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parshas Tazriah-Metzorah

Parsha At-a-Glance

By Ozer Alport

This week's Parsha (Tazria) concerns itself with additional laws of ritual cleanliness and emphasizes that the Jew must stay away from all sources of defilement.

The previous Parsha, Shemini, concluded with laws of purity relating to food, i.e. kashrus, while Tazria is devoted to laws of purity relating to the body itself. We are told of the laws affecting a woman after childbirth, about those of circumcision, and about those of Tzara'as which is popularly, but mistakenly, translated as leprosy. The Parsha ends with a discussion of the phenomenon of Tzara'as in clothing. Tzara'as in all its manifestations, must be brought to the Kohen, the religious leader, for treatment and cure. The Parsha (Metzora) continues to enumerate all that must be done to purify a house and other belongings which are contaminated by the disease called Tzara'as. The Parsha also lists other physical symptoms which render an individual unclean, thereby preventing him from coming into contact with anything pertaining to the Holy Sanctuary. He must undergo a specified period of separation and offer a special sacrifice before he is considered ritually clean. The detailed diagnosis and treatment of the leper and the leprous house come under the heading of "chukim", those commandments for which no reason or explanation is stated in the Torah.

Parsha Perspectives

By Ozer Alport

(וראה הכהן את הנגע בעור הבשר ושער בנגע הפך לבן ומראה הנגע עמק מעור בשרו נגע צרעת הוא וראהו הכהן וטמא אתו (13:3

"The Kohen shall look at the affliction on the skin of his flesh. If hair in the affliction has changed to white, and the affliction's appearance is deeper than the skin of the flesh, it is a tzara'as affliction; the Kohen shall look at it and declare him contaminated."

It is interesting to note that all "impurities" in the Torah take effect immediately upon contact with the impure item (e.g. a dead body, an impure person). On the other hand, the determination of the status of tzara'as (a spiritual blemish characterized by physical symptoms appearing on the skin, often mistranslated as "leprosy") isn't dependent on the onset of the skin affliction or even upon the evaluation of the Kohen. The Kohen must verbally proclaim, "Tamei," impure to cause the commencement of the impurity. Why is tzara'as determined in this unique manner?

The following story can shed light on this question. One day in Jerusalem, two old friends met on a bus. Excited at the opportunity to catch up, they sat down together and began talking. In the middle of their conversation, one of them casually mentioned the name of an old friend. The other replied, "You didn't hear? She just got engaged last week to so-and-so!"

Hearing this news left her friend both elated and shocked. "That's so wonderful that she finally got engaged, but to him!? Who would have ever thought that she would settle for a person with so many problems?" Taking the bait, the one who had shared the news agreed and proceeded to list problems not only with the boy, but also with his family's reputation. The conversation went back and forth, with each of the girls heaping more and more question marks on the match.

After five minutes, a woman who was sitting behind them noticed her stop approaching and started to get up. Turning to the two young gossipers, she remarked, "I know you didn't realize this, but I'm the aunt of the girl you've been discussing. We obviously didn't know about these serious allegations against the boy and his family. As soon as I get home, I'm going to call my niece to convince her to break the engagement."

Aghast at the unexpected turn of events, the friends begged her not to call. "We were just innocently chatting about recent events. We didn't mean many of the things we said, and most of them were exaggerated. Please don't break up this match because of our poor judgment," they begged.

As the bus reached her stop, the wise woman paused before exiting and taught them an invaluable lesson. "You have nothing to worry about. I'm not really her aunt but I could have been!"

The Chofetz Chaim answers our original question by explaining that one of the primary causes of tzara'as is the speaking of lashon hara disparaging speech. Measure for measure, the status of its impurity is dependent upon the speech of the Kohen. Many times a gossiper justifies his actions by claiming that mere words can't harm another person. Therefore, we hint to him how much damage a person's words can cause by showing him that his status hinges upon the verbal proclamation of the Kohen.

talking points

Rabbi Elazar Meisels

1. Only as a Last Resort

"And Hashem spoke to Moshe and to Aharon, saying: When a person will have in the skin of his flesh a spot of intense whiteness or an off-white spot, or a snow-white spot, and it forms on the skin of his body [like] the plague of tzora'as, he shall be brought to Aharon the Kohen, or to one of his sons the Kohanim." 13:1-2

