What happened to the leper is what happened to the world.

Once the CoronaVirus hit, many were effected, and many were secluded in their homes. Many who had the CoronaVirus, we’re segregated from their families. There was a mandatory shutdown(quarantine). There were many fatalities. Once the spread subsided, everything opened up and everyone was instructed to wear masks. There has been a lot of talk about the origins of the virus, the politics involved, and confusion about what are the best treatments or inoculations. We will not focus on those topics today. However, to many who are spirituality inclined, the question we should ask is “according to the Scriptures, what does all of this mean?”

Everything that happens in our world happens for a reason. We can also see the biblical symbolism and spiritual details related to such events. What is God trying to show the world through this woe?

Today we will look at the Torah of the leper, what causes the person to become leperous, the procedure from quarantine to cleansing, and ultimately what does it mean for us and the world at large.

In Parashat Tazria, we are given a number of conditions in which a person becomes a Metzora, or a leper.

אָדָ֗ם כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֤ה בְעוֹר־בְּשָׂרוֹ֙ שְׂאֵ֤ת אֽוֹ־סַפַּ֙חַת֙ א֣וֹ בַהֶ֔רֶת וְהָיָ֥ה בְעוֹר־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ לְנֶ֣גַע צָרָ֑עַת וְהוּבָא֙ אֶל־אַהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֔ן א֛וֹ אֶל־אַחַ֥ד מִבָּנָ֖יו הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃

When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it become in the skin of his flesh the plague of leprosy, then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests.

-Leviticus

וְאִם־בַּהֶרֶת֩ לְבָנָ֨ה הִ֜וא בְּע֣וֹר בְּשָׂר֗וֹ וְעָמֹק֙ אֵין־מַרְאֶ֣הָ מִן־הָע֔וֹר וּשְׂעָרָ֖ה לֹא־הָפַ֣ךְ לָבָ֑ן וְהִסְגִּ֧יר הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֶת־הַנֶּ֖גַע שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים׃

And if the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and the appearance thereof be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white, then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days. -Leviticus

In the passage, “adam” can and does mean “man,” (and has a connection to the word “red”), it is reminiscent of Adam HaRishon, the First Man, who sinned in the Garden of Eden. Adam’s sin had a reverberating effect of spiritual leprosy throughout creation, causing untold suffering in the world. Thus this can apply to all mankind.

For the person who has a breakout of Tzara’at, the kohen has to examine the Metzorah (infected one), the leper. The Torah details numerous ways that the kohen can discern whether the infection is tzara‘at or not. Now tzara‘at was not specifically what we would now call leprosy (Hansen’s disease), which is A chronic, curable infectious disease mainly causing skin lesions and nerve damage.

Tzara’at, on the other hand, is a spiritual malady manifesting physically. So there was no ointment, solution or potion one could purchase to rid themselves of the body infection.When all was confirmed by the Kohen, the leper was to procede with this procedure.

וְהַצָּר֜וּעַ אֲשֶׁר־בּ֣וֹ הַנֶּ֗גַע בְּגָדָ֞יו יִהְי֤וּ פְרֻמִים֙ וְרֹאשׁוֹ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה פָר֔וּעַ וְעַל־שָׂפָ֖ם יַעְטֶ֑ה וְטָמֵ֥א ׀ טָמֵ֖א יִקְרָֽא׃

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.’ -Leviticus 13:45

כָּל־יְמֵ֞י אֲשֶׁ֨ר הַנֶּ֥גַע בּ֛וֹ יִטְמָ֖א טָמֵ֣א ה֑וּא בָּדָ֣ד יֵשֵׁ֔ב מִח֥וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה מוֹשָׁבֽוֹ׃ (ס)

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 13:46

Now we have the procedure laid out, we will go through what is the significance with each.

Clothes torn.

Clothes being torn is sign of mourning. The tearing of garments was a symbolic way of expressing grief from the loss of loved ones. Here, the leper experiences a type of symbolic death from community. The actions of the leper had caused him/her to show signs of death (Tzara’at) and showing signs of grief (torn clothes) due to being segregated from his/her personal community.

Hair go loose.

Hair overgrown is also a sign of mourning. The leper has his hair overgrown because of the grief being experienced. The person in such a condition is not concerned about their cosmetic appearance.

Cover upper lip.

