Leviticus · Weekly Torah portion
Parashat Tazriaתַזְרִיעַ
Torah reading
Leviticus 12:1-13:59
Haftarah
II Kings 4:42-5:19
What happens in Tazria
Tazria deals with ritual purity around childbirth and then, at length, with tzara'at — a scaly affliction of skin, garments, and even houses, often mistranslated as leprosy. The kohen examines, diagnoses, and prescribes isolation and eventual return. The rabbis read tzara'at morally rather than medically: a visible consequence of lashon hara, harmful speech, noting the Torah's own link between the metzora (the afflicted) and motzi shem ra (one who spreads slander).
Big themes
- The power of words
- Diagnosis and honesty
- Returning after exclusion
If this is your bar or bat mitzvah portion
The tradition connects this strange skin condition to gossip — words that damage invisibly made visible on the skin. In a world of group chats and screenshots, a parsha about the physical consequences of careless speech lands surprisingly close to home.
Learning to chant Tazria?
Ready 13 builds a verse-by-verse practice plan for this exact portion — chanted reference audio, karaoke highlighting, trope games, and a countdown that keeps the big day on track.
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