Investigators are trying to solve the mystery of the name of the fifth Parsha of the Book of VaYikra. “We know that most people call this Parsha ‘Metsora,’” clarified Detective Shimon Holmes, “but it does not appear to be quite so elementary. Why would a Parsha be named for a dreaded disease? There must be another name...”
Detective Holmes' Discoveries
Detective Holmes traveled the world and made three revealing discoveries:
Iraq (formerly Bavel)
Holmes uncovered a 1,000-year-old manuscript from Rabbi Saadya Gaon where he referred to the Parsha as “Zos Tihiye” – the first unique words of the Parsha, meaning “this shall be.”
Italy
In Italy, Holmes discovered a 300-year-old diary of the famous traveler, Rabbi Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulay, a.k.a. the Chidah. In each new entry he would begin with the name of the Parsha, such as Kislev 23, Parshas VaYeishev. Holmes noticed that during the week of Parshas Metsora, however, he would write Parshas Teharah, meaning “purification,” a befitting name for the Parsha that deals with the purification of the Tsara’as sufferer.
Chicago
Detective Holmes concluded his research at the Shazak headquarters in Chicago. Holmes discovered a Shazak manuscript (it was under the Out of Egypt book) which sheds light on the common name, Metsora. Being that Holmes could not decipher the cryptic handwriting, Rabbi Moscowitz, Executive Producer of Shazak (who could read his own handwriting), clarified, “Metsora sounds like Motsi Ra, ‘removing bad.’ That’s what Parshas Metsora is all about – the removal of one’s bad past and the beginning of a new journey filled with goodness and kindness!”
