Tazria

In this parsha

Tazria opens with the laws of a woman after childbirth, her period of impurity and purification and the offerings she brings, and notes the circumcision of a son on the eighth day. The bulk of the parsha turns to tzaraas, a spiritual affliction appearing on the skin, hair, or body. The kohen examines the discolorations, declares the person pure or impure, and sets periods of isolation and reexamination. The Torah details the varied signs, swellings, scabs, bright spots, and eruptions upon burns or bald areas, by which the affliction is judged.

Themes

• Man completes and elevates creation
• Milah reveals the inner form
• Refining the animal soul first
• Inner form precedes physical matter
• Affliction as blocked light
• Awakening from below

Must-read teachings

1. 1Tzara'as as purification: refining the heart to reveal hidden lightIn the Midrash on the pasuk "And I will place a plague of tzara'as…" — based on what is written, "Surely God is good… to the pure of heart." The Midrash links the affliction of tzara'as to the verse "Surely God is good to the pure of heart,…תרמ"א
2. 2Man's inner light revealed through afflictionIn the Midrash: "Back and front You have formed me" — if a person merits, they say to him, "You came first [in creation]," and if not, they say to him, "Even a gnat preceded you." Adam was created last among all creatures. Depending on whet…תרל"ה
3. 3Man elevates creation by revealing gloryIn the Midrash, on "Back and front You have formed me" (Tehillim 139:5): if one is worthy, they say to him, "You preceded [all of creation]"; if one is unworthy, they say to him, "Even the gnat preceded you." The Sefas Emes opens with the M…תרמ"א
4. 4Man's dual form: body and inner imageIn the Midrash: "Back and front You have formed me (achor vakedem tzartani)" (Tehillim 139:5). The verse describes man as fashioned with both a "back" and a "front" — two aspects — which the Midrash links to two acts of formation. And in th…תרמ"ז
5. 5Milah and Shabbos uncover the hidden light in concealmentIn the Midrash: "Back and front You have formed me" (Tehillim 139:5) — if one is worthy, he inherits two worlds, etc. The Midrash reads "back and front" as two worlds — olam hazeh and olam haba — and one who merits inherits both. The meanin…תרל"א
6. 6Milah as the gateway to all mitzvosNow in truth the mitzvah of milah (circumcision) is one of the 613 mitzvos. The Sefas Emes notes that bris milah is counted among the taryag (613) mitzvos. And the mitzvah of milah cannot be fulfilled in its completeness except by means of …תרנ"ח
7. 7Awakening from below transcends nature"When a woman conceives (tazria)" (Vayikra 12:2). The Sefas Emes begins with the opening words of the parsha, which speak of conception, and will draw from them a lesson about spiritual initiative from below. Chazal said: when the woman emi…תרנ"ח
8. 8Freedom of the soul through TorahThe Midrash on "Back and front You have formed me" (Tehillim 139:5): if a person merits, he inherits two worlds, for man is composed of both the higher worlds and the lower worlds. The Sefas Emes opens with the idea that a human being is un…תרנ"ו