Thought for the Week Tazria & Metzora The Only Way Through It Is Through It Rabbi Yaakov Winner 5786

How are you? I hope everyone is gesund, strong, I hope everyone is healthy, strong, and happy physically and spiritually. Today is the end of Shabbos Koidesh Parshas Tazria Metzora. Someday is going to be Beis Iyar, the Yom Ha'Melech, so the Rebbe Rashash. And this past um Wednesday was Chof Ches Nissan, a day where the Rebbe gave over the mission to bring Moshiach to his followers in a more powerful way than ever before. So to connect all these things, we will soon start, but first as usual, we start with charity. Today we start with charity because it has a segulah. Moshiach should come now. Then we start with a prayer. Today is Rosh Chodesh, a freilichen Rosh Chodesh. It's a Rosh Chodesh Iyar with the roshei teivos of Iyar. One of the roshei teivos is Ani Hashem Rofecha, I am Hashem that heals you. So it's connected to healing. And what we're going to speak about today is healing. So we're going to say the bracha, the prayer of Asher Yatzar. We say Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha'Olam, blessed be Hashem Asher Yatzar Adam b'chochma, bara vo bo nekuvim nekuvim chalulim chalulim. Hashem created within the person numerous orifices and cavities. If one of them would be blocked or not functioning properly, so ee efshar lehiskayem afilu sho'a echos, it would not be possible to exist even for a short while. And we finish the blessing Baruch Atah Hashem rofe chol basar u'mafli la'asos. Blessed are you, Hashem, who heals all flesh and performs wonders. So it should be we should see the way Hashem rofe chol basar, whatever sickness or illness a person has should be healed. In this week's parashah, we speak about an illness. Both parashahs, Tazria and Metzora, speak about tzaraas. Tzaraas is usually translated as a leper or leprosy. As we all know, and we're soon going to discuss it, how this is not This was not any disease or skin condition that you would find in any encyclopedia of medicine. The Rambam brings it down straight away. And especially according to Chassidus, this was a supernatural miraculous miraculous I'm calling it miraculous cuz it wasn't so pleasant if you had it. But miraculous means cuz it was something that was totally beyond nature and out of this world. No doctor would be able to diagnose what it is. He's never seen it before. It's something not of this world. Okay. So, there's a famous question. Everyone knows this and everyone speaks about it. So, we'll start with that Gemara. There's a famous Gemara in Sanhedrin in the Sugya of Mashiach in Sanhedrin daf tzadik ches omed alef and omed beis. First, I'll say what it says in omed beis the sec later. It says that there was a question on what is the name of Mashiach. And different people gave different opinions of the name of Mashiach. One person said Shiloh. One person said Chanina. One person said Menachem ben Chizkiyahu. Then Rabbanan amri, and the Rabbanan said, Chivri yidei Rabbi Shmuel. That the name of Mashiach is the leper of the house of Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi. And what's the reason for it? In a way, this already gives us a bit of an answer. Ochain, choli yeino nosoi umachaveinu sevolom. >> Mashiach has to endure. He bears our illness and he endures our pains. But not just new has have new the Goa Mookie like him. We see on that we still held him in high regard even though he was um injured and he was hit by a sham and afflicted. So over here, not only do we say that Mashiach which you think is the highest highest level is the highest level in a way except for Mashiach who might have some quality I'm not going to get into that now over Mashiach, but in generally Mashiach is the top top the top top level of spirituality and holiness and purity. I'm not saying this is his name. The name of Mashiach is the leper of the leper of Matzah dough. And the name represents the essence of something as explained all over. And previously Rabbi Shimon bar Levi was looking for he found the Leo and he asked Leo when is Mashiach coming and Leo said ask him and he said where is he and Leo says he's sitting in the entrance of Rome and Rabbi Shimon bar Levi asked him how will I be able to identify him and Leo says he's sitting amongst the people that are like poor and and and and suffering from sicknesses and disease they will take off their bandages and they put on a bandage so they take off an old one and they put on a new one in the same spot let's say. But sorry, the other ones all take off the bandages at one time and then put on new ones. So first they take off all of them. But Messiah takes off one bandage, puts on another bandage, then takes off another one. So he takes off the old one by one and immediately puts a new one. But the others, they first take off all of them and then they put on the new ones. Okay. But what do we see from this Gemara? That he has illnesses. He's amongst the poor and the downtrodden and the ones who are afflicted. And he's called a metzora. And the famous question is, how can we call Messiah a metzora? Metzora, if you're learning the simple meaning of the pesukim, it's definitely a negative state. And it's an illness. And in general, illness is not a good sign. Health represents something positive. Illness represents something negative. So why would you call Messiah, who's the ultimate specimen of Am Yisrael, the ultimate of the level of tzidkus and holiness, why would you call him a metzora? So