Leviticus 14: The Cedar Plank?

YINR 929: Tanach Yomi · Jan 21, 2026 · 2m

As part of the healing korban of the person with tzaraat, “the priest shall order two live pure birds, cedar wood, crimson stuff, and hyssop to be brought for the one to be purified (verse 4: וְצִוָּה הַכֹּהֵן וְלָקַח לַמִּטַּהֵר שְׁתֵּי צִפֳּרִים חַיּוֹת טְהֹרוֹת וְעֵץ אֶרֶז וּשְׁנִי תוֹלַעַת וְאֵזוֹב׃). The unique piece of this korban is the cedar wood. No other korban contains a piece of cedar wood. Why is this included here? Each part of this korban connects to the idea that tzaraat was a result of gossiping. The two birds reference the chirping between two individuals that started the…