This and next week’s parshiyot are called torat hanegaim – the laws related to tzara’at – the Divine Punishment of an “eruption” – a nega – on the home, clothing and/or skin. Tzara'at is not a naturally occurring disease in the sense that its cause is not exposure to disease nor is it communicable. Rather, tzara'at is a Divine Punishment brought on by sin. Rashi explains that this punishment is prominently associated with two sins - lashon hara – sins of speech – and gasot haruach – arrogance.
Some averot – like not eating kosher food or having illicit relationships – typically stem from physical desire. Others – such as not believing in the existence of G-d – can stem from a philosophical mistake. But averot like lashon hara and gasot haruach are members of a unique class of sins. These are sins that stem from a character flaw – a problem in the person’s personality.
In next week’s parasha, Rashi teaches a foundational principle about tzara'at: the process of atonement for the one who has tzara’at – the metzora – is designed to enlighten him or her as to how to improve him or herself.
The process of becoming a metzora requires the pronouncement of the kohen. When the metzora identifies what seems to be tzara’at, he or she brings it to the kohen for a determination. After the examination and using his knowledge of the halacha, the kohen decides and pronounces the status of this nega – that is to say, is it tzara’at, is it not tzara’at or does the individual need to be checked again after a waiting period. Interestingly, a chacham who is not a kohen can assist the kohen who is ignorant of the halacha, but the kohen himself must do the examination and the pronouncing of the status of the nega.
Using Rashi’s approach, it seems that the tzara’at process has three elements that are critical to the rehabilitation of the metzora:
Some averot – like not eating kosher food or having illicit relationships – typically stem from physical desire. Others – such as not believing in the existence of G-d – can stem from a philosophical mistake. But averot like lashon hara and gasot haruach are members of a unique class of sins. These are sins that stem from a character flaw – a problem in the person’s personality.
In next week’s parasha, Rashi teaches a foundational principle about tzara'at: the process of atonement for the one who has tzara’at – the metzora – is designed to enlighten him or her as to how to improve him or herself.
The process of becoming a metzora requires the pronouncement of the kohen. When the metzora identifies what seems to be tzara’at, he or she brings it to the kohen for a determination. After the examination and using his knowledge of the halacha, the kohen decides and pronounces the status of this nega – that is to say, is it tzara’at, is it not tzara’at or does the individual need to be checked again after a waiting period. Interestingly, a chacham who is not a kohen can assist the kohen who is ignorant of the halacha, but the kohen himself must do the examination and the pronouncing of the status of the nega.
Using Rashi’s approach, it seems that the tzara’at process has three elements that are critical to the rehabilitation of the metzora:
· The process begins with metzora realizing that there is a problem
· A relationship is forged between the metzora and the kohen
· The kohen conducts a halachic process to determine the status of the nega on behalf of the metzora.
It is curious that the status of the metzora requires a determination and pronouncement. Typically, the halachic status of a person or an object is not determined by pronouncement – it is determined by the reality. How does the halachic process that the kohen conducts on this individual help the metzora?
Let us begin by looking at the halachic process in general. A clear example of this process exists in today’s special maftir – Parshat HaChodesh.
B’nei Yisrael maintains a solar-lunar calendar. While our months are determined by the approximately 29.5 day period of the moon revolving around the Earth, our calendar is also kept in sync with the seasons – that is to say with the Sun. Through the time of the Sanhedrin – and some say even through the time of the gemara – the Jewish calendar was determined by a three-step process:
Let us begin by looking at the halachic process in general. A clear example of this process exists in today’s special maftir – Parshat HaChodesh.
B’nei Yisrael maintains a solar-lunar calendar. While our months are determined by the approximately 29.5 day period of the moon revolving around the Earth, our calendar is also kept in sync with the seasons – that is to say with the Sun. Through the time of the Sanhedrin – and some say even through the time of the gemara – the Jewish calendar was determined by a three-step process:
If available, witnesses would come to the court to testify that they saw the moon at the beginning of its new phase – re’iyah.
Knowing the calculations that were taught ish mipi ish from Moshe Rabbenu, the judges would determine the veracity of the witnesses – cheshbon.
Using these calculations and taking into consideration the ideal days of the week for holidays, the court would render a decision about when to declare Rosh Chodesh – hora’a.
As kiddush hachodesh was b’nei yisrael’s first law, we would expect that it would be fundamental in nature. Indeed, it is. Every halachic question and answer is modeled after this process. This is the halachic process. The process begins with an examination of an object in the physical world. The process is continued by a chacham who – through his mastery of the mesora – is able to identify all relevant halachic categories that relate to the question. Finally, using his examination of the object and armed with all relevant halachic categories, the chacham renders a p’sak or hora’a – a final decision about the halachic status of the object. This is the same halachic process that the kohen conducts on behalf of the metzora.
