Tazriya (Conceives)

(Sefer Vayikra) Leviticus 12:1 – 13:59

12:1- “And YHVH spoke unto Moshe, saying,
2- Speak unto the children of Yisrael, saying, If a woman conceives seed, and brings forth a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.
3- And in the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
4- And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no holy thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.
5- But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.
6- And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tent of meeting, unto the kohain:
7- Who shall offer it before YHVH and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that has born a male or a female.
8- And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the kohain shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.
13:9- When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the kohain.
44- He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the kohain shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his
plague is in his head.
46- All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall
dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.
50- And the kohain shall look upon the plague, and shut up it that has the plague seven days:
51- And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.
52- He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in wool or in linen, or anything of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.
54- Then the kohain shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall
shut it up seven days more.”

“And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom that they are double to that which is!
Know therefore that Elohim exacts of thee less than thine iniquity deserves.”
(Job 11:6)

“Behold, he puts no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. How much
more abominable and filthy is man, which drinks iniquity like water?
(Job 15:15-16)

“And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights; and
YHVH hearkened unto me at that time also, and YHVH would not destroy thee.”
(Deuteronomy 10:10)

“And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shall bear the
iniquity of the house of Yehudah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.”
(Ezekiel 4:6)

“But Yehudah shall dwell forever, and Yerushalayim from generation to generation. For I will
cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for YHVH dwells in Tzion.”
(Joel 3:20-21)

“And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification
for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel.”
(Numbers 19:17)

“Now Yehoshua was clothed with filthy garments and stood before the angel. And he answered
and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And
unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee
with change of raiment. (

Zechariah 3:3-4)

Tazriya Summary:
1. Water Running over, Restoring unto us, Clean Raiment:
Remaining consistent with the aforementioned seven days for purification, leprosy, too, required a non-negotiable quarantine of a week before any reappraisal of the infectious condition could be done. While it spared no feelings, imposing a temporary alienation upon the afflicted, such severity did promote containment, protecting the health of the camp. Deuteronomy 24:8-9 echoes loudly to us:
“Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do according to all that the
priests the Levites shall teach you: as I commanded them, so ye shall observe to do. Remember
what YHVH thy Elohim did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt.”
Though making no exceptions, here, the meticulousness of Torah reveals both the necessity of a clean community as well as the conscientiousness to offer restoration to those in exile. With the hope of such healing, the words found in Ezekiel 36:25 speak of a parallel flow, offering even greater reconciliation:
“Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and
from all your idols, will I cleanse you.”
Indeed, unacceptable uncleanness was not limited to skin ailments, alone. Along with outward issues, the defilement of the heart also warranted a purging for right standing. Understanding that sin itself would beget estrangement from Elohim, polluting even the spiritual garb needed to stand in His Holy Presence, Isaiah 61:10 offers the hope of renewed raiment which the figs leaves of Eden failed to bring:
“I will greatly rejoice in YHVH, my soul shall be joyful in my Elohim; for He has clothed me with
the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom
decks himself with ornaments and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”
 

2. Doubled over in Travail, Rescued by the Man Child:
Among the anomalies found in Torah, the distinction between the purification periods with the births of baby boys and girls is most profound. Without negating the biological wisdom offered by the sages of old, the time of separation for a new mother is for more than just chemical cleansing; it is a wonderful channel to grasping the prophetic drama of redemption through King Messiah. The impetus to this discovery is revealed in the days of King David’s reign. As the sire of Mashiyach, the life of Yisrael’s beloved monarch, is the telling sign. 1 Kings 2:11 calls us to consider this cloaked plan, i.e.:
“And the days that David reigned over Yisrael were forty years: seven years reigned he in Chevron,
and thirty and three years reigned he in Yerushalayim.”
Synonymous with his father, Mashiyach ben David is distinguished from all Yisrael as the foretold son of Mother Yerushalayim of Isaiah 66:7, brought forth to ransom captive Yaakov amid his birth pains:
“Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.”
Bearing in mind the prophetic nature of David’s son, Psalms 40:7 reminds us of His centrality:
“Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me.
Embodied in the glorious City of the Great King, those awaiting redemption understand the doubled duration that our Mother needs, as she is patiently proved for our iniquities; Isaiah 40:2 consoles thus:
“Speak ye comfortably to Yerushalayim, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished,
that her iniquity is pardoned: for she has received of YHVH's hand double for all her sins.”
Regarding that Righteous Branch of HaShem, Isaiah 52:15 reveals His cleansing role, as it is written:
“So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not
been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.”