Summary of My Talk on Shabbat April 6, 2019
When I distribute dates to families for their children's bnai mitzvah I always pick - as is traditional - the first shabbat after the child turns 13 and 1 day according to the Jewish calendar. If that shabbat happens to be Tazria (this morning's portion) or Metzora (next week's portion) I usually talk with the family and give them the option to pick another date! These portions focus on what are frankly disgusting and repulsive things that we may see on our bodies and the spiritual mechanism to purify ourselves from these wretched rashes and leakages. At first glance these portions don't make for meaningful discussions by the bnai mitzvah students in their speeches from the bima!
These portions also seem to highlight the differences among us and in fact focus on people who may appear to be the most repulsive. By reading these portions we get the sense that it was common to see such people afflicted with these vile rashes. By describing them in such detail the Torah draws our attention to them and may seem to highlight how we need to separate ourselves from them.
However, I think the Torah had the opposite intent. By focusing on the most repulsive, the Torah wants us to know that even they have a place in the community and even they can become purified and can approach the altar. The Torah I think is teaching us how to overcome our initial response (e.g. looking away, avoiding contact) and to instead understand that there are all kinds of people in our community. Not everyone is blessed to be "normal". In fact there may not even be a "normal" person. We all have idiosyncrasies and we all have ways that we can be sanctified and approach the Temple.
The example of the skin rashes is a metaphor for all differences. We need to understand that all are created in God's image. We can't assume that how we look is how God wanted all people to look. We must instead understand that all colors, sizes, and abilities of people reflect all aspects of God. When we do then we can truly approach the altar in sanctity and love.
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