In my recent notes on Parshat Vayikra I focused on the Torah’s radical distinction between one who brings a bullock as a voluntary whole burnt offering in the Mishkan and one who brings a humble meal offering.  The former is referred to as “adam” (a person as ‘earth’) while the latter is referred to as “nefesh” (a person as ‘soul’).

Between these two polar opposites are the individuals who bring sacrifices of sheep/goat or fowl. The Torah is, perhaps purposely, ambiguous by not classifying these donors. Indeed, we are given no information regarding their status as human beings. We can’t be sure  whether such a donor is attempting to emulate the “adam”, the coarse, bombastic showoff, or if his aspiration is aimed in the opposite direction, to achieve the level of the “nefesh”.

What adam and nefesh have in common is that both are outside the bounds of ordinary human character. The adam is earth/dirt. He is so coarse he has not even attained a minimal degree of spirituality, and can only express his connection to God – if indeed he has a connection – through the vulgar display of wealth that is the sacrifice of a bullock. In fact, the Torah considers this sacrifice actually sinful. Hence in the case of the bullock offering, the Torah manifests its disgust with this display of conspicuous consumption. The very bringing of this sacrifice is inherently sinful and in need of expiation. 

וְסָמַ֣ךְ יָד֔וֹ עַ֖ל רֹ֣אשׁ הָעֹלָ֑ה וְנִרְצָ֥ה ל֖וֹ לְכַפֵּ֥ר עָלָֽיו׃

And he shall lay his hand on the head of the whole burnt offering, that it may be willed on his behalf to be forgiven over him. (Vayikra/Leviticus 1:4)

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the nefesh is also outside the realm of conventional human classification. This individual, like the adam, is not gender specific. They have achieved a degree of spiritual transcendence that renders them disconnected from the weaknesses and foibles of ordinary mortals.

But what about the vast majority of human beings who have evolved beyond the brute matter that is an adam yet are far from that lofty sphere where the nefesh resides?

I would suggest that the answer to this question is to be found in this week’s Torah reading,  the parshiyot of Tazria-Metzora.

Here the Torah deals with a skin disease, often misclassified as leprosy, which is caused by the basest form of human behavior, gossip.  Unsurprisingly, the Torah refers to the most extreme example of such a person as, of course, “adam”.

אדם כִּי־יִֽהְיֶ֤ה בְעֽוֹר־בְּשָׂרוֹ֙ שְׂאֵ֤ת אֽוֹ־סַפַּ֨חַת֙ א֣וֹ בַהֶ֔רֶת וְהָיָ֥ה בְעֽוֹר־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ לְנֶ֣גַע צָרָ֑עַת וְהוּבָא֙ אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֔ן א֛וֹ אֶל־אַחַ֥ד מִבָּנָ֖יו הַכֹּֽהֲנִֽים

An adam who has on their skin a swelling, a rash, or a discoloration, and it develops into a scaly affection on their skin, and he shall be brought to Aharon the priest or to one of his sons, the priest 13:31-32

Notice that this afflicted person is an adam and he must be brought by force וְהוּבָא֙  to the priest. Clearly he wouldn’t come of his own volition. He is not even capable of recognizing that something is wrong with him.

However, as the Torah segues to lesser degrees of this affliction, it changes both its term of reference for the afflicted individual, and how their case is brought to the priest’s attention:

וְאִישׁ֙ אֽוֹ־אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֥ה בְעוֹר־בְּשָׂרָ֖ם בֶּהָרֹ֑ת בֶּהָרֹ֖ת לְבָנֹֽת׃

If a man or a woman has their skin streaked with white discolorations,

וְרָאָ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְהִנֵּ֧ה בְעוֹר־בְּשָׂרָ֛ם בֶּהָרֹ֖ת כֵּה֣וֹת לְבָנֹ֑ת בֹּ֥הַק ה֛וּא פָּרַ֥ח בָּע֖וֹר טָה֥וֹר הֽוּא

and the priest sees that the discolorations on the skin are of a dull white, it is a tetter broken out on the skin; they are pure. 13:42-43

Such individuals are classified  as  אִישׁ֙ א֣וֹ אִשָּׁ֔ה either a man or a woman. This renders them both above the base adam yet far below the nefesh. The status of male or female is one that is incomplete. It contains the opportunity to both ascend or descend.  Conflict in general, and especially conflict between the two, is the typical state for both man and woman.  Nevertheless they possess a sense of accountability. They do not have to be dragged to the priest (וְהוּבָא֙) ) against their will. Rather, they come of their own volition to inquire regarding their state of (spiritual) health. And the priest shall see (וְרָאָ֨ה) and make a determination which the afflicted man or woman is prepared to accept.

Of course, in this discussion of gossip-triggered dermatological diseases, there is no mention of the nefesh persona. It is a given that a true nefesh would never be afflicted with such a condition

During the interim phase when an adam  is declared clear of the affliction but before their final purification ritual they are referred to as “the one to be purified” (ַמִּטַּהֵ֛ר)

וְצִוָּה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְלָקַ֧ח לַמִּטַּהֵ֛ר שְׁתֵּֽי־צִפֳּרִ֥ים חַיּ֖וֹת טְהֹר֑וֹת וְעֵ֣ץ אֶ֔רֶז וּשְׁנִ֥י תוֹלַ֖עַת וְאֵזֹֽב׃

the priest shall order two live pure birds, cedar wood, crimson stuff, and hyssop to be brought for the one to be purified. 14:4

But once the entire ordeal is over, having ostensibly learned from their experience, the adam is  now ready to transition from that pre-human state:

וְהֶעֱמִ֞יד הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַֽמְטַהֵ֗ר אֵ֛ת הָאִ֥ישׁ הַמִּטַּהֵ֖ר וְאֹתָ֑ם לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

These shall be presented before God, along with the ish to be purified, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, by the priest who performs the purification. 14:11

They are no longer an adam, they have become an ish.

For my past column on Parshat Tazria (The seed of matrilineal descent) please go to  https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/parshat-tazria-the-seed-of-matrilineal-descent/

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