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April 23, 2004/Iyar 2 5764, Vol. 56, No. 31
Healing is more than skin deep
Torah study
RABBI ADREA C. LONDON
Tazria-Metzora/Leviticus 12:1-15:33
Focal point
"The priest shall take some of the blood of the guilt offering, and the priest shall put it on the ridge of the right ear of him who is being cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. (Leviticus 14:14-16)
D'var Torah
Medical professionals are recognizing the importance of caring for the spiritual well-being of people who suffer from physical illness. But what do we do about those for whom the physical symptoms of illness or injury have abated? Can we assume that their reintegration into society will be spiritually seamless?
The double-portion Tazria-Metzora, with its depiction of priests dabbing blood on "recoverees" from a dermatological condition, offers us insight into our need to "re-embrace" those who have recovered from illness or injury.
One of the rituals the priests performed for the healed metzora (one who is afflicted with a kind of skin affliction, for example) shows that priests were also concerned with spiritual and emotional healing.
The priests were responsible for segregating a metzora and then, once the person was healed, reintegrating him or her into the community through a series of rituals. In the final ritual, the priest dabbed blood on the cleansed metzora. Specifically, he applied lamb's blood to the ridge of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand and the big toe of the right foot.
Philo offers the following interpretation for the significance of this ritual for the priests: "The fully consecrated (for the priesthood) must be pure in words and actions and in his whole life; for words are judged by hearing, the hand is the symbol of action, and the foot of the pilgrimage of life" (Philo, "On the Life of Moses," 2:150).
Why was this ritual used for the metzora, and why was blood used? Recall the blood placed on the doorposts of the Israelites' home prior to their leaving Egypt. There, blood symbolized both life and death. The blood on the Israelite doorposts saved their lives, while its absence marked the Egyptians firstborn sons for death. The purification process of the metzora allowed the priests to ritually mark the "death" of illness alongside a spiritual rebirth.
It can be no coincidence that the priests performed the same ritual on the metzora that they themselves underwent upon their ordination. By performing this same ritual, the priests bestowed upon that person dignity and honor - important elements in spiritual healing.
We understand that fear, loneliness and sometimes shame accompanying illness. Ritual purity is not a primary concern for us anymore, but the role of priest as spiritual healer, spiritually reintegrating someone who has been ill back to complete health, is a model for us all.
By the way
Birkat HaGomel is the traditional blessing recited after one has recovered from illness. The blessing, recited by the "recoveree," is "Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe, who bestows good things on one in debt to You, and who has granted me all good."
Your guide
- If all of us are a "kingdom of priests," what is our role in the healing process?
- Is Birkat HaGomel a ritual that we should incorporate into our synagogue services, or should we develop something new?
Andrea C. London is a rabbi at Beth Emet: The Free Synagogue in Evanston, Ill.
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