Tazria – Peninim on the Torah

והצרוע אשר בו הנגע... וטמא טמא יקרא... בדד ישב מחוץ למחנה מושבו

And the person with tzaraas in whom there is the affliction… he is to call out: “Contaminated, contaminated…” “He shall dwell in isolation; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. (13:45,46)

Horav Yehoshua Shklar, Shlita, writes that he heard from one of the contemporary Mashgichim an explanation why lashon hora is different than all other sins. When a person sins, it affects a certain part of his body. When a person slanders his fellowman, regardless of the nature of the slander, it affects the entire human being. The entire subject of the lashon hora has been transformed, diminished by the slander. For instance, if one were to allege that an individual was guilty of a sin – ie, theft, moral turpitude, ethical impairment – it is not just one specific point…

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נגע צרעת כי תהיה באדם והובא אל הכהן

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Tazria, 5776

If a tzaraas affliction will be in a person, he shall be brought to the Kohen. (13:9)

Someone who lives in the dirt, whose garments are perpetually soiled, does not comprehend the ruckus made over a stain on one’s shirt. Likewise, as Ramban explains, the parsha of negaim, plagues, applies only when Klal Yisrael is shleimim b’Hashem, whole, perfect with the Almighty, when the Ruach Elokim, Spirit of G-d, is always over them. It is then that they must maintain a pristine attitude and appearance in the external semblance of body, apparel and abode. Sforno writes that it is the Kohen, the spiritual mentor and exemplar of the Jewish People, who determines the viability of the plague…

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וראה הכהן את הנגע בעור הבשר... וטמא אתו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Tazria, 5776

And the Kohen shall look at the mark in the skin… and (he will) pronounce it unclean. (13:3)

One cannot study the laws of tzaraas and the reason for their occurrence and not be filled with pride that he is a Jew. Other religions pay lip service to social graces, human decency, and ethical behavior. Nonetheless, they are not part of their corpus of laws. One is encouraged to be ethical, distance himself from avarice, not commit social sins, but if he does, it is not the end of the world. Imagine censuring a politician for lying! We would have no government! On the other hand, our Torah’s inclusion of Hilchos Negaim, laws concerning plagues, indicates that Hashem…

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ובמלאת ימי טהרה לבן ולבת

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Tazria, 5776

Upon completion of the days of her purity for a son or for a daughter. (12:6)

The term “son” or “daughter” denotes a stronger, more definitive relationship than that implied by referring to a child as either one’s male or female offspring. A son is the product of a viable, strong relationship, part of a legacy, who serves as a link in a generational chain. He identifies with his parent as the product of a relationship forged on the principles of devotion to a Higher Power, to Hashem. “Son” or “daughter” indicates pedigree. Thus, we call attention to the fact that previously, in pesukim 2 and 5, the Torah refers to the woman’s offspring as a…

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והצרוע אשר בו הנגע... וטמא טמא יקרא... בדד ישב מחוץ למחנה מושבו

And the person with tzaraas in whom there is the affliction… he is to call out: “Contaminated, contaminated…” “He shall dwell in isolation; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. (13:45,46)

נגע צרעת כי תהיה באדם והובא אל הכהן

If a tzaraas affliction will be in a person, he shall be brought to the Kohen. (13:9)

וראה הכהן את הנגע בעור הבשר... וטמא אתו

And the Kohen shall look at the mark in the skin… and (he will) pronounce it unclean. (13:3)

ובמלאת ימי טהרה לבן ולבת

Upon completion of the days of her purity for a son or for a daughter. (12:6)

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