Affliction and Favor

Parashat Tazria-Metzora, Leviticus 12:1–15:33

Rabbi David Friedman, Jerusalem

As we are all still shut in or locked down for an unknown amount of time, I cannot help but think about some of our ancestors who experienced a type of “shut-in” experience, and learn from their example. 

It is not a pleasant example. 

In ancient Israel, there was an infectious skin disease known from at least the times of Moses to the late Second Temple era. Like the current coronavirus, it affected men and women, the rich and the poor, in both urban and rural areas. The Torah gives explicit steps to take when this disease attacked someone. This disease is often translated as “leprosy,” but it was not Hansen’s disease, or leprosy, as we know it today. Instead, it was an infectious, uncomfortable condition that rendered its victims ritually unclean, possibly confirmed a spiritual impurity, and cut them off from their families in their communities. The “leper” was expelled from home and brought to an isolated area where the local priests could serve as both doctor and spiritual guide as the victim processed his or her way through this terrible disease. 

Leviticus 13.45-46 explains the implications of this skin affliction:  

Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, “Unclean! Unclean!” As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp.

 And again, we read in Numbers 5:1-3: 

God said to Moses, “Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has a defiling skin disease or a discharge of any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean because of a dead body. Send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.”

 The afflicted one had to be expelled from his community.  

The only one whom the diseased person would see during this time in isolation was the priest who would assess the situation and decide whether the isolation would continue or could end, whether there was healing or continued illness. Leviticus 14:1-15 details the protocol for this examination. How much “social distancing” individual victims practiced with other victims is unknown, but seems minimal in terms of finding, gathering, and delivering food. We even read of four victims who begged at the city gate of Samaria, and banded together to gather necessities (perhaps even booty) in 2 Kings chapter 7. 

What would the shut-in victims do during their time in isolation? They didn’t have entertainment. They couldn’t work. Books did not exist. They had no social life. They were a social disgrace (of sorts), outcasts from their own families and communities. 

One of the reasons that our classic commentators cite for being struck with leprosy is slander, and Miriam is the prominent example: “When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous—it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease” (Num 12:10). 

A famous 14th century Jewish book, Sefer Ha-Hinukh (Book of Instruction) informs us: 

Therefore we have been admonished to pay attention to this bad disease and to think that it is caused by sin.  As the Sages have said, for the most part it comes from the sin of uttering evil reports and does not come to us by chance. One must come to the kohen (priest), who is in charge of atoning of sinners, and in the presence of the one who makes atonement, perhaps he will consider repenting, and when put under quarantine for several days perhaps he will turn to examining his actions.

 My former teacher (Professor R. Jospe) from the University of Minnesota wrote,  

[This skin disease] teaches us a moral lesson: a person is responsible for his actions, and his actions have consequences. Divine providence warns us gradually, before the damage becomes irreversible, first by afflicting one’s clothing, and only later, if the warning is ignored, by a worse affliction against the body.

The historical Jewish perspective is that the stricken persons would have time to turn to God, to repent from their wrongdoings (especially the sin of slander). Like the stricken ancient Israeli, we can and should also use this time of social distancing to renew our relationship with God, to receive healing and forgiveness if needed. In this manner we can leave our homes, with God’s help, in the near future, refreshed and ready to go for what he has for us next. 

Friends, I cannot make a direct parallel and say that we are experiencing the coronavirus plague today because of slander. But there is so much slander going on, in my own country in the realm of politics, religious life and even, tragically, in the body of believers. Our world has been sinking in anti-Torah behavior: murder of innocent people through abortions numbers about 45 million babies a year; anti-Semitism is growing and is too often encouraged by the confessing Christian church, as well as the Muslim world; economic oppression caused by greed and disrespect for the aged are everywhere. Humankind’s sexuality is twisted, far from the model given to us in the Torah. Drug and human trafficking are international plagues. Jihad occurs today, which incorporates murder (in Nigeria this has been happening under the world’s nose with little complaint). Our world is an absolute mess.  

So I can say that we live in a polluted world. Polluted by anti-Torah behavior. Polluted by abortion, polluted by antisemitism, polluted by greed, polluted by disrespect toward those whom we should respect greatly. We have so much slander that it’s a major item in the media every single day. Elections worldwide are entertainment in slander and mud-slinging. 

This being the undeniable situation, those of us who are in isolation and who love God have a valuable role in today’s world. We can turn to God from our own wrongdoings (especially slander). We can take a stand against the other ills, both praying and supporting those who are working to offer more Torah-friendly alternatives (such as pro-life options in the face of abortions). While we are in seclusion, like the skin disease victim, we need to meet with our priest. Our priest Yeshua is of the Order of Melchizedek, the High Priest of the Heavenly priesthood. Let him speak to us and direct our futures. Confess to him our wrongdoing of slander and spreading rumors, and anything else from which we need to turn away. We need to be the leaders in doing this. If we don’t do this, who else will? If the priest comes back to examine us and continues to see the corruption, we may remain in isolation. The wonderful news is that our High Priest is quick to forgive and forget our wrongdoings if we turn from them.  

I encourage you to use this time to show your corrupted “skin” to the High Priest.

It’s not the most pleasant thing in the world to do, but neither was it pleasant for the skin disease victim to do so. But it was part of the healing process. It is the righteous thing to do.

It is mandated by our teachings: “If we admit our wrongdoings to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our wrongdoings, and to cleanse us from all acts of unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). 

And then we can intercede on behalf of our communities, our families, and our nations. We are here to do that. While we are shut in, as the Jewish sage Hillel wrote, “if not now, when?” As Shaul penned: “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:2). Now is the time of God’s favor towards us. He will listen to us during this time of shut-in and lockdown, Messiah instructs us: “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matt 6:6).