Bible Summary:
God gives Aaron and Moses rules about managing skin diseases. Anyone with a sore on the skin, boil, burn, spots, or are balding must visit the priest. The priest either isolates the person for a week for reexamination or deems the person unclean, and sends them to live outside the camp, uncombed and in torn clothes. Once the skin heals, the priest examines the person, deems them clean, and then conducts ritual offerings. The healed person washes their clothes, shaves their head, and then moves back into camp, though lives outside their tent for a week before being deemed completely clean.
God also provides rules about managing mildew. The people of Israel tell a priest if they find mildew on their clothes or in their house. Clothes are held and reexamined in seven days. If the mold spreads, they must burn the clothes. They must lock up a house with mildew for a week. If the mold spreads, they must replace the stones. If the mold persists they must tear down the house.
God also gives rules about men with discharge or semen and women during their periods.
My Thoughts:
Roles of the Priests: Priests were spiritual leaders, judges and even doctors in the time of Moses, examining patients and prescribing treatment. They also ruled on heath care issues, like mildew management.
Quarantine: The priests quarantined diseased people outside the main community to stop the spread of the disease. Affected people were not exiled, but allowed to reenter the community once they become clean, unless the disease persisted like leprosy.
Do not hide your disease: I am sure afflicted people felt like outcasts back then and were very relieved when the symptoms cleared. Many cancer patients today distress over what people think about their baldness from chemotherapy and hide behind a wig. I understand no one wants pitied, but displaying your disease has two benefits: it shows you are fighting it head on and it let others know so they can pray for you. So, do not hide your disease, wear it like a medal so everyone can see how strong you are in the fight. This may seem easier for men, but I have seen many women, beautiful women, adorned with beautiful scarves. No matter what you decide, my prayers are with you!