Tazria “Conceived”
Leviticus 12:1–13:59; 14:1-15:33
2 Kings 7:3–20; Malachi 3:4–24
2 Samuel 1–3

That Torah Portion

Yes, we are here again. It is the Torah portion on Leprosy. I have to admit that I, as most of you, do not consider this my favorite Torah portion. It is one I find all too easy to rapidly skim and look forward to next week. Through the years I have read many articles on this portion which say that the word tzara’at was not leprosy, but something different. In the end that has not helped me to see past a blur of words as I read. A few of you who will probably send me a new article on this and I will read and probably appreciate the newfound knowledge, but in the end I doubt it will change this into my favorite Torah portion. I do not think I am alone in this one either.

No matter my lack of excitement, the truth is that these words are still in scripture and Abba decided they not only needed to be here, but that I needed to read them with the same frequency as I read about the kosher laws or the account of the Hebrews departing Egypt. Why, I am not real sure, but one thing about this relationship between Him and myself has been quite well set in concrete. Through these past years I know He is quite a bit smarter than I am and knows what I need far in advance of when something finally dawns on me. So with this thought we come to this section of Leviticus and read with an ear turned toward His voice.

With all that said, I do have a thought for us to consider. A person has a small sore that they find on their skin, but it is well hidden by their clothing. Who is really going to know about it? It would be quite easy for the person to simply go about his or her normal life and not say a word about it. After all, there is a chance it will simply go away on its own. Who will ever know? If it gets worse then maybe it should be dealt with.

What I see these scriptures teaching this year is that we all have problems in life. Leprosy can be defined as anything from major sin to the faults and flaws of our lives that drive us and others crazy from time to time. It can also be defined by problems that arise as we go through this life, things like financial troubles or a time of rebellion in a child. It is those areas of life that make us pray for His return so that we can truly be set free from the curse that sin brought into this world and into our lives. But what can we do about these things until He returns and all is restored? We can on one hand just try to cover them up and pretend they do not exist, or we can do what I see the scripture teaching us this week and deal with it. In ancient Israel, leprosy not only made the person unclean, but if untreated it had the ability to make the whole camp unclean. A small scab that could be covered up could in the end become something that affected the whole camp.

Maybe in that light, this Torah portion does have much to do with us today. Begin a mental list of scabs that affect His family today. Pride, arrogance, gossip, faithlessness, disobedience, stubbornness, lying, lack of commitment . . . and the list goes on and on. Add to this the above mentioned things like financial troubles, problems with an unruly child or even trouble in a marriage. These are all scars and sores, discharges that if not taken care of can and do cause the whole camp to become unclean.

What were the Hebrews called to do with leprosy and the like? They were told not to simply cover it up, but rather to get it out in the open so that they could be healed. What a message for us today! Quit trying to cover up the problems and faults of our lives and begin to deal with them, so the whole camp can be clean to worship Him. Yes, it is humbling to lay it all on the table for everyone to see, but maybe humility is the first part of the cure!

So maybe there is more to this leprosy thing that we first thought. May be a good idea to go back and read it again, but this time just a bit slower!