This Shabbos, two parshiyos are read, as is done on several occasions during a non-leap year, allowing all the parshiyos to be read during the course of the year. In this case, the two portions are Tazria and Metzorah.
Tazria begins with the laws relating to a woman giving birth. Among these, the parsha includes that if the newborn is male, "on the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised." (Vayikra 12:3) This is the basic law of circumcision, first described when Avraham circumcises his son Yitzchak on the eighth day (Bereshis, 21:4). The rabbis learn from the categorical language of the Torah that the circumcision is to take place on the eighth day, even if it falls on Shabbos. Thus, actions usually not permitted on Shabbos, but necessary for the circumcision, can be performed. The rabbis also learn from the text's use of the word "day" that the entire day is permissible for the circumcision. However, they add a basic principle that "individuals who are eager to perform the mitzva (zrizin) perform the circumcision early in the day." The rule of "zrizin" is derived from the story of the Akedah. After God directs Avraham to sacrifice his son, the Torah states "Vayashkeim Avraham baboker." Avraham arose early in the morning to set out for Har Hamoria, to fulfill God's direction. It is our custom to perform the circumcision ceremony early in the day.
The parsha goes on to delineate various rules regarding skin diseases. These rules include a period of isolation for the individual, with the supervision of the Kohen. One of these diseases is called tzora'as, which modern scholars have mistranslated as leprosy. (Robert Alter translates the word as "skin blanches.") The Talmud states that tzora'as is brought on individuals for the following sins: slander, bloodshed, false swearing, adultery, envy, and theft. According to Maimonides, this punishment is appropriate, because each of these sins involves the causing of pain to others in the community. As a result of the skin disease, the individual must feel the pain of his or her isolation from the community.
Parshas Metzora takes its name from its opening words about the laws surrounding the metzora, an individual afflicted with skin disease. The rabbis break the word "metzora" into two words, "motzi" and "ra", a person who "brings out," or circulates, negative reports about another. The sin is usually described as "motzi shem ra," similar but not identical with our "defamation." Rashi notes that the Torah provides that the purification of a motzi shem ra is through the presenting to the Kohen of two live, clean birds ("shnei tziporim chayos tahoros"). Why birds? Because birds chirp, that is, chatter without thinking. The motzi shem ra also chatters without thinking.
The Torah further describes the purification process as including the immersion of the birds in a mixture of wood from a cedar tree, a hyssop bush, and scarlet wool, with the color supplied by the aphid insect. The meaning? Since the motzi shem ra has sinned because of his arrogance, which is symbolized by the cedar wood, the individual must humble himself like the hyssop bush and the scarlet wool. (Translation from Rabbi Steinsaltz’s Chumash).
The Tanach continually emphasizes the importance of refraining from circulating "shem ra." One example is the passage : "Who is the person who desires life ("chofetz chaim")? Guard your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from dishonesty." (Psalms 34:13-14) Psalm 34 is part of the Shabbos morning service.) That connection between long life and guarding your tongue is illustrated by the rabbinical story of the peddler who went around selling a drug that he said brought long life. Rabbi Yanaai came to the peddler and asked that he sell him the drug .The peddler answered that Rabbi Yanaai had no need for the drug, took out the passage from the Book of Psalms, and said: "You already know how to achieve life." One of the most prominent contemporary rabbis, Rabbi Israel Meir Hacohen Kagan, wrote extensively about the laws against motzi shem ra. His first work was on this subject and it was named "Sefer Chofetz Chaim." And so, the rabbi became known as the Chofetz Chaim. He lived in Poland in the 19th century.
Rabbi Ben Mintz, Ohev's long-time member, teacher, and volunteer rabbi will be sorely missed.
