A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH

Iyar 5, 5781 / April 16-17, 2021
Parashat Tazria-Metzora
Torah: Leviticus 12:1 – 15:33
Haftarah: 2 Kings 7:3-20

Candle-lighting: 7:07 PM (PT)

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A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH

“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘This shall be the law of the metzora; on the day of his purification he shall be brought to the kohen (priest).’” Leviticus 14:1-2

"Resh Lakish said: What is the meaning of: 'This shall be the law of the metzora'? [It means,] 'This is the law of the motzi shem ra (literally, one who brings forth a bad name)'." BT Arakhin 15b

The word “metzora” is usually and mistakenly translated as “leper”. But the Rabbis believed the “miraculous” disease of tzara’at (“leprosy”) to be something quite different - a punishment from God for engaging in slanderous speech. Thus, the word “metzora” is understood as an acronym for “motzi shem ra”.

Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan, known as "The Chofetz Chaim" ("the desirer of life"), literally wrote the book on the laws of lashon hara (slander, literally "evil speech") and rechilut (gossip). He teaches that the metzora, who as he is placed in isolation must declare himself to the world as "contaminated", cannot go to a doctor to be cured. The reason is that “the kohen’s lips keep knowledge, and they seek the Torah at his hand.” Malachi 2:7 It is the kohen who ultimately declares the metzora to be "clean”. Just as the punishment of the metzora arises from sins of the tongue, the Torah requires the healing to come through speech.

The Chofetz Chaim does not mean merely that the social life of the metzora, i.e., whether he is to be accepted back into society, is at issue. The matter is far more critical than that. Rather, the Chofetz Chaim teaches that if one engages in lashon hara, it is like murder – like the murder victim, the reputation of a slander victim cannot be brought back to life. That is what is meant by “death and life are at the control of the tongue”. Proverbs 18:21

Mind your tongue, or be treated like a leper.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

TBH/CBM

הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם

Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.

Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1

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