בּ“ה
Parshas Metzora
It is a very interesting thing to take note of: From the beginning of the purification process -- the command of the Kohen, in verse 4, to take the stuff needed for it, until the very end of procedure, the person becoming pure from their Tzaraas affliction is not once referred to as someone with Tzaraas. Rather they are referred to in almost every case as ‘the one being purified’.
We learn an amazing lesson from this: When one comes to try to be purified and to improve, they are no longer in their previous state: They are now ‘the one being purified’. No longer are they the same person as they used to be; they are a new human being, ready to continue moving forward in the process of ongoing purification and striving for holiness.
(Tal U’Matar)
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‘When you will come to the Land of Canaan that I am giving to you as a possession, and I will put an affliction of Tzaraas in a house of the Land of your possession.’ (Vayikra 14:34)
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Another type of Tzaraas-affliction, and the final kind we are taught about, is one on the wall of a house. See 14:34-53 for the specifics and details of this and its purification process. There are different reasons that a house would be afflicted with Tzaraas, one of which, the Rambam zt”l explains (see also Vayikra Rabbah 17:4):
One who speaks Lashon Hara, the walls of their house changes.* If the person repents from it, then his house will be purified. But if they persist in their wickedness until the house is broken [see 14:43-45], then the leather implements in his house [or that used to be in it] which he sits and lays upon will change. If he repents, they will be purified. But if he persists in his wickedness until they are burned [see 13:51-57], the garments that he wears change. If he repents, they will be purified. But if he persists in his wickedness until they are burned [see ibid.], then his skin changes and he gets Tzaraas. . .
(Mishneh Torah; Hilchos Tumas Tzaraas 16:10)
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* The term ‘change’ in this piece seemingly is used to mean that the thing develops a possible-Tzaraas-affliction.
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Rashi zt”l, however, quotes from Toras Kohanim that a Tzaraas-affliction on a house was good news. Because, as he brings from Vayikra Rabbah, the Emorim hid treasures of gold in the walls of their houses when Bnei Yisroel were in the Wilderness, and when the Jews would enter and take possession of the Land -- including the houses -- through the affliction on the wall, the house would be broken down [or the stones etc. removed from that area of wall], and the treasure would be found.
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Connecting the two reasons: #1: But the question is, says HaRav Avraham Leitner shlit”a, why should a fellow who deserved to be punished for slandering his fellow Jew be “punished” in such a happy way?
The main answer is: Even if they did find a decent amount of money, Hashem, out of love for His children, when He “hits”, He does it with love (Mishlei 3:12). His sole intention is not that we turn our backs to Him, but rather that we run towards Him. Afflictions on houses was the start of a series of punishments. If the fellow got the sweet message, and did Teshuva, good for him. But if he ignored it, the messages became harsher and less pleasant. First he received afflictions on his garments, because the clothing of a person is closer than his own home. If that reminder didn’t work, then the fellow himself suffered.
While one gets “hit”, it is done with sweetness, allowing the person who is receiving his first reminder (and hopefully his last), that Hashem still loves him dearly and he finds a treasure when knocking down the walls. כי את אשר יאהוב ה׳ יוכיח -- ‘Only who is loved, does Hashem “hit”’!
(At Home With Torah)
#2: Asks HaRav Moshe Feinstein zt”l a very similar question; what kind of punishment is there in this?
And he answers: Even though this person merited a treasure, if they were completely innocent, they would have gotten it without any loss or pain [i.e. of the whole process, and having their home, or part of it, taken apart].
But the fact that Hashem gave them this treasure through loss and pain, is a message that this person sinned and is deserving of a punishment. Just they also have merit, through which the treasure was revealed to them. And therefore, they need to worry about the sin they committed and do Teshuva.
(Darash Moshe)
#3: In a simple interpretation, it would seem from how the Sefer HaChinuch quotes and explains things that perhaps a Tzaraas-affliction on a house could come for either reason given. Whether to hint to a person to better their ways, or to make known a hidden treasure. The latter would occur at the beginning, when we had just conquered the Land, and as to why it would be revealed in that particular way, the Sefer HaChinuch says that it is known that Hashem [often times] does good for people in a hidden kind of way.
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‘Remember the Torah of Moshe My Servant, that I commanded him in Choreiv for all of Israel, Decrees and Ordinances. Behold I am sending to you Eliyah(u) HaNavi. . . etc.’ (Malachi 3:22-23, Haftarah of Shabbos HaGadol)
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Says the Chofetz Chaim zt”l: The last Navi (Prophet) ends his book with the warning from Hashem to remember the Torah of Moshe, the Servant of Hashem. And because of this, the Jews will merit the Redemption, like the saying of our Sages z”l, Sanhedrin 99b. . .
And the Navi concludes, from what Hashem said; ‘that I commanded him in Choreiv for all of Israel’ -- meaning, that there is not a Jewish person who is able to exempt themselves from the keeping the Mitzvos of the Torah.
And further in it is an exalted matter; that we were commanded regarding the Decrees and the Ordinances together, for only then the Torah is called complete -- if we uphold it with all its details and fine points.
And because we will do what what is incumbent upon us, surely Hashem will uphold His Word to send to us Eliyahu HaNavi to tide us of our Redemption.
The last Mitzvah of the Taryag (613) Mitzvos of the Torah is also regarding the matter of learning Torah, like it is written, (Devarim 31:19) ‘And now, write for yourselves this Song and teach it to the Bnei Yisroel, etc.’, which comes to teach us that the main thing of all main things is the learning of the Holy Torah and the upholding of its Mitzvos. And this is all of man [i.e. our whole life].
(Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah)
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|~Maaseh~| The following is from Shabbos Gems, by HaRav Avraham Leitner shlit”a: Ask any business man and you will hear that one of the biggest challenges in business is competition. While most normal people see themselves as individuals who need to conquer the whole market, others are careful to still see themselves as part of a connected nation and will actually go out of their way to help a fellow competitor, as in the story below.
Although this is not my own edition, nevertheless I felt it had to be shared with others. I’ve taken it from Rabbi Ashear, copied and pasted it exactly as he wrote it.
Rav Yoel Gold told a story of a Jewish man who makes his living by selling electronics on Amazon. One day, this man was posting new items for sale, including 70 iPads that he had decided to sell for $400 apiece. He created the listing, set the price and posted it, anticipating a steady influx of sales. To his surprise, by the next morning, all 70 iPads had been sold! This was bizarre because he had never sold out of an item that quickly. He calculated that he just earned $28,000. He went to check his account and then he froze in horror when he saw that accidently, he set the price at $40 each, instead of $400! He was devastated. Instead of having $28,000, he only had $2,800, a very big loss.
As he sat in his office, in a panic, trying to figure out what to do next, a new email appeared in his inbox. He did not recognize the sender; it identified him as Yehuda from Lakewood. He clicked the message and opened it up. “Hi,” Yehuda wrote, “I’m an Amazon seller like you. I sell iPads too, and I'm always looking around at other sellers to see what they’re up to. Last night, I saw that you posted iPads for $40 apiece. It was obviously a mistake. From your name I realized you’re a fellow Yid. I didn't want you to lose so much money, so I bought all of the iPads. I’ll return them to you so you can resell them at the appropriate price.”
The man was floored. Yehuda offered something that no competitor would normally do. Yehuda knows that his income is determined by Hashem. Yehuda knows the value of helping another person in need. He saw the opportunity and grabbed it on impulse. He acted on his Emunah and made a great Kiddush Hashem.
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Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!
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