VBM The Lesson of Tum'a By Rav Yair Kahn

I. The Transition from Shemini to Tazria The portions of Tazria and Metzora, which are read together during a normal year, form a unit, the main topic of which is tum’a (ritual impurity), and the tum’a of tzara’at in particular. Tzara’at, often inaccurately translated as leprosy, is a certain discoloration that may affect people, garments, or buildings when it is declared impure by a kohen. Tazria and Metzora describe the various discolorations, the process that of declaring the tum’a, and how purification can be attained. I would like to focus on the curious location of these Torah portions. Parashat Shemini, which precedes Tazria, documents the events of the eighth day of the Mishkan’s inauguration, including the death of Nadav and Avihu. The portion that follows Metzora is Acharei Mot, which deals with the Yom Kippur service in the wake of the death of Aharon’s sons: