Why does God give to Israel such a detailed procedure for identifying skin disease? We use the term "leprosy" – but what we call leprosy today didn't exist in Moses' day.
The word translated "leprosy" in this passage means simply to be struck, and by implication means to be struck by God.
Any disease which disfigured the skin could be called "sara'at," and anyone who had such a disease would be quarantined - separated from the community. This was not due to contagion (there is no mention of that in the text), but rather it focuses again on proper function.
Internal diseases are not in view. For that matter, contagious diseases are not in view. Rather, the focus is on visible diseases. Israel must be clean in order to worship God and partake of holy things. Therefore Israel must be visibly pure. If a person has a visible diseases, then he is rendered unclean, and must be put out of the community.
The picture here is that of the corruption of the flesh – quite literally! The outward and visible corruption of the flesh symbolizes humanity's problem. How can corrupt flesh come into the presence of a holy God?
You can see here how Leviticus understands clearly that the fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery. Our problem is not just sin! Our problem is not just a "soul problem" – our problem affects even our bodies...
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