Parsha Tazria

[rabbi...@yahoo.com]

The first Rashi on parsha Tazria (ch. 12, verse 2), is Rashi
explaining to us the reason the laws of mans purity and impuirty came
after the giving of the laws of the animals, because like the man was
created last, his laws are coming last. The question is what is the
connection? The reason man was created last is because G-d wanted man
to come to a perfect and complete creation. This reason does not
apply to the laws of man.

[ER Chabad]

BH   Perhaps one can posit that the creation of the human and its laws of purity both come last for the very same reason.  For, just as in creation, first Hashem addressed the "externals" (i.e. everything but the human) and only then the essence of creation (the human), the same is true of purification and elevation.   In other words, the fact that humans were created last is not merely a technical point.  One can ask, Why must the human arrive to a complete creation?  The reason is because we are the essence of G-d's creation; only we can fulfill Hashem's "dream" to transform this world into a holy place, and so we need all the tools to do so.   For the same reason, perhaps, our laws of purity come last.  The Torah is teaching us that we must first begin by addressing the things that we do -- what we eat, etc. -- but the goal is to transform who we are, to become more pure and holy.  We are meant to elevate not only our behavior, but our very essence.  And that is the theme of this week's Parsha.   Rabbi Yosef Wolvovsky The All-New Chabad Jewish Center! ********** www.ChabadER.com (860) 659-CHABAD --- On Mon, 4/20/09, rabbi...@yahoo.com <rabbi...@yahoo.com> wrote:

[jekra...@cs.com]

WIthout laws, man acts as an animal.  In reading Josephus's account of the days leading to the destruction of the Temple it is clear what the break down of law means: rape, murder, slaughter, gender blurring, abominations, gang voilence, tyranny, and civil war.   I should say that man acts worse than an animal - because animals rarely turn on their own kind.   Since our animal nature must be controlled, it is appropriate to place the laws governing man which can elevate man from an animal right after the laws of concerning animals. 
Jerry Krasnow

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