of Miriam’s leprosy in the chapter of Numbers 12.

the sages taught that the word metzora (leper) is derived from a combination of the Hebrew words motzi (?????), which means “wellspring” or “source,” and the Hebrew word ra (??), which means “evil.” Put them together and it spells the word “leper” (metzora, ?????)— sort of. The word metzora actually comes from the Hebrew word for leprosy (tzara’at, ????).

 Tzaraat”  =  the disease ;  “Metzora” = a person who has Tzaraat ;   “Nega” = an instance of Tzaraat.

Tzaraat is often translated as “Leprosy” and the Torah deals with Tzaraat extensively.

• Tzaraat on the person ( LEVITICUS 13:1–46)
• On his clothes (13:47–58)
• On his house (14:33–48)
• Purification process (14:1-32, 49–53)
• The Sins of the Metzora

The “wellspring of evil” explanation:

What is the source from which evil springs? It is the tongue! Therefore, one who speaks evil is a spiritual metzora. James the brother of Yeshua probably knew this interpretation. He alludes to it in his epistle where he compares the tongue to a wellspring:

From the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? – James 3:10-11

Spiritually leprous house:

The Torah suggests that the walls of our homes absorb the spiritual energy created by gossip and evil speech. In traditional Judaism, biblical leprosy is associated with the sins of evil speech, gossip and murmuring. The sages blame leprosy in a house on the words spoken within that house. Most of the evil speech we indulge in happens within the four walls of our own homes. One could say that the very walls of your house absorb the evil spiritual energy you are creating. The entire home becomes defiled.

Torah describes the ceremonial procedure for diagnosing and cleansing a home in which signs of biblical leprosy have appeared on the walls – Leviticus 14:33-53.

The rabbis [of classical Judaism in late antiquity], in inveighing against it, often resorted to hyperbolic language, e.g. in saying that slander, talebearing, and evil talk were worse than the three cardinal sins of murder, immorality, and idolatry. Of one who indulges in lashon hara, they say that he denies the existence of G-d, and that the Almighty declares “I and he cannot live in the same world” -Babylonian Talmud Arakhin 15b.

R’ Shimon Bar Yochai said: Of everything is the Holy One, Blessed be He, forgiving except for LASHON HA RA. Zohar ha Kaddosh Parashat Shelach 161

the Book of Tehillim (Psalms) and read (Psalms 34:13-14): “Who is the man that desires life?… Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn from evil and do good…”. R’ Yannai said, “King Shlomo too declared, ‘One who guards his mouth and tongue, guards his soul from tribulations’ – Proverbs 21:23 .

LIFE IN THIS WORLD AND LIFE IN THE WORLD TO COME R. Abba expounded in this connection the verse: “Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.” (Psalms 34:13-14) ‘Life here’, he said, ‘is the life which is called “the World to Come”, where true life abides. Similarly the “tree of life” means the tree that springs from that life and is planted therein. By “days” here is signified the name of the Holy King which is attached to the supernal days called “the days of the heaven over the earth”. He who desires to have a portion in the higher life and to cleave to the supernal days should above all keep guard over his mouth and his tongue. He should preserve his mouth from food and drink which defile the soul and remove man from those supernal days and life, and he should keep his tongue from words of evil so as not to be defiled by them. Further, “mouth” and “tongue” are names given to supernal places, and therefore a man should be careful not to bring a stain on his mouth and tongue.’ The Holy Zohar Shemini 41a

LASHON HA RA WAS THE MAIN CAUSE OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SECOND TEMPLE …At the end of the of the Second Temple period, causeless hatred and LASHON HA RA became prevalent among us, due to our many sins, for this reason the Temple was destroyed and we were exiled from our land, as is stated in Yoma (9b) and in the Jerusalem Talmud (Yoma 1:1).

THE SHECHINA WAS REMOVED FROM OUR MIDST BECAUSE OF LASHON HA RA …In addition, it is stated explicitly in Midrash Rabbah, Parashat Ki Teitze [6:14]: “Said the Holy One, Blessed is He: ‘In this world, because there was LASHON HA RA among you, I removed My Presence from among you …But in the time to come [I shall take away the evil inclination from among you …and I shall return My Presence to be among you…

HASHEM WILL REVEAL HIMSELF WHEN ALL THE TRBIES OF ISRAEL ARE UNITED Moreover, we have an explicit verse in Parashas Berachah (Devarim 33:5): “He will be King in Yeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel are gathered together.” Rashi explains there, citing Sifri: “When is He the King of Yeshurun [the Jewish People]? Only when ‘the tribes of Israel are gathered together’ in unity,’ but not when they are divided into [quarreling] groups.” And it is known that this matter [of divisiveness] usually comes about through LASHON HA RA.