to understand it, I want to bring out a couple of points from what we're going to speak about today. We'll actually be able to learn many, many things. Number one, how to overcome all challenges in life, whatever it is. And also about preparing for Messiah. As the Rebbe said, we have to think about it, be obsessed about it. And the more we think about what the idea of Messiah is, what's the concept of Messiah, that's when we prepare ourselves more properly for Messiah. And finally, on a level we should discuss what it means in a practical level to go in Messiah's ways. The best way to prepare for Messiah is to act Messiahdic, to act Geuladic. What brings about Messiah? Okay, so first let's start on one level, how can we call Moshiach metzora? So, by the way, what I'm going to speak now comes from the Sicha Lamid Zayin. Some things I'm going to speak about it obviously based on sources, but some things I'm going to make a connection which I haven't seen anyone bring out this connection, but I do believe it's correct and I will point it out soon. But first of all, the parsha starts off Sefaria Adam ki yihyeh bo'er besar o she'er se'es o sapachas if a man will have in his skin a white spot. So, in connection to what we just said that it was a miraculous thing, all the commentaries I'm saying according to the Siddur bring out the reason why the pasuk over here calls the metzora Adam. Adam is a very dignified term. The name Adam means a dam elyon. He's similar to Hashem. Like when you want to bring out the positive, you call Adam, but tell me what kind of man is he in the world? Adam elyon, we're similar to the spiritual realms, to Hashem. And we know that there's three other names that a person could be called ish, enosh, gever, enosh, ish, gever. Whatever the different levels are and which one's lower or higher, we'll leave that for another time. But it says in all these places that Adam is the highest level. So, we're talking about somebody actually spiritually from the elite. So, what does that mean? First we'll say in very simple terms, and this is also connected where why it's said in the pasuk bo'er besaro, where was the blemish? In his flesh. The skin of his flesh. Meaning to say everything else was perfect. There was one bit left. Something in his externalities that was problematic, and therefore manifested itself in such a way. In other words, when the person is primarily, fundamentally, major in a major way pure and good and virtuous, so as soon as he has a tiny problem, the body fights against it to get rid of that problem. Hashem sent a person this thing which is totally out of this world as a healing for the negative thing that was going on inside himself. And this explains why today there's no more tzaddiks cuz we're anyways tamei. We're so generally speaking, we're not on that level of purity that this should be a problem. The The times of the Chumash, when they were all on a much, much higher level, everything else was perfect, so there was this one thing that they did wrong, and it manifested itself in the external part of the body. In other words, it's only external. Everything else is fine. And it's a good sign. You know, there's the famous fairy tale, and we said it many times, I don't want to get into it now, the princess and the pea. The How do we tell that she's a princess? She's sitting on a She's sleeping on a bed which is like very, very tall with many, many mattresses. She still felt the pea. Why? Cuz she was super sensitive. And that was a sign that she's a she's a princess, and her sleep was terrible, even though any other normal person, a commoner, wouldn't feel it. The same way our dad is there is the shot over here with being a tzaddik. Being a metzora. Everything else is so sublime and a good level that therefore Hashem sent only this thing that was out of this world. It was like a sign, a test to show you where the problem is and how you have to get rid of it in order to be remaining on the very high level. Just like the same thing is when it comes to if you have a garment and a very super expensive garment, the tiniest stain or the tiniest problem is a big problem. But something which is a much cheaper garment, the problems become a lesser problem. The same thing is true, let's say about a car. If you have a foreign car, an expensive car, even a small part might be very, very expensive and very difficult to deal with it, how to get it and the replacement, etc., etc. But in a regular jalopy, so that problem is not even such a problem. So the same thing is over here in spiritual terms. To connect it even a deeper idea, and the Rebbe speaks about that very much in the sicha in chelek lamed zayin, that the truth is this this this this skin condition really comes from a very, very high level of light. Immense lights and energy of spiritual Elokus of godliness. It just manifests itself in this way, one to deal with this problem, to take care of it, and also to show that it really comes from a very, very high source, that it's not really a bad sign. So it's another addition to this idea, that it's a reflection of the last thing that has to be fixed, which is the most like external thing or the only thing that has to be fixed. It also represents something that comes from the highest, highest level that's able to reach the lowest, lowest. Lowest doesn't mean necessarily the most difficult. Lowest can mean like even the most external thing, the last thing. And this already explains how it's connected to Moshiach, that