This is a family website, which means no fightin’, no cussin’, no drinkin’ and…well…you get the idea.
But sometimes the Torah doesn’t do us any favors in the censorship department. The Bible is filled with sex, violence, and in the case of Tazria-Metzora, a whole lotta bodily fluid.
And now my friends, the part about menstrual blood!
This is a great thing. When we sanitize the Bible, we leave out the facts of life that everyone needs to know. War is a real life issue. So is puberty. And guess what: itchy rashes are a part of life, too. When we make the Bible nothing but children’s stories and fairy tales instead of life lessons, then we diminish the value of our faith.
So this week’s readings are gross. Well, life is gross. Deal with it. And on a side note, if you do believe you suffer from tzaraat, a skin disease that comes from gossip, then stop talking smack…and get some ointment.
This week’s featured articles on Tazria Metzorah
Babies and Desert Zombies by Circle Pit the Bimah
Periods, blood and puss by PunkTorah TV
Those crazy kids at Wikipedia do a great job with this week’s Torah portion (Wikipedia)