This week’s parsha is Tazria-Metzora: Leviticus 12:1-15:33
| Tazria (12:1-13:59) – (She Conceives): Haftorah: II Kings 4:42-5:19 (Ashkenazi); II Kings 4:42-5:19 (Sephardi) |
| 12:1-2: Human contamination | 13:24-28: Burns |
| 12:3-8: Childbirth and purification | 13:29-39: Tzaraas of the head or face |
| 13:1-3: The basic tzaras and the procedure for verification | 13:40-44: Baldness at the front and back of the head |
| 13:4-7: Baheres | 13:45-46: The metzora’s isolation |
| 13:8-17: S’eis | 13:47-59: Afflictions of garments |
| 13:18-23: Inflammations |
| Metzora (14:1-15:33) – (One Being Diseased): Haftorah: II Kings 7:3-20 (Ashkenazi); II Kings 7:3-20 (Sephardi) |
| 14:1-3: The first stage of the metzora’s purification | 14:33-48: Tzaraas on houses |
| 14:4-8: From arrogance to humility | 14:49-57: Purification of the house |
| 14:9: The second stage: Shaving | 15:1-18: Zav and baal keri/male discharges |
| 14:10-20: The final stage of purification: Offerings | 15:19-30: Niddah and zavah/female discharges |
| 14:21-32: The offering of the poor metzora | 15:31-33: Separation from contamination |
D’var Torah: What Happens in the Body Stays in the Body
Torah Pearls: Parsha Tazria – Parsha Metzora
This week’s Haftarah is: II Kings 7:3-20
Chapter 7: There were four men afflicted with zaraath at the gate of Shomeron. They decided to go to the Aramean camp and defect as an attempt to survive due to the famine. When they reached the edge of the camp, they discovered it had been deserted. God caused the Aramean army to hear chariots and believe the king of Israel was attacking them. They left behind all their property and fled. The four men ate and collected the gold and silver from the camp. They decided it was not right to keep this to themselves so they reported their finds to the guard at the gate of Shomeron. The guard then carried the message to the king of Israel. The king sent out two riders to scout the camp and ensure the king that the Aramean army was not laying in wait for them. The riders came back with the news of the abandoned camp. Thereupon the people of Shomeron went and plundered the camp.