For after all, the Torah has put an explicit curse upon it: “Cursed is he who hits his fellow in secret” ( Devarim 27:24 ) , which refers to LASHON HA RA, as Rashi comments.

We can say that this is the intent of the Gemara in Arachin (15b): “Whoever speaks LASHON HA RA magnifies his sins up to the heavens, as it is said: ‘They set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue struts upon the earth’ (Tehillim 73:9).” The meaning is: Even though their tongue struts upon the earth, nevertheless their mouth is set against heaven. Likewise Tanna DeVe Eliyahu states that the LASHON HA RA which a person speaks rises up opposite to the Throne of Glory.

SPEAKING LASHON HA RA THE PRAYERS CAN NOT GO UPWARD TO HEAVEN : from the holy Zohar that all our words of Torah and prayers remain suspended in the air [due to the sin of LASHON HA RA] and do not rise upwards.

STUDYING THE TORAH REDUCES THE STRENGTH OF THE EVIL INCLINATION we know what Midrash Rabbah says in Parashas Nasso [14:4]: “If you toil diligently hard over the words [of the Sages], the Holy One, Blessed is He, removes the evil inclination from you.” “when one sets out to become pure [of sin], he is helped [by heaven]” (Yoma 38b). Through this merit, “A Redeemer will come to Zion” speedily, in our days, Amen.

(VAYIKRA 19:16) “You shall not go as a slanderer among your people; nor shall you stand against the blood of your neighbor; I am the Lord.” 2- (SHEMOT 23:1) “You shall not raise a false report”. 3- (DEVARIM 24:8) “Take heed concerning the plague of leprosy” Leprosy came as a punishment for LASHON HA RA. 4- (VAYIKRA 19:14) “You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your G-d; I am the Lord.” This is when you cause another one to sin as when you tell someone LASHON HA RA.

(VAYIKRA 19:17) “You shall not hate your brother in your heart”. Usually the one who talks LASHON HA RA hates his fellow Jew. 8- (VAYIKRA 19:8) “You shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people” Many times the LASHON HA RA one says is the product of our feelings of vengeance.

The Purification of Tzaraat:

“And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and the hair of his head shall go loose, and he shall cover his upper lip, and shall cry: ‘Unclean, unclean [tameh, tameh]. All the days wherein the plague is in him he shall be unclean; he is unclean; he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his dwelling be.’” – Leviticus 13:45–46.

Both Tazria and Metzora focus on the laws of leprosy, a spiritual condition that causes the afflicted to become impure.These includes outline laws regarding how to handle the metzora, the one who is infected, as well as how he or she may be purified once healed.

“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘This shall be the torah [instructions] for the leprous person for the day of his cleansing.’” – Leviticus 14:1–2

The account of Miriam’s leprosy is evidence of the connection between evil speech and tzaraat. After she and her brother Aaron dared to speak evil of their brother Moses and his Cushite wife, she was afflicted with tzaraat.

“Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. ‘Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?’ they asked. ‘Hasn’t he also spoken through us?’ And the LORD heard this.” -Numbers 12:1–2

G-d’s anger was kindled against Miriam, and He afflicted her with tzaraat, saying to her: “Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?’ The anger of the LORD burned against [Miriam and Aaron], and He left them. When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous—it became as white as snow. Aaron turned towards her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease.” -Numbers 12:8–10

Healing and Purification in the book of New Testament:

Yeshua heals ten men of leprosy, but only one returns to thank Him. Again, Yeshua sends them to report their healing to the priest.

Keeping the Torah, Yeshua told the man, “Show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”

“Now on his way to Jerusalem, Yeshua traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, ‘Yeshua, Master, have pity on us!’ When he saw them, he said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed.” – Luke 17:11–14

Yeshua the Messiah, during the time of His ministry on earth, healed many people who were afflicted by this disease. He upheld this process of purification when he healed a leper, declaring him tahor (clean).

“Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Yeshua reached out His hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ He said. ‘Be clean!’ And immediately the leprosy left him.” – Luke 5:12–13

What is his Name: Leper Messiah:

Babylonian Talmud: “The Messiah –what is his name?…The Rabbis say, The Leper Scholar, as it is said, `surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of G-d and afflicted…’” (Sanhedrin 98b)

The Talmud also “records” a supposed discourse between the great Rabbi Joshua ben Levi and the prophet Elijah. The rabbi asks “When will the Messiah come?” And “By what sign may I recognize him?” Elijah tells the rabbi to go to the gate of the city where he will find the Messiah sitting among the poor lepers. The Messiah, says the prophet, sits bandaging his leprous sores one at a time, unlike the rest of the sufferers, who bandage them all at once. Why? Because he might be needed at any time and would not want to be delayed. Elijah says he will come “Today, if you will listen to his voice.” (Sanhedrin 98a)

There is also a strange story about the Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Hasidic movement. One day the rabbi was riding with a young student. He stopped his wagon at the hut of an old leper, horribly affected by the disease. The rabbi climbed down and spent a great deal of time with the poor man. When he returned to the wagon and recommenced his journey, the puzzled student asked the rabbi who it was that the rabbi had visited with. The rabbi replied that in every generation there is a Messiah who will reveal himself if the generation is worthy. The leper he had been meeting with was that Messiah, but the generation was not worthy, so the Messiah would depart. (Quoted in The Messiah Texts, by Raphael Patai, page 31.)

Where did this “Leper Messiah” idea come from? This odd concept must have arisen from the rabbis as they struggled with Isaiah 53. They either saw the Messiah’s sufferings as leprosy or split the Messiah in two, one a sufferer and one a conqueror. The Hebrew words in Isaiah 53:4, stricken (nagua) and smitten (mukkay) are interpreted as referring to a leprous condition.

Rab said: The world was created only on David’s account .24 Samuel said: On Moses account;25 R. Johanan said: For the sake of the Messiah. What is his [the Messiah’s] name? ? The School of R. Shila said: His name is Shiloh, for it is written, until Shiloh come .26 The School of R. Yannai said: His name is Yinnon, for it is written, His name shall endure for ever :27 e’er the sun was, his name is Yinnon.28 The School of R. Haninah maintained: His name is Haninah, as it is written, Where I will not give you Haninah.29 Others say: His name is Menahem the son of Hezekiah,for it is written, Because Menahem [?the comforter? ], that would relieve my soul, is far.30 The Rabbis said: His name is ?the leper scholar,? as it is written, Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of G-d, and afflicted.

The Zohar, a book of Jewish mysticism which is accepted as Talmud Torah, supports the fact of the Suffering Messiah of Isaiah 53. The Zohar purports to be a record of discourses between Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai and his contemporaries of the second century. The Zohar makes some interesting statements concerning the Suffering Messiah:

“…In the Garden of Eden there is a hall which is called the Hall of the Sons of Illness. The Messiah enters that Hall and summons all the diseases and all the pains and all the sufferings of Israel that they should come upon him, and all of them came upon him. And would he not thus bring ease to Israel and take their sufferings upon himself, no man could endure the sufferings Israel has to undergo because they neglected. the Torah” (Zohar 2:212a).

“Then shall pangs and travail overtake Israel, and all nations’ and their kings shall furiously rage together and take counsel against her. Thereupon a pillar of fire will be suspended from heaven to earth for forty days, visible to all nations. Then the Messiah will arise from the Garden of Eden, from that place which is called ‘The Bird’s Nest.’ He will arise in the land of Galilee...he shall reveal himself in the land of Galilee; for in this part of the Holy Land the desolation first began, and therefore he will manifest himself there first…” (Zohar 3:7b-8a).

The Zohar then describes that a star shall come from the East and proceed the Messiah:

“…And the Messiah shall have manifested himself, a star shall come forth from the East variegated in hue and shining brilliantly, and seven other stars shall surround it and make war on it from all sides, three times a day for seventy days, before the eyes of the whole world. The one star shall fight against the seven with rays of fire flashing on every side, and it shall smite them until they are extinguished, evening after evening’ (Zohar 3:7b, 8a).

