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.