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Home -> 5782 -> Metzora

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…

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Home -> 5782 -> Metzora

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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Home -> 5782 -> Metzora

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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Home -> 5782 -> Metzora

זאת תהיה תורת המצרע

Sruly Schnair
In Metzora, 5782

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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Home -> 5781 -> Metzora

זאת תהיה תורת המצורע

Sruly Schnair
In Metzora, 5781

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

The Torah devotes no less than 115 pesukim (Tazria-Metzora) to the various forms of tzaraas and their purification process. Clearly the lengthy focus on tzaraas indicates the significance the Torah extends to the precursor of tzaraas: lashon hora, evil/slanderous speech. The motzi shem ra, individual who uses his tongue to propagate negative information about a fellow Jew, is the one who becomes the tzaraas victim. Thus, the parshiyos dealing with the tzaraas plagues indicate the severity of lashon hora. Interestingly, the only allusion in the Torah that connects tzaraas with lashon hora is in Devarim 24:8,9 when the Torah admonishes…

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Home -> 5781 -> Metzora

זאת תהיה תורת המצורע

Sruly Schnair
In Metzora, 5781

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

The Talmud (Horayos 12b) relates that Rava asked Rav Nachman if a Kohen Gadol who was afflicted with tzaraas, spiritual leprosy, may marry a widow. (Under normal circumstances, the Kohen Gadol may not marry a widow. However, since as a metzora he is disqualified from serving, perhaps the prohibition against marrying a widow would not presently pertain to him.) The answer was not available to him. On another occasion, Rav Pappa raised the same question to Rav Nachman. This time, Rav Huna, son of Rav Nachman, interjected with the answer that, just as a Kohen Gadol who becomes tamei, ritually…

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Home -> Metzora -> Tazria

ובא אשר לו הבית... והבא אל הבית ... יטמא

Sruly Schnair
In Tazria, Metzora, 5780

The one to whom the house belongs shall come… (14:35) Anyone who comes into the house…shall be contaminated (14:46)

A house that has a tzaraas plague, appear on its structure is rendered tamei, ritually contaminated. This is a miraculous phenomenon which occurs only in Eretz Yisrael. If it does not disappear, the walls – and, at times, the entire structure – is demolished. Initially (Ramban), tzaraas on a house is Hashem’s subtle rebuke to its owner. Something is amiss in his behavior. The house is his first warning. Hashem first afflicts (he who is deserving) something outside of his body. If he does not listen to the message and positively alters his demeanor, the ailment will spread to his…

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Home -> Metzora -> Tazria

כי תבואו אל ארץ כנען ... ונתתי נגע צרעת בבית ארץ אחוזתכם

Sruly Schnair
In Tazria, Metzora, 5780

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)

A well-known Rashi teaches that the news concerning a plague of tzaraas appearing on one’s house was to be taken with a grain of salt. While at first it seems tragic that one should suffer the loss of his home, there was a rewarding caveat to the destruction of the house. When the Canaanim heard of the impending arrival of the Jews into the land which they had inhabited, they hid their treasures in the walls, so that the Jews would not benefit from them. Now that the house was destroyed, the concealed places revealed all of the hidden treasure….

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Home -> Metzora -> Tazria

בדד ישב מחוץ למחנה מושבו

Sruly Schnair
In Tazria, Metzora, 5780

He shall dwell in isolation; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. (13:46)

Someone comes over and says, “Have you heard the latest about Moshe?” (Fictitious name) The perfect response, as noted by the Baalei Mussar, Ethicists, is: “Let me ask you a simple question. Did you make it your business to run the information (concerning Moshe) through your three sieves?” “What three sieves?” you ask. “Well, the first sieve is the one of emes, truth. Are you absolutely certain that what you are about to say is true?” At this point, the individual who was about to share a nice bit of information hesitates and says, “I heard it from someone whom…

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Home -> Metzora -> Tazria

בגדיו יהיו פרומים וראשו יהיה פרוע

Sruly Schnair
In Tazria, Metzora, 5780

His clothes shall be rent, his head shall be wild. (13:45)

It is vital that people recognize that the metzora, spiritual leper, is impure, and, as a result, people will veer away from him. The Sefer HaChinuch explains the source/root of this mitzvah. (Not a reason, because reasons are not given for mitzvos. Mitzvos are mandated, and only Hashem knows the true reason.) The metzora should take his distancing from his people as an example for his neshamah, soul. A person is distanced from all good as a result of his sin, in order that he be inspired to repent from his evil way. As a result of his slanderous speech…

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