Soncino Zohar Shemoth section 2 page 7b – “Then shall pangs and travail overtake Israel, and all nations and their kings shall furiously rage together and take counsel against her. Thereupon a pillar of fire will be suspended from heaven to earth for forty days, visible to all nations. Then the Messiah will arise from the Garden of Eden, from that place which is called “The Bird’s Nest”. He will arise in the land of Galilee, … “The glory of his majesty” refers to the Messiah when he shall reveal himself in the land of Galilee; for in this part of the Holy Land the desolation first began, and therefore he will manifest himself there first, and from there begin to war against the world. After the forty days, during which the pillar shall have stood between heaven and earth before the eyes of the whole world, and the Messiah shall have manifested himself, a star shall come forth from the East variegated in hue and shining brilliantly, and seven other stars shall surround it, and make war on it from all sides, three times a day for seventy days, before the eyes of the whole world. The one star shall fight against the seven with rays of fire flashing on every side, and it shall smite them until they are extinguished, evening after evening. But in the day they will appear again and fight before the eyes of the whole world, seventy days long. After the seventy days the one star shall vanish. Also the Messiah shall be hidden for twelve months in the pillar of fire, which shall return again, although it shall not be visible. After the twelve months the Messiah will be carried up to heaven in that pillar of fire and receive there power and dominion and the royal crown. When he descends, the pillar of fire will again be visible to the eyes of the world, and the Messiah will reveal himself, and mighty nations will gather round him, and he shall declare war against all the world…”

The Zohar continues and explains that when this star would disappear Messiah would go into hiding. “After the seventy days the one star shall vanish. Also the Messiah shall be hidden for twelve months in the pillar of fire, which shall return again, although it shall not be visible. After the twelve months the Messiah will be carried up to heaven in that pillar of fire and receive there power and dominion and the royal crown. When he descends, the pillar of fire will again be visible to the eyes of the world, and the Messiah will reveal himself, and mighty nations will gather round him, and he shall declare war against the world” (Zohar III, Shemoth 7b 8a).

 

From this passage of the Zohar :

The Mashiach will reveal himself first in the land of Galilee (Northern kingdom) and he reveals and conceals himself .

The Mashiach will travel to heaven in a pillar and he “shall return again” in a pillar of fire to make war.

The Mashiach will at times be invisible and he will ascend to heaven in the pillar of fire “and receive there power and dominion and the royal crown.”

All the world will see. “the pillar of fire will again be visible to the eyes of the world”

These concepts of Mashiach are also found in the New Testament:

 

The New Testament also teaches that the Mashiach appeared first in the Galilee

As Yeshua walked beside the Sea of Galilee,…. – Mark 1:16

To heaven in a pillar:

“and having said this, while they were looking on, he was taken up, and a cloud hid him (Yeshua) from their sight.” -Acts 1:9

Zohar speaks of the pillar of fire, as well as the Mashiach in it, being invisible:

“And their eyes were opened and they recognized him. And he disappeared from their sight.” -Luke 24:31

Zohar says this about the Mashiach, “the Messiah will be carried up to heaven in that pillar of fire and receive there power and dominion and the royal crown”:

In the New Testament : “And see, I am sending the promise of my father upon you, but you are to remain in the city of Yerushalayim until you are clothed with power from on high.” -Luke 24:49

“And Yeshua came up and spoke to them, saying, All power has been given to me in heaven and on earth.” -Matthew 28:18

According to the Zohar all the world will see the pillar of fire in the heavens.

 

“…and then the sign of the Son of Adam shall appear in the heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall see the Son of Adam coming on the clouds of heaven with power and much glory.” – Matthew 24:30

As the Zohar, the New Testament speaks of Mashaich returning to earth in a pillar of fire to make war with the enemies of Most High.

 

and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Yeshua is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. – 2 Thessalonians 1:7

Kol HaTor: “Our mission, the mission of the great Gaon, light of Mashiach ben Yosef, with regard to the final generation, is as follows: “According to Rabbi Eliyahu, all the steps, all the rules and details concerning the period from the beginning of the Redemption until its conclusion, which include the ingathering of exiles and settlement of the Holy Land–all these are the assignment of the first mashiach, Mashiach ben Yosef. They derive from the left side, that is, from the quality of Din, which prevails when the awakening starts from below, naturally, as occurred at the time of the Second Temple, during the reign of Cyrus. Later on, the redemption will be completed with the quality of Chesed (i.e., Lovingkindness)on the right side, with Mashiach ben David.”

Yeshua and the Vilna Gaon : in the spirit of Mashiach ben Yosef in there respective generations.

 

Hear His Voice:

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi came upon Elijah (the prophet) standing by the entrance to the cave of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai… He asked him, “When will the Messiah come?”

Elijah replied, “Go and ask him yourself.” “Where does he sit?”

“At the entrance to the city.” “And by what signs will I recognize him?”

“He is sitting among the poor lepers. They all untie their bandages all at once when they need to rebandage themselves. But he unties and rebandages in parts, one by one, thinking, maybe I’ll suddenly be needed, and I want to be ready at any minute.”