Covering the lips served a few purposes. First, it was to prevent contaminating others when others are passing by. Second, it was said that the breath of the leper was putrid, and this also served as a preventative measure. Third, he must cry out “unclean” so as to warn everyone hearing him  that he has Tzara’at, and to warn others to keep their distance.

Dwells alone.

He was quarantined apart from the community. So in this procedure, the leper was quarentined, until further notice by the kohen. They were to cover their faces and make sure people kept their distance from them. Just the fact that the infected one had shown signs of leprosy was startling and horrifying in itself, the idea of being cut off from his community was depressing.
This was intended to be a time introspection and repentence for the Metzora.  Why did this happen? What did the Metzora do? It was because the Metzora brought out evil.

Sin caused by the leper

Commentary Daat Zkenim gives us an insight into the reason why the leper is called a Metzora:

 “This shall be the law of the person afflicted with the skin diseases discussed in the previous chapters, etc.” the very word metzora מצורע contains a hint that describes why, in most instances, such a person has been afflicted with this disease. It is because he bad-mouthed fellow Jews. The word is a combination of motzi shem ra מוציא שם רע, “he called someone by a bad name.”

The Metzora is afflicted because of slandering a fellow jew, a member of the covenant community. He brought out an evil reputation on his fellow(s). The commentary continues…

 …Solomon in Kohelet,5,5, also deals with this subject when he wrote: “let not your mouth bring guilt on your flesh;” which sin did he had in mind? The sin of badmouthing fellow Jews. Solomon referred to the same sin in Proverbs 18,21, when he said: “death and life are within the power of the tongue.” 

Death is liable to follow abuse of the power of speech, whereas life is at the disposal of people who meticulously observe the Torah and study it. The Torah is the remedy with which the sin of evil gossip can be atoned for. It is known as the עץ חיים, “the tree of life.” We know this also from Solomon, who said in Proverbs 15,4: מרפא לשון עץ חיים, “the tree of life can heal (the harm caused) by abusing one’s power of speech.” Intensive Torah study prevents a person from becoming guilty of using his power of speech. 

Thus, the leper can reflect and repent upon the basis of the words of Torah. His Torah study would have a positive effect on him while segregated from community. The commentary continues …

The guilt of לשון הרע, evil gossip, is considered as greater than that of being guilty of shedding innocent blood.
When one is guilty of the latter, one had only killed one life, whereas when one is guilty of evil gossip, one is guilty of killing at least three people, the one who engages in it, the one who listens to it, and the one about whom this evil gossip has been spread…
 The Talmud in tractate Arachin, folio 15, states that the sin of tale-bearing is greater than murder, incest or idolatry. -Daat Zkenim, Leviticus 14:2:1

By speech G-d brought forth the world, and in like manner man should bring forth good.

In Parashat B’ha’alot’cha, we are given an example of Tzara’at coming upon a person. Let’s consider what happened to Miriam. 

וַתְּדַבֵּ֨ר מִרְיָ֤ם וְאַהֲרֹן֙ בְּמֹשֶׁ֔ה עַל־אֹד֛וֹת הָאִשָּׁ֥ה הַכֻּשִׁ֖ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָקָ֑ח כִּֽי־אִשָּׁ֥ה כֻשִׁ֖ית לָקָֽח׃

Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married: “He married a Cushite woman!” -Numbers 12:1

וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ הֲרַ֤ק אַךְ־בְּמֹשֶׁה֙ דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הֲלֹ֖א גַּם־בָּ֣נוּ דִבֵּ֑ר וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע יְהוָֽה׃

They said, “Is it true that Adonai has spoken only with Moshe? Hasn’t he spoken with us too?” Adonai heard them. Now this man Moshe was very humble, more so than anyone on earth. Suddenly Adonai told Moshe, Aharon and Miryam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” The three of them went out. Adonai came down in a column of cloud and stood at the entrance to the tent. He summoned Aharon and Miryam, and they both went forward. He said, “Listen to what I say: when there is a prophet among you, I, Adonai , make myself known to him in a vision, I speak with him in a dream. But it isn’t that way with my servant Moshe. He is the only one who is faithful in my entire household. With him I speak face to face and clearly, not in riddles; he sees the image of Adonai . So why weren’t you afraid to criticize my servant Moshe?” The anger of Adonai flared up against them, and he left. But when the cloud was removed from above the tent, Miryam had tzara‘at , as white as snow. Aharon looked at Miryam, and she was as white as snow. -B’midbar (Num) 12:2‭-‬10 CJB

Addressing the issue of Lashon Hara, Ya’akov HaTzaddik, brother of Mashiach had this to say:

So too the tongue is a tiny part of the body, yet it boasts great things. See how a little fire sets a whole forest ablaze! 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.
-Ya’akov (Jas) 3:5‭-‬6 CJB

If Tzara’at was simply a Divine judgment against one’s evil speech, why is it that Scripture has accounts of other lepers whose sin was not speech related?

