Sruly Schnair

זאת תהיה תורת המצרע

This shall be the law of the metzora. (14:2)

We are under the impression that the barometer which determines the quality of a friendship is time spent together socially, in conversation and the frequency of communication. Conversely, one who has no external relationship, does not visit or go out to lunch/dinner, manifests limited communication, is not much of a friend. Horav Eliyahu Svei, zl, cites the Midrash Mishlei (12) that sheds a different light on the criteria for meaningful friendship. Shlomo Hamelech says, Mirmah b’lev choshvei ra, u’l’yoatzei shalom simchah, “There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but, for the counselors of peace, there is…

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זאת תהיה תורת המצרע

Sruly Schnair In Metzora, 5782

This shall be the law of the metzora. (14:2)

The metzora is one who is ritually contaminated due to a physical manifestation of a spiritually-induced disease, sort of a spiritual leprosy. The term metzora is an acronym for motzi shem ra, “one who brings forth a bad name” (Arachin 15), engages in evil, slanderous, vulgar speech. It is a broad term which applies to one who uses his mouth to disparage and hurt others. It is not, however, always about vulgarity and disparaging; it is about decency and sanctity, recognizing that the power of speech is a gift from G-d, which is meant to distinguish us from animals. Speech…

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ונתתי נגע צרעת בבית ארץ אחזתכם... ונתץ את הבית את אבניו ואת עציו ואת כל עפר הבית

Sruly Schnair In Metzora, 5782

When you arrive in the land of Canaan that I gave you as a possession… He shall demolish the house – its stones, its timber, and all the mortar of the house. (14:34,45)

A balance must be maintained between reward and punishment. With regard to nigei batim, an affliction that strikes a house, the owner must call the Kohen to determine if, in fact, it is tamei, ritually contaminated. Prior to making his tamei pronouncement, the Kohen orders that everything be removed from the house, which must now be demolished. Otherwise, whatever is in the house will be declared tamei as well. The lesson we derive from here is that the punishment one administers should not be overly aggressive, certainly not more noteworthy than the infraction. A balance should exist. Prior to punishing…

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והגיד לכהן לאמר כנגע נראה לי בבית

Sruly Schnair In Metzora, 5782

And declare to the Kohen, saying: “Something like an affliction appeared to me in the house.” (14:35)

Chazal (Arachin 16a) teach that leprous (spiritually induced) marks (tzaraas) afflict a person for seven sinful matters: malicious speech; bloodshed; an oath taken in vain; immoral prohibited relations; arrogance/vulgarity; theft; stinginess. (I have taken the liberty of translating gasus ha’ruach as both arrogance and vulgarity, because the arrogant person is vulgar – even if he does not realize it.) The Tosefta (Negaim 6:6) interprets the word leimor, saying (in the above pasuk), as applying to the Kohen; he says to the afflicted person: “Go home and introspect your actions/behavior and repent your ways, because the tzaraas affliction is only visited…

Home -> 5782 -> Tazria

וביום השמיני ימול בשר ערלתו

Sruly Schnair In Tazria, 5782

On the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. (12:3)

The eighth day following birth plays a critical role concerning both a human male and a sacrifice. It also is the day that the Kohanim were inducted into service at the Sanctuary. [Aharon and his sons were instructed to wait in the Ohel Moed for seven full days while Moshe Rabbeinu performed the inauguration service. The inauguration service concluded with the induction of Aharon and his sons as Kohanim on the eighth day.] What is so special about the eighth day? Horav Moshe Feinstein, zl, cites the Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 27:10) which states that both an animal and a human…

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והובא אל אהרן הכהן או אל אחד מבניו הכהנים

Sruly Schnair In Tazria, 5782

He shall be brought to Aharon the Kohen, or to one of his sons the Kohanim. (13:2)

Aharon HaKohen was destined to live another forty years at the most. The chances are that in the future the metzora will present himself to one of Aharon’s descendants. Why is Aharon mentioned here for posterity, when, in fact, his tenure was short? The Tiferes Shlomo explains that the achievements of tzaddikim inspire for generations to come – long after they have left this world. He relates an incident that occurred concerning the Arizal, one time when he was sitting surrounded by his students. In came Horav Shmuel DiOzida, zl, author of the Midrash Shmuel, who was a young man…

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נגע צרעת כי תהיה באדם

Sruly Schnair In Tazria, 5782

If a tzaraas affliction will be in a person. (13:9)

