Rabbi Howard Morrison

Parshat Tazria is not linked necessarily to the upcoming festival of Pesach. It is isolated from the special Sabbaths which have led up to Pesach in preceding weeks, such as Shabbat Parah and Shabbat Ha'Chodesh. The Shabbat following Tazria, the one immediately preceding Pesach, is called Shabbat Ha'Gadol.

While Parshat Tazria is a stand-alone parsha, I would share the following comparison and contrast with Pesach. In the Parsha, one who is diagnosed as having a contagious disease is mandated to exclude himself/herself for periods of seven days at a time. The Pshat (plain meaning) is a physical condition. The Drash (rabbinically interpreted meaning) extends the physical condition to a foundation of moral illness, stemming from gossip, falsehoods, slander, and the like. One's exclusion, however, is temporary. Once the contagious disease has been completely removed, such an individual is reintegrated into the community of Israel.

Consider Pesach - This is the ultimate inclusionary holiday. For example, at the outset of the Seder, we proclaim, "All who are hungry come and eat." Later on, the four kinds of children symbolize all kinds of demographics, backgrounds, ideologies, beliefs, and practices. All are included to sit around the Seder table. Our major concern is the proverbial fifth child, who has chosen not to attend or has been made to feel that he/she cannot attend.

Tazria and Pesach contain elements of exclusion and inclusion. Ultimately, regarding both, the goal is for inclusion of the highest order.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Howard Morrison