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Why does Targum Onkelos translate tzaraas as 'white' and then as 'quarantined' in the same pasuk about Miriam? The Targum holds that Aharon could declare his sister a metzorah despite being a relative. First Miriam became physically white, then Aharon's halachic determination created the quarantine status.
The shiur analyzes a fascinating inconsistency in Targum Onkelos's translation of the pasuk describing Miriam's tzaraas. When the Torah (תורה) states 'behold, Miriam became like snow' and then 'behold, she's metzorah,' Onkelos translates the first reference to tzaraas as 'white' but the second as 'quarantined.' This apparent contradiction reveals a profound halachic principle. Rashi (רש"י) explains that Aharon prayed for Miriam's healing because, as her brother, he was disqualified from declaring her a metzorah due to the prohibition of relatives making such determinations. However, this reflects only one opinion in a Tannaic dispute about whether relatives can declare tzaraas.
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Parshas Beha'aloscha - Miriam's tzaraas
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Why didn't Noach daven for his generation while Avrohom advocated for Sedom? Noach viewed each person as an independent island responsible only for their own teshuvah. Avrohom understood that all humanity is interconnected through shared perspective and values, making prayer for others both possible and necessary.
