Messianic Education Trust
		Metzora   (Lev 14:1 - 15:33)

Vayikra/Leviticus 15:29   And on the eighth day she shall take for herself two turtledoves or two young doves

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It seems that these regulations are almost identical to those for to a male in parallel circumstances (Vayikra 15:14-15). In this phrase they are identical - even down to the cantillation marks - apart from the gender of the individual concerned. They follow abnormal or unexpected emission of bodily fluids from the vagina and the penis respectively. Baruch Levine points out that "the categorical difference between abnormal and normal conditions is that abnormalities require ritual expiation as part of the purification process, whereas normal conditions, though inducing impurity, require only bathing and laundering of clothes and observance of the proper period of waiting." In particular, sexual intercourse between a man and a woman are classed as 'normal' and so only requires that "they shall bathe in water and remain unclean until evening" (Vayikra 15:18, NJPS). This is a significant ruling in that although the couple become ritually impure until the next evening, no sin has been committed; in its proper context, between a man and his wife, sex is not dirty or shameful and should not be shunned, as Rav Sha'ul makes clear: "Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time" (1 Corinthians 7:5, ESV).

Our text has an active verb phrase - תִּקַּח־לָהּ - with two significant factors. Firstly, the verb itself - the Qal 3fs prefix form from the root לָקַח, to take - is here (and universally) translated "she shall take." Secondly, it is followed immediately - it is actually joined to it by the maqqef marker - by the ל preposition with a 3fs object pronoun, "for her", omitted by most modern English translations (e.g., ESV, NIV, NRSV, NJPS). The verb could also be parsed as a Qal 2ms prefix form, which would allow the phrase to read "you (m.) shall take for her", appearing to instruct a male to act on the woman's behalf. Context makes this impossible; not only is the whole of the instruction block (verses 25-30) framed around an individual female, but the only possible 'you' is Moshe or Aharon who are being given the instructions. No,לָהּ is present to emphasise that the affected woman must take the sacrifice to the priests herself, for herself, on her own behalf. It cannot be done for her by her husband, her father or any other person: male or female.

Two consequences follow from that. Firstly, it tells us about the standing of women within the religion of The Name ...

HaShem: literally, Hebrew for 'The Name' - an allusion used to avoid pronouncing the Tetragrammaton, the so-called 'ineffable' name of G–d
HaShem. True a woman could not be a priest, but then neither could most Israelite men; only male descendants of Aharon were priests, whether they liked it or nor, and only males in the tribe of Levi - one of thirteen - were assistants to the priests. The requirement that a woman must bring her own offering and "bring them to the priest at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting" (Vayikra 15:29, NJPS), as John Hartley explains, "reveals that a woman had significant standing in Israel's cult and that she had access to the area around the altar for making an offering."¹ This places a woman, as far as the priests and the Levites are concerned and - it would appear - as far as HaShem is concerned, on exactly the same footing as every other Israelite, male or female. This seems a strong foreshadowing of Rav Sha'ul's clarion call: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua" (Galatians 3:28, ESV).

Secondly, this text tells us that a woman has her own relationship, position and status with HaShem which comes before any other relationships, most particularly her marriage and her husband. Walter Kaiser puts it this way: "Perhaps more than any other sign, this demonstrates that a husband does not have sovereignty over his wife or her body; that she owes only to G-d."² Whatever customs, habits or expectations there may be within a marriage, husbands and wives need to be absolutely clear that neither has sovereignty, or the right to demand total and unquestioning obedience, at any time over the other's body for sexual or any other purpose. Although Sha'ul certainly urges wives, "Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord" (Colossians 3:18, ESV), in the very next breath he adds, "Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them" (v. 19, ESV). Everything is to be done in the same spirit of love that Yeshua Himself demonstrated for each one of us.

Changing tack slightly, we can also deduce from out text there are some things that only a woman can do, should do and wants to do. At times, she has a responsibility to others to do them. In this particular case, her first responsibility is to HaShem, to perform the cleansing ritual that closes off her time of ritual impurity so that she can worship Him aright and participate fully in prayer and ritual. In a ritually impure state, she is not allowed to enter the sanctuary or to have any contact with holy things. Her second responsibility is to her husband, since anything she touches - including him, in any way - becomes impure, necessitating washing and waiting for nightfall. Quite apart from the resumption of marital relations, while she remains ritually unclean, she may easily and accidentally render him unclean so that he too cannot participate in prayer and ritual and may not enter the sanctuary. His relationship with HaShem is to some degree blocked.

