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Drash
for Shabbat Metzora One of the main topics of this week's Torah portion is a skin disease called tzara’at, which is often translated as leprosy, but virtually all commentators tell us that this is not the type of leprosy which exists today. This leprosy is of a spiritual nature. Consequently, the Kohen, the priest who deals with issues of spirit, and not a doctor, "treats" the victim. The spiritual implication of tzara’at is that the person who suffers from the malady is guilty of slanderous speech. The term metzora is connected with the term motzie shem ra, which describes the classical case of slanderous talk. (See Erachin 15b.) There are two sections of the Torah where we can see this association. The more prominent one is the section dealing with Miriam’s slander of Moses, where she is punished by this type of leprosy. (See Numbers, Chapter 12.) In the other instance, the one affected is Moses himself as he stands in front of the "Burning Bush." Having stated that the Jewish people will not believe him to be a messenger of God, he is instructed to put his hand into his cloak. When he removes the hand again, it has become infected with this type of leprosy, ostensibly because he spoke slander against the Jewish nation. (See Exodus, Chapter 4.) Why is there so much emphasis placed on Lashon Hara? The following is a famous story that can illustrate why this transgression is treated so harshly: One man spread a rumor about another. He later felt regret, and went to the rabbi to ask how to make amends. "Go to the store and buy a bag of seeds," said the rabbi, "then go to a big open field and scatter the seeds into the wind. Do so and report back to me in a week." The man did as he was told, and came back the next week to find out what to do next. "Now," said the rabbi, "go back to the field and pick up all the seeds." "But," protested the man, "those seeds have scattered far and wide! I’ll never find them all. Many have even already taken root!" "Exactly," explained the rabbi." When we speak badly about another person, the effect is far and wide. And it is damage that can never be fully undone." Speech is the tool of creation. Through it we can build individuals and the world. We can praise, encourage, and give others confidence. By making others feel important, we build them up, as if to say, "Your existence is necessary." This is life-giving and life-affirming. On the other hand, speech can also be used to destroy. Words like, "you’re worthless" wipe out a person’s self-esteem. As King Solomon says, "Life and death are in the hands of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21). The Talmud (Arachin 15b) explains that negative speech is even worse than a sword — since it kills many people, even at great distance. Beyond the individual destruction, we have all seen the power of gossip — a vicious rumor — to tear apart relationships, families, and even entire communities. Of course, just as the Torah prohibits speaking Lashon Hara, we are prohibited from even listening to it. (Which makes sense — if I can’t listen, then you can’t speak it!) By listening to negative talk we fuel the viciousness and become desensitized to its effect on others. From here we can understand a section of this week’s parsha, Leviticus 13:45-46. The Torah says that when someone has been diagnosed as having Tzarat, they must go outside the boundaries of the city and shout "Contaminated!" to anyone who approaches. The punishment is measure-for-measure: If you promote divisiveness amongst others, then you will also suffer the divisiveness of separation from community. One question which arises is why should slander have such a direct effect on its perpetrator? Perhaps if we go back to the origins of speech we will better appreciate this issue. The Lord God then formed the man [from] the dust of the ground, and He blew into his nostrils the breath of life. And so man became nefesh chayah. (Genesis 2:7) The Targum translates nefesh chayah as "the spirit of speech." According to this approach, the ability to speak is the result of the merger of the physical and the spiritual within man. Humans alone in creation are endowed with this ability, the result of having a soul. Speech itself makes an earlier appearance in Genesis. God Himself speaks the world into existence. The Mishna (Avot 5:1) teaches that by virtue of 10 sayings was the world created. Thus we find God the Creator speaking and man created in the image of God is likewise endowed with the ability to speak. In short, the act of Lashon Hara not only has an effect on the individual, but the household and community as a whole. With speech having such great power we all need to remember the old saying: With great power comes great responsibility. Shabbat Shalom.
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