Shabbos Parashas Metzorah - 5779
Shabbos Parashas Metzorah - 5779
Rabbi Hal Miller
Thereafter he may enter the camp but he shall dwell outside of his tent for seven days.
[Vayikra 14:8]
Last week in [13:46] we read, "All the days that the affliction is upon him he shall remain
contaminated, he is contaminated. He shall dwell in isolation, his dwelling shall be outside
the camp." Now the metzora is allowed to return to the camp, but with restrictions. Since
we know that the tzara'as itself is not a contagious disease, why is the metzora isolated?
Before we get to the exiling from the camp, the metzora faces quite a buildup. First, the
tzara'as shows up in personal property. If he doesn't mend his ways, next it appears in
his house. If he still does not change, it appears on him. Then there are a couple of
weeks of procedure where the kohen is checking. Only after all that is he confirmed to
be a metzora and exiled. Clearly, the exile is not to protect people from catching a
disease, so what is it protecting?
In a number of places, Chazal bring reasons for tzara'as. Probably the most well-known
list comes from the Gemora in Arachin [16a]: R'Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of
R'Yonasan, Tzara'as afflictions come for seven things: for lashon hara, for murder, for vain
oaths, for illicit relations, for haughtiness, for theft, and for stinginess. Nearly everyone
emphasizes the first, that tzara'as is brought on when a person speaks lashon hara.
Other impure states are caused by other sins, but none of them brings about this isolation.
In Judaism, being part of the community is about as big a deal as anything, thus the
punishment of metzora can be seen as being extremely serious. By logic we understand
that speaking lashon hara then is extremely serious. What is there about it that brings on
this separation and isolation?
Lashon hara is, by design, divisive. It causes rifts between neighbors, between groups,
and most harmfully, between husband and wife. It is destructive. The discord created is the
exact opposite of what Judaism is about, the community aspect. We protect ourselves
against the damage by removing the person from our midst. This also serves to make the
offender face the fact that the natural human trait of company is being denied due to their
speech, thus hopefully they will learn to mend their ways. The importance here is why it is
this sin for which isolation is decreed.