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THE WEEKLY PARSHA

TAZRIA

[ Dvar Torah ] [ Passages on Prayer ]
[ Stories of the Sages ] [ Education ]

(Taken from a weekly publication of Hammaayan Institutes.
Translated by Rabbi Shabtai Teicher)

THE WEEKLY PARSHA
The weekly parsha of Tazria deals for the most part with the sickness of "tzora'at," which is ususally translated as leprosy. However, it stands to reason that tzora'at was a different ailment than that which goes by the name of leprosy in these days. Also, it seems that tzora'at did not entail great suffering and pain on the part of the sick person. It was some sort of rash broken out on the body's skin, but instead of going to a doctor, the sick person went to the cohen (priest).

The Ramban explained that tzora'at was not a natural ailment at all. Because Israel has a unique relationship with G-d, the spirit of G-d rests upon them. Consequently, the bodies, clothing and houses of Israel have a pleasant visage. However, if one of them sins, then an ugly blemish appears on his body, or his clothing or in his house, because the spirit of G-d is then removed from him.

One who is stricken with tzora'at is called a "metzora." This word immediately reminded Chazal of the phrase "motzi shem ra," which includes the two sins of speaking lies or lashon hara about someone else. Thus, we are taught what the cause of the sickness was: speaking things that are prohibited.

Speech is the foremost medium by which people connect with each other. Although each person is an individual and unique creation, a world unto himself, with his own special purpose, nevertheless, it was the Will of the Creator that the world should be built upon social relationships. Every person needs them, relies upon them and depends upon them. Indeed, the network of human inter-relationships is one of the meanings of the verse, "The world is built upon loving kindness (chesed)..." (Psalms 89:3), where the quality of loving kindness indicates the bond between people.

On the other hand, social interactions can also be a great danger to the individual if he falls into bad company. They can drag him, without his realizing it, into losing his uniqueness and forgoing the special purpose for which he was created.

Thus, it may well be that a person will use his power of speech for evil. When he sins in this way he turns the instrument which was created to connect people to each other in order to assist each other into an instrument of destruction which damages and hurts. In other words, that which was created to connect people becomes an instrument to alienate people from each other.

Therefore, the rectification for this sin, as it is described in the Torah, is understandable. The person is stricken with tzora'at. He goes to the priest who declares that he must reside for a period of time outside the camp, outside the settlement, divorced from the company of others. He caused alienation, and now he is forcefully separated from others.

In the Aramaic translation of the Torah, the Targum Onkelos, tzora'at is called "segiruta," which literally means isolation. In other words, the person who has sinned by speaking badly must be isolated from human company.

One of the purposes of isolation is to force the sinner into a state where he will consider his actions and speech. Forced to be alone, he will contemplate how he fell into his unfortunate situation. Cut off from conversing with anyone else because of his own bad speech, he will have the chance to rectify his ways.

Once he has repented, then the sign of his cure will appear on his body as well. Then he goes to the priest who can declare him fit to reenter the society of men.

Seen in this way, we are forced to realize that the sickness of tzora'at was a sort of Divine gift to assure that we do not stray too far from the way of G-d into the realm of evil. Therefore, this "barometer" of our spiritual state is among those gifts and virtues whose recovery we await when the Divine Presence returns to Zion.

THE PRAYERS OF OUR MOUTH

In the morning prayers we say, "May it be Will before You, G-d..., that the speech of our lips shall be considered and accepted before You as if we offered a korban (sacrifice) before You..., as it is written, `...We will remit the sacrifice of oxen through the words of our lips' (Hoshea 14:3)."

Rabbi Abahu said, "Who remits those oxen that we used to sacrifice before You? Our lips that pray before You..." (Yalkut, there).

Why does the verse mention oxen rather than any of the other types of sacrifices?

You might think that although prayer is like a sacrifice, it is only like it, but not equivalent to it. However, we ask that our prayers be considered like the most valuable of all the sacrifices.

The least valuable sacrifice was the meal offering. After it, ascending in importance, was the sacrifice of doves and pigeons, then sheep and cattle, and the most valuable of all was the sacrifice of oxen. Thus, the true value of our prayers is revealed when we request that they be considered, specifically, like the most valuable of all the sacrifices.

