Thazria- Metzorah: body fluids

Thazria- Metzorah: body fluids

 

the double parsha ends with the same theme that it begins with: insemination.  It begins by describing the long, complex purification of the new mother, describing her one who has been inseminated - and ends with the light purification involved in seminal emission or reception.  Sandwiched in between is the metzorah and the zav, diseased people ( people that one might wan to avoid sexual contact with).  

 

The designation of certain secretion as tamei is a problem in the change of cultures over time.  All of the terms are hard to understand.  is tamei disgusting?  is it dangerous? Certainly it is undesirable and banned from the temple ( possibly lethal if brought to the temple) tamei requires purification.  We look at these ideas as primitive.  Birth is beautiful (even with the blood and mucous);  blood and semen,  in the HIV and hepatitis era are recognized as dangerous.  Perhaps our inability to understand tumah comes from a modern, learned aesthetics and the parsha reminds us of the old (primitive?) sensibilities. I do not dismiss them.

 

 

Shemini: Gd's plan

Shemini: Gd's plan

 

The death of Nadav and Avihu may be related to the Joseph story.  Nadav and Avuhu are the 4th generationafter Levi. ( Levi-KAhath-Amram-Aharon-NAdava nd Avihu) The tradition is that the 4th generation gets the vengence for the transgression ( right after the 13 midoth)

The brother that betrayed Joseph are not idnetified, but Reuvan is reported to have had a rescue plot and Yehuda suggests the sale, insted of murder.  That leaves Levi and Shimon,n the midddle,  unaccounted for. 

Also the parting shot ( blessing?) of Jacob identifies these brothers  as violent.  Perhaps the violence was directed against Joseph.

Further, the korban that Aharon and the remaining brothers refuse to bring is the goat.. the sin offering.  It was a goat that the brothers slaughtered to obtain blood to fool their father.  The "sin"  of the sin offereing is the sale (murder) of Joseph.   

Shemini: Gd's plan

Shemini: Gd's plan

 

The death of Nadav and Avihu may be related to the Joseph story.  Nadav and Avuhu are the 4th generationafter Levi. ( Levi-KAhath-Amram-Aharon-NAdava nd Avihu) The tradition is that the 4th generation gets the vengence for the transgression ( right after the 13 midoth)

The brother that betrayed Joseph are not idnetified, but Reuvan is reported to have had a rescue plot and Yehuda suggests the sale, insted of murder.  That leaves Levi and Shimon,n the midddle,  unaccounted for. 

Also the parting shot ( blessing?) of Jacob identifies these brothers  as violent.  Perhaps the violence was directed against Joseph.

Further, the korban that Aharon and the remaining brothers refuse to bring is the goat.. the sin offering.  It was a goat that the brothers slaughtered to obtain blood to fool their father.  The "sin"  of the sin offereing is the sale (murder) of Joseph.   

Tzav:

Tzav:

 

Aaron and his sons are drafted into the priesthood.  

What is the priesthood? The intermediary between man and Gd.  The human representative of the Divine.   The agent of expiation

They need to be drafted, they would not volunteer to wear the strange clothes and have blood splashed at them by Moshe.  Tzav -Tzevah: the army of Gd, complete with (animal) blood

 

The animal offering is an expiation, a way to achieve forgiveness for acts that are wasteful and  less than perfect. The perfect wasting of the animal atones for the past imperfect waste.