What makes the human tick? Are we just another variation of the evolution of the world or are we really another species? What is it about the endless ability of the human being to innovate?
With one word, Tazriah, the name of this week’s Torah portion, we come to appreciate a deeper meaning of the human being.
In general, the name of the Torah portion is taken from the first word, or words, of the Torah portion. This week, the name could have been Eisha (women) or Tazriah (conceives). Why do we use the verb instead of the noun?
If we take a step back and look at the order of the verses going through the last few Torah portions, we see something fascinating. First, the Torah talks about inanimate objects—the gold, silver, and copper that was used to build the Tabernacle. Then it talks about the oil, flour, and spices, all from the world of vegetation. Then it moves on to the world of animals that were sacrificed, once brought into the Temple, and this leads us to the topic of the different laws regarding what is kosher and so on.
Now we are moving closer to the human being.
When it comes to the human being, however, we want to know more. Is it just about what we eat or is it about what we do? What we accomplish in life? How we succeed in our day-to-day activities?
True, not all humans can “conceive,” but the root of the Hebrew word Tazriah comes from the words to sow and plant. Each and every one of us has the ability to accomplish something in this world. We all have a purpose in this world, our unique mission statement. The question is, do we just live in this world, scavenge as an animal does or do we contribute and give back? Do we accomplish our to-do list?
This week, the Torah is telling us to live life as a verb, an actionable life, to get things done in a meaningful way.