The text of the pasuk seems ambiguous. If the metzora is brought to the Kohen, why does the Kohen go out? Sforno explains that the metzora is brought to the outskirts of the city, and the Kohen comes out to meet him. Shem M’Shmuel interprets the pasuk homiletically. When the metzora is outside of the camp, he should make every effort to come closer to the Kohen, his lifestyle, his way of thinking, his total demeanor. By advancing towards the Kohen, the metzora purifies his heart and mind. When he has succeeded in motivating himself forward, the Kohen will now approach him. The sinner has to make the first move and demonstrate his true conviction. Only then will his teshuvah be accepted.
Siach Ha’sadeh takes a novel approach towards understanding this pasuk. The Kohen is the righteous leader of the generation. On his plateau of virtue, the most minor infraction is viewed as a grave sin. Hence, he might look at the average Jew with derision. He will abhor his sins, not realizing that he is simply not on the same spiritual level as the Kohen. He must learn to view the actions of the simple Jew in a positive light. The tzaddik/Kohen must recognize that if he were outside of the camp, away from the safety and shelter of the four cubits of Torah; if he were out in the market place dealing with people of adverse backgrounds and base character, he might not be so virtuous himself. Consequently, the Torah tells the Kohen: Imagine yourself out of the camp/Bais Ha’midrash. Remove yourself from your protective environment and look at what the man in front of you has to experience. Look at with whom he must come in contact; take into consideration the type of life to which he has been exposed. Now the Kohen is prepared to observe the plague and heal the metzora.