But, you may ask, isn't this an oxymoron, or at best a paradox? How is the woman to "bring [two turtledoves or young pigeons] to the priest at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting" (Vayikra 15:29) if she is ritually unclean and may not enter the sanctuary? Why is the sacrifice itself not made unclean by her touch? Until the sacrifice is offered and priest makes atonement for her, she remains ritually unclean. Yet the text indicates that she is to take the birds, herself, for herself, in her own two hands, and come into the courtyard of the Tabernacle, walking right up to the priests who are standing at the entrance to the Tabernacle itself, before placing the birds in his hands. This is permitted precisely because it is commanded. There is no other way for the offering to reach the priest and if the woman does not take it herself, that would defeat much of what the whole process is about: empowering the woman to take ownership of her body, her ritual status and the remedy that restores her purity. By HaShem's command it must be this way.

All three synoptic gospels record the time when a woman who had had a haemorrhage for twelve years - a lot longer than the seven days mentioned in the Torah passage - came to Yeshua for healing. Mark tells us that she "came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment" (Mark 5:27). Matthew and Luke both clarify that she touched the fringe of His garment" (Matthew 9:20, Luke 8:44). Matthew and Mark both affirm her state of mind: "If I only touch His garment, I will be made well" (Matthew 9:21). She is impelled by her faith, she must touch Him. This was a very deliberate action that only she could do; no-one else could do it for her, so in spite of the crowds, pushing and buffeting around her, she burrowed through to reach Yeshua. All three writers report that her cure was dramatic: instantly, immediately! She was made clean; the flow of blood stopped and she knew herself to be healed. Suddenly, Yeshua turns round; "Who touched Me?" He wants to know. Ignoring the attempts of the disciples to brush the matter off, He insists on knowing who touched Him. He must know!

You may imagine the poor woman now quaking in her shoes. What will He do? What will He say? Will He take the healing back? She knows that she has to step forward and confess; she has to admit of what she has done and face the consequences. She "fell down before him and told Him the whole truth" (Mark 5:33). Luke describes the embarrassment: "in the presence of all the people" (Luke 8:48). There! She had accepted ownership and responsibility for touching Him without permission and, in the process, making Him unclean by that touch. Let Him do what He may. The crowd and perhaps the disciples were expecting at the very least a rebuke - "How dare you touch Me and make Me unclean?" - but all three accounts record, on the contrary, that Yeshua's response was encouraging and affirming. He even addresses her as 'daughter' rather than 'woman'; a sign of affection and regard. Matthew reports, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well" (Matthew 9:22) - reassuring her that she did the right thing in reaching out in that way, and acknowledging her faith. Mark and Luke use identical words - "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace" (Mark 5:34, Luke 8:48) - emphasising that He is pleased with her; she may feel comfortable with her actions and His response. Mark finally adds, "and be healed of your disease": your healing will endure, He assures her; what you did was enough and it is complete.

The lesson for us today is that whether man or woman, Jew or Gentile, there are some things that only we can do in our relationship with Yeshua and the Father. They are essential, critical steps, and they have to be done by us, for ourselves, as ourselves. We cannot delegate them to someone else, or do them by proxy; we have to step forward, take ownership of the situation, accept responsibility for ourselves and our actions and push forward to touch Yeshua, to bring Him the sacrifice of a humble soul and a needy heart. If we act in faith, then He will meet us, speak to us, encourage us and heal us. He will shine His face upon us and show us His smile! What are you waiting for?

1. - John E. Hartley, Leviticus, Word Biblical Commentary, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1992), page 213.

2. - Walter C. Kaiser, "Leviticus" in The New Interpreter's Bible Commentary Vol I, edited by Leander E. Keck, (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2015), page 597.

Further Study: Matthew 15:21-28; Luke 21:1-4; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

Application: Is something holding you back in your relationship with Yeshua - is there a blockage or obstacle that constantly gets in the way of growth, development and genuine affection? Don't waste any more time thinking about it - press in and get the matter resolved today. Know that your faith will carry you into His presence and that He will welcome you with open arms.

Buy your own copy of the Drash Book for Leviticus/Vayikra now at Amazon US or Amazon UK.

© Jonathan Allen, 2024

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