Parsha Post: Nesivos Shalom

In these portions the unit of seven days comes up repeatedly.  Someone with tzaraat - a spiritual disease - on their body - was closed off for seven days, as it says, “And the kohein saw the negah - blemish, and then the kohein closed the blemished person off for seven days.  And then the kohein sees him on the seventh day, and if he assesses that the negah is still there, then he closes the person off for seven more days.” And at the start of the parsha, in regard to the impurity that comes with giving birth: “If a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a male, she will be tamei - impure for seven days, and if she gives birth to a female she will be impure - tamei for two weeks.” We also find that seven days is key in regard to other matters of tumah - impurity, such as tumat meit - impurity caused by a dead body, regarding which we’re told “and he will be impure for seven days.” In a similar vein, we find that matters of holiness are connected to units of seven days: Shabbos is th