Post by R' Y'hoshua Moshe on Apr 5, 2005 21:00:39 GMT -8
The following is the 
reading commentary for the parashah Tazria “Conceived” compliments of Rabb Yaakov BenYosef. Feel free to share your thoughts. Enjoy!...
- Vayikra (Leviticus) 14:1- 15:33
7 Nisan 5765 – Apr. 9, 2005
The greatest spiritual duty given to parents is the training their children in the commandments of HaShem. In fact, Devarim 6:7 states “you shall teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall talk of them when thou sit in thine house, and when thou walk by the way, and when thou lie-down, and when thou rise up.” HaShem commands every parent to raise their children to follow the and serve Him with his or her whole heart. A part of training children to be obedient to HaShem’s commandments is a continual recounting of the miraculous deeds of HaShem to bring salvation to the children of Yisrael. By recounting the deeds of HaShem each generation discovers an oral history passed on by the previous generation. As a result, the children become interested in their forefathers’ lives and develop a link to the past. Passing HaShem’s instruction from one generation to the next in this way made obedience to the self-perpetuating. Generations who were not physically at Mount Sinai became included in the revelation that occurred at Mount Sinai. Each generation became aware of the burdens of sin and the joys of salvation that their forefathers had experienced. However, to pass HaShem’s commandments on to future generations required the children of Yisrael to bear children and raise them to be obedient to the . As a result, raising children in Yisrael became one of the most important blessings a family could experience. Childbirth became a focal point that HaShem used to exemplify how each generation is linked to the past. In Tazria we can see a clear picture of how HaShem used the experience of childbirth to remind his people both of past sins and of the promise of His future redemption.
Vayikra 12:6 states “when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest” Purification after the birth of a child may seem like an unnecessary burden. This is especially true considering that the birth of a child is a joyous time. HaShem commanded Yisrael to be fruitful and multiply. HaShem wanted the children of Yisrael to have children, so why did HaShem require a sin offering and a burnt offering after the birth of a child? The offerings required after the birth of a child were not required because of the transgression of the child or the transgression of the mother. These offerings were required for a remembrance that sin enters the lives of everyone. >From the beginning children are born into a world that is decaying as a result of sin. However, when HaShem commanded Adam and Hava to be fruitful and multiply, the world was not in a state of decay. After Adam and Hava ate of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil, the decay started. As a result. HaShem changed childbirth to reflect the decay that Adam and Hava’s transgression had caused. Even though Adam and Hava were commanded to be fruitful and multiply, they and their children suffered the consequences of their actions. Childbirth would no longer be the peaceful experience HaShem originally wanted. B’resheet 1:28 in the Complete Jewish Bible states “To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pain in childbirth. You will bring forth children in pain.”” After the fall, pain and struggle became a normal part of childbirth. Each time a child is born we are reminded of the transgression of Adam and Hava. To rectify the situation HaShem initiated an offering ritual that would remind parents that HaShem was redeeming the world from the decay that was present. In other words, the pain and travail of childbirth reminds us of Adam’s sin, while the offerings remind us that HaShem’s salvation delivers us from our sins and the sins of our fathers.
Vayikra 12:3 states “in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.” Hoping for a future redemption requires faith. Circumcision is a perfect example of how faith in HaShem’s future redemption helps mankind to continue living by His commandments. When a woman gave birth to a male child, HaShem commanded an interruption in the time of her uncleanness. The interruption was so that she could bring her son into the tabernacle on the eighth day for circumcision. Circumcision on the eighth day is a reminder of the redemptive promises HaShem gave to Avraham. B’resheet 17:12 states “he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.” The circumcision of a male child on the eighth day was a sign that the covenant between HaShem and Avraham was still in effect. As a result, every time a male child became circumcised HaShem was declaring that He would deliver Avraham’s descendants and give them a land to possess. B’resheet 17:8 states “I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” HaShem’s promise to Avraham and his descendants guaranteed that His salvation resided in Yisrael. Therefore, circumcising a child meant that he would inherit a new land. It would be his eternal possession, and that he served the God of Avraham. Circumcision reminded Yisrael of HaShem’s faithfulness and His plan to return and deliver them into the land He promised. As a result, circumcision in each generation became a witness to the covenant that HaShem established with Avraham.
In Yisrael the was passed on from one generation to the next through the telling of stories. As a result, training children in the ways of HaShem became the duty of parents and part of the and culture of Yisrael. As the children grew they would pass on the miracles and the wisdom of HaShem to the next generation. Each generation became linked to past generations through the stories they had learned from the previous generation. As a result, the children were constantly reminded of the miraculous deeds that HaShem provided for their forefathers. Telling the stories to the children was crucial to the propagation of the . Therefore, childbirth became a focal point in the lives of the children of Yisrael reminding them of past transgressions and promises for the future. Childbirth reminded the children of Yisrael of past transgressions because the pain and struggle of childbirth were a result of transgression against HaShem. Childbirth reminded the children of Yisrael of the promises HaShem made to their forefathers because circumcision on the eighth day was the witness HaShem gave to Avraham so that He would never forget the covenant, and would deliver Avraham’s descendants to a land of their own. To continue the process of passing the on to new generations, we must continue retelling the stories of our forefathers and putting our faith in the promises of HaShem.