it Moshiach has a doesn't it's not a sign that it's a lower level. Only the highest level Adam is connected to this. Not that he has any flaws, but first we have to establish that the whole thing doesn't really represent something negative. But also, since the tomorrow says that this is the name of Mashiach, it represents the idea that before Mashiach comes, like everything's already taken care of. There's the last bit of the dust, which has to be taken care of. But besides for that, it's all good. And who's the one who's going to take care of that dust? Mashiach. Now, how is this connected to the idea that I said that this will teach us all about challenges in general? So, the the modus operandi of Chassidus, which is unbelievable, is that in every single subject, every single challenge, every single difficulty, every single struggle, in the end you have to come to the conclusion, and you have to look at it through the lens of perspective, that it's not negative. There's no such a thing as negativity for the purpose of negativity. It's always a means to an end. It's something connected to healing and refuah, and it's something that's always connected to positivity. And the key, the key to be able to experience it in such a way is when you uncover what's really the source, the meaning, what's really behind it. We mentioned this in Yemei Yemei somewhere he says "Or", the word "Or" which light, and "Raz" means secret. If you discover the secret of every single thing, the secret is its true definition, the real source, what's really going on over here, what's it what's the category, what is it, then you're able to bring light to any situation. Very powerful word. So, the same thing is over here concerning Saras Matzo Era. And actually it brings down Mamus might have that that the word nega which means when a person has this condition and the word only only is the highest highest level in say the stars of in the godly realms of Kadusha and the attributes of Hashem is Kesser and then then Kochma and in Kesser there's two levels there's Ratzon and Tainug. And the same thing is in other So, by the Abershter it's the highest level and by man also is the highest level of the service of Hashem. So, only it means pleasure, delight, enjoyment. Nega and this is the expression Ayla Mayla Only the Ayla Mat to me nega. There's nothing as low as this condition because externally speaking it was it was a it was not pleasant and you have to be separated from everybody else etc. etc. But at the same time we say what is it really? Where is it really coming from? From only from the highest of the high. The highest of the high and only the highest of the high can reach the lowest of the low and take care of that problem. But also the lowest of the low is really really ultimately when we will reveal and heal the lowest of the low, we'll see how ultimate it's connected to the highest of the high. That's Hasidus. Wow. And just to bring another example which is goes about life in general. I don't want to get into it, but look it up in Parshas Chukas which speaks about the Yidden they did something wrong and they got bitten by snakes and it was it was it was you know poison and it was they it caused the plague, people were dying. And then, what was the answer? The answer was that they made a copper snake in the bushes. And this copper snake was on a pole and you were supposed to the Israel meant to look up at the pole and look at this copper snake. And then they got healed. So, Rashi brings down obviously it's not the copper snake for sure that brings the healing represents when we look up to the sham. If you connect the sham and you look up to the sham, then you become healed. But what was the point? Why was Why was there such a thing called the copper snake? Like why did it have to be a snake? And the answer was, you know, like they say the antidote is from the poison itself. But in spiritual terms, it's because nothing really starts from bad. There's no such a thing as really bad. If you look up, look deeper. Don't be fooled by the facade or by the cover-up. If you understand and you appreciate that it's all from the sham, nothing bad comes from the sham, then you become healed. Same word. If you see the secret behind everything, how there's a meaning and there's a purpose, so then you'll be able to bring salvation and healing. And this is my message for the sham for sure that the more we'll be connected to the meaning of the Torah, the inner dimension, then the more we'll bring healing and positivity without a question. Now I want to bring out two more points. First of all, I mean mainly one point. And this is also explained as the Gamara said, why was Mashiach called uh Metora? And the Gamara right away says connects it to a possible in in in in Yeshayahu it says that Mashiach is bearing our illness. Chulyenu Nosai. What does that mean? So, one level is that we say that all the are guf echad. All the Jews are one body. So, it goes on by one Jew whoever that Jew is affects the highest level. And that's one lesson. We're all in this together. And it's brought down in Chassidus and in my modern That's why the Arizal It says it about the Arizal why the Arizal said Ashamnu Bagadnu Visinu. How could he say Visinu? Tzaddikim didn't The The Arizal didn't do all those sins. When he says Ashamnu and many of us you could say on a certain level on a simple level of the things that it says in Ashamnu have not committed to. Why Why does he mention it? Why do we all