Parshas Tazria-Summary of the Parsha

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Parshas Tazria

Pesukim:67 [Siman: בניה]

Haftorah: Melachim 2 4:42-5:19

Number of Mitzvos:

There are a total of Seven Mitzvos in Parshas Tazria; Five positive commands and Two negative commands. The following are the commands in the chronological order that they are brought in the Parsha.

 

A. Positive:

1. Mitzvah 166/Positive 74: That a woman who gives birth is to be impure for her husband and Taharos, and follow the related Torah regulations.

2. Mitzvah 168/Positive 75: That a woman who gives birth is to bring Karbanos at the end of her pure days.

3. Mitzvah 169/Positive 76: To follow the laws of a Metzora and have him brought to the Kohen and purified or be deemed impure.

4. Mitzvah 171/Positive 77: That the Metzora follow the laws relating to him, such as to have torn garments and long hair.

5. Mitzvah 172/Positive 78: To follow the laws instructed regarding clothing that grows Tzaraas.

B. Negative:

1. Mitzvah 167/Negative 93: For an impure person not to eat Kodshim until he is purified.

2. Mitzvah 170/Negative 94: Not to shave the hair of the Tzaraas.

 Rishon

  1. The laws of a woman who gives birth:
  • A male child: If a woman gives birth to a male child, she is impure for seven days. On the eighth day the child is to be circumcised. She remains with Demei Tohar [blood of Purity] for 33 day. She may not enter the Mikdash or touch Kodshim during this time.
  • A female child: If a woman gives birth to a girl she is to remain a Niddah for 14 days. She remains with Demei Tohar for 66 days.
  • The Karbanos: At the completion of her pure days for a male and female she is to bring to the Kohen a year-old sheep as a Chatas offering and a bird for an Olah offering. The Kohen offers the sacrifice on her behalf and purifies her. If she cannot afford a sheep, she is to bring two birds, one for an Olah and the second for a Chatas.

  1. The laws of Tzaraas:
  • Showing it to the Kohen: One who has a lesion of Tzaraas on his skin is to be brought to the Kohen for examination. The Kohen is to view the ailment and if its hair is white and deeper than the skin, it is Tzaraas, and he is declared impure by the Kohen.
  • Confinement: If its hair is not white and it is not deeper than the skin, the Kohen is to confine him for seven days. The Kohen is to re-examine the Tzaraas on the 7th day, and if it has not changed, and has not spread, he is to re-confine him for a further seven days.

 

Sheiyni

  • The Kohen is to again examine the Tzaraas on the 7th day [of the second week], and if it has lightened in color, and has not spread, he is to purify it. The Metzora is to clean his clothing and he is then purified.
  • Respreads: If the Tzaraas re-spreads after the purification, it is to be reshown to the Kohen and he is to be deemed impure.

  1. Tzaraas that has healthy skin:
  • If the white lesion has a white hair but contains an area of healthy skin, it is in truth an old Tzaraas. The Kohen is to deem him impure. He is not to be secluded, as he is impure.

  1. Tzaraas that covers the entire body:
  • If the Tzaraas covers the entire body from head to toe, he is to be deemed pure by the Kohen. If fresh skin ever appears on the body, he is to be deemed impure.

Shelishi

  1. Tzaraas on a blister:
    • If a skin lesion appears on a blister and resembles the signs of Tzaraas, it is to be shown to the Kohen. If it appears lower than the skin and has white hair it is Tzaraas that has grown on the blister. He is to be declared impure by the Kohen. If it does not have these signs, the Kohen is to segregate him for seven days. If the lesion spreads, then he is impure. If the lesion does not spread, it is not Tzaraas but rather a skin ailment on the blister and he is pure.

Revi’i (Sheiyni when connected to Metzora)

  1. Tzaraas on a burn:
    • If a skin lesion of reddish and whitish color appears on a burn, it is to be shown to the Kohen. If it appears lower than the skin and has white hair, it is Tzaraas that has grown on the burn. He is to be declared impure by the Kohen. If it does not have these signs, the Kohen is to segregate him for seven days. The Kohen is to view him on the seventh day and if the lesion spreads then he is impure. If the lesion does not spread, it is not Tzaraas but rather a skin ailment on the burn and he is pure.

Chamishi

  1. Tzaraas on the head or beard:
    • If a skin lesion appears on the head or beard, it is to be shown to the Kohen. If it appears lower than the skin and has yellow hair it is a Nesek Tzaraas that has grown on the head or beard. He is to be declared impure by the Kohen.
    • No yellow hair: If it does not have these signs but also does not have black hair, the Kohen is to segregate him for seven days. The Kohen is to view him on the seventh day and if the lesion does not appear lower than the skin and has not spread and the hair is not yellow then the surrounding area of the Nesek is to be shaven and he is to be segregated for a further period of seven days. The Kohen is to view him on the seventh day and if the lesion does not spread and it does not appear lower than the skin, the Kohen is to deem him pure. He is to launder his clothing and he is pure. If the lesion spreads after his purity, he is deemed impure even if it does not have a yellow hair. If it grows a black hair he is to be deemed pure.

  1. White spots:
    • If a man or woman has white spots on their skin, it is to be shown to the Kohen and he or she is to be deemed pure.

 

Shishi (Sheleshi when connected to Metzora)

  1. Tzaraas on a bald or beardless person:
    • One who does not have hair on his head, or one who does not have a beard, is pure. [He is to be judged with the laws of Tzaraas and not Nesakim.] If it grows a redish, whitish, skin ailment, it is considered Tazraas. The Kohen is to see it and deem him impure.

  1. The laws of the Metzorah:
  • The Metzora must follow the following laws:
  • He is to wear torn clothing.
  • He is to have long hair and a long mustache.
  • He is to announce to others that he is impure.
  • He is to sit in seclusion outside of the Jewish camp.

  1. Tzaraas on clothing:
    • When a clothing of wool or linen or leather, or a vessel of leather has Tzaraas that is red or green it is to be shown to the Kohen. The clothing is to be secluded for seven days. On the seventh day the Kohen is to view the item and if the lesion spread the item is to be deemed impure. The garment or vessel is to be burnt.
    • If the lesion did not spread on the clothing, then it is to be washed and secluded for a second set of seven days.

 

Shevi’i (Revi’i when connected to Metzora)

  • If the lesion on the clothing did not change color, it is impure and is to be burnt in the fire. If the lesion lightened in color, the area of the lesion is to be torn off the garment. If the lesion ever returns to the garment or vessel, it is to be burned. If the lesion disappeared after being laundered, it is to be laundered a second time and then purified.

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