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Home -> 5774 -> Metzora

זאת תהיה תורת המצורע

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5774

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

The tongue has no mind. It expresses the feelings that the individual has in his heart. A positive person, whose outlook on life and people is positive, invariably speaks only good – because this is what he sees. This is what he feels in his heart. A negative person, whose view on life and people is jaundiced, speaks lashon hora, evil speech, because this is all that he knows. In other words, the best protection against lashon hora is a positive outlook. A primary component for maintaining a positive view on people is to respect others. This is increasingly difficult…

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Home -> 5774 -> Metzora

ויצא הכהן אל מחוץ למחנה וראה הכהן והנה נרפא נגע הצרעת מן הצרוע

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5774

The Kohen shall go forth to the outside of the camp; the Kohen shall look, and behold: the tzaraas affliction has been healed from the metzora. (14:3)

The atonement of the metzora does not occur overnight. He must spend time in quarantine, away from people, alone with himself, so that he can reflect on his misdeeds. He was better than others – or so he thought. His haughtiness bred contempt for others – because, after all, he was better than they were. Being alone allows him the opportunity to realize how much “better” he really is. As soon as he comes full circle and comes down from his lofty perch, he is ready for atonement. The spiritual healing process has begun. The three-stage process of purification may…

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Home -> 5774 -> Metzora

והנה פשה הנגע בבית צרעת ממארת היא בבית טמא הוא

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5774

And behold! The affliction had spread in the house: it is a malignant tzaraas in the house. (14:44)

It seems as if every type of tumah, spiritual contamination, has some form of tikkun, spiritual repair, some way to correct what has been “broken,” to fix what has been put into spiritual dysfunction – everything but tzaraas ha’bayis, a house that manifests a plague. The house must be dismantled – every component connected to the house, wood, stone, even the earth upon which it is built – must be removed. Is this not a bit extreme? Every creation has a spiritual dimension to it or else it would cease to exist: domeim, inanimate; tzomeach, growing vegetation; chai, living creations;…

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ואשה כי יזיב זב דמה ימים רבים... והזרתם את בני ישראל מטומאתם ולא ימתו מטומאתם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5774

If a woman’s blood flows for many days… You shall separate Bnei Yisrael from their contamination; and they shall not die as a result of their contamination. (15:25,31)

One would think that, as people age, they become more amenable to perform teshuvah, to repent a life lived inappropriately, not in consonance with Torah dictate. Yet, this is not necessarily true. Horav Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler, zl, writes that as a person ages, the yetzer hora, evil inclination, puts on a greater battle to lay claim to this individual’s spiritual dysfunction. After leading him astray for a lifetime, he does not want to lose the battle at the very end. I have noticed this in speaking with seniors who agree with what they “hear,” but are not prepared to effect…

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Home -> 5773 -> Metzora

זאת תהיה תורת המצורע

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5773

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

Tzaraas, spiritual leprosy, is not visited upon a person in a vacuum. There is a profound reason that this Heavenly punishment just happens to show up one day on a person’s body, clothing, or home. In fact, there are a number of reasons, which all have one common thread coursing between them: interpersonal relationships. The metzora is a motzi ra, brings forth slander, evil speech, arrogance – all these and much more – in their various forms. Everyone has excuses to justify their slanderous talk, whether they feel they are only telling the truth, protecting the public, calling it the…

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Home -> 5773 -> Metzora

ולקח למטהר שתי צפרים חיות טהרות ועץ ארז ושני תולעת ואזב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5773

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

The erstwhile sinner must purge himself of the character flaw that led to his sinful behavior. One who slanders, who speaks ill of others, thinks that he is better, smarter, stronger, etc. than they are, can blame his haughtiness. Arrogance breeds contempt for those whom one considers to be beneath him. Thus, the metzora’s process of purification, which entails repentance to atone for his misdeeds, must address the moral turpitude which brought him here in the first place. The cedar tree, which grows tall above other forms of vegetation, symbolizes haughtiness. The crimson thread is prepared with a dye from…

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Home -> 5772 -> Metzora

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5772

“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 -> 5772 -> Metzora

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5772

“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 -> 5771 -> Metzora

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5771

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

Parshiyos Tazria and Metzora are dedicated primarily to the deleterious effects of an uncontrolled, slanderous tongue. Various plagues which strike the human body – and even the individual’s house and possessions – are all attributed in some way to lashon hara, evil speech, and its “derivatives.” The Torah does not come out and clearly present the connection between lashon hara and tzaraas; rather, it alludes to it in Sefer Devarim 24:8, 9: “Beware of a tzaraas affliction, to be very careful and to act… Remember what Hashem, your G-d, did to Miriam.” According to Rashi, a distinct connection exists between…

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Home -> 5771 -> Metzora

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Metzora, 5771

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

There is a famous Chassidic tale which addresses the ramifications of lashon hara, slanderous speech, that is well worth repeating: In a small town in Eastern Europe a fine man lived who had one failing: he talked too much. He was well-liked and, thus, successful in his business endeavor. The problem was that when one is successful due to his personality, obviously a lot of talking is involved. Inevitably, it leads to talking about people, with the details often embellished to garner greater interest. This is lashon hara. Otherwise, the fellow was a real “nice guy.” One day, this “nice…

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