TRYING TO DEFINE “TZARA’AT”

The two portions, Tazria and Metzora, contain a detailed description of a Bible-era malady known as tzara’at.

This mysterious affliction required serious remedial action, involving diagnosis by a priest, and quarantine for its duration.

The question we all want an answer to is ‘what was tzara’at?’ Often mistranslated as “leprosy”, its true identity has vexed biblical commentators, and may never be known.

Rabbi Dunner presents a range of opinions on this fascinating topic, and explains why it is so important for us to understand a phenomenon that has been extinct for millennia.