Weekly Parsha

Mazal Tov to : Sarah Tank

Ore por Refuah Sheimah : Stephen Waczkiewicz (Shimon ben Sarah), Yossefa (Josie) "bat Sharon", Rafael ben Gladis e Esther Bracha "bat Sarah".

Continue orando por : Teddy Welz, Miriam (Mariana) "bat Zulay", Adina (Heidi) "bat Sarah" e Yosefa (Josie) "bat Sharon".

Tazria

Leviticus 12:1 - 14:9

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.

There are two types of speech transgressions: 1) "Loshon Hora" (literally "evil tongue") -- making a derogatory or damaging statement about someone even though you are speaking the truth ... and 2) "Rechilus" (literally "tale bearing") -- telling someone the negative things another person said about him or did against him. 

"And it will be in the skin of his flesh the plague of tzora'as" (Lev. 12:2).

In this verse the term "vehaya" ("And it will") is used which denotes joy.  "Tzora'as" is a very painful affliction, what possible joy can there be in having it?

Pain can be viewed as meaningful or random. If pain has meaning -- like the pain that accompanies giving birth -- the pain is more bearable. If one appreciates that pain can be a wake up call to examine one's life, an atonement for something one has done wrong or a challenge and opportunity to grow, then one can appreciate the pain and value its benefit. A person may wish he did not have the pain. He may hate the pain. However, with focus one can have an element of joy in appreciating its meaningfulness.

Worry does nothing about the future, but it destroys today's peace of mind.

Shabat Shalom!

R. Tank

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Email RabbiTank@ajc.education  or WhatsApp +1 (917) 834-4770 for more information. 

Rabbi Tank is a professor at the American Jewish College, where he teaches classes on Talmud, Jewish History, and Contemporary Jewish Law. Rabbi Tank is dedicated to finding modern utility and meaning in ancient wisdom texts and is happy to provide spiritual, cultural, social and educational programming to communities around the world. 

Rabbi Tank was educated at Chabad Yeshivas in New York and Miami. He majored in Biblical Archeology from Bar Ilan University and from Harvard in Jewish Studies. He graduated in Business Administration and also graduated in International Economic Development from the University of Oxford. 

Rabbi Tank is actively involved in peace negotiations and relief operations and is a Member of the White House National Religious Leaders, an Executive Office of the President of the United States.

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