Lepers and Heroes

(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) אָדָ֗ם כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֤ה בְעוֹר־בְּשָׂרוֹ֙ שְׂאֵ֤ת אֽוֹ־סַפַּ֙חַת֙ א֣וֹ בַהֶ֔רֶת וְהָיָ֥ה בְעוֹר־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ לְנֶ֣גַע צָרָ֑עַת וְהוּבָא֙ אֶל־אַהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֔ן א֛וֹ אֶל־אַחַ֥ד מִבָּנָ֖יו הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃ (ג) וְרָאָ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֣ן אֶת־הַנֶּ֣גַע בְּעֽוֹר־הַ֠בָּשָׂ֠ר וְשֵׂעָ֨ר בַּנֶּ֜גַע הָפַ֣ךְ ׀ לָבָ֗ן וּמַרְאֵ֤ה הַנֶּ֙גַע֙ עָמֹק֙ מֵע֣וֹר בְּשָׂר֔וֹ נֶ֥גַע צָרַ֖עַת ה֑וּא וְרָאָ֥הוּ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן וְטִמֵּ֥א אֹתֽוֹ׃

Leviticus 13:1-3

(1) יהוה spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: (2) When a person has on the skin of the body a swelling, a rash, or a discoloration, and it develops into a scaly affection on the skin of the body, it shall be reported to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons, the priests. (3) The priest shall examine the affection on the skin of the body: if hair in the affected patch has turned white and the affection appears to be deeper than the skin of the body, it is a leprous affection; when the priest sees it, he shall pronounce the person impure.

ויקרא י״ג:ד׳-ז׳

(ד) וְאִם־בַּהֶ֩רֶת֩ לְבָנָ֨ה הִ֜וא בְּע֣וֹר בְּשָׂר֗וֹ וְעָמֹק֙ אֵין־מַרְאֶ֣הָ מִן־הָע֔וֹר וּשְׂעָרָ֖הֿ לֹא־הָפַ֣ךְ לָבָ֑ן וְהִסְגִּ֧יר הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֶת־הַנֶּ֖גַע שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים׃ (ה) וְרָאָ֣הוּ הַכֹּהֵן֮ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי֒ וְהִנֵּ֤ה הַנֶּ֙גַע֙ עָמַ֣ד בְּעֵינָ֔יו לֹֽא־פָשָׂ֥ה הַנֶּ֖גַע בָּע֑וֹר וְהִסְגִּיר֧וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֛ן שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים שֵׁנִֽית׃ (ו) וְרָאָה֩ הַכֹּהֵ֨ן אֹת֜וֹ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי֮ שֵׁנִית֒ וְהִנֵּה֙ כֵּהָ֣ה הַנֶּ֔גַע וְלֹא־פָשָׂ֥ה הַנֶּ֖גַע בָּע֑וֹר וְטִהֲר֤וֹ הַכֹּהֵן֙ מִסְפַּ֣חַת הִ֔וא וְכִבֶּ֥ס בְּגָדָ֖יו וְטָהֵֽר׃ (ז) וְאִם־פָּשֹׂ֨ה תִפְשֶׂ֤ה הַמִּסְפַּ֙חַת֙ בָּע֔וֹר אַחֲרֵ֧י הֵרָאֹת֛וֹ אֶל־הַכֹּהֵ֖ן לְטׇהֳרָת֑וֹ וְנִרְאָ֥ה שֵׁנִ֖ית אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃

Leviticus 13:4-7

(4) But if it is a white discoloration on the skin of the body which does not appear to be deeper than the skin and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest shall isolate the affected person for seven days. (5) On the seventh day the priest shall conduct an examination, and if the affection has remained unchanged in color and the disease has not spread on the skin, the priest shall isolate that person for another seven days. (6) On the seventh day the priest shall again conduct an examination: if the affection has faded and has not spread on the skin, the priest shall pronounce the person pure. It is a rash; after washing those clothes, that person shall be pure. (7) But if the rash should spread on the skin after the person has been seen by the priest and pronounced pure, that person shall again report to the priest.

