DELVING INTO THE PARSHA

1. What is the name of this week’s parsha? What does it mean?

A: Metsora. It is the term for one afflicted with tsaras (not tsaros –meaning woes, but the disease of last week’s parsha which results from certain sins of the heart, mind and toungue, resulting in discolouration on one’s skin, hair, clothing, utensils and furniture and house.) After last weeks parsha which discussed the determination of an impure blemish, this week’s parsha is discussing the purification and reintegration procedure.

1. If a the greatest sage of the generation is teaching a young Cohen, and somebody needing a tsaras diagnosis walks in, who must render the decision?

A: the Cohen – only they have the capacity to render a blemish as pure or impure. This is one of the reasons why the afflicted says ‘it appears to me I have a plague’, and not ‘I have a plague’ – for only a Cohen can officially render a blemish as tzaras.
Other reasons why one reports the affliction in an oblique way is not to speak of negative things, at least not with certainty – especially since this has the power to trigger their onset. One is also being taught to speak with humility, and not to say “I know/ I can/ I am, etc. – humility is so important, particularly in one’s preparedness to receive Torah, and to effectuate internal growth, that in regards to spiritual matters you are even permitted to mask the truth in order to protect your humilty .

2. What is the maximum number of weeks one can remain with an undetermined affliction (both on the body or house)?

3 weeks – after that a failure to improve is deemed as a sign of tzaras, for a healthy body and soul will naturally remedy itself. 3 is generally the number accepted in Torah to create a ‘chazakah’ (status quo).

There is also a maximum amount of time that a person can remain a metsora, with all the laws, and separations it requires. All of the parameters set forth for a metsora are almost a guarantee that he will be rehabilitated. Once the blemish has begun to recede, the Cohen goes out to his isolated encampment to diagnose if he is fit to begin the purification process. He does not have the option of remaining ascetic or antisocial, the Torah requires us to be prosocial beings. Judaism is the religion where being normal and being holy are synonymous and interdependent.
This can explain why, as part of his purification procedure, the metsora

3. What colour is the tzaras on a house?

A green or red – these show imbalances to either the left (red) or right (green). Like all heavenly ordained punishments, these come measure for measure, both as a natural outcome of one’s errors and failings, and also as a means to show us exactly where it is we need to improve or avoid. (E.g. the sin of the calf revealed a lack of desire on our part for an intimate relation and self-abnegation to Hashem, thus He responded by pulling away, leaving us to more natural forces. The spies sinned by rallying the people’s lack of interest to continue their spiritual development in the land of Israel, and so they were all decreed to die before entering. The snake in Eden sinned by causing Eve to be ingrateful (that despite being place in a utopic luxury, there was one tree she was not permitted to partake of. As a result, the snake was sentenced to writhe on its belly, never to look up to the heavens, and its food is always available like the dust of the Earth, and we all know, that one who has always had, and has never known lack or worry, is not easily appreciative and sensitive. ) So too the metsora is ostracized and acts in a state of mourning, for the social disparity and pain and wasted life he caused.

5. Does any good come directly from tsaras?

A Not from the plague itself, but the eliminating of tsaras from a house requires breaking down the walls, and taking the afflicted stones outside the city. A serendipitous windfall was once engineered for those undertaking this procedure. The nations inhabiting Canaan heard of our imminent encroachment, and they -‘coincidentally’ thought to- stash all their valuables in to the cavities of their homes. The stage was set then for us, after we conquered, to occasionally find loot in the walls when required to break them down because of tzaras.
This future tiding is alluded to in the verse, for doesn’t say ‘When you have tzaras’ or ‘ when you are afflicted with tsaras’ or ‘when I put tsaras upon you’ rather it says ‘when I give you..’ a term synonymous with gifts and favours, thus implying that there will be something unique about this type of tsaras, namely that it will have a beneficial side. This could be another reason why one must say ‘it seems to me a plague’ - (and not I have a plague’), since on occasion the apparent affliction could balance out as a net gain.

6. If Hashem wanted to give gold and wealth, why would He engineer it in such an odd and difficult way?

A: The Sefer HaChinuch (Book of Mitzvah education – 1200’s), answers that Hashem always prefers a hidden miracle over a revealed one; after all, miracles are only His rare will, but ‘nature’ is His constant desire.
We must keep in mind however that the subject must have done something to deserve the tsaras, and part of his punishment could be that the wealth ordained for him that year on Rosh Hashana ended up being given in a tedious, embarrassing and costly fashion.
He may have contracted tsaras for being stingy and cruel, and now after telling others that has does not have what to lend or give, he has to break down his house and take out into the open all of his things. On the occasion he finds wealth, he gleans additional encouragement in the lesson to give, and that Providence will see to it that it is not by selfishness and hoarding that he will gain – just the opposite, rather by opening himself to others and bringing forth his possessions to do chesed he will prosper in this world and the next.

Rabbi Yisrael Salanter that the Torah is teaching us a principle in psychology and education in showing us that Providence intentionally reserved one’s windfall for the time of calamity, and one’s calamity for the time of blessing. We too should save our rebuke and difficult operations for a time when things are sunny and people are feeling strong, as well as serving to keep one balanced and not becoming haughty or light headed. Conversely, at a time of darkness and struggle we are ought to offer deserved praises and to seek out lightening his load.

7. If he got tsaras because of negative speech or thoughts, why does the purification procedure include smearing blood and oil on his ear, hand and foot?

A: Rabbi Yerucham Lebovitch (head of the Mir yeshiva when it was in Mir, Poland in the beginning of the century) explains that who does one go to whenever a group or business is showing blunders and losses – to the leaders of course. So too the human being is a composite of many facets, and these represent the leaders in the areas where the afflicted is failing (ear – understanding and empathy for others, hand –generosity, foot – proactiveness or laziness or pleasure seeking).
The blood reflects his transgression, and that he must put serious effort into changing for as the sages say – it is easier to conquer a city than to conquer one’s natural inclinations. Oil represents wisdom, in other words, he to effect this change, elbow grease will be insufficient, for a human is a most complicated entity to tackle and we are especially blind and biased when it comes to ourselves, so he will need to be illuminated with the pure, creative light of the Torah, and of course to continue seeking out the Cohen, or another suitable teacher to help him mature.

8. There is currently much debate about euthanasia, and the quality and control of life. During a normal year, the Haftora for Metsora opens with a revealing narrative about exactly this issue. There was a famine, and life was doomed to be short. Were they allowed to go to the King and rally for salvation even though they were risking being immediately executed. In other words – is it permitted to risk life for potentially more life – see there for yourselves.

9. Are there any connections to Pesach in this parsha?

The lintel of one’s house is used in both – the Hebrew word “Mashkof’ also means ‘outlook/perspective’. On a more conceptual level, both a Matsora and one breaking out of slavery/falsehood need to challenge and purify their views and ideas. Our traditions say that from 30 days before Pesach we are all standing at the lowest gate of impurity, and each day we move upwards, until the night of Biur (burning) Chametz, (erev Pesach), we are standing at the outer edge and with our elimination and annulment of chametz, we break out of negativity and defilement and, with Pesach night (when many where white) begin a 50 day journey upwards into increasing purity and goodness, and this Sefiras HaOmer ends after 7 weeks with Shavuos when we are now so exalted as to be able to receive the Torah.
These parshas of purity and kashrus, and bugs, and being a distinctly refined and menschlikh people are aligned with this time of year when we are trying to break out of Egypt and all the shmutz and falsehood it represents to begin a new cycle of life and virtue.
Wishing everybody an uplifting and purifying Shabbos