Torah Parallels

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~ Parshas Tazria- Metzora A Time to Tweet: Don’t Kill Two Birds with One Tone By: Daniel Listhaus וְצִוָּה הַכֹּהֵן וְלָקַח לַמִּטַּהֵר שְׁתֵּי צִפֳּרִים חַיּוֹת טְהֹרוֹת וְעֵץ אֶרֶז וּשְׁנִי תוֹלַעַת וְאֵזֹב “The Kohen shall command; and for the person being purified there shall be taken two live, pure birds, cedarwood, a crimson [tongue of] wool, and hyssop.” -Metzorah 14:4                                                                                       After having detailed the characteristics of the various tzara’as afflictions that could appear on one’s body and clothing in Parshas Tazria , Parshas Metzorah opens with a description of the process for the metzorah (person with tzara’as ) to become tahor (pure). Rashi [1] explains that each of the items required as part of the tahara process had a specific role and symbolization. The first component listed in the passuk (verse) is the pair of birds. Rash i [2] comments that the reason why the Torah dem

~ Something to Think About ~ פרשת תזריע Parsha Stumpers By: Daniel Listhaus (12:3) ”Rashi writes that just like man was created after animals, so too were the halachos of birth commanded after halachos of animals (kashrus).” Indeed sometimes the Torah instructs us that the proper order of teaching and responding is A-B A-B: That when two things are said the proper approach is to respond in the same order (See also when Eliezer responded to Lavan/Besuel). However there are also examples where the Torah orders in a A-B B-A format justifying that since the last thing taught is still fresh on the mind we respond to that first. (See Gemara Berachos 2a and Tosfos Bava Kamma 17a). What are the guidelines when to respond in the order of things mentioned and when to respond to the second item first? (13:14) Rashi writes that when a person thinks he has tzara’as he must go to the kohen have it inspected. However, there are t