Parsha Metzora
27 Adar II/March 29
By: Joel Ackerman
So the metzora – the person in whom the kohen has identified a tzaraat (skin condition indicating a spiritual or moral failing such as having committed lashon hara) has been living alone, outside the camp for a while, and it is now time for the kohen to check whether the tzaraat has healed.
The kohen comes outside the camp for the inspection and the metzora is brought to him. If the inspection indicates the tzaraat has healed, he (as used herein with respect to persons other than the kohen, “he” is deemed to also include “ she”) does not simply step back into society; he must go through a detailed process. First, he is sprinkled with a mixture of certain materials. Then he must wash all his clothing, shave off his hair (some say all the hair on his body – looks like a large baby, no?) and live outside his tent for a week
before being allowed in.
Then the former metzora must bring certain sacrifices, which the kohen handles in more or less the usual manner. But then the metzora becomes personally involved. The kohen places drops of blood and oil from the sacrifice on the person’s ear, thumb and big toe. The person is granted atonement and becomes tahor (ritually pure) again.
And suddenly we have a flashback. The ceremony with the drops has been mentioned before in the inauguration of the kohanim (Tetzaveh, 29:20; Tzav, 8:24). The point there is that these organs should be dedicated to the service of G-d. But what does this have to do with the metzora? Two connections.
First, to emphasize that instead of using these organs and capabilities for his former sinning ways, he also should dedicate his abilities to the service of G-d. And secondly, these organs also symbolize how lashon hara is spread. The ear – or the brain – hears it; the thumb - or the hand – grasps it, holds on to it, doesn’t push it away, and with the feet the person rushes off to tell it to someone.
But it’s not always that straightforward. Remember that the torah states that the metzora is brought to the kohen. Why? One would think that the metzora would be so anxious to re-enter society that he or she would immediately go to the kohen the minute he comes out to inspect.
But Rabbi Zelig Pliskin cites Ibn Ezra - who takes the contrary position - that when the person has the tzaraat he will definitely assert that, of course, once it has been cleared up he will bring the necessary offerings and go through the process, but once it has cleared up (or even seems to have cleared) he will attend to other things and not spend time on meeting those obligations. Surely that person will not want to go through a ritual that will be lengthy and annoying, and designed to remind him of past behavior. So he has to be brought to the kohen.
That was then; this is now. We don’t have any such rituals today. A person can commit lashon hara, an egregious act against someone else, and then go on as if nothing had happened. He does not have to go through any process in order to return to society – there’s no process to remind him of the responsibility to act properly towards others.
And if someone sees this occurring and tries to object, what are they told? “Loosen up! Get a life! Don’t be judgmental! Live and let live! Let’s put it behind us!” There’s no pressure to show any remorse, least of all to change one’s ways.
So how do we deal with the issue today, when there is no kohen, no purity issues, no exclusion from society, and no required ritual to re-enter it?
For others – perhaps there’s a way to get someone else to stop spreading lashon hara, especially talk that’s damaging to another. Perhaps you can find a time and place to talk to that other person and point out what they’re doing. Perhaps.
But what about oneself? Probably only by working at becoming aware of the dangers caused by it and the ease with which it’s spread and teaching oneself to recognize it and exercising control about spreading it.
But it’s extremely difficult. Let’s face it; it seems clear that many if not most people enjoy talking about other people. Unless we all become tzaddikim, we’re likely to continue doing that. Perhaps much of it is even harmless, but some of it likely can be injurious. Somehow we’ve got to be able to police ourselves.
Shabbat shalom.
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