Weekly Parsha

Mazal Tov to: Avi Cohen

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".

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.

This week's portion continues with the purification process for the metzora, the person afflicted with tzora'as and then the home afflicted with tzora'as. The portion ends with the purification process for discharges from the flesh.

"When you arrive in the land of Canaan ... and I will place a 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 Kohen, 'Something like an affliction has appeared to me in the house' " (Lev. 14:34-35).

Why should the owner say, '"Something like an affliction has appeared to me in the house"? Why not say, "An affliction has appeared to me in the house"?

The Divine statement, "I will place an affliction upon a house in the land of your possession" appears to be a statement of fact rather than a punishment for improper speech.

The Canaanites used to hide their treasures in the thick walls of their houses. The affliction in the house resulted in the walls being demolished, which would expose the hidden treasure. Thus, the affliction in the house was a blessing rather than a punishment.

This is why the owner should not say, "An affliction has appeared to me in the house." An affliction is a punishment, whereas the lesion in the wall of the house was a blessing leading to discovery of hidden treasure. Therefore, all he may say is, "Something like an affliction has appeared to me in the house."

This has a far-reaching application. We all experience unpleasant things which at the moment are distressing and appear to be bad. In many instances, we realize much later that what we had assumed to be bad was really something good in disguise.

When an adversity occurs, one should not say, "It is bad." G-d does not do bad things. Rather, we may say, "This is a bitter happening." Some life-saving medications may have a bitter taste. Remembering this should help us keep our bearing in times of adversity.

It's not doing the things we like that makes life happy; it's learning to like the things we have to do. If you don't sacrifice for what you want, what you want becomes the sacrifice.

Shabat Shalom!

R. Tank

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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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