Weekly Parsha

This Shabbat study is dedicated to the Refuah Sheleima (healing) of Shlomo Tamas ben Sarah (Freddy Thomas) and Malka Batya bat Tova. May they be granted a refuah shlemah - a complete and speedy recovery.

Here at our Community, they are in our prayers, thoughts and hearts.

Shlomo Tamas ben Sarah
Rabbi Refoel Pinchas ben Chaya Rivka
Malka Batya bat Tova
Rabbi Yeruham Fishel ben Nehama Pearl
Adira (Heidi) bat Sarah

***

Tazria, Leviticus 12:1 - 14:9;
Metzora, Leviticus 14: 1 - 15:33

The Torah continues with the laws of physical and spiritual purity. The focus of this portion is upon tzora'as, a supernatural physical affliction sent to warn someone to refrain from speaking badly about others. The disease progressively afflicted home, clothes and then one's skin -- unless the individual corrected his ways and followed the purification process stated in the Torah.

As mentioned above, there are three types of speech transgressions:

1) Lashon Hara (literally "evil tongue") -- making a derogatory or damaging statement about someone even though you are speaking the truth.

2) Motzie Shem Ra -- slander -- where what is spoken is negative and false.

3) Rechilus (literally "tale bearing") --telling someone the negative things another person said about him or did against him. We can have the Power Of Speech when learning the Shmirat HaLashon, proper speech.

* * *

"And the priest shall command to take for him who is to be purified two birds alive and pure, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop." (Leviticus 14:4)

What lessons about life do we learn from these?

Rashi, the great commentator, cites the Sages that the cedar symbolizes arrogance (a cedar tree is tall and "haughty"). Tzora'as comes from arrogance and the contempt for others which allows him to talk negatively about others.

The Chofetz Chaim commented that someone who speaks against others views himself as above other people and therefore feels that he has a right to say negative things about them. If he were aware of his own faults and limitations, he would not seek out the faults of others.

What is the cure?

He should work on humility, which is symbolized by the scarlet that is made from a lowly worm and the use of hyssop which is a small, low bush. (The two live chirping birds are symbolic of the chatter of idle gossip.)

Our lesson: Be aware of one's own faults and limitations rather than focusing on the faults of others.

You can tell more about a person
by what he says about others
than you can by what
others say about him.

Keep your words soft and sweet --
you never know when you'll have to eat them

The mouth of a fool brings destruction to himself.
(Proverbs 18:7)

"When you arrive in the land of Canaan that I give you as a possession, and I will place tzora'as affliction upon a house in the land of your possession. The one to whom the house belongs shall come and declare to the Cohen, 'Something like an affliction has appeared to me in the house' " (Lev. 14:34-35).

The Talmud teaches that the affliction in the house may be a punishment for begrudging things to others (Arachin 16b). The Hebrew word for tzora'as can be broken down to read tsar ayin, an oppressive eye, referring to refusal to share one's things with others. "A person may have asked a neighbor to lend him an item, but the neighbor claimed that he had no such item. The affliction in the house requires the owner to remove everything from the house, at which time his claim that he did not possess the requested item will be publicly proven to have been untrue" (Vayikra Rabba 17:3).

It is also possible to be a tsar ayin even if one does lend his belongings or gives tzedakah. One can do so with a demeaning attitude that causes the recipient to feel humiliated. It is not uncommon for people to look upon recipients of tzedakah as schnorrers (beggars), and even if one does give tzedakah, one may do so with a condescending attitude.

People who are in need of help are often broken in spirit because of their dependence on others. It is a great mitzvah to be encouraging and uplift them. We should remember that when we give tzedakah, we receive much more than we give (Vayikra Rabbah 34:10). If our attitude toward tzedakah is begrudging, the pain we inflict upon the recipient may outweigh the good we do for them.

The Torah says, "When you lend money to My people, to the poor with you" (Exodus 22:24). The commentaries remark that everything in the world belongs to G-d. In His infinite wisdom, He has given more to some, less to others. The wealthy should know that their wealth has been given to them merely for safe-keeping, and that they must give of it to the poor.

" 'To the poor with you' means that the money of the poor is with the wealthy, who should know that they must give of it to the poor, because it is their rightful possession. This is why the Torah emphasizes 'the land of Canaan that I give you as a possession.' Remember that it is My land, and that it is given to you with the understanding that you will share your portion with the needy. Rabbi Yishmael cites the verse, 'the one to whom the house belongs' will suffer the affliction in the house; i.e., one who thinks that the house is exclusively his, rather than a gift from G-d which he should share with the less fortunate" (Arachin 16b).

If one is aware that the tzedakah that he gives is merely that which rightfully belongs to the poor, one will not give grudgingly.

It's not doing the things we like
that makes life happy;
it's learning to like
the things we have to do.

Shabbat Shalom!

***

COVID-19 Kids Activity List

We will be publishing a centralized directory of things to keep your children occupied with as all are currently home without school, and unable to go outside.

There are many Torah learning events, educational online events, entertainment for children, musical live streams etc.

PLEASE SEND ANY ITEMS YOU ARE AWARE OF TO HAVE THEM LISTED HERE TO INFO@BEITCHAI.COM

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LIST

COVID-19 Prayer List

If you have any Tehillim names of people who are hospitalized with COVID-19, please contact Beit Chai with those names to be added to the list.

Do NOT send us names from existing lists, and ONLY send us names you know personally. This is for COVID-19 victims ONLY. 

SEND THE NAMES TO INFO@BEITCHAI.COM

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LIST

Online Learning Program

We are excited to announce the American Jewish College Learning Program. Bezras Hashem, we will hosting a shiur with provided sources, followed by words of inspiration from Rabbi Tank. Please join us!

Refuah Sheleimah

May Hashem deliver us from this crisis speedily and grant a complete recovery to those who are ill, Amen!

Online Learning
Please email Rabbi Tank or text 917-834-4770

Mi Shebeirach (Praying for the sick) 
Please email Rabbi Tank or text 917-834-4770

Bikur Cholim (Visiting the sick)
Please email Rabbi Tank or text 917-834-4770

Koshering your house or business
Please email Rabbi Tank or text 917-834-4770

Register your family 
Click HERE 

Terumah (Contributions)
Now you can give your Maaser and Tzedakah HERE

"Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring an offering of the Almighty" (Exodus 35:5).

Those who bring the offerings should bring their hearts with their offering. It is not sufficient just to give a monetary donation. The Almighty wants our hearts, that is our thoughts and our emotions.

When you just give money to our institution, you help the cause for which you are giving. However, when you give with your heart, you are changing and elevating yourself as a person. Each donation makes you into a more giving person. Whenever you give, reflect before you give and then give with a full heart!