fe
ED oc cediin arcs
Were Our
Predecessors
Lepers?
any teachers in Jewish
schools instruct cheir
students
/
that the
/ modem day counter
part to Biblical tzareat is leprosy. 1
remember learning in kindergarten that
Miriam suffered fiom leprosy, a disease
which turned her skin snowy white
However, after a detailed analysis of lep
rosy, also known as Hansen’s Disease, one
can’ definitely conclude that biblical
‘araat is not the ailment that we now
refer to as leprosy. This has been con:
firmed by Chosal, modern rabbinical
authorities, and gentile biblical scholar.
The two diseases have different symp-
toms, physiological mechanisms, and
effects on their victims. Chasal have
16a and various
midrashim) that tearaat was 2 punish
ment for the sins of bloodshed, false
caths, sexual immorality, pride, robbery,
and selfishness. They emphasized that
‘avant was not a typical bodily discase,
but rather a physical manifestation of a
spiritual malaise. It was a spiritual aie
tion with a physical component that was
designed to prompt the sinner to mend
his ways. Even those who define traraat
as a physical disease still do not equate it
with leprosy. Sforno, a renowned biblical
commentator and doctor, remarked that
taught (Arachin
NECHAMA HOCHBAUM, aso
ior a Stem Cally for Women, is majoring
in boy
there were major differences between the
symptoms of rsaraa? and those of leprosy.
Samson Rafael Hirsch, in his comment
Tasria wrote,
described in our chapter (referring 10
‘saraat) have nothing at all in common
with the diseases whieh are described in
books of medical scence on skin diseases
under the heading of *Lepra’, leprosy.”
Why do most translations, both Jewish
and non-Jewish, equate tzazaat with le:
rosy? This erroneous translation of
savant dates back to the Greeks, appar
ently because of a misinterpretation of
Fanguage. When the Hebsew Torsh was
translated into the Greek Septuagint, the
word ‘arsed was translated as “lepr’
‘The Greck text was later translated into
Latin, and finally into English, The word
epra? was eventually translated into “lep-
In addition to much rabbinical and
scholarly evidence, there isa profundity of
medical literature proving that biblical
savant is not leprosy. The medical and
biological proofs differentiating the to
diseases are tangible and convincing. The
‘causative agent of leprosy is the bacteri-
tum, Mycobacterium leprae, an obligate
parasite founel only in tissues of humans
and warm-blooded
Although most known for producing
lesions on the skin, leprosy also causes
lesions inthe peripheral nerves, eyes,
nose, larynx, mouth, organs of the reticu-
loeaotietial system, and internal organs, such asthe tests, adrenal glands, and kid-
neys. OF all its targets, leprosy primarily
alles peripheral nerves. Bacteria accu-
rmulate inthe nerve bundle causing
inflammation and infiltration of phago-
cytes. The nerve swells and enlarges,
resulking in damage to the neurons. This
damage may cause loss of sensory and
‘motor funetion, paralysis, and anesthesia
ofall afccted areas?
M. leprae has a low degrce of virw
lence, along, generation time, and grows
a low optiniim temperatures. Due to its
low optimum temperature, leprosy tends
to affect the cooler regions of the bod,
including the skin, face, hands, and feet.
Leprosy cannot grow on inanimate
objects. It is not highly contagious and
does not easily invade tis
sues or secrete any
cous toxins, Transmi-
ssion of the disease
requires — prolonged
and intimate contact.
Once leprosy. aflits
individual, it causes a
slowly progressive
chronic infetion, with
auverse health. changes
sc over a pesiod of years.
‘The thirteenth chapter of Leviticus
‘opens with a general announcement of
ceutancous signs thar would require
inspection by the high priest. A person
afflicted with tzaraat must report to the
high priest. Many believe that tzaraat was
a biblical disease which presented itself in
four different ways lesions on previously
normal glabrous skin; lesions on previous
Jy abnormal skin; lesions in areas of dif
fuse alopecia and localized alopecia, oF
baldness
Lesions on
previously normal
glabrous. skin included the primary
lesions, baberet and set. Boberct was a
depigmented patch and set was a hypo:
pigmented patch, Both grew on skin
which previously was normal, At mini-
NOTES:
1. The Pentateuch, Volume
2. Kaplan, Di
SCHOLARLY EVIDENC
DITY OF MEDICAL L.
BIBLICAL TZAR
mum, the hypopigmented patch was the
color of a hen’s eggshell. The patch may
have been slightly erythmatous, and to be
considered tsaraatit had to be a east the
size of lentil bean. Secondary changes to
these lesions included the presence of at
least evo. white hairs growing in the
lesion, erosion situated within the lesion,
and an increased lesion size.
Lesions on previously abnormal sk
induded sbechin and michyah. Normal
skin that experienced any inflammatory
process involiing erythema, vesicle for.
‘mation, crusting, weeping o erosions was
clasfed as abnormal skin. Burs, trax
mati injuries, or eczematous dermatitis
of any etiology caused abnormal skin
‘Shechin was a hypopigmented patch on
IN ADDITION TO wut RABBINICAL AND
THERE IS A PROFUN-
ATURE PROVING THAT
IS NOT LEPROSY.
such skin, Micha was a hypopigmented
patch on the site ofa healing bum. The
secondary changes of these lesions includ
ed the existence of white hairs or an
increase in lesion size
Lesions in the areas of diffs alopecia
‘occurred on the scalp. Baberee was acon:
dition describing alopecia of 1
posterior half of the. scalp.
described alopecia of the entire anterior
half. The lesions had to exist within ether
of the bald areas. Secondary changes to
these hypopigmented or depigmented
patches in the bald areas included ero:
sions and enlargements of the lesions
Localized alopecia lesions were the
only kind of tsarnat that did not involve
a color change of the skin. The primary
lesion was a localized patch of alopecia
Dermatology. March 1993. Pp. 507-510.
3. Fichman, Phillip. “The History, Biology, and Medical Aspects of Leprosy”. The American Biology Teacher, Volume 61,
No. 7, September 1999.
which occurred on the scalp or beard
area, Secondary included
enlargements of te lesion or the presence
cof two nev golden hairs inthe lesion
Daring its various sages of disease pro
gression, symptoms of modern day lepeosy
«an include hypopigmented lesions, aro
phy, inflammatory” changes, ulcerations,
and alopecia. At fs glance, dese ate simi
har to the signs noted in bibieal szavaat
However, itis highly unlikely dhat all the
necessary signs of feavaat would exis
together in any’ foem of leprosy. Not only
«io the physical signs ofleprosy and tzarsat
differ, but so does the progresion of the
two diseases. Examination ofthe patient by
the priest was eared out every’ seven days
‘Tearaar progsesed from peimary lesions to
secondary forms ina
short period of time.
However, leprosy is
slowly progressive with
changes seen over a
petiod of years, not
The extent of
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