Below is a collection of Parashat Metzora resources created by The Lookstein Center staff or contributed to the site by Jewish educators.

This is a growing collection. Check back soon or write to us at content@lookstein.org if you didn’t find what you’re looking for. 

DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Question #1: In Parashat Metzora, we continue reading about the disease of tzara’at and about what a person needed to do to able to return home. There was a special korban (sacrifice) he had to bring and things he needed to do, and the Kohen (priest) would check that he was really ready to return. When a person hurts another by the things they say what do you think they can do to make amends and show they will not do it again?

Look inside the text (Vayikra 14:2),

זֹאת תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת המְּצֹרָע בְּיוֹם טָהרָתוֹ וְהוּבָא אֶל הַכֹּהֵן׃ – This should be the ritual for a person with tzara’at at the time that he is to be cleansed. When it has been reported to the priest.

Question #2: Parashat Metzora continues with laws regarding the biblical disease of tzara’at which was understood to be a punishment from God. Did you know that even a house could have tzara’at? Even clothing? The Rabbis explained that when a person sinned by gossiping, he or she might receive some warnings first. The house would show signs of tzara’at, and if a person didn’t get the hint, tzara’at would appear on their clothing! If they didn’t change their behavior then tzara’at would appear on their bodies. If you have done something wrong, should you be given a warning before getting a punishment? How many warnings are enough? Are there situations when you should know the right thing even without a warning? Can you think of some examples?

Look inside the text (Vayikra 14:54-55),

זֹאת הַתּוֹרָה לְכָל נֶגַע הַצָּרַעַת וְלַנָּתֶק וּלְצָרַעַת הַבֶּגֶד וְלַבָּיִת – Such is the ritual for every eruptive affection—for scalls, for an eruption on a cloth or a house.

Question #3: When a house was afflicted with the spiritual disease of tzara’at, it had to go through various stages of purification, including removing the affected stones to dismantling the entire house. According to one Midrash, God afflicted some of the houses in the Land of Israel with tzara’at so that when the Israelites would dismantle them, they would discover a treasure hidden there by the previous residents. What seemed like a terrible punishment turned out to be a gift from God. Have you ever had a bad thing happen to you that you later realized turned out to be an amazing opportunity? How do we turn every negative consequence – both for ourselves and for others – into an opportunity for meaningful growth?