That’s why the book of Lamentations, which we read on the day we mourn the destruction of Jerusalem and beg, in agony, for our redemption, begins as follows – with “leper language”: “Alas! The city, once great with people, sits alone…” (Lamentations 1:1)

Back in the Talmud, the story ends with Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi going up to the leper messiah and asking him: “When will you come, Master?” , “Today,” he answered.

The rabbi is confused. Today?? He goes back to Elijah and says, “He lied to me! He said he would come today, but he has not.” Elijah explains that, no, it’s true, but what he meant was “today” as it appears in line from the Psalms:

“Today, if you will hear His voice.” – Psalms 95:7

Redemption could come today, any day, any moment. But first, we have to “hear his voice and obey his commandments and rulings”.

Now where it says,“Today, if you hear G-d’s voice, don’t harden your hearts, as you did in the Bitter Quarrel,” who were the people who, after they heard, quarreled so bitterly? All those whom Moshe brought out of Egypt. And with whom was G-d disgusted for forty years? Those who sinned — yes, they fell dead in the Wilderness! And to whom was it that he swore that they would not enter his rest? Those who were disobedient. So we see that they were unable to enter because of lack of trust. – Hebrews 3:15-19

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TAZRIA -— Studies from Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Greenbaum

In last week’s parshah, SHEMINI, the Torah set forth TORAS HA-BEHEMAH VE-HA’OF, the laws relating to various kinds of purity and impurity in animals and birds. They came first in the order of creation. This week’s parshah, TAZRIA, begins a series of parshahs that relate to TORAS HA-ADAM, the laws relating to purity and impurity in man, the very crown of creation. Our parshah takes its name from the greatest of all natural, everyday wonders: a woman’s ability to conceive a living child.

THE MIRACLE OF BIRTH:

The Midrash states: “We have learned: “What is the form of the embryo when first created? It is similar to a locust: its two eyes are like the two eyes of a fly; its nostrils are like two drops on a fly. Its two ears are like two drops on a fly, and its two arms like two scarlet threads. Its mouth is like a barley seed, its body the size of a lentil. And all its other limbs are contracted inside it like unformed substance (GOLEM). And of this it says, “Your eyes did see my unformed substance (GOLMI)” Psalms, 139:16; Midrash Rabbah Tazria, 14:8).

Says the Talmud (Niddah 30b): Rabbi Samlai taught: To what can the embryo in his mother’s womb be compared? To a folded up writing-tablet placed with his hands on his two temples, his two elbows on his two knees, and his two heels on his two buttocks. His head rests between his knees and his mouth is closed and his belly open. He eats what his mother eats and drinks what his mother drinks. He does not excrete waste lest he kill his mother. And when he goes out into the air of the world, what was closed becomes open, and what had been open is closed. For if not so, he could not live for even an hour. And while in the womb, a light is kindled over his head. With it he gazes and sees from one end of the world to the other, as it says: “When his lamp shone above me” (Job 29:3).

The miraculous entry of the mature embryo into this world in the form of a living baby, embarking on a whole destiny of its own, is accompanied with much physical pain and blood for the mother. By G-d’s decree, the baby, if a boy, must be circumcised with pain and blood on the eighth day, initiating him into the Covenant of Abraham. Peeling off the unclean material ORLAH foreskin (bound up with nature, which was created in seven days), gives him access to the eight level, BINAH, Understanding. This is the level that is beyond nature, as discussed in last week’s parshah, SHEMINI.

A girl has access to that level in virtue of being female and especially through motherhood, with its pains and joys. Together with the boy’s circumcision, motherhood is the first focus of our present parshah, TAZRIA. Immediately after the birth, the mother must adjust to a new level in life with her baby, boy or girl, in hand. She needs time to recuperate from the birth itself. The biblical laws at the beginning of TAZRIA relate to the ritual purification in Temple times for mothers after giving birth. Often questioned is the bird sin-offering which the new mother brings among her other purification offerings. One Midrash says this comes to atone for a sinful thought she may have had at the height of pain in childhood. Another Midrash says that it comes to atone for, “In the heat of sin my mother conceived me” (Psalms 51:7, alluding to Eve’s lust).

The Midrash also states that those women who carefully observe the laws of NIDDAH, purifying themselves as prescribed by the law, will be worthy of giving birth to children who will enter the Covenant of Abraham.

