As a sixth grader at a Jewish day school, the Rabbi assigned me my first d’var Torah; Parshas Tazria. I had to find meaning in leprosy. Year after year when this parsha returns, I still tremble to find meaning in leprosy. Yet, we must look beyond a rash on the arm, and recognize that the Torah explains leprosy also appeared on the clothing and the homes of the afflicted.
Nachmanides and Kli Yakar both comment that this fact must not be taken lightly. If leprosy was simply a skin condition, then it should not appear on inanimate objects such as shirts and walls of homes. What message are we trying to receive?
The answer? Leprosy is a blessing that reminds us not to disconnect from the divine.
Skin covers our flesh, clothes cover our bodies, and our homes protect us from the elements. We often think that teshuva can only occur during the high holy days. Yet, Tazria is another moment where we have the ability to recognize the chametz in our souls. We receive physical reminder that we once again have the ability to change. A blessing….in disguise.
