Tazria-Metzora: Are You Ready for an Upgrade?

In Judaism, we love rituals. I mean we really, REALLY love rituals! Those of us who recently got through Passover can certainly attest to that. Jewish law doesn't just formalize all aspect of the Pesach meal; it also scrutinizes the house cleaning, the food disposal and purchasing, 

and the utensil-switching-over-ing. And that's just the start! Our Halachah, our legal system, also examines lifecycle ceremonies, Shabbat observance, eating standards, etc., etc., ETC... But let's put all that aside. Let's just talk about the concept of "ritual" in our lives, and not just the religious ones. We all have them. Even if you're not observant - in ANY religion - you still ritualize your behavior. All the steps you take before going to bed, your lunch habits at work, the rapport you have with friends and family; we each do it differently, but essentially we're all creating order in the chaos of life. I just don't think we pay much attention to ourselves WHILE we're doing this. And I think we should.

Our Torah portion this week is a weird one. It's arguably the weirdest, most uncomfortable one all year long. It talks about skin disease, mold, discharges, and all manner of not-fit-for-cocktail-party-conversation topics. Besides just talking about 

all this "fun" stuff, the Torah also REALLY formalizes our behavior around it. Every action and motion is prescribed. I'll give you an example. In Leviticus, 14:16-17, we read: "And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in the palm of his left hand and sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord. Some of the oil left in his palm shall be put by the priest on the ridge of the right ear of the one being purified, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot." You see what I'm saying? I'm surprised the Torah doesn't also mandate what BRAND of oil they need to use!

Again, let's put all that aside. Just focus on the idea of ritual. Their version sounds really ancient while ours seems modern, but ultimately we're all trying to figure out how to make sense of stuff that makes us uncomfortable, or lifecycle occasions that bring big changes into our lives, or figuring out how to deal with stress, anger, anxiety, and shame. 

Reading about these crazy Biblical practices should merely serve as a springboard for conversations about ourselves; how am I taking care of myself, how am I creating order in the chaos of MY life, and how am I contributing to making the world a better place? The Torah is basically trying to tell us to treat ourselves well and to be mindful of our behaviors. It just has a funny way of getting there. Rabbi Elliot Dorff, in a Torah commentary on Tazria-Metzora, expresses a similar sentiment: "So today's Torah reading can serve as one example of a broader Jewish theme that we have the duty to engage in proper diet, hygiene, exercise, and sleep so as to preserve our bodies so that we can serve God." 

Rabbi Dorff's quote also brings me to my final point. What does "serve God" mean? We get so focused on the language of ritual and worship, we miss the real point of all this. Serving God is, at its core, about being the best versions of ourselves. It's about striving 

to live a full and rich life, filled with kindness and generosity, compassion and love. Even this gross stuff about leprosy is REALLY trying to remind us to give thanks for the goodness in our lives, and to be deliberate and intentional in EVERY thing we do. So take a moment to look at the rituals in your life. Be grateful for your ability to do them, and think about how you are (or could be) working towards becoming an even better version of yourself. You don't even need to make big changes; just living a bit more mindfully will open your eyes to your own life, and to the world around you. It will create more gratitude and appreciation, and right there, you're already on the road to the new and improved, You2.0! 

Photos in this blog post:
1. CC image courtesy of Bill Branson on Wikimedia Commons
2. CC image courtesy of BAIA on Wikimedia Commons
3. CC image courtesy of AzaToth on Wikimedia Commons
4. CC image (including the Hebrew word "Todah," meaning "Thanks") courtesy of נטע on Wikimedia Commons