{"id":2879,"date":"2014-03-30T12:52:22","date_gmt":"2014-03-30T12:52:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.matsati.com\/?p=2879"},"modified":"2014-03-30T12:52:22","modified_gmt":"2014-03-30T12:52:22","slug":"bits-of-torah-truths-parashat-metzora-cleansing-healing-and-the-anointed-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/bits-of-torah-truths-parashat-metzora-cleansing-healing-and-the-anointed-one\/","title":{"rendered":"Bits of Torah Truths, Parashat Metzora, Cleansing, Healing, and the Anointed One"},"content":{"rendered":"
In weeks reading from Parashat Metzora (<\/span>Vayikra \/ \u00a0Leviticus 14:1-15:33<\/span><\/em>), we learn about the mitzvot (Commandments) on the law of Tzaraat (<\/span>\u05e6\u05bc\u05b8\u05e8\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05ea<\/span>, leprosy). \u00a0The translation for the word Leprosy comes from the Greek word <\/span>\u201cLepra\u201d<\/span><\/em> (\u03bb\u03ad\u03c0\u03c1\u03b1) and is a contagious bacterial disease characterized by\u00a0<\/span>ulceration’s\u00a0of the skin, a loss of sensation (nerve damage) and sever deformities. \u00a0The regulation\u00a0connected to the commandment is found in Vayikra \/ Leviticus 13 and 14<\/em><\/span>, and Bamidbar \/ Numbers 12<\/span><\/em>. \u00a0In the Scriptures, this disease was regarded as a direct infliction by God (see 2 Kings 5:7 and 2 Chronicles 26:20<\/span><\/em>) an awful punishment from the Lord. \u00a0The disease eats the inward parts, the bones, swelling of the skin, sores, the whole body is rotting and in Yeshua\u2019s day this was considered a slow lingering death sentence. \u00a0The one stricken with Tzaraat was to rent his own cloths in lamentation of his own approaching death and cry out \u201cTamei! Tamei!\u201d<\/em><\/span> (\u201cUnclean! Unclean!\u201d<\/span><\/em>) when passers-by came near to keep them away. \u00a0According to the Torah it appears that it is the Lord God who inflicts one with Tzaraat and it is only Lord God who is able to heal the leper. \u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
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\u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05d5\u05d9\u05e7\u05e8\u05d0 \u05e4\u05e8\u05e7 \u05d9\u05d3<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
\u05d0 \u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05d3\u05b7\u05d1\u05bc\u05b5\u05e8 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05de\u05b9\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05dc\u05bc\u05b5\u05d0\u05de\u05b9\u05e8: \u05d1 \u00a0 \u05d6\u05b9\u05d0\u05ea \u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05d4\u05b0\u05d9\u05b6\u05d4 \u05ea\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8\u05b7\u05ea \u05d4\u05b7\u05de\u05bc\u05b0\u05e6\u05b9\u05e8\u05b8\u05e2 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d9\u05d5\u05b9\u05dd \u05d8\u05b8\u05d4\u05b3\u05e8\u05b8\u05ea\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b8\u05d0 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05d4\u05b7\u05db\u05bc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05df: \u05d2 \u00a0 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d9\u05b8\u05e6\u05b8\u05d0 \u05d4\u05b7\u05db\u05bc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05df \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05de\u05b4\u05d7\u05d5\u05bc\u05e5 \u05dc\u05b7\u05de\u05bc\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b7\u05db\u05bc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05df \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05e0\u05bc\u05b5\u05d4 \u05e0\u05b4\u05e8\u05b0\u05e4\u05bc\u05b8\u05d0 \u05e0\u05b6\u05d2\u05b7\u05e2-\u05d4\u05b7\u05e6\u05bc\u05b8\u05e8\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05ea \u05de\u05b4\u05df-\u05d4\u05b7\u05e6\u05bc\u05b8\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05e2\u05b7: <\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Vayikra \/ Leviticus 14:1-3<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n
14:1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 14:2 \u2018This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. Now he shall be brought to the priest, 14:3 and the priest shall go out to the outside of the camp. Thus the priest shall look, and if the infection of leprosy has been healed in the leper… (NASB)<\/span><\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
While studying Parashat Metzora, it is always interesting to look at Midrash Rabbah to see what the rabbis have to say. \u00a0Midrash Rabbah Vayikra on Parashat Metzora (Chapter 16-18<\/span><\/em>, \u05e4\u05e8\u05e9\u05d4 \u05d8\u05d6-\u05d9\u05d7<\/span>) speaks extensively on Tzaraat and Lashon Harah, the evil tongue (gossip). \u00a0The idea is that there is an inward uncleanness that is so great, that God causes it to show forth on the outside as Tzaraat. \u00a0According to Parashat Tazria and Metzora, there is no sacrifice that could be brought that was capable of making the one afflicted with Tzaraat clean before the Lord. \u00a0The sin in this persons life was so great, the one inflicted of this disease must wholly trust in the Lord God Almighty for the forgiveness of their sins and healing. \u00a0The sacrifices that one brings may only be done so after having been healed from the disease of Tzaraat. \u00a0Right standing and renewed fellowship with the Lord could only occur after the Lord had forgiven and healed this person. \u00a0This in and of itself presents a key Torah principle that the Lord desires mercy and obedience rather