Torah: Leviticus 12:1-15:33

Haftorah: 2 Kings 7:3-20

Brit Hadasha: Luke 2:22-35

I started preparing very early for the D’Rash this week. Over the next several days, I read the parasha several times and was praying for HaShem to lay something on my heart. I had a maze of thoughts in my head, but each time I would start to go one way he would bring me back to the word quarantine, and what is happening in our world today. This parasha has never felt so relevant than it does today. In years past I always had a great sense of distance from the confusing descriptions of biblical skin afflictions, the quarantine of afflicted Israelites, and the purification process. As we all struggle with the challenges of social distancing and the uncertainty of the future, I believe we can look at this parasha and see how it provides points of reflection to our recent situation.

There are three stages involved with tzar’at (leprosy); they are examination, quarantine, and purification. The Cohen (priest) is called upon to examine the severity of the tzar’at affliction. If the affliction is not severe, the person is permitted to return to the camp after a waiting period. However, if the affliction is pronounced impure, the sufferer is quarantined from the community. They remain in quarantine until the disease heals, so they are not a danger to others. Upon healing, the Cohen re-examines the afflicted individual and begins the two-step process. This process entails the priest, while still outside the camp, the priest slaughters one bird and lets a second bird fly free into the open country. The individual is then allowed back in the camp, but required to stay outside the home for an additional seven days. At the end of the seven days the person again purifies themselves and brings three animals to the Tabernacle as an offering. Once this is completed, they are declared pure and allowed back to enter their homes and community.

The Torah’s description of the priest’s examination of the afflicted person reveals an insight into the way many of us think about disease. In the Tree of Life Bible Leviticus 13:4 states “to isolate the infected person for seven days”. I know for myself, when I think of the word infected or currently COVID-19 positive, my first instinct would be to run as far away as I could from that individual, but what I must remember is that during all of this we are not to lose sight of the individuals. We need to stop thinking about our needs and what we want, but think about how this global pandemic is impacting individuals and families. Currently we do not have any COVID-19 positive cases in our family, yet we are separated from our daughter who is a health care worker and working with patients that do have the COVID-19 virus. As we struggle to adhere to the demands of social distancing, we cannot lose sight of the stakes. We are and need to continue to work together to save millions of lives and the families and friends attached to those lives. 

Once the individual is diagnosed as unclean Leviticus 13:46 states: “He shall be unclean as long as the disease is on him. Being unclean, he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.” The inflicted must live outside the camp to protect others from the infection and remain alone indefinitely until the disease heals. One can only imagine the loneliness they felt, and that those hospitalized or living in nursing facilities must be feeling today. We feel it daily, as we are distanced from our loved ones and our community of believers. We can take comfort in the description of Miriam’s quarantine when she was afflicted with tzara’at in Numbers 12:15-16 “So Miriam was restricted to outside the camp for seven days. The people did not move on until Miriam was brought back. Afterward, the people left Hazeroth and encamped in the Wilderness of Paran.” The people of Israel waited for Miriam before they moved on, she was not alone they walked beside her. In our current situation we can and must assure each other that we are not alone. Although scattered over the Valley we are all in this together, and we all are waiting for a time when we can emerge from our social distancing and once again fellowship together.

Finally, we have the purification phase and emergence back into the community. At the conclusion of the purification process, the Cohen applies the blood of the sacrifice to the ear, thumb, and toe of the purified (Lev. 14:17). The act of purification is meant to remind the now-cured person to listen to the word of HaShem and deliberate in their deeds, now that they have been given a second chance. We too can take this time as a time of reflection in our daily lives. We can think about our past commitments and how we spent our time before the “stay at home order”.  We can take steps to thrive during this time to grow closer to HaShem, increase in our prayer life, and look at how HaShem wants to use you and the skills and talents he has given you. So that when we emerge from this time we will be stronger, and prepared to continue to do his work. It is also a time we can appreciate the silence without the use of all the technology, thinking of where we need to go and who we need to see, and listen to hear His voice. I know for myself that due to being home during Pesach and the Feast of Unleavened Bread I was able to slow down, appreciate, and learn more about the festivals. If it had been “normal times” I wouldn’t have been able to have that time to bask in the delight of the Festivals.

I look forward to the time when we are once again preparing to meet for Shabbat. To see familiar faces, hear the squeals of children’s laughter, and to feel the hugs we will once again share.

Shabbat Shalom

Barbara