Midrash Tanchuma lists 11 sins or faults that are the cause of Tzara’at

The affliction comes [upon one] for eleven things: (1) For idolatry, (2) for desecration of the name [of God], (3) for unchastity, (4) for theft, (5) for slander, (6) for false witness, (7) upon the judge who perverts justice, (8) for swearing in vain, (9) upon one who enters a domain which is not his, (10) upon one who thinks false thoughts, and (11) upon one who instigates quarrels among brothers.

These sins are all destructive to the soul. But among all of these, the most common and yet the most deadly is that of Gossip.

Haughtiness…Misrepresenting who sent us.2 Kings 5Namaan and Gechazi 

וְ֠נַעֲמָן שַׂר־צְבָ֨א מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֜ם הָיָ֣ה אִישׁ֩ גָּד֨וֹל לִפְנֵ֤י אֲדֹנָיו֙ וּנְשֻׂ֣א פָנִ֔ים כִּֽי־ב֛וֹ נָֽתַן־יְהוָ֥ה תְּשׁוּעָ֖ה לַאֲרָ֑ם וְהָאִ֗ישׁ הָיָ֛ה גִּבּ֥וֹר חַ֖יִל מְצֹרָֽע׃

Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was important to his lord and high in his favor, for through him the LORD had granted victory to Aram. But the man, though a great warrior, was a leper. -II Kings 5:1

In this account, Naaman was seeking to be cleansed from his tzara‘at, but could only find help through Prophet Elisha’s instructions.
However, because of his haughtiness, he refused. He had to be convinced to do so. He had to humble himself.

He was healed of Tzara’at. He proceeded to pay Elisha for his instructions but refused. Of course, this upset Gechazi, his disciple.  So Gechazi ran back to Naaman and said that Elisha changed his mind. And so Naaman gave him his reward. Gechazi’s punishment was to receive Naaman’s Tzara’at. 

there are also some who say, [leprosy] also [comes] for haughtiness. How is it shown? From Naaman, as stated (in II Kings 5:1), “Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram […] a valiant warrior, was a leper,” because he was haughty.

It is beyond the scope of this article to explore every Biblical account of Tzara’at. However, I am relating a few accounts to illustrate what is at the heart of the spiritual malady that manifested physically.

In the year of Covid 19 we have become acquainted with the procedure of the Metzorah. So let’s read this passage again.

וְהַצָּר֜וּעַ אֲשֶׁר־בּ֣וֹ הַנֶּ֗גַע בְּגָדָ֞יו יִהְי֤וּ פְרֻמִים֙ וְרֹאשׁוֹ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה פָר֔וּעַ וְעַל־שָׂפָ֖ם יַעְטֶ֑ה וְטָמֵ֥א ׀ טָמֵ֖א יִקְרָֽא׃

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.’ -Leviticus 13:45

כָּל־יְמֵ֞י אֲשֶׁ֨ר הַנֶּ֥גַע בּ֛וֹ יִטְמָ֖א טָמֵ֣א ה֑וּא בָּדָ֣ד יֵשֵׁ֔ב מִח֥וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה מוֹשָׁבֽוֹ׃ (ס)

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 13:46

So let us address these signs of the Metzora once again.

Clothes torn; sign of mourning, experiences a symbolic death from community, one facet of quarantine. 
Separated from family and friends. For many people, they were literally in mourning because they had tragically lost loved ones.

Hair go loose; hair overgrown…no barbershop or salons open? It was a Sign of mourning.

This is the headline of the New York Times article, June 2, 2020

Hair Salons Reopen, and Americans Rush Back

Many beauty salons and barbershops are booked solid with appointments, showing how much grooming is a treasured ritual. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/12/fashion/haircut-salon-reopening.html

Cover upper lip; This is probably one of the most visually striking signs… masks…Covering both the lower and upper lips and the nose it’s as if visually(symbolically) speaking, everyone is proclaiming that they are unclean.

