How Much Is Enough?

Tazria - Metzorah

Leviticus 12:1-15:33

Précis: Tazria begins with laws concerning the need for ritual purification of women following the birth of children, and the laws of what is usually referred to as “leprosy” of the skin and on garments (although this translation is most certainly erroneous; it appears to refer to an affliction which renders the individual ritually impure, and not able to participate in communal worship). Metzorah discusses additional laws for purification by sacrifice and water. It also discusses growths on walls of a house which cause ritual impurity. The parasha concludes with secretions from the body which are another source of ritual impurity

Lev. 12 6-8 "Upon the completion ... of her purity ... she shall bring a sheep.... But if she cannot afford a sheep, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young doves ... and she shall become purified." 

              

 It seems a bit unusual that the text says that the same degree of spiritual purification can come through the sacrifice of a sheep (certainly expensive in Temple days) or two doves (much less expensive), depending on the woman’s ability to pay for the sacrificial animals.  Further, the Sages interpret this to mean that if one if sufficiently economically able to offer a sheep but fails to do so, she will not be “purified.”

               

It’s apparently not sufficient that the Torah reading is about what kind of animals needs to be sacrificed to secure ritual purification. Perhaps this arcane statement about sacrifices and ritual purification is suggesting a more fundamental Jewish proposition:  one needs to give (or offer) commensurate with one’s abilities.

               

This line of thinking has been applied by the Sages as a way of “doing tzedakah” (offering charity or acts of loving kindness). To those of a more liberal political bent, it might be obvious that we are commanded to give according to our means.  But our rabbis took this one step further: they say that  a poor woman who give a pittance to charity, which is all she can afford, is more praiseworthy than the rich woman who donates thousands when she has the ability to donate millions.

               

When we are considering acts of tzedakah, it is not about “how much” but it is really about whether we share God’s blessings with others to the full extent of our ability.