Tzaraath

Tzaraath (Hebrew: צָרַעַת‎ ṣāraʿaṯ), variously transcribed into English and frequently translated as leprosy (though it is not Hansen's disease, the disease known as "leprosy" in modern times[1]), is a term used in the Bible to describe various ritually impure disfigurative conditions of the human skin,[2] clothing,[3] and houses.

The Hebraic root tsara or tsaraath (צָרַע "to be struck with leprosy, to be leprous"), and the Greek lepros (λεπρός), refer to conditions other than Hansen's disease.

[9] Variants of the word leprosy conflating tzaraath with Hansen's disease were used from the earliest English translations of the Bible, including Wycliffe's, Tyndale's, and Coverdale's.

However, rabbinic interpretation almost universally concluded that these three terms refer to different shades of color (white like wool or like snow, etc.)

[13] As se'et and baheret (both terms which may refer to color and not texture) are later discussed individually (13:10, 13:4), while sapahat (apparently referring to texture) is not, sapahat may be considered a possible feature of se'et or baheret rather than an individual condition; in which case, the rabbinic interpretation may also be the original meaning of the verses.

[19] Paradoxically, if the tzaraat covers a person's entire body, it is considered pure, and no isolation or purification ritual is needed.

[21] Boils and burns, as occur naturally as a result of an abscess, blunt force trauma or thermal insult to the skin, are not tzaraath and do not carry impurity.

Such an eruption on a bald scalp must appear in a distinct fashion, but is regulated by rules similar to that of tzaraath on the skin; however, it can only occur on men.

For a scalp eruption to be tzaraath, the lesion must be a white patch tinged with red (נגע לבן אדמדם).

To determine whether a skin condition is indeed tzaraath, the afflicted individual must visit a kohen (a priest, possessing direct male lineage to Aaron).

If during the initial examination the lesion meets the criteria for tzaraath, the kohen pronounces the individual ritually impure (tamei, טמא).

[36] If, however, the criteria for tzaraath have been met, either during the initial inspection or at either of the two follow-ups (when applicable) or even after a previous pronouncement of purity, the individual is declared impure.

The commands repeatedly discuss the sufferer's "pure" or "impure" status, only rarely mentioning "healing", and no Biblical story of tzaraath appears to involve the danger of death to the afflicted person.

[40] They must tear their garments, keep their hair unkept or uncut (פרוע), and cover their upper lip;[40] these practices are expressions of mourning.

[43] Nevertheless, some (though not all[44]) Talmudic laws treat tzaraath as noncontagious:[45] non-Jewish victims of tzaraath were not considered ritually impure;[46] in special circumstances (during a holy day, or for a bridegroom after his wedding) the kohen's inspection could be delayed until after the celebrations;[47] in cases where white hair is a sign of tzaraat, if the white hairs were plucked before the inspection then the person was not declared impure.

[56] The metzora then waited for seven days to begin the final steps of his purification ceremony; in this period he must avoid his own home, but may mix with other people.

[77] If upon a second re-evaluation after the second seven days of confinement, the kohen sees that the eruption did not dim and did not spread, the garment is declared impure and must be completely burnt.

[87] If the negah does not return, the house is pronounced pure, and the same purification process mentioned in relation to tzaraath of human flesh is employed here.

[91] Additionally, people who had been in a house while it was infected with tzaraath was considered ritually impure until the evening came, and anyone who had eaten or slept there had to also wash their clothes.

Rather than interpreting the biblical descriptions of tzaraath in the manner of modern doctors, classical rabbinical literature took an extremely literal view.

[116] The Talmud lists seven possible causes for tzaraath: lashon hara ("evil tongue", i.e. malicious gossip), murder, a vain oath, illicit sexual intercourse, pride, theft, or miserly behavior.

[118] One modern source asserts that as a "physical manifestation of a spiritual malaise," tzaraath is a "divine retribution for the offender's failure to feel the needs and share the hurt of others.

"[119] In particular, Midrash Rabbah sees the different types of tzaraath as increasing levels of punishment, which could be curtailed at any stage if repentance was made: Each Biblical victim of tzaraath is stated to have received the condition due to some violation of biblical laws,[45] including Joab for the murder of Abner (whose blood was shed deceitfully in time of peace), Gehazi (for 1. rebelling against Elisha's decision to not take payment for a miracle God had worked 2. working deceitfully to take the payment 3. lying to Elisha, saying he hadn't done the thing); and Uzziah for burning incense in the Temple (a ritual whose performance was limited to priests).

[120] The items used in the purification ritual – birds, cedar wood, and worm – were specifically included to deliver a message to the metzora.

[45] A wide range of diseases, infections, and skin conditions known to modern medicine have been suggested as differential diagnosis of tzaraath, including psoriasis, seborrhoeic dermatitis, favid, dermatophyte infections, nummular dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, pityriasis rosea, crusted scabies, syphilis, impetigo, sycosis barbae, alopecia areata, boil, scabies, lichen simplex chronicus, scarlet fever, lupus erythematosus, lichen sclerosus et atrophicus, folliculitis decalvans, morphea, sarcoidosis, and lichen planopilaris.

Similarly, Reuven Kalisher suggested that vitiligo is the most likely candidate for biblical tzaraath, as it is non-contagious, causes the hair located within the discolored area to turn white (also known as poliosis or leukotrichia), and can grow in size within a week to two-week period.

"[1] In addition to simple rashes,[126] inflammations,[127] and swellings,[128] the biblical text mentions a number of other conditions that could be confused with tzaraath.

[131] The symptoms that the text considers to be indicative of disease include those of the spread of superficial swellings or spots (where there had previously been a boil),[132] and those of reddish-white sores in areas of baldness;[133] the former condition is identified by the Bible as plague, and scholars regard its symptoms as pointing to a diagnosis of smallpox,[64] while the latter is unidentified in the biblical text, but considered by scholars to indicate favus.