tzaraat
Tzaraat is a term in the Hebrew Bible describing a category of conditions treated as ritual impurity rather than a single medical diagnosis. The word is often translated as “leprosy,” but in biblical usage it covers a range of ailments affecting people, garments, and even houses. The primary biblical manuals dealing with tzaraat are Leviticus 13–14.
In people, a person suspected of tzaraat is examined by a priest. If the affliction is deemed
Tzaraat can also affect garments and house walls. When discoloration or lesions appear on clothing or on
Purification rites for skin tzaraat after healing involve ceremonial washings and a series of offerings and
Scholarly and traditional interpretations view tzaraat as a ritual and social mechanism that marked purity boundaries