Leviticus-Chapter-14b
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THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL
YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
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Part Two..
Verses 33 to 57..
With Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
Leviticus Chapter 14, verses 33 to 57, shifts
our focus from the individual to the home. In the Torah’s view, the environment
we inhabit is not just a physical shelter; it is an extension of our spiritual
lives. These verses describe a condition where the very stones and mortar of a
house can manifest signs of decay. This section reminds us that the holiness we
strive for in our bodies must also be reflected in our domestic spaces. A home
is meant to be a sanctuary, and when its “walls” become infected, it serves as
a call for the family to examine the ethical and spiritual foundations upon
which their lives are built.
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Let us read Leviticus
Chapter 14, verses 33 to 57: (JPS-1917 version of the Torah). Below this chapter you will
find my commentary on same.
33 “And יְהוָה - the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying: 34 When ye are come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession; 35 then he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest, saying: ‘There seemeth to me to be as it were a plague in the house’. 36 And the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest go in to see the plague, that all that is in the house be not made unclean; and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house. 37 And he shall look on the plague, and, behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house with hollow streaks, greenish or reddish, and the appearance thereof be lower than the wall; 38 then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days. 39 And the priest shall come again the seventh day, and shall look; and, behold, if the plague be spread in the walls of the house; 40 then the priest shall command that they take out the stones in which the plague is, and cast them into an unclean place without the city. 41 And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the mortar that they scrape off without the city into an unclean place. 42 And they shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other mortar, and shall plaster the house. 43 And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that the stones have been taken out, and after the house hath been scraped, and after it is plastered; 44 then the priest shall come in and look; and, behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a malignant leprosy in the house: it is unclean. 45 And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the mortar of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place. 46 Moreover he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the even. 47 And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes. 48 And if the priest shall come in, and look, and, behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plastered; then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed. 49 And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar-wood, and scarlet, and hyssop. 50 And he shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water. 51 And he shall take the cedar-wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times. 52 And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar-wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet. 53 But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open field; so shall he make atonement for the house; and it shall be clean. 54 This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and for a scall; 55 and for the leprosy of a garment, and for a house; 56 and for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot; 57 to teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean; this is the law of leprosy”.
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Commentary on Leviticus 14, verses 33-57:
Verses 33-38: (The Priest and the Inspection of the Walls). When a person sees a “plague” in their house, they must first empty the house before the Kohen arrives to inspect it. This is a profound act of compassion; by emptying the house, the Torah ensures that the furniture and possessions within do not automatically become “unclean” if the house is condemned. Modern insight teaches us that before we address a major crisis in our environment, we should protect what is valuable and healthy. It also suggests that a “plague” in the home is often a sign that we need to clear out the “clutter” of our lives to see the structure clearly.
Verses
39-42: (The Removal of Infected Stones). If the plague persists, the specific stones affected must be pulled
out and cast into an “unclean place” outside the city, and the dust of the
house scraped off. This represents a “targeted” intervention. In our own lives
and homes, we sometimes find “stones” habits, negative influences, or patterns
of behaviour that have become rotten. We cannot simply paint over them; they
must be removed entirely and replaced with “new stones” and fresh mortar to
restore the integrity of the dwelling.
Verses
43-47: (The Finality of Persistent Decay). If the plague returns after the stones have been replaced, the
entire house must be demolished. This is a difficult law, but it conveys a
powerful message: some environments are so permeated by negativity or unethical
history that they cannot be salvaged. There are times when a “fresh start”
requires a total clearing of the ground. It teaches us the importance of
recognizing when a situation is beyond repair and having the courage to
dismantle what is broken so that something truly holy can eventually take its
place.
Verses
48-53: (The Restoration of the Sanctified Home). If the house is healed, the same ritual of the two birds, cedar
wood, and hyssop used for the person is performed for the home. This
“personalizes” the house, treating it almost as a living being. Just as a
person can return from exile, a home can be “reborn” into a state of purity. It
reminds us that our living spaces are partners in our spiritual journey,
capable of being sanctified and filled with the same “living water” that
restores the human soul.
Verses
54-57: (The Summary of Discernment). The chapter concludes by summarizing the various forms of Tzara’at. This serves as a final reminder of the Kohen’s role: “to teach when it is unclean, and when it is
clean”. Modernly, this emphasizes the value of
discernment. We must constantly develop the ability to distinguish between what
is healthy and what is corrosive in our lives. The goal of all these complex
laws is to provide a roadmap for maintaining a life and a home where the Divine
Presence feels welcome!
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My Closing Message:
Leviticus 14 teaches us that our spirituality
does not end at the surface of our skin; it extends to the walls that shelter
us. Our homes absorb the energy of our actions and the quality of our speech.
By requiring the inspection and purification of the house, the Torah reminds us
that we are the architects of our own spiritual atmosphere. May we always
strive to build our lives on “stones” of integrity and “mortar” of kindness,
ensuring that our homes remain places of ‘health’, ‘peace’, and ‘enduring light’!
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