Dwell alone, quarantined apart from the community. The whole world was (at the writing of this article, parts are still) in lock down.
If this provides us with a pattern, then we can see what G-d has allowed to happen. G-d has allowed the plague of pestilence to come upon the world.

The mishna taught: What is considered a plague of pestilence? If it is a city that sends out five hundred infantrymen, and three dead are removed from it on three consecutive days, one dead per day, this is a plague of pestilence. The Sages taught: If a city that sends out fifteen hundred infantrymen, i.e., one that has a population of at least fifteen hundred men, e.g., the village of Akko, and nine dead are removed from it on three consecutive days, i.e., three dead per day, this is considered a plague of pestilence. -Talmud Bavli Ta’anit 21a:15

Authorities proclaimed that it would only be about two weeks to curb the spread, yet the entire world experienced it for months.

The world has sinned and this (covid19) plague was a divine rebuke.
It is as if the world has brought out evil against Hashem and His Mashiach. And the world has gone through a symbolic procedure of the Metzora. (Not negating, however, the actual health issues and tragedies of 2020). This is to be seen as a harbinger.

Covid 19 kovid/kavod?
People are afraid of what can’t be seen or heard or tasted…and yet Hashem asks, “Where is my fear, where is my honor?”
In order to be cleansed, there is to be repentance.

Must be inspected by the Kohen.

 
Tziporim

וְצִוָּה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְלָקַ֧ח לַמִּטַּהֵ֛ר שְׁתֵּֽי־צִפֳּרִ֥ים חַיּ֖וֹת טְהֹר֑וֹת וְעֵ֣ץ אֶ֔רֶז וּשְׁנִ֥י תוֹלַ֖עַת וְאֵזֹֽב׃

Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two living clean birds, and cedar-wood, and scarlet, and hyssop.

Midrash Tanchuma elucidates the passage:

CLEAN — This term excludes an unclean bird (of a species that may not be eaten) (cf. Chullin 140a). Because the plagues of leprosy come as a punishment for slander, which is done by chattering, therefore birds are compulsory for his (the leper’s) purification, because these chatter, as it were, continuously with a twittering sound (Arakhin 16b).

AND CEDAR WOOD — This lofty tree was used because plagues come also as a punishment for haughtiness (cf. Arakhin 16a). AND CRIMSON AND HYSSOP — What is the remedy he should use, that he may be healed? Let him, abandoning pride, regard himself lowly as a worm (תולעת) and as hyssop  – Midrash Tanchuma, Metzora 3

The two birds were to be birds without defect.  

The message to the metzora is clear. His lashon hara will be atoned for by sacrificing the animal who “chatterers” throughout creation. On a deeper level, the clean tzippor(bird), is identified as either a Tor (turtledove) or a Yonah(dove). Both the “Tor” and the “Yonah” are names for the Mashiach.
This concept is a whole subject in itself, and it is beyond the scope of this article to cover.

The two birds in the sacrifice of the Leper reminds us of the service of Yom Kippur . On this holiest day of the year, two identical goats are brought together, one is killed, and the other released.

Just as first redeemer so will be last redeemed…One of the signs Moshe was to give was that his hand would be leperous, but it would be clean second time. 

וַיֹּאמֶר֩ יְהוָ֨ה ל֜וֹ ע֗וֹד הָֽבֵא־נָ֤א יָֽדְךָ֙ בְּחֵיקֶ֔ךָ וַיָּבֵ֥א יָד֖וֹ בְּחֵיק֑וֹ וַיּ֣וֹצִאָ֔הּ וְהִנֵּ֥ה יָד֖וֹ מְצֹרַ֥עַת כַּשָּֽׁלֶג׃

The LORD said to him further, “Put your hand into your bosom.” He put his hand into his bosom; and when he took it out, his hand was encrusted with snowy scales!

