Shabbat Parashat Metzorah - 5784

Shabbat Parashat Metzorah - 5784

Rabbi Hal Miller

  The Kohen shall command and for the person being purified there shall be taken two live

  pure birds, cedarwood, crimson wool and hyssop. [Vayikra 14:4]

This portion of the Torah includes something unique. Usually, the use of animals in the

religious services involves a sacrifice of the animal as a substitute for the death penalty

that would have been proper for one or more humans. Here, one of the two birds not only

remains alive, but is released into the wild to pursue its own life. What is the significance?

Many commentators start by defining what a "live pure bird" is. Rashi says, based on Onkelos,

"live" is to exclude torn birds, tereifot and "pure" to exclude non-kosher types. Ramban says

Rashi means that this is not a specific species, rather refers to all kosher birds. But this would

include birds that do not 'chatter' as Rashi said, plus Ramban disagrees that "live" is only to

exclude torn, rather it means not slaughtered. According to Ramban, the Torah means all

small birds that chirp, and pure adds that they must be only kosher ones. Torat Kohanim calls

this designated bird a dror, which is a species that lives out in the fields not in cities.

The birds here are not a sacrifice in place of the person who brings them. They are, as our

verse states, to purify the person. There appears to be a difference. With a sacrifice, the penalty

is transferred onto the animal, but with purification, instead it is the impurity which is transferred,

or at least as far as goes the bird to be released. The tzara'at is transferred and the bird is sent

out to the fields. Rav Hirsch and others ask, what if this released bird is later caught by someone

who wishes to eat it? He answers that the impurity does not stay with the bird, but is purified

upon the bird's release, so one can eat this otherwise kosher bird. Kiddushin [57b] says that it was

not meant as a stumbling block for one who finds it.

Based on Rashi, many commentators say that the basic sin involved here is lashon hara, evil

speech, thus the tie to "chirping" and "chattering" of the birds. One might come to think, during the

process, that he should remain silent the rest of his life to ensure he does not repeat the sin. Kol

Dodi says that the reason for the released bird is to teach that after cleaning up the mess, one

must go back out into the world. The power of speech sets man apart and gives him capabilities

which he must continue to work with in a positive fashion.

The slaughtered bird and the other ingredients listed in our verse are part of this process, each

with its own set of symbolism. Once the process is completed, the impurity, transferred to the live

bird during that process, is essentially nullified and ceases to exist. By sending away the live bird,

one is clearing his plate and moving forward.