At the end of the tractate Menachot it is taught that concerning the sacrifice of heavy oxen it is written, "...a burnt offering of sweet savour." Concerning the light sacrifices of birds it is written, "...a burnt offering of sweet savour," and concerning the meal offering it is written, "...a burnt offering of sweet savour." In other words, those that give a lot and those that give a little are equal as long their hearts are directed to Heaven.

The gemara continues. Perhaps you will think that G-d needs these sacrifices for food. Behold, it is written, "If I were famished I would not say it to you, because the world and all that is in it is Mine" (Psalms 50:12). It is not for My desires that you sacrifice. You sacrifice for your own desires, as it is written, "...For your own will sacrifice it" (Lev. 19:5).

Since there is no Temple, Chazal established prayers in place of sacrifices. Concerning sacrifices, one who gives a lot and one who gives a little are equal. Therefore, our prayers are not merely a minimal replacement for sacrifices, but they may be considered equivalent to the sacrifice of heavy oxen. That is why we say, "...We will remit the sacrifice of oxen through the words of our lips."

(Avodat Levav)

STORIES OF OUR SAGES

The Tractate Negaim (at the end of the second chapter) teaches that a person can see every blemish except his own!

It is said of the Maharshal that he hired a simple wagon driver to rebuke him. And who among us is greater than the Vilna Gaon? He hired the Magid of Dubnow in order to provide himself with rebuke.

When the Chidushai Harim was a young man he studied by the Kuznitzer Rebbe. After a while he left Kuznitz and went to the house of the Rebbe of Pashischa. The Kuznitzer was very sad about this.

The Chidushai Harim had twelve children. They all died. He said, "I know and I am certain that all my children died because of the Kuznitzer's hurt over me. Nevertheless, I left his house because there, in Kuznitz, they used to praise me. In Pashischa they tore my limbs apart. I do not need a Rebbe who heaps praises upon me. I need a Rebbe who will rip me apart.

When Rebbe Yisrael Salanter established the Mussar Movement the newspapers of the time made fun of him. In jest they wrote that he was assembling all the "mussarniks". Then he would hold up a fish, peal the skin off the fish, and say to his disciples, "Thus will they peal your skin from you if you sin."

When Rebbe Yisrael was told about it, he said, "If I knew that it would help, then I would do it."

EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN

"...A mother in Israel" (Judges 5:7). It seems that Jewish mothers have forgotten the way of life that their mothers lived. Our grandmothers, certainly, did not sit throughout the morning in front of the mirror while their daughters were given to the care of nurses and governesses.

The root and foundation of their lifestyle was "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of G-d...." The first words that they expressed to their children was glory and praise of G-d. At the age of three they brought their children to the "cheder" to learn Torah. They knew and understood by themselves how to enhance the child's development. They did not need pedagogical theories in order that "You shall meditate in them day and night" should become the child's ideal in life through self - realization.

Whatever was missing in the cheder, the house completed it. The child saw the behavior of his parents and how they appreciated and respected those who studied Torah and boys who studied in Yeshivah. From here they were imbued with the inner desire and will to dedicate themselves to the study of Torah.

It is not to be wondered that this attitude on the part of the vast majority of Israel towards the Torah and those that study it created fertile soil for the flowering of giants and geniuses in Torah -- men like Rabbi Yonatan Eibschutz, the "Penai Yehoshua," the "Noda Beyehudah," Rabbi Mordechai Bennett, the Chatam Sofer and many others like them.

After the fact, we see that only a widespread network of schools faithful to the Torah and to Judaism can rectify the distortion and restore the crown to its place.

However, I want to warn the parents about one thing. By sending their children to charedi schools they do not exempt themselves from the responsibility of watching over them. The school can only complement what is missing in the house. It is the responisbility of the parents to create the proper mixture of school and home. They must watch the children, check that they are fulfilling the instructions of the school, make sure that they do not associate with bad friends who are not religious, etc.

(Kitvei Sarah Shnirer, Pt.1, p.48)

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