במדבר י״ב:א׳-י״ג

(א) וַתְּדַבֵּ֨ר מִרְיָ֤ם וְאַהֲרֹן֙ בְּמֹשֶׁ֔ה עַל־אֹד֛וֹת הָאִשָּׁ֥ה הַכֻּשִׁ֖ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָקָ֑ח כִּֽי־אִשָּׁ֥ה כֻשִׁ֖ית לָקָֽח׃ (ב) וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ הֲרַ֤ק אַךְ־בְּמֹשֶׁה֙ דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה הֲלֹ֖א גַּם־בָּ֣נוּ דִבֵּ֑ר וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע יְהֹוָֽה׃ (ג) וְהָאִ֥ישׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה עָנָ֣ו מְאֹ֑ד מִכֹּל֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ {ס} (ד) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה פִּתְאֹ֗ם אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֤ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן֙ וְאֶל־מִרְיָ֔ם צְא֥וּ שְׁלׇשְׁתְּכֶ֖ם אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וַיֵּצְא֖וּ שְׁלׇשְׁתָּֽם׃ (ה) וַיֵּ֤רֶד יְהֹוָה֙ בְּעַמּ֣וּד עָנָ֔ן וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וַיִּקְרָא֙ אַהֲרֹ֣ן וּמִרְיָ֔ם וַיֵּצְא֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ (ו) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֣א דְבָרָ֑י אִם־יִֽהְיֶה֙ נְבִ֣יאֲכֶ֔ם יְהֹוָ֗ה בַּמַּרְאָה֙ אֵלָ֣יו אֶתְוַדָּ֔ע בַּחֲל֖וֹם אֲדַבֶּר־בּֽוֹ׃ (ז) לֹא־כֵ֖ן עַבְדִּ֣י מֹשֶׁ֑ה בְּכׇל־בֵּיתִ֖י נֶאֱמָ֥ן הֽוּא׃ (ח) פֶּ֣ה אֶל־פֶּ֞ה אֲדַבֶּר־בּ֗וֹ וּמַרְאֶה֙ וְלֹ֣א בְחִידֹ֔ת וּתְמֻנַ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה יַבִּ֑יט וּמַדּ֙וּעַ֙ לֹ֣א יְרֵאתֶ֔ם לְדַבֵּ֖ר בְּעַבְדִּ֥י בְמֹשֶֽׁה׃ (ט) וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֧ף יְהֹוָ֛ה בָּ֖ם וַיֵּלַֽךְ׃ (י) וְהֶעָנָ֗ן סָ֚ר מֵעַ֣ל הָאֹ֔הֶל וְהִנֵּ֥ה מִרְיָ֖ם מְצֹרַ֣עַת כַּשָּׁ֑לֶג וַיִּ֧פֶן אַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶל־מִרְיָ֖ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה מְצֹרָֽעַת׃ (יא) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אַהֲרֹ֖ן אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י אַל־נָ֨א תָשֵׁ֤ת עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ חַטָּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֥ר נוֹאַ֖לְנוּ וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר חָטָֽאנוּ׃ (יב) אַל־נָ֥א תְהִ֖י כַּמֵּ֑ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר בְּצֵאתוֹ֙ מֵרֶ֣חֶם אִמּ֔וֹ וַיֵּאָכֵ֖ל חֲצִ֥י בְשָׂרֽוֹ׃ (יג) וַיִּצְעַ֣ק מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אֵ֕ל נָ֛א רְפָ֥א נָ֖א לָֽהּ׃ {פ}

