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Metzora
Friday, April 4, 2014 / ' "

Candle Lighting: 7:36 Havdala: 8:38

Note: The Halachic times listed here are from www.myzmanim.com.

The Purification of a Metzora

By Ziva Bibbins
This weeks Parashah is a continuation of last weeks Parashah discussing the topic of Tzaraat. A Metzora, someone afflicted with leprosy, loses whatever stature they may have had within society. They literally become a social outcast for the week in which they must leave the camp. The only person they are able to contact is the Kohen. Rav Soloveitchik sees this as a major aspect of the role of the Kohen. No one-not even the Metzora, is too lowly or impure to associate with them. The Kohanim are there to assist all who need them. We, teenagers are very invested in how our image is affected by those with whom we socialize. In our world, one seemingly needs to Page 1 of 5 A Fuchs Mizrachi Stark High School Publication surround themselves with the cool kids in order to be perceived as such. The Kohens exclusive involvement with Metzora teaches us that we should never feel like we are too good to assist someone in a time of need. The importance of giving is highlighted in the Gemaras figurative description of the Metzora as dead. Rav Chayim Shmuelevitz explains that a Metzora is considered dead because they are out of the community (Baddad Yeishev). When a person leaves the community, they cant contribute or help out. Our lives are only enhanced by what we do for others, not by what we receive from those around us.

The Metzora needs a certain amount of strength to begin the purification process with the Kohen. During that time period when they are not with anyone else, they have a time to reflect upon themselves and grow from their mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, but how we

" chose to deal with them makes us who we are. Once you learn from your sin, you will become a better person. Shabbat Shalom!

Human Nature
By Ben Jaffe
In this weeks Parashah, Parashat Metzora we read about the heavenly punishment of Tzaraat. Tzaraat is generally described as a disease consisting of white or light colored patches on the skin. Though often improperly translated as leprosy, we learn that Tzaraat is a physical illness that appears as the result of sin. Often we think of Tzaraat as the punishment for Lashon Harah or gossip. For example, in Parshat Behaalotcha, Moshes sister Miriam receives Tzaraat for speaking improperly about Moshe and the Kushit woman. However, the Ramban, Rav Moshe ben Nachman explains that in fact Tzaraat may be a punishment for multiple sins including murder, false oaths, immorality and even theft. It is clear that the punishment of Tzaraat has several unique traits, and it no longer exists in our time. It can only be diagnosed by a Kohen and not a doctor. It can appear on a person, clothing, or even a building. It goes away without any physical treatment. A Tzaraat victim is isolated, yet the disease was not contagious. Most interestingly, not everyone who committed the same sin even got Tzaraat. The story of Miriam highlights the significance of Tzaraat. Miriam was a righteous person. She is described favorably by many commentators. Yet, her illness from Tzaraat as described in Chumash made her fall down in the power rankings. Her vulnerability to sin, and the description of her punishment makes her more human to the rest of us. We are always challenged to avoid sin. Sometimes we dont even realize that our actions, or even our words, may cause unintentional consequences. The story of Miriam, and the public punishment of Tzaraat, reminds us to be ever cognizant of our behavior and how it impacts people around us. The description of Tzaraat serves as a reminder that nobody is perfect or immune, and that we must all work daily to avoid sin, and to avoid hurting otherseven unintentionally. If we keep this in mind then a world of a difference can be made.

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The Rambam, The Doctor to Souls

By Rabbi Aaron Liebman
Those who are sick of body [sometimes] taste the bitter as sweet and the sweet as bitter. There are among them those who crave as foods things that are not fit to eat such as dust and coal; they hate what is good to eat, bread and meat for exampleall according to the severity of their illness. So too, people whose souls are ailing, they desire and love to continue with bad personality traits. They have come to hate the way of goodness and have no energy to walk along it; to do so will seem very heavy to them all according to their sickness [of soul]. So, Yeshaiyahu (5: 20): he says regarding such people: Woe to them that call the bad, good and the good, bad; exchange darkness for light and light for darkness; exchange for bitter, sweet and for sweet, bitter. About them it is said: those who leave the just path walk along paths of darkness (Hilchot Deot, Ch. 2) What is the remedy for these ailing souls? [They must] Get themselves near to wise scholars: for wise scholars are doctors to souls. They heal those with bad personality traits teaching them and returning them to proper behavior. Wise scholars recognize bad personality traits. Who will not draw near to wise scholars to heal himself or herself, about such a person King Solomon stated: advice fools despise. (Hilchot Deot, Ch. 2) How does the Rambam know that the remedy for those with bad personality traits is to draw near to wise scholars? How does the Rambam know that wise scholars are doctors to souls? Presumably, it is from the Torah portion we are studying this week (and from last weeks reading as well). Our Priests Must be Healers In these chapters we learn about Kohanim (priests) that they must serve as healers. Tzaraatthe infection which shows as blotch on a house, a garment, or on human fleshcan only be diagnosed and only fully cured by a priest. In last weeks Parashah (Tazria, 13:2) a person who saw what they suspected was the mysterious sickness Tzaraat went to a Kohen for a diagnosis. In this weeks Parashah the person who believes the sickness has run its course must approach a Kohen to re-enter society.