• Why does Hashem not instruct Moshe and Aharon to convey these laws to the Jewish people when it surely needed to be done? This is because Hashem wishes never to have to mete out consequences to mankind for their misdeeds. Rather, His desire is to be able to find them innocent of any wrongdoing. [Therefore He neglected to instruct them to relay this message to the Jewish people, as if hoping that it wouldn't ever be necessary.] Similarly, when Adam sinned by partaking of the Tree of Knowledge, about which he had been warned would lead to his death, Hashem entered into conversation with him hoping that he would seek to repent Midrash Tanchumah, Tazria 7,9
   
• Rabbi Yehoshuah pointed out in the name of Rabbi Levi that the verse does not say, "When a man among you." This was to preserve the dignity of the Jewish people by treating its occurrence as an isolated event, not as evidence of a national malady. Midrash Rabbah, Vayikra 2:11

Although the consequence of Tzaraas no longer afflicts us, in its time, it was certainly a greatly feared form of Divine retribution. Yet, as with most forms of divine retribution, it was only used as a last resort when all else failed. Contrary to popular opinion, Hashem's greatest desire is that we correct our missteps before He is forced to get involved. Much as a parent hopes not to have to mete out punishment to a beloved child, Hashem wants us, His children, to correct our mistakes without the additional prod of divine intervention.

2. The Kohen and Jewish Unity

"When a person will have in the skin of his flesh a spot of intense whiteness he shall be brought before Aharon the Kohen, or to one of his sons the Kohanim. The Kohen shall look at the afflictionit is a tzora'as affliction. The Kohen shall examine it and declare him contaminated." 13:2.3

• To Aharon the Kohein etc. - It is a Scriptural decree that the declaration of the impurity of skin lesions and their purification is only by authority of a Kohen." Rashi

One of the primary causes of tzora'as is the spread of slander, a hateful act that triggers disunity among the Jewish people. The job of the Kohen is to assist the people in their quest for spiritual perfection and unify them under the banner of Torah and Heavenly service. Perhaps this is symbolized by the fact that only the Kohen is fit to pronounce a verdict of contamination by virtue of having disseminated harmful speech. Only with the assistance of the Kohen whose specialty is promoting unity amongst Jews will this person achieve proper Teshuvah and repair the damage done through his actions.

3. The Roots of Slander

"The Kohein shall then order that for the person undergoing purification there be taken two live kosher birds, cedar wood, crimson thread, and a hyssop branch..." 14:4

• Cedar Wood - Because it grows tall, imposing, and wide, the cedar symbolizes haughtiness, and Tzaraas is a result of haughtiness. Rashi
• Crimson Thread and Hyssop - What is his cure that he may be healed? He should lower himself from his arrogance like a worm [used to dye the thread crimson], and like a hyssop [a lowly bush.] Rashi

The purification process for Tzaraas was not merely a "ritual." Rather, it was designed to reflect the character flaws of the slanderer and elicit a firm commitment to repair them. Apologizing to the victim was only one of the steps involved. More importantly, the Torah called for the individual to recognize that the tendency to slander is a manifestation of haughtiness. Thus, the purification process entailed involving symbols of both cedar wood for haughtiness, and crimson thread and hyssop for humility.

4. Jewish Unity Not Optional

"When you come to the land of Canaan, which I am giving to you as an inheritance, I will place the tzaraas affliction in houses in the land you inherit. The one to whom the house belongs shall come and tell the Kohein, 'It looks to me as if there is [something] like a tzaraas affliction in the house.'" 14:34,35

• The occurrence of tzaraas in a home is also a manifestation of selfish behavior and spreading slander. In fact, the home is the first victim of tzaraas. If a person fails to draw the intended inspiration and repent, his clothing will be stricken. When that fails to induce repentance, his skin will be afflicted. Rambam, Hilchos Tumas Tzaraas 16:10
• The one to whom the house belongs One who views his home and possessions as his property and refuses to share them with others will be forced to vacate the home, (following the discovery of the suspected tzaraas) and his possessions will be spread out for all to see. Those to whom he denied possessing various items, in an effort to avoid loaning them out, will see it was his selfish nature that prevented him from sharing his good fortune with others. Talmud, Yoma 11b

The Parshah of tzaraas makes it clear that Jewish unity is not optional. If we fail to respect our fellow Jew, or fall short in the area of communal responsibilities, we'll be alerted to its importance via the unpleasant consequence of tzaraas. Severe as it may have been, it served as an effective deterrent against this harmful and deplorable behavior for hundreds of years. It was only when slanderous and selfish behavior became rampant among the people that the use of tzaraas as a deterrent was rendered ineffective and discontinued. In its absence, we now must struggle to reclaim the unity and basic goodness that was once commonplace among the Jewish people.