than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22<\/span><\/em>). \u00a0The one stricken with Tzaraat needs to be both forgiven for his sins and healed of the disease by the Lord God Almighty. \u00a0The disease of Tzaraat illustrates for us that the sacrifices were not meant to be performed to \u201cearn\u201d<\/em><\/span> forgiveness of sins. \u00a0Many Christian commentaries suggest the sacrifices were meant to take away sin which is a work of the flesh (see Gill\u2019s Exposition on Isaiah 55:7 for an example<\/span><\/em>). \u00a0Studying the Torah on the sacrifices, reveals to us that a sacrifice was to be brought if we discover that we had unintentionally sinned before God. \u00a0If one had \u201cintentionally\u201d sinned before God, there was no sacrifice that could be brought. \u00a0The person who \u201cintentionally\u201d<\/span><\/em> sins needed to repent and trust the our Father in Heaven would forgive him. \u00a0With these things in mind, the rabbis of blessed memory struggled with the idea of how God forgives those stricken with Tzaraat and conclude this would be the work of the Messiah.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin daf 98b<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n
\u201cRab said: The world was created only on David\u2019s account . \u00a0Samuel said: On Moses account; \u00a0R. Johanan said: For the sake of the Messiah. What is his [the Messiah\u2019s] name? \u2014 The School of R. Shila said: His name is Shiloh, for it is written, until Shiloh come. \u00a0The School of R. Yannai said: His name is Yinnon, for it is written, His name shall endure for ever: \u00a0e\u2019er the sun was, his name is Yinnon. \u00a0The School of R. Haninah maintained: His name is Haninah, as it is written, Where I will not give you Haninah. \u00a0Others say: His name is Menahem the son of Hezekiah, for it is written, Because Menahem [\u2018the comforter\u2019], that would relieve my soul, is far. \u00a0The Rabbis said: His name is \u2018the leper scholar,\u2019 as it is written, Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God, and afflicted.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Since the disease of Tzaraat was something only the Lord God Almighty could heal, the rabbis say the Annointed One (Mashiach) would need to help those stricken with Tzaraat. \u00a0The Talmud describes the rabbi\u2019s asking the question, \u201cwhen will the Messiah come?\u201d<\/span><\/em> and \u201cBy what sign may I recognize him?\u201d<\/span><\/em> \u00a0Elijah tells the rabbi to go to the gate of the city where he will find the Messiah sitting among the poor lepers. \u00a0According to the Sages, the Messiah would be a Cohen (Priest) that would bear our grief, carry our iniquity and sorrows, and be smitten of God and afflicted. \u00a0There seem to be parallels to Parashat Ki Tisa (Shemot \/ Exodus 30:11-34:35<\/em><\/span>) and Isaiah 53<\/span><\/em> with regard to Moshe and the man smitten and afflicted. \u00a0It is possible that the Chief priests and elders in Yeshua\u2019s day knew of these sayings in the first century. \u00a0It is also apparent that the lawyers and leaders in Yeshua\u2019s day were unwilling to recognize the various messianic prophecies in the Tanakh and refused to recognize the declaration of who Yeshua is in the healing of these persons stricken with Tzaraat. \u00a0In the Apostolic Writings, when Yeshua healed ten lepers, he was declaring in the act of healing that God was present a clear sign that the one spoken of in the Torah as the prophet that would follow Moshe (Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 18<\/span><\/em>) had come \u201cThe Messiah has come!\u201d<\/em><\/span> \u00a0Remember, Moshe prayed to the Lord and the Lord listened and healed Miriam (Bamidbar \/ Numbers 12<\/span><\/em>). \u00a0Yeshua healing lepers is found in Matthew 8:2-3, Mark 1:40-42, and Luke 17:11-19<\/span><\/em>. \u00a0In Luke 17:11-19<\/em><\/span>, while Yeshua was on his way to Jerusalem and passing between Samaria and Galilee he met 10 lepers. \u00a0The Lepers raised their voices saying 17:13 \u201c… \u2018Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/em> \u00a0Yeshua told the lepers to go and show themselves to the Cohanim (Priests) and as they went they were healed, cleansed of the disease as they made their way to show themselves to the Cohen. \u00a0As these 10 Lepers acted in faith, the Lord God healed them of their disease of Tzaraat. \u00a0Based upon the text it appears the men (i) believed Yeshua was able to heal them and (ii) they needed to act upon their faith even though the Tzaraat remained upon their bodies physically. \u00a0The work of believing and then physically doing what the Lord instructs us to do are integrally connected. \u00a0By performing the act of going to the Cohen to show their bodies they were healed. \u00a0Now because they were obeying Yeshua to show themselves to the priests, as the Torah commands, they were doing a righteous work. \u00a0Did their healing come by their own hands (by their works), or by the power of God? \u00a0Their moving by faith to show their bodies, even though there remained the sign of Tzaraat, glorified the name of the Lord and God healed them.<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