- , : , , , ; ,- , , . - , - .
2 This shall be the law of the metzora, the person afflicted by tzaraat, in the day of his purification: he shall be brought unto the priest. 3 And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of tzaraat be healed in the afflicted; Tzaraat we know is a sickness that comes from sin. For all other diseases, the Torah recommends treatment by physicians ,(Shemot 21:19). But tzaraat is not like other diseases. Rabbi Yonatan said: Seven sins are punished with tzaraatslander, bloodshed, a vain oath, incest and adultery, arrogance, robbery and greed. [Talmud, Arakhin 16a] Further, two

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" Biblical episodes support the common linkage to slander, to 1 : ) the second of the signs which Moshe was commanded to make before Pharoah includes a hand, Moshes hand, terrifyingly infected by tzaraat because shortly before: Moshe answered and said: But, see, they will not believe me, nor will they listen to my voice; they will say, the Lord has not appeared to you. 2) When Miriam spoke against Moshe, she too was stricken briefly with tzaraat. Priests healing role arises then in the context of the unique disease of the soultzaraat. About that disease the Kohanim, the priests, are the experts. They are the doctors. A person with generally good character traits might neglect a mitzvah without our suspecting that they were profoundly soul sick. However, all of the sins mentioned in the Gemara in connection to Tzaraat (bloodshed, robbery, adultery, etc and of course evil talk) are mitzvot bein adam lchavero that are not committed except by an individual whose personality is not right. Such a person with bad personality traits would require according to the Rambam a doctor to souls just as a person who suffers from tzaraat, the outer infection that displays the inner corruption, requires a Kohena Priest for healing.

Shabbat Table Discussion Questions:

By Avi Hartstone, 10 t h Grade
1. 2. 3. 4. Why aren't tents treated like houses with regards to tzaraat? (14:34) Why must one shave his hair in order to become pure? (14:9) What is the point of the bird ritual in the purification process of the Metzora? (14:4- 6) Why does the Torah have to repeat the entire purification process for the poor person? (14:21- 32)
next week's edition!

Email us at FMSshemesh@gmail.com with your answers or submit them on our website, fmsdvartorah.weebly.com, and you could be featured in

Answers to last weeks questions:

Q1: Why does the woman who gave birth bring a Korban Chatat? What sin has she committed? (12; 8) A: The Gemara in Mesechet Nidah states that while in labor, a woman may decide not to be with her husband due to her labor pains; this is her sin. (Eli Meyers, 9 th Grade)

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Q3: Why is the color of Tzaraat different on skin than on clothing? (13; 49) A: So it can show up better, because skin is a different color than clothing. (Eli Meyers, 9th Grade)

Brought to you by: Staff: Editors in Chief- Ari Bar-Shain and Zev Karasik Associate Editors- Eli Meyers, Etan Soclof, and Yosef Coleman Faculty Consultant-Rav Rick Schindelheim Distribution Manager-Rivka Coleman Faculty Manager-Yael Blau Head Writers-Avi Hartstone and Zak Fleischman Student Writers:
o o o o o o o o o o o o Alan Soclof Ami Shamir Amital Haas Aviva Muskin Ben Jaffe Bentzion Goldman Ian Lorand Ilan Senders Jenna Fox Jennifer Brenis Joey Frank Joey Senders o o o o o o o o o o o Lizzy Soclof Michael Brenis Miriam Pincus Mordechai Blau Sarah Pincus Seth Weiss Sonny Kugelman Talya Engelhart Yonah Bar-Shain Yonaton Shiller Zach Zlatin Ziva Bibbins

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