This week's Parsha describes the various sacrifices offered by a Metzora after he has been cured from the spiritual disease of tzara’at (leprosy). The Parsha opens with the Metzora bringing two birds to the priest; one is slaughtered, and its blood is sprinkled on the Metzora (14:1-8). Yet, though this involves the slaughtering of a live animal, it does not constitute a sacrifice per se (Rashi, Kreitot 9b, s.v. Heyvi). This “sacrifice” is conducted outside of the Temple, and the blood never reaches the altar. "Sacrifices" of this type are really cleansing agents; they remove an impurity and are not a sacrifice per se. After all, these birds can even be brought for an afflicted house; a house can be cleansed even if it cannot bring a sacrifice (14:49-53). Maimonides actually codifies the brining of these birds in the “purity” section of his Mishne Torah, not in the “service” or “sacrifices” sections. These birds are like the Para Aduma (the red calf) and the Se’ir Hamishtaleyach (the sent-out goat) offered outside the temple to produce Tahara. (See Bamidbar Chapter 19, and Vayikra Chapter 16, especially verse 30). They coincide with the ex- Metzora rising from the highest level of impurity (besides death) to the lowest level of impurity (Kelim 1:1-4).

The Parsha then continues to describe the sacrifices the ex-Metzora offers a week later, after his purification has been completed. The Metzora brings two typical sacrifices, an olah (elevationoffering which is entirely burnt) and a chatat (offering normally brought to be cleansed from sin). (Those stated in 14:19-21 are for a rich person, and those in 30-32 are for a poor one.) Bringing these two sacrifices together constitutes a “Korban Mechusrei Kipurim,” a sacrifice of one who had been prohibited from entering the Temple because of a preexisting impurity or “roadblock.” We see in Kreitot 8b that this sacrifice is offered by a convert, a woman who had recently given birth, a Metzora, and a Zav or Zava (also in this week's Parsha 15:13-15 for a male and 29-30 for a female). It remains a question why these people need to bring a sin-offering to be able to enter the Temple. Yet, it seems clear that the Metzora is bringing these two animals as a sacrifice to allow him to enter the Temple – when he was unclean he could not enter, but now he can.

Part of the purification process of a Metzora makes a lot of sense. To correct impurity, two birds are brought outside the Temple to purify the Metzora. To correct the inability to enter the Temple (and the distancing from G-d that is connected), a chatat and an olah are brought. Yet, the Metzora has more sacrifices to bring beyond these. This is quite surprising. What are the other sacrifices needed for?

The Metzora brings two additional sacrifices which may appear typical, but really are not. He brings an asham, or a guilt offering, (14:9-18). However, most korbanei asham are rams, (compare with 5:14-26 and 19:20-22), while a Metzora's asham is a sheep! Also, the blood of the Metzora's asham is placed on the right ear, thumb, and toe-thumb of the Metzora; this is a rare command, indeed.

The Metzora also brings a log measure of oil. Most of the time that oil is brought as a sacrifice as an accompaniment to a korban mincha, a meal-offering. However, the Metzora does not bring a meal-offering (he only brings “Minchat Nisachim” a meal-offering which in itself accompanies an animal korban – in this case, the asham, chatat, and olah). So, even if we can explain the bringing of the two birds, chatat, olah, and flour of the ex-Metzora, we are at a loss to explain the non-typical asham and the log of oil.

The Mishna in Nega’im (14:4) relates an interesting comparison. Three types of people were mandated to have their hair cut - an initiate Levi, an ex-Nazir (abstinent from wine and impure items), and an ex-Metzora. Closer inspection reveals many more similarities between these groups. The Chizkuni raises a parallel between an initiate Levi and an ex-Metzora (Numbers 8:9). Also, a Nazir who becomes impure brings the same sheep asham that a Metzora does (6:12). An initiate priest also has blood and oil placed on his right ear, thumb, and toe thumb, similar to the ex-Metzora.It seems as though the same process that we apply to initiates into Temple service are applied to a person leaving the status of Metzora.

(The argument can also be made that the sacrifices of both an ex-Nazir and a Nazir who had become impure also represent an initiation of sorts, although this is beyond the scope of this topic.).

In light of this, we may be able to create a full construction of what a Metzora's sacrifices accomplish. First, twobirds are brought to remove his impurity. Next, a chatat and an olah are brought to remove the “block” to Temple entry. Then, an asham and an oil sacrifice are offered to initiate the Metzora into a new level of service. The Chizkuni (5:11 based on Sota 15a) adopts a similar approach – he defines the asham as “le'achshurei gavra”, to make the man fit. (Yet, unlike the other initiation sacrifices which are shlamim, sacrifices of good feelings, the Metzora's initiation sacrifice is an asham. He received tzara’at because of a sin, so the initiation is still slightly clouded by it. Compare Ibn Ezra to 14:10 and Ramban to 14:12.) The removal of Na'aman's tzara’at (2 Kings 5:14) is described by the words “And his skin returned like the skin of a young lad, and he was cleansed.” The Navi uses words reminiscent of a rebirth of sorts. The Ramban, indeed, writes (5:15) that the whole Reason why a Metzora brings an asham is because beforehand he was considered like a dead person. We find that a Metzora needs a new initiation into the service of G-d beyond the normal removal of a “roadblock.” He or she had descended to a low level, one that approaches death. Because of that low level, the return from it is so drastic, and the import of the sacrifices accompanying it so great.

The Ibn Ezra appears to hold that all of the livestock of the Levites was exchanged for livestock of others prior to their initiation (Bamidbar 3:41). When one changes from a low level to higher one, even one's outer possessions need to be exchanged, for it is improper for one who has become closer to G-d to use the same items he had when he was further from Him. A Metzora, too, may end up exchanging his garments (end of chapter 13) or even his house (end of chapter 14) over the course of the long purification process, for the individual who came in is simply not the individual who comes out. We learn in Arachin 16a that tzara’at comes as a consequence for seven of the worst sins and character traits. It is a painful process which teaches humility and perspective to the sinner (see 13:45-47). Yet it is not a punishment so much as it is an educational process to catapult an individual into proper service of G-d. When the lesson is learned, the person emerges the better from the experience.