Numbers 12:1-13

(1) Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had taken [into his household as his wife]: “He took a Cushite woman!” (2) They said, “Has יהוה spoken only through Moses? Has [God] not spoken through us as well?” יהוה heard it. (3) Now Moses himself was very humble, more so than any other human being on earth. (4) Suddenly יהוה called to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the Tent of Meeting.” So the three of them went out. (5) יהוה came down in a pillar of cloud, stopped at the entrance of the Tent, and called out, “Aaron and Miriam!” The two of them came forward; (6) and [God] said, “Hear these My words: When prophets of יהוה arise among you, I make Myself known to them in a vision, I speak with them in a dream. (7) Not so with My servant Moses; he is trusted throughout My household. (8) With him I speak mouth to mouth, plainly and not in riddles, and he beholds the likeness of יהוה. How then did you not shrink from speaking against My servant Moses!” (9) Still incensed with them, יהוה departed. (10) As the cloud withdrew from the Tent, there was Miriam stricken with snow-white scales! When Aaron turned toward Miriam, he saw that she was stricken with scales. (11) And Aaron said to Moses, “O my lord, account not to us the sin which we committed in our folly. (12) Let her not be like a stillbirth which emerges from its mother’s womb with half its flesh eaten away!” (13) So Moses cried out to יהוה, saying, “O God, pray heal her!”

