The essential subject matter
of parshas Tazria deals with the malady “tzaras” (צרעת)
often called leprosy. Its symptom is a peculiar sore with distinctive
characteristics which allow it to be clearly diagnosed. It is not physically
debilitating and the Chumash gives no explicit reason for its cause. Never the
less one that is stricken by it is required to be ostracized.
A person who contracts this
disease is called a “matzorah” (מצורע)
and is considered ritually defiled (טמא).
The Midrash Tanchuma (Matzorah B) homiletically explains the word as “draws out
bad” (מוציא רע). Many commentaries
understand this as ill-use of the faculty of speech particularly slander. More
generally the Kli Yakar explains that the leper is a sinner who has violated
the honor of heaven or earth. The Chumash seems to intimate that this person is
dirty and the way it is showing up is in this sore.
Even if the leprous sore is
clearly recognizable to all, the one baring it is not considered unclean until
he is declared as one by a cohen who has properly examined him. At that point
the leper is expelled forced to live alone outside the community. His garments
must be torn, his hair is to be unkempt, his mouth covered with a mask, and he
is to cry “dirty dirty” if somebody approaches him. He remains this way until
the sore goes away after which he undergoes an elaborate purification ritual.
When all of this is completed he can return to society.
The Kli Yakar explores the
punishment quoting the Gemara that he who comes to denigrate, denigrates by way
of his own flaws (Kiddushin 70a). Therefore his hair is unkempt because he was
vain, his clothes are tattered because he was cheap, his mouth is covered to
atone for sins of the tongue and lips, he cries, “dirty dirty” because he
sullied others. Similarly the Or HaChaim comments that the leprous spot remains
all the time that a person clings to his sin and quotes Jeremiah 2:19, “your
evil will rebuke you”.
The preface to the Midrash
Rabbah on Lamentation relates tsaras to the destruction of the Temple: Rabbi
Alexander expounded that leprosy is the Beis HaMikdash that is infected with
idolatry. This is because idolatry defiles (מטמאה)
like the lesion of leprosy, as it says they have profaned and defiled (ויטמאוה)
my sanctuary. His clothes will be tattered refers to the raiment of the
cohanim. His head will be unkempt is a revelation of the state of G-d’s throne.
That is mouth is covered is a reflection of the exile of Israel where they
cannot let out a word of Torah from their mouth. “Unclean unclean” refers to
the destruction of the first and second Temples”.
This Eichah Rabbah is a
homily, never the less it relates to the societal aspects of tsaras. Specifically
the occurrence of tsaras is dealt with by means of human agency. For example a
cohen must declare the matzorah impure who is then excommunicated and pilloried.
This is in contrast to the negligent murder and his victim. In the latter case
the commentaries explain that what is being revealed is something that happened
in secret. The hint is that the transgressions of the matzorah were not
entirely in secret or entirely unwelcome. As a result a societal solution is
appropriate. The matzorah’s victims will see his pain and be vindicated. His
sympathizers will see his pain and be chastised and hopefully repent as well.
לע"נ, האמה ,מלכה בת חיים ז"ל
נלב"ע ט"ז ניסן תשנ"ח
Acknowledgements to websites:
תורת אמת, וויקיטקסט, http://dictionary.reference.com/,
http://hebrewbooks.org/,
וגם בדואר אלקטרוני
ניתן באתר http://dyschreiber.blogspot.co.il
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