have to say it? And the answer is because Kol Yisrael Guf Echad. We all did it because you can't separate one Jew from another Jew. My hand did it but not my head. I'm sorry. We're all attached. It's all one body. And therefore, everything what's going on by any Jew in any part of the world affects every other Jew. Including Mashiach. He's in this with us. That's number one. We can elaborate about that. But obviously I have to say that the fact that he feels it also helps us. Cuz every Jew in my energy Betzalel as it says in many places when one Jew does a good deed, when one Jew does chuva, when one Jew says Hashem it brings healing and salvation and benefit and blessings for all the Jews because we're all one body. So at the same token that we all have to feel the descent because of what one person did, the benefit that we bring brings benefit to everyone together. But it's also a general message. We never never never disassociate ourselves from the downtrodden, the dispossessed, the lower elements, the the the ostracized. And now I want to connect this story of Mashiach ben Choldem Matara with another story which I don't know why I've I looked into it in the commentaries in this week's parsha. No one brings down the story of Rabbi Shimon ben Levi from the Gemara in Kesubos. A wild wild story. Which I didn't I don't hear so many people talk about the story in general. And what I'm going to say now was also brought down in Likutei Sichos Chelek Daled Perek Vov. And the Gemara talks about Rabbi Shimon ben Levi. Now, just to tell you about the climax straight away, Rabbi Shimon ben Levi is one of the only people that went into Gan Eden alive. Like Eliyahu Hanavi. He went up while he was still alive. A similar story happened to Rabbi Shimon ben Levi. What does the Gemara say? The Gemara says in Kesubos Daf Ayin Zayin Amud Bais that it there was a there were people at that time that were called Baalei Roshen. They had a skin disease. Now that skin disease is not miraculous. It's not a matara. It was a physical thing. In the physical world. And it was very contagious. And you'll see what the Torah says, it reminds you of a person with COVID. And if I want to make it clear, what the Torah is talking about over here in Sukkot is a physical thing. And metzora is a whole is a different thing that manifests itself in a physical way. But nevertheless, this is what Over there the Torah talks about Yeshua ben Levi over here the Torah talks about Yeshua ben Levi and it both is talking about skin conditions. So the Torah says there were people that had Bali Rasha, that means they they they they they had a very severe skin disease. And the Torah describes I don't want to get graphic different sort of surgeries that had to be done to try to deal with this. And flies would get attached to the skin of a person who was afflicted and the Torah speaks about different tzaddikim. I'm a Rabbi Rabbi Zeira, if even he there was a place where the wind came from where there were people that had this, he wouldn't go there. And Rabbi Elazar wouldn't go into a tent that somebody one of these people was in. And the Torah mentions other things that people so careful how they distance themselves completely from those sort of people. And then the Torah says Rabbi Shimon bar Levi Mikhal Bihu. V'asik b'Torah. He attached himself to those people and he learned with them Torah. He spread Torah to those people. The ones who were in absolute isolation. And people looked at him and said, "What do you mean, but it's dangerous?" And he said, "Ayeles Ahavim, Ayeles Chen." The possuk says that um the ram through Torah a person becomes like a beloved lamb and a graceful animal. Im Chen. malalim there a good in the magnet. He says if the Torah says that it brings grace to the person who learns Torah, then the Torah definitely shields a person. That's what Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai So what made him outstanding was he was the only one that didn't consider the dangers. I'm not getting into the details now what what we should do in a case with the Sakana Sefashas. But I want to talk about the concept here. Mixing mingling with the lowest of the low in spiritual terms and physical terms the most seemingly bad situations. And then the Gemara says right after that that when Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai was bedridden and was close to the end of his life the Malach Hamoves, the angel of death, was sent to take care of him. And then he would then he would uh go to Gan Eden. But anyways, the Malach Hamoves came to him and since Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai was a tzaddik and so he tells the he told the Malach Hamoves and he was given the order he said, "Show me my place in the world to come." Now the Malach Hamoves didn't know what Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai was going to do. It was more like show me where I'm going to be going and then I'll allow you to do what you have to do and then I'll end up there. So he says "Show me where I'm going. Show me my place in the world to come." And the Malach Hamoves agreed and then he told he asked the Malach Hamoves The Malach Hamoves had a knife. That was his instrument how he brought death to people. I I I I must confess obviously I cannot say we understand these stories 1 million percent the literal sense cuz we're talking about people flying from physical realms to spiritual realms. What does it mean a knife? But anyways, he asked the Malach