Parashat Tazria / Metzora

Parashat Tazria / Metzora

Iyar 6, 5772 ~ April 28, 2012

by Eugene Vorobeychik

The laws of tzarat (typically, and, it seems, inaccurately, translated as leprocy) are among the more puzzling.  First, there is the tzarat of the body, which seems like a skin disease.  The kohen diagnoses the disease, which renders one impure, and isolates the ill person from the rest.  So far, it has all the trappings of an infectious disease, but then comes the kicker: if the entire body is "infected", the person is rendered pure! But, this is only a part of the fun.  As it happens, there is also the "leprocy" of clothes, and of the house.  Again, one may, perhaps, argue that these contract an infectious disease, but then there is the following puzzle: one is enjoined to remove the furniture from the house before (!) the kohen gets there to diagnose the disease.  If we were truly concerned about an infection, surely we should be stringent about the items that may have contracted it in the house!

These points are not originally mine; they were made by R. David Hoffman in an attempt to cast doubt on the typical rational explanations of tzarat, such as that of an infectious disease in need of quarantine, which have been advanced by other commentators.

A midrash offers another explanation for tzarat: it is, the chazal posit, a contraction of two words that mean tale bearing.  Just as Miriam was stricken by the disease for belittling Moshe, a person stricken with tzarat is punished for speaking ill of another.  Other sources suggest that tzarat is a punishment for a series of other sins as well, such as robbery, pride, and greed.  In a nutshell, tzarat is a supernatural phenomenon, a miraculous sign for a person to mend their ways.

But why this particular sign, of all others?  Wouldn't it be easier for God to tell a person directly of the trasgression?  But easy is not the point: easy lessons rarely stick.  The Torah, therefore, prescribes a deeply symbolic, meaningful lesson. Rabbi S. R. Hirsch puts it as follows:

"...the whole person who, instead of using organs which are given to him for obtaining and practicing modesty, truth, for doing good and justice, spreading kindness, truth, and peace, has made himself the bearer and spreader of the very opposite of all these, and has shown himself as the object of hate and abomination of God, Who, accordingly, sends him the mark of His deep displeasure..."

Besides the symbolic significance, there is also experiential significance, as stated in Arakhin:

"Joshua b. Levi said: Why did the Torah prescribe for the metzora (leper) the special penalty of isolation outside the camp?  Because he separated a husband from his wife and a man from his fellow [by speaking lashon harah], let him be separated and 'dwell alone'."

I would suggest that there is another lesson in the punishment meeted out to the metzora.  Our lives are full of uncertainty, and there is often a need to create a perception of control.  The sins for which the metzora is punished can be viewed as particular pathological manifestations of an attempt to control the world around us: for example, lashon hara is an attempt to have control over the events surrounding others through narratives about them, and greed is an attempt to control our livelihood.  The punishment, therefore, is to take away control from the metzora over such basic things as where he dwells, and when he can reenter the social life, and place it entirely in the hands of another.  Just as Egypt became the experiential paradigm for many of the laws governing the relationships between people, tzarat, and halachot surrounding it, becomes the experiential basis for repentance.

Pesach: The Last Days

Pesach - Last Days

Nissan 21, 5772 ~ April 13, 2012

by Sara Liss-Katz

Because the last day of Pesach falls on Shabbat we begin this week’s Torah reading with D’varim 14:22. At first glance this section does not appear to have a direct relationship to Pesach; focusing instead on the responsibilities of individuals and the community. This section begins with the requirements associated with the second tithe to be provided to the Levites (after reserving the first tithe, T’rumah, the Kohen’s portion) in years 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the seven year shemittah cycle. The second (as well as the first) commands that each Jew travel to Jerusalem to deliver and partake in this tithe. Section 14:23 continues with the commandments in years 3 (and 6) “At the end of three years you shall take out every tithe of your crop in that year and set it down in your cities. The Levite can come, for he has no portion or inheritance with you; and the proselyte, the orphan and the widow who are in your cities, so they may eat and be satisfied in order that HaShem will bless you in all your handiwork that you may undertake.” We see here the tithe for the 3^rd year is not a tithe directly related to a specific city, Jerusalem, but one that is in support of each and every local community. The tithe of the 3^rd year is the charitable contribution for the community.

