|
©
1996-2008 Torah Tots, Inc.
PARSHA ON PARADE IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY
OF MY DEAR FATHER AND REBBI:
HARAV HAGAON RAV YESHAYA SHIMANOWITZ Z'TZL ,
ROSH YESHIVA
IN
YESHIVAS RABAINU YAAKOV YOSEF
(RABBI JACOB JOSEPH YESHIVA - RJJ)
IN NYC FOR OVER 23 YEARS.
NIFTAR ON 20 ADAR 5758 - MARCH 18, 1998.
MAY HE BE A MAYLITZ YOSHER FOR ALL OF KLAL YISROEL.
Menachim Z. Shimanowitz
You too can
dedicate a Parsha or any other section of Torah Tots in honor or in
memory of someone close to you.
For further info, click here.
PARSHA
FACTS
|
NUMBER OF MITZVOT: 7
5 MITZVOT ASEH (POSITIVE COMMANDMENT)
2MITZVOT LO TAASEH (NEGATIVE COMMANDMENT - PROHIBITION)
NUMBER OF PESUKIM (SENTENCES): 67
NUMBER OF WORDS: 1010
NUMBER OF LETTERS: 3667
This year, (5768 / 2008)Tazria is a special Shabbat.
It is Shabbat Parshat HaChodesh :
The Shabbat preceding
Rosh Chodesh Nisan, (or when Rosh Chodesh Nisan
falls on Shabbat, the Shabbat of Rosh Chodesh
Nisan,) is called Shabbat HaChodesh. The Maftir, from Shmot / Exodus, Parshat Bo, (12:1-20), פרשת החדש, starts
with the first Mitzva given to the Bnei Yisroel,
while they were still in Mitzrayim, even before the Mitzvot
of the Yom Tov Pesach (Passover festival) - the Mitzva
of Kiddush Hachodesh (the sanctification of the new
moon). The reading begins with the declaration that the Hebrew
month of Nisan, and not Tishrei, is to be considered
the first month of the year. The passage then continues with
some of the mitzvot of Pesach
/ Passover, which are certainly appropriate to be read and
studied as the holiday approaches.
HAFTORA: (Additional portion, from Prophets, which is read after the Parsha)
Yechezkel / Ezekiel 45:16-46:18
(Ashkenazim);
Yechezkel / Ezekiel 45:18-46:15 (Sepharadim)
Some Sephardic communities begin the Haftora with 45:16.
Shabbat Mevarchim Chodesh Nisan
Rosh Chodesh - Sunday April 5, 2008
|
פרשת תזריע
THE
PARSHA
BRIT
MILAH
(Circumcision)
|
Our Parsha
opens with the Mitzvah of Brit Milah (circumcision).
On the 8th day after
a Jewish boy is born he is circumcised. This Mitzvah
is a sign of the covenant between Hashem and Avrohom
mentioned in Breishit, Parshat Lech Lecha. Every Jewish
male was circumcised from the time of Avrohom. Now this Mitzvah
is reinforced and repeated to emphasize that the Brit
(circumcision) must be performed even if the eighth day is a Shabbat
when it is normally not permitted to make a wound.
|
|
WOMAN'S
KORBANOT
|
A woman is commanded to bring Korbanot to the Mishkan
after she gives birth, whether it is a boy or a girl, to show gratitude
to Hashem for helping her through childbirth. She brings
a lamb for a Korban Olah and a bird for a Korban Chatat.
If she cannot afford a lamb, she may bring a bird instead.
|
SORE
SPOT...
|
Next, the Parsha talks about Tumah - impurities. The star of the show is Tzara'at.
Tzara'at is a condition where the skin develops white spots.
Tzara'at is commonly called leprosy, but that's a mistake. This is a disease
brought upon by Hashem and usually for the sin of Lashon Hora (Speaking negatively about others). But it doesn't stop with the skin. It could even be found on clothing, houses and household items. This is to awaken a person so that they should examine their deeds and do Teshuva (repent). This is a spiritual disease and it takes a Kohain, not a doctor, to get a diagnosis and have it cured.
