Treatment of Clothing with Tzaraath

(Leviticus 13:47 - 13:59)

"In regard to fabric and articles of clothing, whether of wool or linen, woven or knitted, or of leather, if the woven, knitted, or leather article has turned reddish or greenish with mould, it has been contaminated with tzaraath and must be shown to a priest.  The priest should examine the affected article and store it in isolation for 7 days.  On the seventh day, he should examine it again.  If the mould has spread upon the woven or knitted cloth or piece of leather (irrespective of its use), then it is contaminated with tzaraath and is ritually impure.  Whether the contaminated fabric be of wool or linen, woven or knitted, or of leather, it must be burned because it has tzaraath.

"However, if the priest examines it and finds that the mould on the woven or knitted clothing or article of leather has not spread, the priest should order the article washed and then stored in isolation for 7 more days.   Afterwards, it will be reexamined by the priest.  If the affected area is unchanged, even though the mould has not spread, it is still impure and must be burned, regardless of whether the contaminated area is on the inside or the outside of the fabric.  But if, when the priest reexamines it, the mold has faded upon washing, then he should tear out the contaminated part of the woven or knitted fabric or leather article.  If, after that, the mould reappears in the woven or knitted fabric or article of leather, it is obviously tsaraath and so the contaminated article must be burned.  But if the mould has disappeared upon washing, then the woven or knitted clothing or article of leather should be washed again, at which time it will become ritually pure.

"These are the regulations concerning tzaraath in cloths of wool and linen, woven and knitted, and articles of leather, and the means by which the priest may determine whether they be ritually pure or impure." 

Notes
1. Tzaraath in this context must refer to mould or mildew.   It is curious, amusing even, that the Hebrews thought that mold and mildew that forms on clothes was the same thing as a skin disease and needed to be treated in the same manner.  Odd that someone would find a spot of mildew on their robe and rush to have a priest examine it.  Consider a modern person finding mildew on an old coat:  Would he bring it to church and have the pastor look at it for fear that the garment might be ritually impure?  One would think a person would simply brush off the mildew, wash and scrub the garment and think no more of it, at least have no thought that the matter would have any possible religious significance.  Things were different in the ancient Hebraic world!

2.  One gains the impression that, unlike their neighbors the Egyptians or, in a later period, the Greeks, the ancient Hebrews were not one for the daily bath or shower, nor were they disposed to wash their clothes frequently.  When they bathed or washed their clothes, it seems as if it is only for a special occasion.  This may be reason the may have suffered from skin diseases and found moulds and mildew on their clothes.

3.  Fabrics that may be contaminated with tzaraath include wool and linen, as well as leather, but not cotton, which was probably unfamiliar to the Hebrews and, therefore, unlikely to have been worn by them.  Cotton cultivation and cotton textiles date back to remote antiquity, but mostly in India, China, and Mexico.  The Greeks were ignorant of cotton until the conquests of Alexander the Great in India.  Dyed textiles and wool from animals other than sheep were traditionally not thought to be susceptible to contamination by tzaraath.