* TORAH WEEKLY * Highlights of the Weekly Torah Portion and Haftorah. Plus Ani Ma'amin - The Rambam's 13 Principles of Faith. Parshas Metzora For the week ending 8 Nisan 5755 7 & 8 April 1995 ========================================================================= Summary The Torah describes the procedure for a metzora (a person afflicted with tzara'as) upon conclusion of his isolation. This process extends for a week, and involves korbanos and immersions in the mikveh. Then, a Kohen must pronounce the metzora to be ritually pure. A metzora of limited financial means may substitute lesser offerings for the more expensive animals. Before a Kohen diagnoses that a house has tzara'as, household possessions are removed to prevent them from also being declared ritually impure. The tzara'as is removed by smashing and rebuilding that section of the house; if it reappears, the entire building must be razed. The Torah details those bodily secretions that render a person spiritually impure, thereby preventing his contact with holy items, and how one regains a state of ritual purity. ========================================================================= Commentaries "This is the law of the Metzora" (14:2). Metzora: "motzi"- to bring out, "[shem] ra"-- [an] evil [name]; i.e., to speak evil about somone. There once was a peddler who traveled from town to town. He would call out "Who wants to buy the elixir of life! Who wants to buy the elixir of life!" Rabbi Yannai heard him and wanted to buy some of his potion. "You don't need my elixir, nor those who are like you" replied the peddler. But Rabbi Yannai pressed the peddler. Finally, the peddler took out a Sefer Tehilim (Book of Psalms), and read to Rabbi Yannai: "Who wants life... - and what's the next line?" said the peddler. Answered Rabbi Yannai "Guard your tongue from evil!" I've read that verse all my life and I never realized its meaning until this peddler taught it to me!" (Midrash) "...and he shall be brought to the Kohen." (14:3). When a person speaks Lashon Hara, it indicates that he has no concept of the power of speech; that he considers words to be insignificant in comparison to actions: As the nursery rhyme says "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me." Nothing could be further from the truth. When a person speaks evil, he awakes a prosecutor in Heaven, not only against the target of his lashon hara, but also against himself. An angel stands by the side of each of us recording our every word. In order to teach those who speak lashon hara the power of just one word, the Torah instructs that the offender be brought to the Kohen. But, even as he is on his way to the Kohen, his body covered with tzara'as for all to see, and until the Kohen actually pronounces the word "Impure!", he is still considered totally pure. Similarly, he cannot regain his former status, although his disease has healed completely, until the Kohen again pronounces him to be spiritually pure. From this, the speaker of lashon hara is taught to reflect on the power of each and every word. For with one word, he can be made an outcast, and with one word he can be redeemed. (Based on Ohel Yaakov) "This is the law of the Metzora" (14:2). At the time of the sheloshim (thirty days after passing away), Nachson Wachsman (HY"D) appeared to his father in a dream. His father asked him what had happened in the failed attempt to save his life. Yehuda told his father that he seemed to be hovering over tens of thousands of people whose arms and voices were raised in prayer. There was such an outpouring of tefilla, of teshuva, that the prayers were reaching Hashem's "throne of glory." The word was just about to go out to rescind the decree against his life and... someone spoke lashon hara. The decree against his life then went through. One word can murder the prayer of thousands. ========================================================================= Haftorah for Shabbos Hagadol Malachi 3:4-24 The Shabbos immediately before Pesach is called Shabbos Hagadol -- or the Great Shabbos. It commemorates the day in Egypt that the Jews each took a sheep, the Egyptian deity, and tied it to their bedposts, informing the Egyptians that their god was about to become an offering to Hashem. In spite of their fury, the Egyptians were powerless to act, although the Jews did not know this at the time. Rather, the Jewish People showed great trust in Hashem and Moshe, His prophet. Thus the Shabbos immediately before the first redemption was a day when the faith of the Jewish People was rewarded with Hashem's protection. (Adapted from the Artscroll/Stone Chumash) "Behold! I send you Eliyahu the prophet before the great and awesome day of Hashem" (7:3). The night of Pesach is called "A night of guardings," when the Jewish People are guarded from their enemies. "A night of guardings" also implies that this night, the night of Pesach is `guarded' -- set aside for all time -- as a night on which the final redemption can come. In other words, every year, the night of Pesach has in it the power of redemption -- it has the ability to bring forth the _actual_ from the _potential_. Shabbos also has this ability to express and crystallize the latent power of the week that follows it. Therefore, every Shabbos Hagadol contains the power of the redemption from Egypt -- already awakened in this Shabbos is the force of "the great and awesome day of Hashem." (Maharal) ========================================================================= Ani Ma'amin The Rambam's 13 Principles of Faith Principle #12: "I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Mashiach, and even though he may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come." "For there is still a vision for the appointed time and it speaks concerning the end, and it does not deceive; though he tarry, wait for him because he will surely come; he will not delay." Chabakkuk 2:3 The indication of this verse is that if we wait for the Redeemer, he will come without delay, but if we do not wait for him, he will be delayed. What is the connection? Were we to ask a group of people, "Do you want Eliyahu Hanavi to come?" they would all certainly respond, "Yes, let him come." But if we asked them whether they would like to see him come immediately, every thinking person would reply, "Although I am very anxious for him to come, I don't want him to come today. After all, I am not an angel and as a mere mortal I must prepare myself to welcome him. Such preparation is not a matter of hours; I will require at least a few days to be ready to welcome him properly." If so, then when we say in the Kedusha of Shabbos Shacharis, "From Your place, O King, reveal Yourself to us and reign over us, for we are waiting for you," - we are lying before Hashem. For in truth, there is no indication that we are really waiting since we are not properly prepared for His arrival. If we truly and sincerely want Eliyahu Hanavi to come quickly, we must be prepared with Torah and teshuva for his arrival. Chafetz Chaim, Likutei Amarim, Perek 11 ========================================================================= ** Spend This Coming Summer Break In Israel For As Little As $599 ** ** (including airfare from New York) ** ========================================================================= JLE Israel Summer Seminar '95 7 weeks of study and touring, optional Ulpan, and structured encounters with Israeli Dignitaries Departure June 14th Optional free week August 8th through August 14th For Jewish men between the ages of 19 & 30 with demonstrated academic achievement and a sincere motivation to explore their roots Minimum scholarship price: $599 Covers round trip ticket, room, board, tuition and tours Undergraduates attending college anywhere in North America who PERMANENTLY reside in New York City (the 5 boroughs), Long Island (Nassau & Suffolk counties) or Westchester County -- as well as undergraduates attending college in any of these areas although permanently residing elsewhere -- may qualify for additional scholarship monies. 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