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הָשֵׁ֤ב יָֽדְךָ֙ אֶל־חֵיקֶ֔ךָ וַיָּ֥שֶׁב יָד֖וֹ אֶל־חֵיק֑וֹ וַיּֽוֹצִאָהּ֙ מֵֽחֵיק֔וֹ וְהִנֵּה־שָׁ֖בָה כִּבְשָׂרֽוֹ׃

And He said, “Put your hand back into your bosom.”—He put his hand back into his bosom; and when he took it out of his bosom, there it was again like the rest of his body. -Exodus 4:6-7

On this topic, Rava said, and some say that it was Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, who said: The divine attribute of beneficence takes effect more quickly than the divine attribute of punishment. From where is this derived? While, with regard to the divine attribute of punishment, it is written, “And he took it out and behold, his hand was leprous like snow” (Exodus 4:6), with regard to the divine attribute of beneficence it is written: “And He said: Return your hand to your bosom, and he returned his hand to his bosom and he took it out from his bosom and behold, it had returned to be like his original flesh” (Exodus 4:7). The Gemara analyzes this as follows: It was already from his bosom that it returned to be like his original flesh. Moses’ hand was healed even before he took his hand out. -Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 97a

Apropos the Messiah, the Gemara asks: What is his name? The school of Rabbi Sheila says: Shiloh is his name, as it is stated: “Until when Shiloh shall come” (Genesis 49:10). The school of Rabbi Yannai says: Yinnon is his name, as it is stated: “May his name endure forever; may his name continue [yinnon] as long as the sun; and may men bless themselves by him” (Psalms 72:17). The school of Rabbi Ḥanina says: Ḥanina is his name, as it is stated: “For I will show you no favor [ḥanina]” (Jeremiah 16:13). And some say that Menaḥem ben Ḥizkiyya is his name, as it is stated: “Because the comforter [menaḥem] that should relieve my soul is far from me” (Lamentations 1:16). And the Rabbis say: The leper of the house of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi is his name, as it is stated: “Indeed our illnesses he did bear and our pains he endured; yet we did esteem him injured, stricken by God, and afflicted” (Isaiah 53:4). -Talmud Bavli  Sanhedrin 98

“Indeed our illnesses he did bear and our pains he endured; yet we did esteem him injured, stricken by God, and afflicted”

(Isaiah 53:4).

So it is with Mashiach Yeshua. If the first Redeemer is like the last Redeemer, Messiah too will be associated with the healing of tzara’at.

Dr. David Stern comments,

By the first century, Judaism had developed a list of major signs that the true Messiah could be expected to give as proof of his identity. Healing a leper was one of them. Another was casting out a deaf, dumb and blind demon . Other Messianic signs and references to them are found at 11:2-6 and Yn 6:25-33, 9:1—41, 11:1-52…Make me clean, not only free of the repulsive skin disease called “leprosy” in many translations (but probably not Hansen’s Disease, which is what “leprosy” means today); but also ritually clean (Hebrew tahor), so that I will not have to be separated from the community. The rules applicable to “lepers” are specified in Talmud tractate N’ga’im, based on Leviticus 13-14. -Complete Jewish New Testament Commentary

“…Behold, a leper came to him and worshiped him, saying, “Master, if you want to, you can make me clean.” Yeshua stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, “I desire it! Be made clean.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Yeshua said to him, “See that you tell nobody, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moshe commanded, as a testimony to them.” –Matthew 8:1-4

Elijah Zvi Soloveitchik (1805–1881) was a Lithuanian rabbi, author and translator from Slutsk, Belarus. He is known for one of his famous works called Kol Kore, which was his commentary on the gopel of Matthew.
Elijah Zvi Soloveitchik comments,

If you are willing, you are able to purify me– this is found in the Talmud  (Avot 2:4): “Make His will your will so that He will make your will His will.” And the leper was one of those who accompanied Yeshua, and so he said to Yeshua: “Do you not do the will of the Omnipresent and teach the entire world to believe in YHWH, who is one? Certainly the Holy One, blessed be he would also do your will. Therefore if you are willing, you can purify me.” And Yeshua answered him: “I am willing. Be pure!” -The bible, the Talmud,  and the new testament commentary to the Gospels, Pg.135

“…the priest shall examine him; and, behold, if the leprosy has covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean of the plague. It has all turned white: he is clean.” –Leviticus 13:13

The Christian Hebraist John Gill makes an interesting spiritual interpretation,“…the mystical or spiritual meaning of this is, that when a man sees himself to be a sinful creature, all over covered with sin, and no part free, and disclaims all righteousness of his own to justify him before God, but wholly trusts to, and depends upon the grace of God for salvation, and the righteousness of Messiah for his acceptance with God; he becomes clean through the grace of God and the blood and righteousness of Messiah.” –John Gill on Leviticus 13:13