This week's portion focuses on the laws of ritual purification for a person -- or an object -- that is stricken with an ailment called "tzara'at." Commonly translated as "leprosy," this is really a different kind of disfigurement -- one that denotes spiritual uncleanness, not viral, bacterial, or fungal infection. The portion also includes the laws for purification for other reasons, such as a woman's normal menstrual cycle. This remains a part of religious life today. (The menstrual cycle does not include tzaraa't; it is not the same kind of problem, though some of the rituals are the same for renewing one's spiritual status.)
Those with tzara'at are generally disqualified from doing many things in society until they can be purified again. That is why the additional reading, from the book of King (Kings II 7:3-20), is so remarkable. IT tells the story of four lepers who had been banished from the city of Samaria, and then saved it from an Aramean siege by inadvertently frightening off the enemy soldiers' camp.
The lesson: there is spiritual potential in each of us to do great good, even when we are down and out, even when we might be responsible for our own isolation. Deeply flawed though we may be, we can still achieve miracles for our society.
This week’s portion launches the great story of Abraham, who is told to leave everything of his life behind — except his immediate family — and to leave for “the Land that I shall show you.”
There’s something interesting in the fact that Abraham is told to leave his father’s house, as if breaking away from his father’s life — but his father, in fact, began the journey, moving from Ur to Haran (in last week’s portion). His father set a positive example — why should Abraham leave him?
Some obvious answers suggest themselves — adulthood, needing to make one’s own choices, his father not going far enough, etc.
But I think there is another answer. Abraham (known for the moment as Abram) needs to establish his own household. This is not just about making one’s own choice, but really about choosing one’s own starting point. It’s starting over.
Sometimes we start over in fundamental ways even if much that surrounds us remains the same. Sometimes the journey we have to ...
The story of Noah is familiar; the details, less so.
Noah is often seen as an ambivalent figure. He was righteous -- but only for his generation. What was his deficiency?
One answer suggests itself: knowing that the world was about to be flooded, he built an Ark for the animals and for his own family -- but did not try to save anyone else or to convince them to repent and change their ways (the prophet Jonah, later, would share that reluctance).
Abraham, later, would set himself apart by arguing with God -- with the Lord Himself! -- against the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, saying that they should be saved if there were enough righteous people to be found (there were not).
Still, Noah was good enough -- and sometimes, that really is sufficient to save the world. We don't need heroes every time -- just ordinary decency.
Hi all -- as I noted last month, I'm going to be closing down my Locals page, at least for tips and subscriptions -- I may keep the page up and the posts as well, but I'm no longer going to be accepting any kind of payment.
Look for cancelation in the very near future. Thank you for your support!