THE COVENANT OF THE LIPS:

The Covenant of Abraham must be inscribed not only on the flesh of the male organ, but in the hearts and on the lips of all of us, male and female. Parallel to the creative organs, which bring the physical person into the world, the lips have the most tremendous power to create realities in the spiritual, psychological and social realms.

If a person refuses to make a covenant with his lips, he may be visited with TZORA’AS, the “illness” in which his arrogance and malicious deceit in wrongful speech cause “leprous” marks on his “skin”. The “skin” is the person’s exterior, what can actually be seen, with all its flaws, as opposed to what he may want to present with arrogant deceit to the outside world.

The rabbinic sages unquestionably saw the complex typology of “leprous” marks as actual physical manifestations, discussing detailed grades of skin discoloration and minute differences in size, etc. At the same time, they emphasized that these came about not naturally, by random chance, but as a supernatural spiritual message from G-d contained in the physical symptom.

The entire portion of the Torah dealing with the various kinds of “leprous” marks on different parts of the body and the the “quarantine” period of impurity is full of allusions to physical illnesses, psychological, social and even national and international illnesses. The rabbis saw allusions in the names of the “leprous” marks to numerous sins, and to the nations that oppressed Israel.

In the entire process of “diagnosis” of leprous marks, no physician is involved. Indeed, it is not allowed to have a doctor cut out or treat the leprous mark. The diagnosis is in the hands of the COHEN, representing CHESSED, G-d’s kindness, in shining the light of spiritual insight and truth into the sinner. The only remedy is for the sinner to isolate himself, separating himself from ordinary routine in order to enter a state of contrition and mourning over his sins. He must sit alone, recognizing his uncleanness, warning others, examining his deeds and truly cleansing his heart. Only in this way can he be healed. It is necessary for the Cohen-Priest, the Man of KINDNESS, to look with his loving eyes at the wound and shine his light into the sinner’s soul.

The route to healing and redemption is by looking with the eyes of the priest — with kindness — overcoming the morbid illness by revealing the vital goodness concealed underneath.

Shabbat Shalom – from Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Greenbaum

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Haftarah Portion – II Kings 4:42- 5:19

The Haftarah portion for Tazria and Metzora both deal with Tzaraat. The two readings have been combined but only the Metzora portion as follows:

In this studies, we read the story of Naaman, captain of the army of the King of Aram, A land where Syria now stands. He was a mighty man of valor but also aleper (Metzora).

“’I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his G-d, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?’ So he turned and went off in a rage.” – II Kings 5:11–12

Fortunately for Naaman, his servants had the courage and faithfulness to challenge him:“If the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” – II Kings 5:13

The Healing of Naaman’s Leprosy – Naaman repented of his attitude of pride and superiority, and obeyed the prophet.

After Naaman entered the mikvah and was immersed seven times, his flesh became like that of a little child (na’ar katan), and he was made clean (tahor—ritually pure).

He emerged from the water with new skin and a new spirit, believing in the Most High of Israel!

“Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of G-d. He stood before him and said, ‘Now I know that there is no G-d in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.’” – II Kings 5:15

Four men, who were lepers, were outside the entrance to the gate. They said to one another, “Why should we sit here, waiting for death? If we decide to go into the town, we shall die there; and if we just sit here, we still die. So let’s go down into the Aramean camp. If they let us live, we shall live; and if they put us to death, we would have died anyway.” -II Kings 7:3-4

When they arrive at the camp, however, it is silent. The army had already fled leaving their treasures behind when they thought they heard the sound of a great army approaching. Of course, the Lord had miraculously intervened to help His people. – II Kings 7:6

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Women's Siddur  : Prayer :- May it be Your will, HaShem, my G-d and the G-d of my forefathers, O merciful and compassionate King, just as you have rescued me from this great distress and from this intense danger, so may Your mercy be aroused to rescue me from this danger [as] all the daughters of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, offspring of those who are beloved by You. Just as You have saved me now, so too, make a sign of goodness for me whenever I give birth.  - A prayer for thanks giving after childbirth

We will see that the children of Israel return to Most High and Torah of Mashiach, And will hug in the Holy Land, and by obeying and listening the “VOICE of Most Ancient Holy One of Israel”, will bring offerings in a righteous way on the holy mountain and also bring the Ark of the covenant with pure heart in the right place ( i.e In Har HaBayit, on the foundation Stone) .

We will Welcome the son of David on Mount Zion, Jerusalem.

[ Ha Khadosh Baruch Hu – Baruch HaBa B’Shem Adonai ] – Gaddi, President, BeitYaaqov International.

Gaddi – President