Metzora – Blood Placed on Body Parts

The Aish Rabbi Replies

Thank you for raising your interesting issue. Ibn Ezra (14:14), a medieval Spanish commentator, explains that a person is stricken with tzara'at (often translated as leprosy) in response to his sinful behavior. The act of placing blood and oil on him alludes to the repentance demanded of him. His ear represents that he did not listen to God. The thumb is the strongest finger and the big toe the strongest toe – and for most people, their right side is their stronger side. Thus, the overall message of these applications is that the person must employ all his strength to train himself to improve.

Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch (as understood by ArtScroll Vayikra) explains similarly that the message of these three limbs is that the person must improve himself on the level of his mind (ear), his actions (thumb), and his efforts (as the big toe alludes to his forward movements). Or as I’ve seen contemporaries put it, the ear represents that the sinner refused to listen to God, his hand represents his sinful actions, and his foot signifies that he followed along a wicked path. All these limbs require atonement and so receive the sacred blood and oil.

For a deeper approach, see this article. See also the following past responses about the ailment of tzara'at:

https://aish.com/slander-skin-disease/

https://aish.com/tzaraat-versus-leprosy/