Parashat Tazria (Leviticus 12-13)
(Note added in 2026: This year this portion Tazria is read together with the subsequent portion Metzora.)
Leviticus 12
12:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.你晓谕以色列人说，若有妇人怀孕生男孩，她就不洁净七天，像在月经污秽的日子不洁净一样。
2025注释： “怀孕”תזריע： 这个词与创世记3:15女人的“后裔” 有相同的词根זרע。זרע 本身通常用来表示种子或播种，用来表示女人怀孕生子的经文不是很多。两处经文共享相近的关键词可能提示我们经文间的一种联系。创3:15造物主对蛇预言“…女人的后裔要伤你的头，你要伤他的脚跟。” 这个后裔预表弥赛亚（基督），在新约实现了。Rashi解经也提到本节与创世之初的联系，https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Leviticus.12.2.1?lang=bi ，但出于犹太人的立场没有提到新约。
2025 Commentary:
“Conceive” (תזריע): This word shares the same root (זרע) as “seed” in Genesis 3:15, where it refers to the “offspring” of the woman. The word זרע is generally used to mean “seed” or “sowing,” and there are not many Bible passages where it is specifically used to describe a woman conceiving and giving birth.
The shared key Hebrew root in these two passages may suggest a connection between them. In Genesis 3:15, the Creator prophesied to the serpent: “… her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” This “seed” foreshadows the Messiah (Christ), who fulfills this prophecy in the New Testament.
Rashi’s commentary also mentions the connection between this verse and the beginning of creation (see: https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Leviticus.12.2.1?lang=bi), but from a Jewish perspective, it does not reference the New Testament.
12:3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
第八天，要给婴孩行割礼。
2025注释: “第八天”：路加福音2:21说: “满了八天，就给孩子行割礼，与他起名叫耶稣，这就是没有成胎以前，天使所起的名。” 公元新年是圣诞节的第八天，可能是记念耶稣割礼和起名。犹太人割礼与起名通常在同一天https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/144470/jewish/Naming-the-Newly-Circumcised-Baby.htm。第八天，是七天一周期时间表中新的开始。女人吃禁果犯罪后，人类受困于罪和苦难，包括女人生产的不洁净很可能也是原罪的后果（创3:16: …你生产儿女必多受苦楚。…）。但基督的割礼与起名的这天是新的开始，是公元的开始，是战胜罪与其后果的新开始。耶稣是主拯救的意思，预表人类将被主从罪恶与苦难中拯救出来。
Commentary 2025:
“The eighth day”: Luke 2:21 says, “And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.”
The New Year (A.D.) falls on the eighth day after Christmas, possibly commemorating the circumcision and naming of Jesus. Among Jews, circumcision and naming are usually done on the same day:
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/144470/jewish/Naming-the-Newly-Circumcised-Baby.htm
The eighth day is a new beginning in the cycle of seven days. After the woman ate the forbidden fruit and sinned, humanity became subject to sin and suffering, including the uncleanness of childbirth, which is likely also a consequence of original sin (Genesis 3:16: “…in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children…”).
But the day of Christ’s circumcision and naming is a new beginning—the beginning of the Common Era, and a new beginning of victory over sin and its consequences. “Jesus” means that the Lord saves, foreshadowing that humanity will be saved by the Lord from sin and suffering.
12:4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.
2026 Comment: What are the consequences of being impure?
In the state of impurity, one is forbidden to eat certain food related to sacrifices. (Rashi interprets “touch no hallowing thing” in this verse as not to eat it). One is also forbidden to “come into the sanctuary”. The punishment for these violations is a very serious biblical punishment called “karet” (excision). See Leviticus 7:20-21, and Number 19:13. See also
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareth
https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Keritot.1?lang=bi
12:8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.
Comment: The origin of a woman’s child-birth uncleanliness and her need for a sin offering may be from Eve’s sin in the garden of Eden. https://www.torahmusings.com/2013/04/maternity-sacrifice/
The Messiah born from a woman will lead to the final defeat of sin and uncleanliness. The mother of the messiah observed the commandments from the current verse after his birth. It is notable that the Messiah was born into a poor family “not able to bring a lamb” but using two birds instead. See Luke 2:21-24: “And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the LORD, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
See also https://bible-studys.org/leviticus-chapter-12/
2026 Comment: Why is this chapter so short (only 8 verses)?
This short chapter seems to form a “bridge” between the beginning of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament. Although the lengths and numberings of Bible chapters are made by human beings, they may carry some significance, since G-d Himself is ultimately in charge of how His words are transmitted. This chapter is so short (only 8 verses), maybe because its full realization needed to be left for future. The number of verses, 8=1 mod 7, may point to a new beginning after completion of a previous cycle of 7.
Leviticus 13
13:2 When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:人的肉皮上若长了疖子，或长了癣，或长了火斑，在他肉皮上成了大麻疯的灾病，就要将他带到祭司亚伦或亚伦作祭司的一个子孙面前。
2025注释: “人”，这里的希伯来文是亚当אדם，这也可能暗指创世记的原罪，那是麻疯病的根源。
2025 Commentary:
“a man”: The Hebrew word here is Adam (אדם), which may also allude to the original sin in Genesis, considered the root cause of leprosy.
13:44 He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head.那人就是长大麻疯，不洁净的，祭司总要定他为不洁净，他的灾病是在头上。
2025注释: 麻疯病在圣经里常与犯错误有关，比如说可能是因毁谤，或是高傲所受的惩罚。民数记12:1，10记载“摩西娶了古实女子为妻。米利暗和亚伦因他所娶的古实女子就毁谤他，…米利暗长了大麻疯，有雪那样白。…”
又比如乌西雅王因为高傲想越职烧香，历代志下26:16，19说“ 他既强盛，就心高气傲，以致行事邪僻，… 要在香坛上烧香。… 额上忽然发出大麻疯。”
参见https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metzora_(parashah)
2025 Commentary:
In the Bible, leprosy is often associated with committing sins, such as slander or arrogance, and is seen as a punishment for such behavior.
Numbers 12:1, 10 records: “And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. … and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow…”
Another example is King Uzziah, who became proud and sought to usurp a priestly task of burning incense. 2 Chronicles 26:16, 19 says: “But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the L-RD his G-d, and went into the temple of the L-RD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. … and he had leprosy in his forehead.”
See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metzora_(parashah)
13:45 And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.
Comment: “put a covering upon his upper lip”: This reminds me of the mask policy implemented during COVID-19.
13:46 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.
Comment: This is similar to the quarantine or isolation policy used during the pandemic of COVID-19. In addition to expulsion from the camp, the biblical ritual here also involves rending the garment, bearing head, mouth covering, and self proclamation of uncleanliness. I think all these imply that the biblical plague of leprosy may be related to the spiritual disease of haughtiness. (See also https://ohr.edu/this_week/letter_and_spirit_/9324)
COVID-19 has a scientific origin, however, it changed the world so rapidly and profoundly, that I think without Gd behind it, it couldn’t have happened. The country that boasted of being the most powerful or most technologically advanced suffered most. Instead of over emphasizing vaccination, I think we should all humble down ourselves first before Gd.