D’varim 15:1-18 continues to describe charitable obligations such as the observance of the seventh year of shemittah, the forgiving of loans, freeing of slaves and giving to those less fortunate. . Here we begin to have an inkling of how this might be connected to Pesach. Section 15:15 states “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and Hashem redeemed you.” Our ancestors were slaves in Egypt, we were impoverished and suffering and HaShem heard our suffering. By fulfilling the commandments in this section to provide for those less fortunate in our communities we demonstrate by our actions that we are thankful and we remember.

D’varim 15:19-23 describes the consecration and sacrifice of firstborn animals. Although it is not directly referenced this section clearly has a relationship to Pesach and the Pesach offering. D’varim 16:1-8 describes the commandments that are focused on obligation of the individual to contribute to the Pesach sacrifices and observe the Pesach holiday which historically commenced with a pilgrimage to the temple in Jerusalem. This week’s maftir portion is taken from a section of Bamidbar 28:16-25 which describes the temple offerings for Pesach.

There are several themes running though these sections that relate to various aspects of Pesach. These include our historic communal obligations for pilgrimage to Jerusalem and temple sacrifice as well as specific responsibilities and obligations each of us has in support of our community. The maftir section describes obligations specifically dealing with Pesach offerings, which without the Temple in Jerusalem, we are not able to fulfill. We can, however, observe the commandments with regards to charity as described in D’varim15:1-19. The commandment to support those less fortunate is do-able and more important than ever. As it states at the end of D’varim 15:11, “… for destitute people will not cease to exist”. This gives each of us the opportunity to provide redemption to others. Our ability to provide charity is a precursor to a desired, greater redemption for the Jewish community. The pairing of this week’s haftorah, Isaiah 10:32 – 12:36, linking each individual’s acts of love and kindness with national salvation further supports this concept.

I especially love the holiday of Pesach and especially the Seders because they take an historic event and make it ongoing and timeless. Pesach reminds us of our delivery and redemption, “in every age” - the historic exodus from Egypt, our ancestors recovery from the destruction of the temple and every other misfortune that has befallen us throughout history. In this Torah reading, we learn of many of the laws that give structure to the community, in terms of tithes and charitable obligations. We also delve in to aspects of the community that serve to give us a reminder that we are not to function as individuals only, that we are and will remain as part of a community. It is when we put these two elements together that we can see where the strength that comes from these two elements and that with Hashem’s constant patient guidance we have been able to overcome many obstacles that have been placed in our path, and yes to even hope for a better future. That we, as Jews, were not only able to survive the destruction of something as central to our religion as the Temple but to grow and thrive is a miracle from Hashem – to remember and celebrate. The history embodied in the Pesach story is repeated each year calling us to take a concentrated look at the meaning of freedom, community and the part that each individual plays to achieve it. We retell the story of the exodus from Egypt while reminding ourselves that redemption is communal as well as individual – historic and ongoing.

The miracle of Passover reinvents itself anew for each of us every year as we grow and our own personal redemption is influenced and redefined by events which shape our lives in the “here and now”.

This Shabbat we are reminded that while we no longer have a temple where we can come to sacrifice and worship together we have Pesach a holiday that links us, as individual Jews to each other and to an historic time and place and a reminder that redemption – both personal and national, is possible.

Pesach

Pesach

Nissan 15, 5772 ~ April 7, 2012

by Neska

With Thanks to Hashem For Sheila and me turning 73...

Yirat Hashem (fear/awe) is the beginning of all things. It says, "The beginning of wisdom is awe of Hashem." Yirat Hashem comes from recognizing that the world is a creation on the deepest of all levels. From Rebbetzin Tzipporah Heller. I underline recognizing because she does not say understanding: that is beyond me.

I have left my home

I can hardly believe it

I can't believe it

but I know it is so because

I am no longer there.

I am following a man called Moshe

who grew up in the house of Paro

Still he is a Jew

as I am a Jew – whatever that means.

I remember my parents telling me that

this Hashem made a promise to their ancestors

and their ancestors before them

that one day

one day

this Hashem would hear our crying and moaning

and

this Hashem would remember

this Hashem would remember that he made a promise

to bring us out of Egypt

and take us to a Holy Land

where we would be free to live our lives with

this Hashem.

I can hardly believe it.

