Leviticus-Chapter-13
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Remember the following truth from our
beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO
THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL
YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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Part One..
Verses 1 to 28:
With Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
Leviticus Chapter 13 introduces the laws of Tzara’at, a unique physical condition that is often mistranslated as “leprosy”. In the Torah’s worldview, the human body is not merely a biological machine but a vessel for the soul and a reflection of one’s spiritual state. This chapter marks the transition from the laws of dietary purity to the laws of bodily purity. It establishes the Kohen (Priest) not as a medical doctor, but as a spiritual diagnostician tasked with safeguarding the sanctity of the community. The focus here is on the “purgation” of the camp, ensuring that the space where the Divine Presence dwells remains untainted by the symbolic “death” that Tzara’at represents.
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Let us read Leviticus Chapter 13, verses 1 to 28: (JPS-1917 version of the Torah). Below
this chapter you will find my commentary on same.
1 “And יְהוָה - the LORD
spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying: 2 ‘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. 3 And the priest shall look upon the
plague in the skin of the flesh; and if the hair in the plague be turned white, and the appearance of the plague be deeper than the
skin of his flesh, it is the plague of leprosy; and the priest shall look on
him, and pronounce him unclean. 4 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. 5 And
the priest shall look on him the seventh day; and, behold, if the plague stay
in its appearance, and the plague be not spread in the skin, then the priest
shall shut him up seven days more. 6 And the
priest shall look on him again the seventh day; and, behold, if the plague be
dim, and the plague be not spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce
him clean: it is a scab; and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
7 But if the scab spread abroad in the skin, after that he hath
shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall show himself to the
priest again. 8 And the priest shall look, and,
behold, if the scab be spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him
unclean: it is leprosy. 9 When the plague of leprosy
is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest. 10 And
the priest shall look, and, behold, if there be a white rising in the skin, and
it have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the
rising, 11 it is an old leprosy in the skin of
his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean; he shall not shut him
up; for he is unclean. 12 And if the leprosy break
out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the
plague from his head even to his feet, as far as appeareth
to the priest; 13 then the priest shall look;
and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him
clean that hath the plague; it is all turned white: he is clean. 14 But whensoever raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean. 15 And
the priest shall look on the raw flesh, and pronounce him unclean; the raw
flesh is unclean: it is leprosy. 16 But if the
raw flesh again be turned into white, then he shall come unto the priest; 17 and the priest shall look on him; and, behold, if
the plague be turned into white, then the priest shall pronounce him clean that
hath the plague: he is clean. 18 And when the flesh
hath in the skin thereof a boil, and it is
healed, 19 and in the place of the boil there
is a white rising, or a bright spot, reddish-white, then it shall be shown to
the priest. 20 And the priest shall look; and,
behold, if the appearance thereof be lower than the skin,
and the hair thereof be turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him
unclean: it is the plague of leprosy, it hath broken out in the boil. 21 But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be
no white hairs therein, and it be not lower than the skin, but be dim, then the
priest shall shut him up seven days. 22 And if
it spread abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it
is a plague. 23 But if the bright spot stay in
its place, and be not spread, it is the scar of the
boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean. 24 Or
when the flesh hath in the skin thereof a burning by fire, and the quick flesh
of the burning become a bright spot, reddish-white, or white; 25 then
the priest shall look upon it; and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot be
turned white, and the appearance thereof be deeper than the skin, it is
leprosy, it hath broken out in the burning; and the priest shall pronounce him
unclean: it is the plague of leprosy. 26 But if the
priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hair in the bright spot, and
it be no lower than the skin, but be dim; then the priest shall shut him up
seven days. 27 And the priest shall look upon
him the seventh day; if it spread abroad in the skin, then the priest shall
pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy. 28 And
if the bright spot stay in its place, and be not spread in the skin, but be
dim, it is the rising of the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean;
for it is the scar of the burning’”.
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Commentary on Leviticus 13:1–28 (Part One):
Verses
1-3: (The Priest as the Voice of Reality). The process begins with an individual being brought to the Kohen. It is
noteworthy that a person cannot declare themselves “impure”
or “pure”; an external, objective authority is required. This teaches us that
we are often blind to our own “spots” or failings. In a contemporary sense,
this highlights the necessity of a community and a mentor someone who can look
at us with clarity and tell us the truth about our condition, even when that
truth is difficult to hear.
Verses
4-6: (The Wisdom of Hesitation). When the signs are ambiguous such as a white spot that is not “deeper
than the skin” the Kohen
does not rush to judgment. Instead, he “shuts up” the individual for seven
days. This period of isolation is a profound lesson in the ethics of speech and
judgment. Before we label someone or exclude them, we are commanded to wait and
observe. This “quarantine of the spirit” allows for the possibility of healing
and prevents the irreversible damage caused by a premature or false diagnosis.
Verses
12-13: (The Paradox of the “Full White”). One of the most striking laws in this section is that if the Tzara’at covers
the entire body
from head to foot, the person is declared “clean”. Modern thought sees this as
a powerful psychological metaphor: when a problem is hidden or partially
concealed, it is “impure” because it involves deception and lingering rot. But
when the “illness” is fully out in the open, when a person is completely
transparent about their state, the process of true healing can begin. Total
vulnerability can, paradoxically, be the path to purity.
Verses
14-17: (Raw Flesh and the Danger of Stagnation). The appearance of “raw flesh” (basar chai) within a white patch triggers a declaration of
impurity. This suggests that the problem is not merely a surface issue but
something active and “alive” in a destructive way. In our personal growth, a “raw”
spot represents a part of our character that is still reactive, unhealed, and
prone to “spreading” its negativity to other areas of our life. The Torah
demands that we address these active “inflammations” before they compromise our
entire spiritual integrity.
Verses
18-28. (Boils and Burns: The Memory of
Past Trauma). Verses 18-28.
The text specifically addresses ‘Tzara’at’
that emerges from the site of a previous boil or burn. This indicates that
our “impure” tendencies often take root in the “scars” of our past. Where we
have been hurt or burned, emotionally or physically we are most vulnerable to
developing spiritual maladies like resentment or cynicism. The ‘Kohen’ must
examine these sites with extra care, teaching us that we must be most vigilant
over the parts of ourselves that have suffered previous trauma.
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My Closing Message:
Leviticus 13:1-28 reminds us that “purity” is
not a static state but a constant process of examination and adjustment. The
laws of ‘Tzara’at’
teach us that our external lives, our skin, our interactions, and our
reputation are deeply connected to our internal health. By requiring us to
bring our “spots” into the light of the ‘Kohen’s’
gaze, the Torah encourages a life of radical honesty. As we navigate our
own “marks” and “scars”, may we have the courage to seek clarity, the patience
to wait for growth, and the wisdom to see every “shutting up” as an opportunity
for eventual “opening” and “renewal”.
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