Tzaraas, spiritual leprosy, is visited upon a person who fails to curb his tongue. Lashon hora, slanderous speech, is the rubric under which sins of verbal expression fall. Veritably, it does not have to be verbal; it may be a non-verbal expression, such as a turn of the nose, a “hrrumph” negatively dispatched with enough venom behind it to destroy a person: all this falls under the lashon hora classification. We also recognize such a phenomenon as lashon tov, good, complimentary speech, words that soothe, embrace, empower, ennoble and show that someone respects and cares about you. Sadly, the negative…

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וטמא טמא יקרא ... בדד שב מחוץ למחנה משבו

Sruly Schnair In Tazria, 5782

He is to call out: “Contaminated, contaminated” … He shall dwell in isolation; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. (13:45,46)

Shlomo Hamelech writes (Sefer Mishlei 18:21), Maves v’chaim b’yad lashon; “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” We can understand that slander defames a person; it can be viewed as character assassination, but murder? The victim that has been disgraced, slandered, is alive and well. Why is the act of speaking evil considered tantamount to murder? The Baalei Mussar, Ethicists, make a powerful statement, one which we rarely think about. When one is slandered, when one is the subject of lashon hora, he is no longer viewed in the same manner – even if it is a…

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וראה הכהן אחרי הכבס את הנגע והנה לא הפך הנגע את עינו

Sruly Schnair In Tazria, 5782

The Kohen shall look after the affliction has been washed and behold! The affliction has not changed its color. (13:55)

The Zohar Hakadosh notes that the words nega and oneg are comprised of the same Hebrew letters, but in different sequence: nun, gimmel, ayin – nega; ayin, nun, gimmel – oneg. The difference between them is where the ayin is placed – at the beginning of the word (as in oneg, pleasure) or the end of the word (nega, affliction). The metzora is to derive a powerful lesson therein. If he expiates his hurtful speech and changes his life, he transforms his present state of nega to oneg. As long as he is afflicted, however, it indicates that he has…

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קרב אל המזבח ועשה את חטאתך ואת עולתך וכפר בעדך

Sruly Schnair In Shemini, 5782

Come near to the Altar, and perform the service of your sin-offering and your elevation-offering, and provide atonement for yourself. (9:7)

The Chatas, sin-offering, which Aharon HaKohen brought, was personal. It atoned for his participation in the chet ha’eigal, Golden Calf debacle. Why was it necessary for Aharon to offer up his korban prior to offering up the communal offering? Horav Eliyahu Meir Bloch, zl, derives from here that, prior to teaching others, one must first and foremost show that he himself is free of any such taint. When one seeks to convey his hashkafos, perspectives/outlook on life (based upon the Torah) to others, he must first be an exemplar of his teaching. K’shot atzmecha v’achar kach k’shot acheirim, “Beautify yourself…

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זאת תהיה תורת המצרע

This shall be the law of the metzora. (14:2)

זאת תהיה תורת המצרע

This shall be the law of the metzora. (14:2)

ונתתי נגע צרעת בבית ארץ אחזתכם... ונתץ את הבית את אבניו ואת עציו ואת כל עפר הבית

When you arrive in the land of Canaan that I gave you as a possession… He shall demolish the house – its stones, its timber, and all the mortar of the house. (14:34,45)

והגיד לכהן לאמר כנגע נראה לי בבית

And declare to the Kohen, saying: “Something like an affliction appeared to me in the house.” (14:35)

וביום השמיני ימול בשר ערלתו

On the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. (12:3)

והובא אל אהרן הכהן או אל אחד מבניו הכהנים

He shall be brought to Aharon the Kohen, or to one of his sons the Kohanim. (13:2)

נגע צרעת כי תהיה באדם

If a tzaraas affliction will be in a person. (13:9)

וטמא טמא יקרא ... בדד שב מחוץ למחנה משבו

He is to call out: “Contaminated, contaminated” … He shall dwell in isolation; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. (13:45,46)

וראה הכהן אחרי הכבס את הנגע והנה לא הפך הנגע את עינו

The Kohen shall look after the affliction has been washed and behold! The affliction has not changed its color. (13:55)

קרב אל המזבח ועשה את חטאתך ואת עולתך וכפר בעדך

Come near to the Altar, and perform the service of your sin-offering and your elevation-offering, and provide atonement for yourself. (9:7)

YEARS

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