Rabbi L. Scheinbaum

Something like an affliction has appeared to me in the house. (14:35)

In Meseches Negaim 12:5, Chazal state that one should not assert that he definitely saw a plague. Rather, he should say that he saw what appears to be a plague. A number of reasons are given for this halachah. The Torah Temimah suggests a somewhat novel interpretation. The Kohen is the one who renders decisions regarding negaim, plagues. It would, therefore, be brazen on the part of anyone else to issue a decision in the presence of the Kohen. By saying that he has a plague, the metzora seems to be rendering a decision concerning himself in the presence of…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Metzora, 5757

When you arrive in the land of Canaan…And I will place a tzaraas affliction upon a house in the land of your possession. (14:34)

Rashi comments that actually this plague was beneficial, for the Amoriim had hidden treasures of gold in the walls of their houses for the entire forty years that Bnei Yisrael were in the desert. As a result of the leprous plague, the Jews were compelled to demolish the houses, exposing the hidden treasures. The question is obvious: Is there not an easier way to grant the Jews treasures other than requiring them to demolish their houses? Surely Hashem could have shined His beneficence upon them through another, less trying, avenue. What makes this more puzzling is that the Talmud in…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Metzora, 5757

And for the person being purified there shall be taken two live, clean birds, cedarwood, crimson thread and hyssop. (14:4)

The root of lashon hora is arrogance. The arrogant person feels he can talk about others with disdain. Haughtiness breeds contempt for all people, other than the slanderer himself. During the process of purification, the metzora goes through a penance which entails his commitment to change his deeds. The three items that accompany his korban symbolize sin and its teshuvah. Cedarwood, which grows tall and wide, symbolizes haughtiness. The crimson thread is dyed with a dye that is derived from a lowly creature. The hyssop is a lowly bush. Both of these latter items allude to the metzora’s newfound humility….

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Metzora, 5757

He shall be brought to the Kohen. The Kohen shall go forth to the outskirts of the camp. (14:2,3)

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…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Metzora, 5757

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

The verbal form “vhv,”, “shall be,” denotes unlimited future. This implies that the laws regarding the metzora’s purification process are not bound by time or the end of korbanos in the Bais Ha’mikdash. Indeed, the Rambam opines that the laws apply at all times. The absence of a Bais Ha’mikdash prevents us from offering sacrifices, but what about other aspects of the law? Are we to think that the “causes” of tzaraas have disappeared? We disregard any form of procedure regarding the tzaraas affliction, because we no longer have an authentic Kohen who can pronounce an individual tamei or tahor….

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Metzora, 5757

This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. (14:2)

The phenomenon of the negaim, plagues, is a clear example of the cause and effect relationship between sin and punishment. Good deeds effect reward, and evil deeds bring retribution. Indeed, Chazal emphatically state that lashon hora, slanderous speech, directly causes tzaraas, leprosy. The metzora is relegated to living alone, away from people, as penance for his sins. He caused contention and rifts between people; therefore, he is separated from the community. Let him experience for himself the effect of his disparaging words. Let him see the hurt he has caused, the divisiveness and strife that his words have brought upon…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Masei

They journeyed from the wilderness of Sinai and they camped in Kivroth HaTaavah. (33:16)

Kivros HaTaavah, “the graves of craving,” alludes to a place where many Jews died as a result of their craving for meat. Horav Tzvi Pesach Frank,zl, suggests that this pasuk relates more than Klal Yisrael’s geographical journey. The pasuk implies that one who distances himself from Torah will ultimately end up in the clutches of taavah, lust. The only safeguard to keep an individual from being swallowed up by his physical desires is his immersion in the sea of Torah. Without Torah, one is subject to the whims and fancies of his yetzer hora. Horav Frank bases his thesis upon…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Masei

These are the journeys of Bnei Yisrael, who went forth from the land of Egypt according to their legions. (33:1)

The Torah makes a synopsis of Bnei Yisrael’s forty-year journey through the desert. The forty-two encampments from Egypt to Eretz Yisrael are enumerated. Obviously, some places left stronger impressions than others. The summary alludes to the forty year history with its ups and downs. Is it really necessary to detail all forty-two places? Is it important to open up old wounds, to recall moments in our history that we would most seek to forget? Horav Nissan Alpert, zl, claims that one can and should make every effort to learn from his mistakes. Thus, he will be able to…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Matos

Behold! You have risen up in a place of your fathers, a society of sinful people, to add more to the burning wrath of Hashem against Yisrael. (32:14)

Moshe Rabbeinu’s reaction to Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven seems atypical. What did they do that was sufficiently terrible to invoke such anger on his part? How were they jeopardizing the rest of the people with their request? Horav Eliyohu Meir Bloch,zl, offers a thoughtful explanation, addressing why Moshe Rabbeinu reacted in the way that he did. When a group of people breaks away from the community and seek to be different – even if what they are requesting is justified – it creates a rift in the general populace. The situation is no longer the same. The communal zeal…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Matos

And Moshe became angry at the officers of the army…and Elazar the Kohen told the soldiers going to war, “This is the statute of the Torah that Hashem told Moshe. (31:14)

One should do everything possible to contain his anger. Perhaps, if one seriously considers the devastating effect of anger, he would exert more effort to control himself. This seems to apply only in the event the anger is unfounded. What about situations in which one feels his anger is justified — or if it really is justified? Rav Chaim claims that the detrimental results of anger, the loss of one’s wisdom and stature, apparently occur regardless of the nature of the anger. Indeed, by taking into account the tragic effects of anger, one might quite possibly deter the anger from…

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Something like an affliction has appeared to me in the house. (14:35)

When you arrive in the land of Canaan…And I will place a tzaraas affliction upon a house in the land of your possession. (14:34)

And for the person being purified there shall be taken two live, clean birds, cedarwood, crimson thread and hyssop. (14:4)

He shall be brought to the Kohen. The Kohen shall go forth to the outskirts of the camp. (14:2,3)

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

This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. (14:2)

They journeyed from the wilderness of Sinai and they camped in Kivroth HaTaavah. (33:16)

These are the journeys of Bnei Yisrael, who went forth from the land of Egypt according to their legions. (33:1)

Behold! You have risen up in a place of your fathers, a society of sinful people, to add more to the burning wrath of Hashem against Yisrael. (32:14)

And Moshe became angry at the officers of the army…and Elazar the Kohen told the soldiers going to war, “This is the statute of the Torah that Hashem told Moshe. (31:14)

YEARS

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