There are three general categories of the affliction referred to as “tzora’as,” the skin condition that afflicts people, the fungus-like affliction that affects materials, and the fungus-like affliction that affects buildings. For each category there is a procedure to first identify whether “tzora’as” is present, a procedure to be followed if it has been confirmed to be “tzora’as,” and a procedure to be followed after the “tzora’as” is gone (a purification process).
The “tzora’as” that affects the body is identified by a Kohain (Vayikra 13:3, etc.), who either affirms that it is “tzora’as,” affirms that it is not, or sequesters the person who may have “tzora’as” for a week to see if it spreads (etc.). If it is determined to be “tzora’as,” the afflicted must tear his clothing, keep his hair unkempt, keep the lower part of his face covered, and warn others of his condition (13:45), all the while living alone outside the community (13:46). After it has healed, there is a detailed purification process (14:1-32).
A garment (or other material) that might have “tzora’as” is also shown to a Kohain (13:49), who determines whether or not it is really “tzora’as” (13:50). Depending on what happened during the following week (13:51), the material is either burned (13:52) or washed and then sequestered for another week (13:53-54). After that second week, it is either burned (13:55), the afflicted part cut away (13:56), or washed a second time (13:58; a second washing is done if the afflicted part was cut away too.) If it remained clean after the second washing, the material is considered “purified” (13:58).
An afflicted building is also identified by a Kohain (14:35-37), who only assesses the situation after the house is emptied (14:36). If it might be “tzora’as,” the affliction is reassessed after a seven-day waiting period (14:38-39), and the Kohain instructs the homeowner how to proceed based on this reassessment (14:40, etc.). After any afflicted part of the building is removed (see 14:41-42), if it reappears, the building is razed (14:43-45) and anyone who had entered the house during the week becomes defiled (14:46-47). If the affliction did not reappear, there is a purification process (14:48-53), after which the structure can once again be inhabited. Detailed stuff, for sure, but if you pay attention to how the details are presented (do you think I referenced the verses for my own health?), there is one aspect that stands out. Have you noticed it?
[Insert pause here to re-read the last three paragraphs more closely.]
The verses were all referenced in order, with one exception; the purification process for skin “tzora’as” is not taught immediately after its other details, but is interrupted by the details of the “tzora’as” that affects materials. The obvious question is why.
One possibility is based on the well-known Midrashic explanation (Tosefta Nega’im 6:6, Vayikra Rabbah 17:4, Tanchuma Tazriya 10/14 and Metzora 3/12, Midrash HaGadol Vayikra 14:32), codified into law by Rambam (Hilchos Tumas Tzora’as 16:10, where he says “tzora’as is not part of the world’s normal operation, but a sign and wonderment”) regarding the connection between the three kinds of “tzora’as” and how they are sent to punish a sinner. Someone who sins (“loshon hara” is specified, but “tzora’as” is attributed to numerous other sins as well) is first punished by having his house afflicted; if he repents, fine, but if not, his clothing becomes afflicted; if he repents at this point, fine, but if not, he is then punished by his body being afflicted. This progression, is in the reverse order of how it appears in the Torah. [Maharzo on Vayikra Rabbah quotes one explanation as to why it is written in reverse order; a seemingly obvious explanation is that it follows the laws of another case of the impurity of the body, one who gives birth (Vayikra 12:2-5), and its purification process (12:6-8). Therefore, when discussing the different kinds of “tzora’as,” first the kind that afflicts the body is discussed before moving on to the other types.] It is therefore possible that the details of the “tzora’as” of materials is taught smack in the middle of the details of the skin “tzora’as” in order to draw attention to the fact that things are being presented out of order. Nevertheless, there is likely more to it than that.
In order to become purified from “tzora’as,” the cause of the “tzora’as,” the sin, has to be rectified. If it got to the point of skin “tzora’as,” the sinner had already experienced the other types of “tzora’as,” yet had not repented. In order to become purified from the “tzora’as” afflicting his body, the skin “tzora’as” must have healed, meaning that repentance was now accomplished. However, it had only been accomplished after failing to repent after his house was afflicted, which means that his house had already been razed, and after not having repented despite his garment becoming afflicted, which means that his garment had already been destroyed by biblically-mandated flames. Now that his body was afflicted, though, he finally got the message and repented. What does this repentance include? Was it only regarding the sin that started the process, or was he now also required to repent for not having gotten the message earlier? By describing the full process of the “tzora’as” of the garment (which came after a house affliction) before discussing the purification process after skin “tzora’as,” the Torah is teaching us that part of the necessary repentance after being afflicted with this “tzora’as” is repenting for not having repented after the earlier “tzora’as.”