By Rabbi Yaakov benYosef – ABOUT-.org
reading commentary for the parashah Tazria “Conceived” compliments of Rabb Yaakov BenYosef. Feel free to share your thoughts. Enjoy!...- Vayikra (Leviticus) 14:1- 15:33
7 Nisan 5765 – Apr. 9, 2005
The greatest spiritual duty given to parents is the training their children in the commandments of HaShem. In fact, Devarim 6:7 states “you shall teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall talk of them when thou sit in thine house, and when thou walk by the way, and when thou lie-down, and when thou rise up.” HaShem commands every parent to raise their children to follow the
and serve Him with his or her whole heart. A part of training children to be obedient to HaShem’s commandments is a continual recounting of the miraculous deeds of HaShem to bring salvation to the children of Yisrael. By recounting the deeds of HaShem each generation discovers an oral history passed on by the previous generation. As a result, the children become interested in their forefathers’ lives and develop a link to the past. Passing HaShem’s instruction from one generation to the next in this way made obedience to the self-perpetuating. Generations who were not physically at Mount Sinai became included in the revelation that occurred at Mount Sinai. Each generation became aware of the burdens of sin and the joys of salvation that their forefathers had experienced. However, to pass HaShem’s commandments on to future generations required the children of Yisrael to bear children and raise them to be obedient to the . As a result, raising children in Yisrael became one of the most important blessings a family could experience. Childbirth became a focal point that HaShem used to exemplify how each generation is linked to the past. In Tazria we can see a clear picture of how HaShem used the experience of childbirth to remind his people both of past sins and of the promise of His future redemption.Vayikra 12:6 states “when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest” Purification after the birth of a child may seem like an unnecessary burden. This is especially true considering that the birth of a child is a joyous time. HaShem commanded Yisrael to be fruitful and multiply. HaShem wanted the children of Yisrael to have children, so why did HaShem require a sin offering and a burnt offering after the birth of a child? The offerings required after the birth of a child were not required because of the transgression of the child or the transgression of the mother. These offerings were required for a remembrance that sin enters the lives of everyone. >From the beginning children are born into a world that is decaying as a result of sin. However, when HaShem commanded Adam and Hava to be fruitful and multiply, the world was not in a state of decay. After Adam and Hava ate of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil, the decay started. As a result. HaShem changed childbirth to reflect the decay that Adam and Hava’s transgression had caused. Even though Adam and Hava were commanded to be fruitful and multiply, they and their children suffered the consequences of their actions. Childbirth would no longer be the peaceful experience HaShem originally wanted. B’resheet 1:28 in the Complete Jewish Bible states “To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pain in childbirth. You will bring forth children in pain.”” After the fall, pain and struggle became a normal part of childbirth. Each time a child is born we are reminded of the transgression of Adam and Hava. To rectify the situation HaShem initiated an offering ritual that would remind parents that HaShem was redeeming the world from the decay that was present. In other words, the pain and travail of childbirth reminds us of Adam’s sin, while the offerings remind us that HaShem’s salvation delivers us from our sins and the sins of our fathers.
Vayikra 12:3 states “in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.” Hoping for a future redemption requires faith. Circumcision is a perfect example of how faith in HaShem’s future redemption helps mankind to continue living by His commandments. When a woman gave birth to a male child, HaShem commanded an interruption in the time of her uncleanness. The interruption was so that she could bring her son into the tabernacle on the eighth day for circumcision. Circumcision on the eighth day is a reminder of the redemptive promises HaShem gave to Avraham. B’resheet 17:12 states “he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.” The circumcision of a male child on the eighth day was a sign that the covenant between HaShem and Avraham was still in effect. As a result, every time a male child became circumcised HaShem was declaring that He would deliver Avraham’s descendants and give them a land to possess. B’resheet 17:8 states “I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” HaShem’s promise to Avraham and his descendants guaranteed that His salvation resided in Yisrael. Therefore, circumcising a child meant that he would inherit a new land. It would be his eternal possession, and that he served the God of Avraham. Circumcision reminded Yisrael of HaShem’s faithfulness and His plan to return and deliver them into the land He promised. As a result, circumcision in each generation became a witness to the covenant that HaShem established with Avraham.
In Yisrael the
was passed on from one generation to the next through the telling of stories. As a result, training children in the ways of HaShem became the duty of parents and part of the and culture of Yisrael. As the children grew they would pass on the miracles and the wisdom of HaShem to the next generation. Each generation became linked to past generations through the stories they had learned from the previous generation. As a result, the children were constantly reminded of the miraculous deeds that HaShem provided for their forefathers. Telling the stories to the children was crucial to the propagation of the . Therefore, childbirth became a focal point in the lives of the children of Yisrael reminding them of past transgressions and promises for the future. Childbirth reminded the children of Yisrael of past transgressions because the pain and struggle of childbirth were a result of transgression against HaShem. Childbirth reminded the children of Yisrael of the promises HaShem made to their forefathers because circumcision on the eighth day was the witness HaShem gave to Avraham so that He would never forget the covenant, and would deliver Avraham’s descendants to a land of their own. To continue the process of passing the on to new generations, we must continue retelling the stories of our forefathers and putting our faith in the promises of HaShem.By Rabbi Yaakov benYosef – ABOUT-
.org 