How does the metzora benefit from witnessing this process? At its core, the halachic process demonstrates that the test for truth about the world comes from categories that exist outside of us. The chacham looks at the world through the
How does the metzora benefit from witnessing this process? At its core, the halachic process demonstrates that the test for truth about the world comes from categories that exist outside of us. The chacham looks at the world through the
categories of halacha: tuma and tahara (ritual impurity and purity), kasher and pasul (fit and unfit to use), kodesh and chol (holy and profane).
As we explained before, tzara’at most commonly is a punishment for two sins – gossip and arrogance. Let’s look more closely at the one who speaks lashon hara – gossip.
In a 1997 study, Dunbar, Marriott, and Duncan sampled 45 conversations every 30 seconds while eavesdropping in public. They found that “social topics” concerning either those persons present or third parties were the purpose of conversation about two thirds of the time among both men and women. Only a small proportion (less than 5%) of this conversational time was spent in critical remarks about third parties (i.e., malicious gossip). Similarly, in 1994, Emler reported that about 70% of conversation time involved gossip.
These studies show two things: By and large people talk about people.
As we explained before, tzara’at most commonly is a punishment for two sins – gossip and arrogance. Let’s look more closely at the one who speaks lashon hara – gossip.
In a 1997 study, Dunbar, Marriott, and Duncan sampled 45 conversations every 30 seconds while eavesdropping in public. They found that “social topics” concerning either those persons present or third parties were the purpose of conversation about two thirds of the time among both men and women. Only a small proportion (less than 5%) of this conversational time was spent in critical remarks about third parties (i.e., malicious gossip). Similarly, in 1994, Emler reported that about 70% of conversation time involved gossip.
These studies show two things: By and large people talk about people.
Even when the gossip concerns a third party who is not in the conversation, gossip is usually not negative. The gossiper simply speaks about another person. Think about the lashon hara that we speak or that we hear in person and in the media. Even if it not malicious, lashon hara carries an implication of comparison. In the mind of the gossiper or of the listener, there is a subtle comparison between the speaker or listener and the object of the gossip.
Miriam and Aharon’s sin of lashon hara exemplifies this description. They said about Moshe – does G-d only speak with Moshe? Doesn’t He also speak with us? Miriam is making a comparison between her and Moshe and she assumes that she has the whole picture of the truth.
This is not the correct approach. The Torah teaches to compare ourselves to the ideal – not to other people. Righteousness is an objective quality. Righteousness is not being more righteous than my neighbor. The Torah teaches us to see the world for what it truly is – not through the lens of invented definitions.
Let’s look more closely at arrogance. Rabbenu Bachya explains that drinking alcohol in excess puts a person in a state similar to arrogance. He explains that drinking impairs the ability to make distinctions. Like the drunk, the arrogant person doesn’t make distinctions – in his eyes, everything is equal. In other words, an arrogant person creates categories to describe the world in a way that suits his or her interest. A commonality exists between the sins of gossip and arrogance – both do not use objective categories to understand the world. The one who gossips uses other people to create their picture of truth. The arrogant one invents truth internally.
The antidote for lashon hara and arrogance is the halachic process. In using the halachic process we learn to view the world as it really exists and we learn to resist making false comparisons and invented distinctions. By walking the metzora through the halachic process, the kohen reorients the metzora to see the world as it truly exists. He teaches the metzora to have a more objective outlook. This objective outlook – the ability to see things from another person’s perspective – is one of the prerequisites of empathy and true compassion.
Miriam and Aharon’s sin of lashon hara exemplifies this description. They said about Moshe – does G-d only speak with Moshe? Doesn’t He also speak with us? Miriam is making a comparison between her and Moshe and she assumes that she has the whole picture of the truth.
This is not the correct approach. The Torah teaches to compare ourselves to the ideal – not to other people. Righteousness is an objective quality. Righteousness is not being more righteous than my neighbor. The Torah teaches us to see the world for what it truly is – not through the lens of invented definitions.
Let’s look more closely at arrogance. Rabbenu Bachya explains that drinking alcohol in excess puts a person in a state similar to arrogance. He explains that drinking impairs the ability to make distinctions. Like the drunk, the arrogant person doesn’t make distinctions – in his eyes, everything is equal. In other words, an arrogant person creates categories to describe the world in a way that suits his or her interest. A commonality exists between the sins of gossip and arrogance – both do not use objective categories to understand the world. The one who gossips uses other people to create their picture of truth. The arrogant one invents truth internally.
The antidote for lashon hara and arrogance is the halachic process. In using the halachic process we learn to view the world as it really exists and we learn to resist making false comparisons and invented distinctions. By walking the metzora through the halachic process, the kohen reorients the metzora to see the world as it truly exists. He teaches the metzora to have a more objective outlook. This objective outlook – the ability to see things from another person’s perspective – is one of the prerequisites of empathy and true compassion.
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