According to Parashat Metzora, the ritual cleansing process required the rigorous procedure of inspection and blood atonement as described in the Torah. \u00a0Note again that these sacrifices come after having been forgiven of their sin and having been healed. \u00a0According to the Scriptures in Vayikra \/ Leviticus 14:2-3<\/span><\/em> \u05d1 \u00a0 \u05d6\u05b9\u05d0\u05ea \u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05d4\u05b0\u05d9\u05b6\u05d4 \u05ea\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8\u05b7\u05ea \u05d4\u05b7\u05de\u05bc\u05b0\u05e6\u05b9\u05e8\u05b8\u05e2 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d9\u05d5\u05b9\u05dd \u05d8\u05b8\u05d4\u05b3\u05e8\u05b8\u05ea\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b8\u05d0 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05d4\u05b7\u05db\u05bc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05df: \u05d2 \u00a0 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d9\u05b8\u05e6\u05b8\u05d0 \u05d4\u05b7\u05db\u05bc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05df \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05de\u05b4\u05d7\u05d5\u05bc\u05e5 \u05dc\u05b7\u05de\u05bc\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b7\u05db\u05bc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05df \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05e0\u05bc\u05b5\u05d4 \u05e0\u05b4\u05e8\u05b0\u05e4\u05bc\u05b8\u05d0 \u05e0\u05b6\u05d2\u05b7\u05e2-\u05d4\u05b7\u05e6\u05bc\u05b8\u05e8\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05ea \u05de\u05b4\u05df-\u05d4\u05b7\u05e6\u05bc\u05b8\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05e2\u05b7: \u05d3 \u00a0 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e6\u05b4\u05d5\u05bc\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b7\u05db\u05bc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05df \u05d5\u05b0\u05dc\u05b8\u05e7\u05b7\u05d7 \u05dc\u05b7\u05de\u05bc\u05b4\u05d8\u05bc\u05b7\u05d4\u05b5\u05e8 \u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b5\u05d9-\u05e6\u05b4\u05e4\u05bc\u05b3\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d7\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea \u05d8\u05b0\u05d4\u05b9\u05e8\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea \u05d5\u05b0\u05e2\u05b5\u05e5 \u05d0\u05b6\u05e8\u05b6\u05d6 \u05d5\u05bc\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05e0\u05b4\u05d9 \u05ea\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05ea \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b5\u05d6\u05b9\u05d1<\/span>: \u00a014:2 \u2018This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. Now he shall be brought to the priest, 14:3 and the priest shall go out to the outside of the camp. Thus the priest shall look, and if the infection of leprosy has been healed in the leper (NASB).<\/span><\/em> \u00a0The person with Tzaraat is to meet the Cohen (Priest) half way. \u00a0Yeshua sent the lepers to show their bodies to the Cohen because the first step of acting in faith is crucial for a believer. \u00a0It is only when we sincerely return to the Lord and act upon our faith that He will take care of our problem of impurity, uncleanness, and sin. \u00a0According to the Scriptures only the Cohen could diagnose Tzaraat. \u00a0The reason being, Tzaraat was a spiritual malady that required spiritual discernment to both diagnose and treat. \u00a0When someone was found to have Tzaraat, they were forced to leave society and undergo a period of mourning and Teshuvah (repentance). \u00a0Before the leper is reintegrated into the community of believers, he must undergo inspection and kept aside for seven days and then reexamined, and only then is the person allowed to return to the community.<\/p>\n

According to the Apostolic writings, Yeshua healed 10 lepers, he showed himself to be the Messiah, having both the power to forgive sins and to set one free from the bondage of sin and death (the slow lingering death of Tzaraat). \u00a0Because of Yeshua we are no longer lepers or outcasts from the family of God. \u00a0He has brought us into right standing before our Father in Heaven. \u00a0During Yeshua\u2019s ministry he pointed continually to the Torah instructing those healed of Tzaraat to show themselves to the Cohen and make the necessary offerings described in the Torah as a testimony to Moshe and to the people. \u00a0In this week\u2019s study the Lord reveals to us the uncleanness and impurity in our lives on the inside is also apparent to God on the outside. \u00a0The internal state effects our walk before the Lord. \u00a0Have you inspected your life, the uncleanliness of your heart, and sought forgiveness in the Messiah Yeshua to cleans from all unrighteousness?\u00a0<\/span>BTT_Parashat Metzora-2014<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In weeks reading from Parashat Metzora (Vayikra \/ \u00a0Leviticus 14:1-15:33), we learn about the mitzvot (Commandments) on the law of Tzaraat (\u05e6\u05bc\u05b8\u05e8\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05ea, leprosy). \u00a0The translation for the word Leprosy comes from the Greek word \u201cLepra\u201d (\u03bb\u03ad\u03c0\u03c1\u03b1) and is a contagious bacterial disease characterized by\u00a0ulceration’s\u00a0of the skin, a loss of sensation (nerve damage) and sever deformities. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2879","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-bits-of-torah-truth"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2879","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2879"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2879\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2879"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2879"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2879"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}