Parashat Metzora/ Shabbat HaGadol

Torah Sparks

Parashat Metzora/ Shabbat HaGadol: Leviticus 14:1 – 15:32

Our Torah portion continues from last week‟s portion in discussing the strange phenomenon called “tzara`at.” The previous portion teaches that the affliction can affect a person‟s skin or even the clothing s/he wears. Our portion tells us that this is not only a skin disease tha may also rub off on ones garments. It can also, seemingly independently, affect one‟s home. The Torah describes some ind os mold or mildewy problem that appears on the surface of the house and penetrates into the very plaster and stones of the building.

These stains must be inspected by the priest to determine whether they are, indeed, tzara`at, for not all fungus and discoloration qualifies as this plague. When a person notices the discoloration on the walls, she must come to the priest to report it. The Torah quotes the person as saying, “Something like an affliction has become visible to me in the house.” (Lev. 14:35)

Our Sages were quick to pick up on the tone and phrasing of this report. They noted the hesitant, unsure formulation of the statement. And they decided that this was not an accident. They read this as a guideline for how a person should speak. As Rashi says: “Even were one a great scholar and absolutely sure about it, he should not be clearly decisive about the matter and say, „I see an affliction.‟ Rather, one should say, “Something like an affliction has come to my notice.”

This is of a piece with the rest of our Sages‟ approach to this topic in the Torah. They took every opportunity to take this obscure and – by their own admission – no longer observable phenomenon and set of laws – and turn it into an opening to learn about the ethics of speech. They highlighted two aspects of speech in this case. They urge us toward a more humble approach to expressing ourselves, to refrain from authoritarian pronouncements even when we are sure we are right. And they also urge us to be sensitive to the social aspect of speech. All speech is a talking to someone else. In this case, it is the priest‟s job to decide whether the stain is really the affliction of tzara`at. Say the rabbis – when you are talking to someone who has a job to do, respect their own sense of responsibility and let them have the chance to perform their duties. Don‟t presume to tell them their job ahead of time, even though you may think you know it better.

May we take these lessons to heart as we prepare for Passover, which, with its special ritual of telling each other the Exodus story all night long, can fairly be called the great Festival of Speech.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi David Greenstein

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