5. Softening the Blow

"This is the law for every Tzaraas affliction..." 14:54

• The Torah taught us about three types of Tzaraas, in the following order: 1. Skin 2. Clothing 3. Home

Rabbeinu Bachya points out that in reality, a person is first afflicted in his home. If he fails to repent he is afflicted with tzaraas in his clothing. If even that fails to stir him to repentance, he will be stricken in his skin. The fact that the Torah teaches us about these phenomena in the reverse order, is consistent with its general approach to downplay negative consequences. Thus, rather than describe the escalation of tzaraas in vivid detail, beginning with the lesser form and proceeding to the more drastic form; it began with the most drastic form and concluded with the lesser. Tzaraas was a bitter pill to administer and the Torah sought to diminish its harsh effects in whatever manner possible.

PartneRs talk

Dear Rabbi,
My study partner introduced me to the law stipulating that one must recite a blessing over the study of Torah prior to studying. I never realized that this was mandatory, and I'm now careful to say the blessing each week before we study, and I'm trying to incorporate it into my morning prayer routine as well. I'm confused, though because I always thought that this blessing was only recited when one was called up to the Torah. I don't understand why we recite the blessings when called up to the Torah if it was already recited in the morning. Please clarify this for me.

Many thanks, Sheldon D.

Sheldon,
Thank you for your excellent question. Indeed, there is an obligation to recite the blessings over the study of Torah each morning and one may not study Torah until they have been recited. Once they have been recited in the morning, there is no need to recite them again on that day, as the intent of the one reciting them is to cover all of the Torah study that will occur throughout that entire day until retiring in the evening.

Since this is the case, you are correct to wonder why our custom is that one who is called up to the Torah recites the blessings again. Why is this not an example of a "needless blessing," and considered an unjustifiable utterance of Hashem's name?

There are a number of explanations for this and I'll share some of them with you:

1. As stated above, the blessings recited over the Torah in the morning cover all the Torah that will be studied throughout the day, thus negating the necessity of repeating the blessings each time one begins to study anew. However, some authorities maintain that this is only true of that which one can plan for at the time the blessings are recited. Being called up to the Torah is not within his power, as he must be selected for that honor, and therefore his morning blessings could not possibly cover that study, as well. Consequently, he must recite the blessings a second time when being called up to the Torah.

Others object to this line of reasoning, maintaining that since the possibility of being called up to the Torah is very real, it too, is included in the blessings recited in the morning and doesn't require a fresh set of blessings.

1. Tur [OrachChaim 140,] mentions in the name of his father, the Rosh, that they are recited not out of obligation, but out of respect for the congregation. This is another in a long line of customs performed out of respect for the congregation. Additional examples of this concept are the custom for the Chazzan [cantor] to don a Tallis and the obligation for the Megillah reader to do so while standing.

Yet others explain that the custom that all who are called to the Torah recite the blessings before and after, is based on something altogether different.

The Talmud [Tractate Megillah 21a] writes, that originally, only the first and last person called to the Torah recited the first and last blessings, respectively. A problem developed wherein people would arrive to shul late, and sometimes in the middle of the reading. They did not hear the first person recite the opening blessing, and they mistakenly assumed that since no blessing was recited, it was permitted to read from the Torah without reciting a blessing. To avoid this misunderstanding, our sages decreed that all who are called up to the Torah, recite a blessing before and after the reading.

I would also add that Birchas HaTorah/( the Blessings over the Torah) should be recited with great joy and excitement over the gift of Torah that we were chosen to receive from Hashem. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch [siman 27,] writes that even if one fears that he will not merit understanding the Torah as well as he would like, he should still rejoice in its study as he is assured of much greater comprehension in the World to Come.

Respectfully,
Rabbi Elazar Meisels

Soul Talk

Excerpted from The Kleinman Edition of A Daily Dose of Torah: Parshas Tazriah-Metzorah
Artscroll Mesorah Publications, Brooklyn, NY March 2007.