מלכים ב ז׳:ג׳-ט״ז

(ג) וְאַרְבָּעָ֧ה אֲנָשִׁ֛ים הָי֥וּ מְצֹרָעִ֖ים פֶּ֣תַח הַשָּׁ֑עַר וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֔הוּ מָ֗ה אֲנַ֛חְנוּ יֹשְׁבִ֥ים פֹּ֖ה עַד־מָֽתְנוּ׃ (ד) אִם־אָמַ֩רְנוּ֩ נָב֨וֹא הָעִ֜יר וְהָרָעָ֤ב בָּעִיר֙ וָמַ֣תְנוּ שָׁ֔ם וְאִם־יָשַׁ֥בְנוּ פֹ֖ה וָמָ֑תְנוּ וְעַתָּ֗ה לְכוּ֙ וְנִפְּלָה֙ אֶל־מַחֲנֵ֣ה אֲרָ֔ם אִם־יְחַיֻּ֣נוּ נִֽחְיֶ֔ה וְאִם־יְמִיתֻ֖נוּ וָמָֽתְנוּ׃ (ה) וַיָּקֻ֣מוּ בַנֶּ֔שֶׁף לָב֖וֹא אֶל־מַחֲנֵ֣ה אֲרָ֑ם וַיָּבֹ֗אוּ עַד־קְצֵה֙ מַחֲנֵ֣ה אֲרָ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵֽין־שָׁ֖ם אִֽישׁ׃ (ו) וַאדֹנָ֞י הִשְׁמִ֣יעַ ׀ אֶת־מַחֲנֵ֣ה אֲרָ֗ם ק֥וֹל רֶ֙כֶב֙ ק֣וֹל ס֔וּס ק֖וֹל חַ֣יִל גָּד֑וֹל וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֗יו הִנֵּ֣ה שָֽׂכַר־עָלֵ֩ינוּ֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־מַלְכֵ֧י הַֽחִתִּ֛ים וְאֶת־מַלְכֵ֥י מִצְרַ֖יִם לָב֥וֹא עָלֵֽינוּ׃ (ז) וַיָּק֘וּמוּ֮ וַיָּנ֣וּסוּ בַנֶּ֒שֶׁף֒ וַיַּעַזְב֣וּ אֶת־אׇהֳלֵיהֶ֗ם וְאֶת־סֽוּסֵיהֶם֙ וְאֶת־חֲמֹ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁר־הִ֑יא וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ אֶל־נַפְשָֽׁם׃ (ח) וַיָּבֹ֩אוּ֩ הַֽמְצֹרָעִ֨ים הָאֵ֜לֶּה עַד־קְצֵ֣ה הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֗ה וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ אֶל־אֹ֤הֶל אֶחָד֙ וַיֹּאכְל֣וּ וַיִּשְׁתּ֔וּ וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ מִשָּׁ֗ם כֶּ֤סֶף וְזָהָב֙ וּבְגָדִ֔ים וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ וַיַּטְמִ֑נוּ וַיָּשֻׁ֗בוּ וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל אַחֵ֔ר וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ מִשָּׁ֔ם וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ וַיַּטְמִֽנוּ׃ (ט) וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֜הוּ לֹא־כֵ֣ן ׀ אֲנַ֣חְנוּ עֹשִׂ֗ים הַיּ֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ יוֹם־בְּשֹׂרָ֣ה ה֔וּא וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ מַחְשִׁ֗ים וְחִכִּ֛ינוּ עַד־א֥וֹר הַבֹּ֖קֶר וּמְצָאָ֣נוּ עָו֑וֹן וְעַתָּה֙ לְכ֣וּ וְנָבֹ֔אָה וְנַגִּ֖ידָה בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (י) וַיָּבֹ֗אוּ וַֽיִּקְרְאוּ֮ אֶל־שֹׁעֵ֣ר הָעִיר֒ וַיַּגִּ֤ידוּ לָהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בָּ֚אנוּ אֶל־מַחֲנֵ֣ה אֲרָ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֧ה אֵֽין־שָׁ֛ם אִ֖ישׁ וְק֣וֹל אָדָ֑ם כִּ֣י אִם־הַסּ֤וּס אָסוּר֙ וְהַחֲמ֣וֹר אָס֔וּר וְאֹהָלִ֖ים כַּאֲשֶׁר־הֵֽמָּה׃ (יא) וַיִּקְרָ֖א הַשֹּׁעֲרִ֑ים וַיַּגִּ֕ידוּ בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ פְּנִֽימָה׃ (יב) וַיָּ֨קׇם הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לַ֗יְלָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־עֲבָדָ֔יו אַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א לָכֶ֔ם אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־עָ֥שׂוּ לָ֖נוּ אֲרָ֑ם יָדְע֞וּ כִּֽי־רְעֵבִ֣ים אֲנַ֗חְנוּ וַיֵּֽצְא֤וּ מִן־הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֙ לְהֵחָבֵ֤ה (בהשדה) [בַשָּׂדֶה֙] לֵאמֹ֔ר כִּֽי־יֵצְא֤וּ מִן־הָעִיר֙ וְנִתְפְּשֵׂ֣ם חַיִּ֔ים וְאֶל־הָעִ֖יר נָבֹֽא׃ (יג) וַיַּ֩עַן֩ אֶחָ֨ד מֵעֲבָדָ֜יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר וְיִקְחוּ־נָ֞א חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה מִן־הַסּוּסִים֮ הַֽנִּשְׁאָרִים֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁאֲרוּ־בָהּ֒ הִנָּ֗ם כְּכׇל־[הֲמ֤וֹן] (ההמון) יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁאֲרוּ־בָ֔הּ הִנָּ֕ם כְּכׇל־הֲמ֥וֹן יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־תָּ֑מּוּ וְנִשְׁלְחָ֖ה וְנִרְאֶֽה׃ (יד) וַיִּקְח֕וּ שְׁנֵ֖י רֶ֣כֶב סוּסִ֑ים וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אַחֲרֵ֧י מַֽחֲנֵה־אֲרָ֛ם לֵאמֹ֖ר לְכ֥וּ וּרְאֽוּ׃ (טו) וַיֵּלְכ֣וּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם֮ עַד־הַיַּרְדֵּן֒ וְהִנֵּ֣ה כׇל־הַדֶּ֗רֶךְ מְלֵאָ֤ה בְגָדִים֙ וְכֵלִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־הִשְׁלִ֥יכוּ אֲרָ֖ם (בהחפזם) [בְּחׇפְזָ֑ם] וַיָּשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים וַיַּגִּ֖דוּ לַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (טז) וַיֵּצֵ֣א הָעָ֔ם וַיָּבֹ֕זּוּ אֵ֖ת מַחֲנֵ֣ה אֲרָ֑ם וַיְהִ֨י סְאָה־סֹ֜לֶת בְּשֶׁ֗קֶל וְסָאתַ֧יִם שְׂעֹרִ֛ים בְּשֶׁ֖קֶל כִּדְבַ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה׃

