Two Torah portions this week! Parashah 27: Tazria (She conceives) Leviticus 12:1 through 13:59; and Parashah 28: M'tzora (Person afflicted with tzara'at) Leviticus 14:1 through 15:33.

Well, another Shabbat is around the corner – Halleluyah!  As always, a synopsis of this week’s Torah portion (there are TWO of them this week!) can be found on our website: Parashah 27: Tazria (She conceives) Leviticus 12:1 through 13:59;  and Parashah 28: M'tzora  (Person afflicted with tzara'at) Leviticus 14:1 through 15:33.

The Torah portions over the last two weeks have seemed very strange, to say the least! This week again our short parashah readings at first glance seemed to be a "turn-off" because they discussed undesirable subjects such as Leprosy, bodily discharges and disease. We must remember that YHWH's people were living in tents in the desert, subjected to all kinds of dirt, germs and disease. There were no doctors or medicines, and the people had no choice but to rely on HIM for their every need. And so, again, the underlying message of these Torah portions was obedience to YHWH's commands and the need to return to holiness once a crisis was over.