Metzora – Page 9 – Peninim on the Torah

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

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

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

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

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, 5756

“The Kohen shall command to take for him that is to be cleansed two living birds, and cedarwood, and crimson thread and hyssop.” (14:4)

Rashi explains the symbolism of the cedarwood, crimson thread and hyssop as an allusion to the need for humility, the metzora’s need to focus on and to neutralize his arrogant nature. This is consistent with Chazal‘s teaching that the various nega’im, plagues, are the result of gasus ha’ruach, vulgarity and haughtiness. Horav Shimon Schwab, zl, suggests that these three objects signify three types of humility. First is the fellow who sees his own insignificance. He realizes that the insignificant amount of Torah he may have studied is nothing in relation to the vast storehouse of Torah knowledge that exists. He…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Metzora, 5756

“And I will place a tzaraas affliction upon a house in the land of your possession… and he shall declare to the Kohen, saying, ‘something like a plague has appeared to Me on the house.. and the Kohen shall quarantine the house for a seven day period.'” (14:34,35,38)

A plague on a house was apparently a supernatural occurrence. Rashi cites the Midrash that says when the Canaanites saw that their end was near, they hid their valuables in the walls of their homes. Hashem placed affliction upon a house so that when the house was to be dismantled, the Jewish owner would find the hidden treasures. Consequently, the plague was a blessing in disguise. We may question the reason for a seven-day quarantine on the house. If the sole purpose of the quarantine was to expose the treasure, the mere indication of a plague should signal the “demolition…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Metzora, 5755

“The Kohen shall command, and there shall be taken for the person being purified two birds … and cedarwood, crimson thread and hyssop.” (14:4)

Atonement for sin requires that the moral flaw which activated the misdeed be purged. One who speaks disparagingly of others is arrogant. A person who puts others down is haughty. The metzora must now humble himself as contrition for his sin. Rashi explains that the three items which the metzora brought allude to the metzora’s resolve to humble himself: Cedarwood which grows tall, imposing and wide, symbolizes arrogance. The wool thread which is dyed with a pigment made from a lowly creature and the hyssop, which is a lowly bush, represents the penitent’s newly found humility. He who used to…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Metzora, 5755

“And there shall be taken for the person being purified two birds.” (14:4)

Horav Moshe Shternbuch, Shlita, observes that there are two types of baalei lashon hara, slanderers. There are those who are blatant, who disparage without shame. Their lack of sensitivity for others is overshadowed only by their own personal lack of self-respect. There is yet another type of baal lashon hara: one who attempts to veil his invidious activities, because he is embarrassed by his reprehensible maligning of others. He seeks to hurt; he has no qualms whatsoever about character assassination, but he doesn’t want to have his own name revealed as the cause of this embarrassment. The Torah addresses itself…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Metzora, 5755

“And he shall take one bird… and he shall send away the living bird.” (14:5,7)

This is one of two instances in the Torah in which two animals are selected: Both times, one serves as a korban, while the other is sent away to the desert. The first selection, which occurs on Yom Kippur, is carried out through the use of lots. The goat whose lot is marked L’Hashem is used as a korban, while the goat whose lot is marked L’Azazel is sent into the desolate desert to die. Why is there no lottery used in this case to select which bird will live and which bird will die as a korban ? It…

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

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

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

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)

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

“The Kohen shall command to take for him that is to be cleansed two living birds, and cedarwood, and crimson thread and hyssop.” (14:4)

“And I will place a tzaraas affliction upon a house in the land of your possession… and he shall declare to the Kohen, saying, ‘something like a plague has appeared to Me on the house.. and the Kohen shall quarantine the house for a seven day period.'” (14:34,35,38)

“The Kohen shall command, and there shall be taken for the person being purified two birds … and cedarwood, crimson thread and hyssop.” (14:4)

“And there shall be taken for the person being purified two birds.” (14:4)

“And he shall take one bird… and he shall send away the living bird.” (14:5,7)

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