The final verse of this parshah uses the words: זאת התורה , literally: This is the Torah, in reference to the laws of tzara'as. Sifsei Kohen understands this to be teaching us an important remedy: if one has brought down upon himself the Divine punishment of tzara'as, he must cleanse himself through the study of the Torah. The Torah is a fire of ruchniyus (spirituality) and fire has the capacity to purge impurity (as we see in Bamidbar 31:23).

However, simply learning the Torah is not sufficient; one must absorb the Torah into his very being. This is alluded to at the end of the verse, which states: to declare it tahor or to declare it tamei. Even if one learns the Torah, his task is not yet complete. If he internalizes what he has learned, he will come to purity; but if he does not, the potential for tumah still lurks.

Baal HaTurim notes that Scripture uses the word "Torah" in five verses with respect to the laws of metzora. He relates this to the Five Books of the Torah and states that the Torah is teaching us of the great severity of lashon hara (one of the primary sins that cause tzara'as, as we have discussed earlier in our studies). Thus, the Torah is teaching us that one who speaks lashon hara is deemed as if he has violated all Five Books of the Torah. He also notes that there are ten parshiyos (Torah passages) teaching the various laws of tzara'as that apply to people, houses, and garments. This alludes to the fact that one who observes the Ten Commandments will be spared from having to deal with the punishment of tzara'as that is discussed in these ten sections. R' Moshe Feinstein, focusing on the fact that certain doubtful cases of tzara'as are ruled tahor, notes that one should derive from this a lesson regarding the inherent holiness of every Jew. When it is not certain that there is tumah, we assume that the Jew has remained holy, because every Jew is holy. Even a sinner, he says, really wishes to do the right thing; when he sins, it is simply because his yetzer hara has taken hold of him and steered him in the wrong direction. Thus, one should never despair of being able to teach his children the proper path, for although it may seem that his lessons fall on deaf ears, that is not the case. The lessons may not have immediate impact, but they are absorbed; and eventually they will bear fruit.

Hey, I never knew that!

Amazing Insights About the Weekly Parsha
By Ozer Alport

1) Q: The Torah discusses the laws regarding an אדם (person) who has tzara'as on his skin (13:2). The Holy Zohar teaches that of the many Hebrew words used to describe a person, the word אדם is used to connote a respected individual. Why is a person who has sinned and brought tzara'as on himself referred to with an expression signifying importance?

A: Rav Nissan Alpert explains that a person isn't measured by his mistakes. All people are human and are prone to err from time to time. Rather, a person's worth is measured by whether he learns from his mistakes. A Torah scholar who is content with the level he has reached and has no ambitions to continue improving himself can hardly be said to be a great person. On the other hand, a person who works to grow so as not to repeat his sins is certainly to be respected. In our case, although the person was stricken with tzara'as, if he comes to one of the Kohanim in order to understand what he did wrong and to learn how to correct his ways, the Torah teaches us that nobody could be more important and deserving of our respect!

2) Q: Is tzara'as a contagious disease?

A: The Ibn Ezra (13:2) and Rabbeinu Bechaye write that although tzaraas came as a spiritual punishment for sins, it was nevertheless contagious. The Meshech Chochmah suggests that it was for this reason that tzara'as was viewed by and ruled upon specifically by the Kohanim. Because it was contagious, Hashem wanted those who were separated from the rest of the people and enjoyed unique Divine protection to be in charge of it. In Derech Sichah, Rav Chaim Kanievsky notes that this view seems to be rooted in the Gemora (Kesuvos 77b).

3) Q: Rashi quotes (10:2) the opinion of Rav Yishmael, who maintains that Nadav and Avihu were killed for entering the Mishkan and attempting to bring a sacrifice while drunk. How could they be held responsible for violating a prohibition which would only be taught after their deaths (10:9)?

A: Rav Yosef Karo writes that in both cases he is forbidden to do so. The Torah appointed the Kohanim to perform this task, and if approached, they are forbidden to demur for any reason. Just as a judge may not show favoritism in ruling on the cases brought before him, so too a Kohen must rule on each affliction brought before him to the best of his ability.

Table Talk: For discussion around the Shabbos Table

One of the most well-known causes of tzara'as is lashon hara (disparaging speech). Our sages teach that the punishment for a person who listens to lashon hara is even greater than for the speaker. How can this be understood?

ב) According to one opinion in the Gemora (Sanhedrin 71a), no house was or ever will be stricken and rendered impure by tzara'as. The Gemora explains that this section was written in the Torah so that we may expound upon it and receive reward. How is this to be understood, and what reward do we receive for specifically studying this topic?

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