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Home -> 5766 -> Metzora

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5766

“He shall be brought to the Kohen.” (14:2)

The Kohen plays a pivotal role in the tumah and taharah, contamination and purity, of the metzora. Horav Meir Yechiel, z.l., m’Gustinin offers a profound explanation for the Kohen’s significance in this process. Realistically, when we rebuke the slanderer for his disparaging tongue, he is quick to respond, “But, I am only telling the truth.” He is justifying his iniquity with a spurious display of virtue. This false righteousness is an integral part of the slanderer’s trade. He conceals his evil with a facade of piety. This is why we bring him to the Kohen. The Kohen is a descendant…

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Home -> 5765 -> Metzora

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5765

“This shall be the law of the metzora on the day of his purification.” (14:2)

We do not realize the power of the words that exit our mouths. Indeed, it is possible that a simple, innocuous comment made needlessly can have a far-reaching effect, as demonstrated by the following story: The Chafetz Chaim and another rav once set out on a three-day journey on a dvar mitzvah, a matter of religious significance. They stopped at an inn, whose impeccable kashrus standards were well-known, to have dinner. After the meal, the proprietress of the restaurant came over and asked them if they were pleased with their dinner. The Chafetz Chaim immediately responded in the affirmative. His…

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Home -> 5765 -> Metzora

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5765

“He shall be brought to the Kohen.” (14:2)

The Kohen plays a pivotal role in the tumah and taharah, contamination and purity, of the metzora. Horav Meir Yechiel, z.l., m’Gustinin offers a profound explanation for the Kohen’s significance in this process. Realistically, when we rebuke the slanderer for his disparaging tongue, he is quick to respond, “But, I am only telling the truth.” He is justifying his iniquity with a spurious display of virtue. This false righteousness is an integral part of the slanderer’s trade. He conceals his evil with a facade of piety. This is why we bring him to the Kohen. The Kohen is a descendant…

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Home -> 5764 -> Metzora

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5764

“This shall be the law of the metzora on the day of his purification.” (14:2)

We do not realize the power of the words that exit our mouths. Indeed, it is possible that a simple, innocuous comment made needlessly can have a far-reaching effect, as demonstrated by the following story: The Chafetz Chaim and another rav once set out on a three-day journey on a dvar mitzvah, a matter of religious significance. They stopped at an inn, whose impeccable kashrus standards were well-known, to have dinner. After the meal, the proprietress of the restaurant came over and asked them if they were pleased with their dinner. The Chafetz Chaim immediately responded in the affirmative. His…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5764 -> Metzora

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5764

“He shall be brought to the Kohen.” (14:2)

The Kohen plays a pivotal role in the tumah and taharah, contamination and purity, of the metzora. Horav Meir Yechiel, z.l., m’Gustinin offers a profound explanation for the Kohen’s significance in this process. Realistically, when we rebuke the slanderer for his disparaging tongue, he is quick to respond, “But, I am only telling the truth.” He is justifying his iniquity with a spurious display of virtue. This false righteousness is an integral part of the slanderer’s trade. He conceals his evil with a facade of piety. This is why we bring him to the Kohen. The Kohen is a descendant…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5763 -> Metzora

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5763

“This shall be the law of the metzora on the day of his purification.” (14:2)

We do not realize the power of the words that exit our mouths. Indeed, it is possible that a simple, innocuous comment made needlessly can have a far-reaching effect, as demonstrated by the following story: The Chafetz Chaim and another rav once set out on a three-day journey on a dvar mitzvah, a matter of religious significance. They stopped at an inn, whose impeccable kashrus standards were well-known, to have dinner. After the meal, the proprietress of the restaurant came over and asked them if they were pleased with their dinner. The Chafetz Chaim immediately responded in the affirmative. His…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5763 -> Metzora

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5763

“He shall be brought to the Kohen.” (14:2)

The Kohen plays a pivotal role in the tumah and taharah, contamination and purity, of the metzora. Horav Meir Yechiel, z.l., m’Gustinin offers a profound explanation for the Kohen’s significance in this process. Realistically, when we rebuke the slanderer for his disparaging tongue, he is quick to respond, “But, I am only telling the truth.” He is justifying his iniquity with a spurious display of virtue. This false righteousness is an integral part of the slanderer’s trade. He conceals his evil with a facade of piety. This is why we bring him to the Kohen. The Kohen is a descendant…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5762 -> Metzora

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5762

“This shall be the law of the metzora on the day of his purification: he shall be brought to the Kohen.” (14:2)

The Kohen has the first and last word in regard to negaim, plagues. Toras Kohanim states that it is a gezeiras haKasuv, Biblical edict, that  the  rendering  of  tumah  and  taharah,  impurity  or  purity, is solely in the hands of the Kohanim. Sforno adds that the Kohanim are the ones who teach and guide the people in the spiritual dimension. Interfacing with them all will encourage the metzora, afflicted sinner, to repent and mend his ways. While the Kohen is the decisor concerning negaim, Chazal say that “one can see/inspect all negaim, except his own.” Even a simple, clean-cut plague cannot…

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Home -> 5762 -> Metzora

זאת תהיה תורת המצרע ביום טהרתו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5762

“This shall be the law of the metzora on the day of his purification.” (14:2)

One who is determined to correct the sin of lashon hara is confronted with two paradoxical issues. On the one hand, Chazal teach us that the Torah goes out of its way not to reveal any failing whatsoever, even in regard to an inanimate object. The Midrash teaches us that Hashem did not reveal the specie of the Eitz HaDaas, Tree of Knowledge, because an aveirah, sin, was actualized through it. We see this idea in regard to an animal with whom a woman had an immoral  relationship: it is killed. While we understand that the woman should be put to…

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Home -> 5762 -> Metzora

ועץ ארז ושני תולעת ואזב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5762

“Cedarwood, crimson thread and hyssop.” (14:4)

The sin of lashon hara has its roots in arrogance. The sinner possesses a moral flaw, a character deficiency which allows him to think  that  he  is  better,  more  intelligent  and  more  virtuous than others. He is the savior that is going to rid the world of those whom he perceives to be corrupt. He overlooks one thing: his own haughtiness, which breeds contempt for others, provokes him to think ill of them, catalyzing him to speak callously about them. The teshuvah, repentance, process takes this into consideration by making him bring cedarwood, crimson thread and hyssop along with his sacrifice,…

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