The Talmud compares the Messiah with the metsora – the leper. In Sanhedrin 98b it is written about the Messiah: "The Rabbis said: His name is "Œthe leper scholar," as it is written, Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God, and afflicted." (D. Mandel. Davka Corp.)

This teaches us about the close relationship between purification of the metsora and the Messiah. We'll highlight some of the secrets of this “aliyah":

14:2, 10 – his purification was completed on the eighth day. Before his death, Yeshua was infected by the "leprosy of sin" of the world in his soul and body. In the day of his resurrection, the eighth day, he was purified in the heavenly realm.

14:3 – outside the camp – Yeshua died outside the city and his purification took place in heavenly places.

14:4-7 – two live birds, one of them dies and the other one is let loose in the open field – Yeshua dies and is then risen to fly in the open field.

14:4,6 – cedar wood – Yeshua dies on a tree, hanging on a horizontally positioned wood (probably cedar).

14:4,6 – a scarlet – Yeshua was dressed with a scarlet robe before dying. (Matt 27:28).

14:4,6 – hyssop – Hyssop was taken to Yeshua's mouth when he was dying (John 19:29).

14:5 – a clay vessel – Yeshua's body was a clay vessel.

14:5 – running water – Yeshua had to go through the waters of death (2 Sam. 22:17; Jon. 2:5)

14:6 – the live bird was dipped in blood – Yeshua still has the scars of his death in his risen body.

14:8 – he will wash his clothes, shave all his hair, will bathe in water – Yeshua had to go through the tevilah (baptism) of death (Luk. 12:50) to remove sin – symbolized by dirty clothes, infected hair and ritual impurity.

14:9 – on the seventh day – when Yeshua was still in the tomb, sin was eliminated.

14:10-11 – on the eighth day, he was pronounced clean and presented before the Eternal – on the first day of the week, Yeshua was pronounced clean and presented alive before his Father (John 20:17).

14:12 – trespass offering – Yeshua was given to the Eternal as an offering for the trespasses of the world.

Blessed be the Eternal for the atoning death of Yeshua!

Ketriel