I am walking out of Egypt with at least a million people – (I have heard that 80% stayed behind)

and we are trusting

this man Moshe to take us to this

Holy Land

and I don't know how long it will take

and I don't know how we will get there

but I feel inside

that I must trust

this feeling

this small voice

this glimmer in my body

that simply says

Trust.

It will not be until the Mishkan has been built, erected and the Clouds of Glory is Filling It that our leaving Egypt will finally be over. But I do not know this as I leave Egypt. I do not know at this time that I will soon see this Hashem's voice in front of me...so powerful so vibrant so persuasive so awesome...that I will simply cry from a joy I have never ever before experienced. I do not know at this time that we will survive on the manna that Hashem sends us, that we will celebrate Shabbos as free people and our spirits will soar unlike our spirits on Shabbos in Egypt. I do not know at this time that we will see miracle upon miracle upon miracle from this Hashem and we will still fail as a people when Moshe goes up the mountain and we lose sight of him, our leader who holds us together with his brother Aaron. We become afraid. And because we are new at trusting, we will lose our trust, even in Aaron, and become frightened beyond being frightened, I do not know any of this on the first day of my starting my journey...but then again....almost none of us know this on the first day we begin our journey to Hashem...from wherever we are in our tight narrow places.

...Blessed is The Holy One Who Takes Us Out Of Egypt Every Day...even though we may not recognize it...until later.

Chag v'Kasher Sameach. Shabbat Shalom....

Parashat Tzav / Shabbat HaGadol

Parashat Tzav / Shabbat HaGadol

Nissan 8, 5772 ~ March 31, 2012
by Fred Korr

The Haggadah of Passover – a narative of history

Based on a Hebrew, grammatical exegesis by Rabbi Abner Weiss, whose positions included head of Jews College, London and Rabbi at Beth Jacob Congregation, Beverly Hills, California.

In the Torah commentary of British Chief Rabbi Joseph Hertz (1872 – 1946) on Parshas Shemos, he states that “every father should relate on the evening of Passover the story of the Deliverance to his children”.

That Haggadah narrative relates how, from generation to generation, we must continually fight for our freedom. Efforts to dehumanize one’s enemy – and remove all freedoms from them - are known throughout history. Why? If your enemy is “not human” or “subhuman”, it is then easier for the average citizen or soldier to kill them.

Through much of American history, the American Indian was deemed a sub-human “savage”, who was killed with as little disregard as one might have in killing an obnoxious fly. During World War II, Jews were reduced to numbers, branded into their arms in Concentration Camps.

Not surprisingly, the concept of dehumanizing Jews may also be found in the Haggadah of Passover, although most English versions of the text mistranslate it.

The usual translation of Deuteronomy 26:6 – which also appears in the Hagaddah just a few paragraphs after “The 4 sons” - is:

“And the Egyptians dealt evilly (or harshly) with us.”

It is, however, inaccurate. Such a translation would have required the Hebrew to read:

va-yarei-u lanu. המצרים לנוּ וירעוּ

Instead, the text is:

va-yarei’u otanu. המצרים אתנוּ וירעוּ

This means not that the Egyptians dealt evilly with us, but rather that “the Egyptians made us evil”.

The distinction is not merely semantic. It conveys a fundamental truth of the Jewish experience. In order to justify their mistreatment of the Jewish people, our enemies have blamed us for all kinds of imagined evils. (For example: “the Jewish Blood Libel”, which asserts the canard that Jews murder Christians before Passover, to obtain their blood in order to bake Matzah. This concept is still taught as fact in many Arab states.) This, in turn, has permitted retaliation. Thus, starting with Pharaoh, anti-Semitism has always been justified as preemptive self defense.

Sadly, nothing has really changed. We see this today as the Arab/Moslem states vilify Israel and Jews. In a recent survey of “enlightened” Europeans, the nation considered most dangerous for world peace is: Israel. Not Iran; not China!

The lesson of the Haggadah is clear. If our enemies, and even our “friends”, can be expected to hurt us, our response must be to help ourselves. On the national level, this compels us to rise to the challenge of increasing our support for Israel, even in the worst of economic times. On the communal level, it compels us to ensure that our community is strong enough to inspire young people with sufficient love for our traditional values to maintain their identification with, and support for, those traditions – notwithstanding perpetual vilification by friend and foe alike.