II Kings 7:3-16

(3) There were four men, lepers, outside the gate. They said to one another, “Why should we sit here waiting for death? (4) If we decide to go into the town, what with the famine in the town, we shall die there; and if we just sit here, still we die. Come, let us desert to the Aramean camp. If they let us live, we shall live; and if they put us to death, we shall but die.” (5) They set out at twilight for the Aramean camp; but when they came to the edge of the Aramean camp, there was no one there. (6) For the Lord had caused the Aramean camp to hear a sound of chariots, a sound of horses—the din of a huge army. They said to one another, “The king of Israel must have hired the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Mizraim to attack us!” (7) And they fled headlong in the twilight, abandoning their tents and horses and asses—the [entire] camp just as it was—as they fled for their lives. (8) When those lepers came to the edge of the camp, they went into one of the tents and ate and drank; then they carried off silver and gold and clothing from there and buried it. They came back and went into another tent, and they carried off what was there and buried it. (9) Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This is a day of good news, and we are keeping silent! If we wait until the light of morning, we shall incur guilt. Come, let us go and inform the king’s palace.” (10) They went and called out to the gatekeepers of the city and told them, “We have been to the Aramean camp. There is not a soul there, nor any human sound; but the horses are tethered and the asses are tethered and the tents are undisturbed.” (11) The gatekeepers called out, and the news was passed on into the king’s palace. (12) The king rose in the night and said to his courtiers, “I will tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know that we are starving, so they have gone out of camp and hidden in the fields, thinking: When they come out of the town, we will take them alive and get into the town.” (13) But one of the courtiers spoke up, “Let a few of the remaining horses that are still here be taken—they are like those that are left here of the whole multitude of Israel, out of the whole multitude of Israel that have perished—and let us send and find out.” (14) They took two teams of horses and the king sent them after the Aramean army, saying, “Go and find out.” (15) They followed them as far as the Jordan, and found the entire road full of clothing and gear which the Arameans had thrown away in their haste; and the messengers returned and told the king. (16) The people then went out and plundered the Aramean camp. So a seah of choice flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel—as the LORD had spoken.

What elements of the rituals for determining leprosy seem most humane (chesed) to you?
Comparing Leviticus 13 to Numbers 12, what has changed about the Torah's understanding of Tazriah?
The haftorah for Tazria is the story of the four lepers. Are they defined by their ailment? Are they heroes?

Lepers, Jews, and prostitutes had a lot in common in Medieval Europe. They were all reviled. All were forced to wear distinctive clothing. Imagine the plight of a leprous Jewish prostitute! Some things change with time. Today, leprosy is curable with antibiotics. A major motion picture featured Julia Roberts as a prostitute. But prejudice against Jews thrives.
In Parshat Tazria, we learn about people afflicted with skin disease. The common lore is that Tazria describes leprosy. That is a misnomer. In fact, the Bible does not describe Hansen’s disease, commonly called leprosy or tzaar’at in Hebrew. Nonetheless, skin afflictions must have been common and alarming.
The treatment for tzaar’at, the skin disease, was to place the afflicted person outside of the camp. After a week, the Hebrew priests, serving in a medical role, would carefully reexamine the skin. If cleared, the person bathed and reentered the camp.
As a disease, leprosy persisted for millennia. Moreover, the nature of the disease remained misunderstood. In medieval times, Catholic priests would ostracize lepers, banning them from participating in religious activities and society. So too, were Jews excluded – sometimes forced to wear distinctive clothing, banned from owning land, or mandated to live in ghettos. Their isolation defied biblical principles.
The Torah’s approach to tzaar’at considers the humanity of the ill person. In Torah we find a methodology to restore them to society. By contrast, a society that groups lepers, Jews, and prostitutes as outsiders is a failing model of civilization.
Whether they are judging people by their skin or by their faith, the world is plagued by hateful people, filled with fear and loathing. A primal need to exclude and dominate fills some souls. While medicine can cure leprosy, the world needs an antidote for anti-semitism, racism, and xenophobia. Perhaps we should be hopeful that as anti-biotics fight disease the world will discover the love and caring to end baseless hatred.
Rabbi Evan Krame