There are four degrees of Tzara'at, each one is a spot of a different
color!
- Bright white as snow is the most severe it is called Baheret.
Sapachat Baheret, is a milder case of the first. It is compared
to the color of the plaster on the walls of the Kodesh.
Next is a darker white version, S'ait, which looks like
a clear white wool.
- A milder version of S'ait, is Sapachat S'ait, which is
an eggshell color.
Anything darker is not Tzara'at.
|
A
VISIT
TO 'DR.'
KOHAIN
|
When a Kohain checks for Tzara'at he is looking for either two
hairs that have turned white inside a white spot, or a patch of
healthy skin within a white spot. Either of these two signs indicates
that a person has Tzara'at and is declared a Metzorah.
If the Kohain does not see two white hairs in the patch, or a patch of
healthy skin within the white spot, all bets are suspended for a week. Meanwhile,
the person is quarantined.
The Kohain's advice: "Tzara'at doesn't just show up out of the blue. Hashem is trying to tell you you've got a spiritual
problem. Do Teshuvah."
|
A
SECOND
VISIT TO
'DR.'
KOHAIN
|
One week later the Kohain examines the person again. If the spot
is still there and there are two white hairs in the patch, or a patch of
healthy skin within the white spot, that person is declared a Metzorah.
If not, they wait another week while the person is quarantined again.
After the second week, if the spot is gone or the Kohain does not see two white hairs in the patch, or a patch of healthy skin within the white spot, they declare it a closed case.
|
LIFE
OF A
METZORAH
|
A Metzorah is someone who has Tzora'at. While the Jews were wandering in the desert the Metzorah had to leave all three camps. In the days of the Bait Hamikdosh the Metzorah had to leave any walled city.
Tzora'at is a spiritual disease and it spreads impurity like
wildfire! If a Metzorah touches any Jew, even a child, that person
becomes Tamay (impure). If a Metzorah walks into a house all the dishes in that house become Tamay.
Once a Kohain determines that a person's got Tzora'at they've got to rip their clothes like a mourner rips k'riah, and then leave the (camps or the) city. Nobody can come within four Amot (approx. 8 feet) of the Metzorah. If someone approaches, the Metzorah has to yell out "Don't come any closer! Don't become Tamay because of me."
A Metzorah has to sit alone and cover their mouth
(that spoke Lashon Hara) with a veil or scarf.
A Metzorah has lots of time to sit and think about their bad deeds and do Teshuva and, after all, that is the cure to Tzora'at.
|
SPOTS
ON
CLOTHES
|
Sometimes Hashem brings Tzora'at upon a person's clothes to warn that person that he is next. Only white wool, linen cloth or leather can contact Tzora'at.
If even one green or red spot appears on a white cloth the owner
has to bring it to the Kohain. The Kohain locks up the piece of cloth for a week. If the spot has grown by then, the entire
cloth is burned.
Tzora'at of the cloth teaches an important lesson. Hashem wants people to do Teshuva. There are lots of examples in the Torah and in our lives of how Hashem warns us to do Teshuva before
he punishes us. This is a sign of Hashem's love for us.
|
WE GOT
NO
TZORA'AT
|
Tzora'at only occured in the time of the Mishkan and the Bait Hamikdash and only in Eretz Yisroel. In our time we have no Tzora'at . But that doesn't mean we may speak Lashon Hora. No way.
Tune in next week when
Tzora'at runs rampant and Loshon Hora is the key
in the next exciting episode of: |
See
the Midrash Mavin on Tazria
Designed by R.A. Stone Design Associate
and
HI-TECH Computers, Inc.
(718) 253-9698
Email
address.....info@hitechcomputers.com
Page last updated - 03/23/2008
|
|
Google ads
partially offset the costs of this site.
Email us ASAP with the URL of any
inappropriate ads, and we will request that they be
removed.
|