Hamoves to give him his knife. He said I'm frightened to go along with you. You know, but that who knows you might do something to me before you even were able to show me my place. Anyways, the Malach Hamoves gave him his knife. And and and the Malach Hamoves like like lifted him up to show him his place in heaven. And Rebbe Shimon Levi jumped. That's what the Gemara says. He jumped into that side straight away, straight into Gan Eden. Straight into heaven, straight into paradise. Anyways, the Malach Hamoves grabbed him by the cloak. He said he wanted to get him out first to be able to first do to him what is done to most mortals. And Rebbe Shimon Levi made a made a made a promise. See the Gemara there. In any case, Rebbe Shimon Levi still had the knife and he wanted to hold on to it, but it was told that he has to give it back to the Malach Hamoves. And then the Gemara says something unbelievable. Eliyahu Navi was there and Eliyahu Navi announced Eliyahu Eliyahu announced "Pnu Makom lebar Levi." Make room. Make way for the son of Levi. And then the Gemara talks about how he went into the chamber of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai, which is the highest highest level. There's no tzaddikin that are higher than Shimon bar Yochai ben Eliyahu. So, the Rebbe in the sicha in chelek dalet says why was Rebbe Shimon bar Levi on such a high level? And he brings from the Gemara over there that Reb Chanina bar Papa also wanted the same thing to happen to him. He wanted to go alive into Gan Eden. And the Gemara says that he did what didn't merit that. And why? And the Gemara says, "Micha achu ba'alei roshan vi'asku ba'Torah." Did you occupy yourself with these people that were afflicted? These sick people? The ones that were unwell, the worst type of contagious disease? He didn't do that. He did everything else, but he didn't do that. So he see that the Gemara says clearly what made Rebbi Shimon bar Levi outstanding. The fact that he dealt with the afflicted, even though there was a danger. But it was completely selfless. And this is what the Rebbe speaks about. And he says that this is the lesson that we have to take from this from Reb Shimon bar Yochai. And he speaks about the concept where the Rebbe says in many places, "Aisik." Aisik ha'Torah means that it's like a business to you, you sell it, you spread it, you don't keep it for yourself. See there. So now I want to bring out another point. The lesson that it takes from this on many levels. Mashiach is the one he has to feel the pain. Not only he feels the pain, what makes him outstanding is the one that he is the highest of the high, and yet he reaches he's disturbed, he's affected. It bothers him what's going on by the lowest of the low. And that's what makes him outstanding. And that's the lesson we should take. Starting with the idea that it says Messiah feels always carrying our pain and our suffering. So, there's one story, first I'll say a story that ever the middle ever which is the most famous story. The ever said the story when he said the his first number possible the guy and he said a story of others who saw by the middle ever and it's a famous story somebody came to middle ever told the middle ever that he has had the snow room. Cuz you cuz one of the job descriptions of a never is that he can give you restitution. No matter what a person does through the help of a tzaddik, he can refine you and elevate you and bring you for healing whatever spiritual deficiencies or flaws you have. And this constant came to the never and told him about his flaws in the certain area. I hope you understand had the snow room sins of the youth. So, the middle of the ever rolled up his sleeve and showed him his skin. And his skin was like like looked emaciated. And terrible terrible condition didn't look vibrant, didn't look healthy. And the middle of the ever told this this this constant or tosser from dying had the snow room this is from your had the snow room. Now, why did he say it? And the never brings out that this was our bossy slow. Not that he was giving him a rebuke or he wanted to make the constant feel bad has for showing. He wanted to show that we're in this together. He wanted to show I feel your pain, I feel your struggle. And they're not connected. No matter how low you can go, I am there with you. And we will get out of this together. It's because the never his skin condition is in such a way because Mashiach is carrying the burden of our suffering and pain. Therefore, he's able to get us out of there. So, it was So, the fact that the Rebbe brings down this story and he's bringing it out as a reflection of the middle of the Rebbe's obviously Sural, it's a whole new meaning of the story. Instead of you thinking about it like the Rebbe's telling you, "Look, I suffer because of your problem. It's your fault." It's the opposite. It's the obviously Sural of the middle of the Rebbe's connection to that person that we're in this together and we'll get out together. With the help of the tzaddik. There's more stories, but the time is late and it's short Friday over here. So, I'll say one more story connected to the Rebbe Maharash. Amazing story. Brings out the same point. The Rebbe Maharash used to of all the Rebbeim, his lifestyle externally seemed to be the most royal. There's a lot of different Rebbelech, you know, the royal courts, you know, they have gold in their homes. This is not a problem. They're elevating it and they're takah the king, so to speak, of the whole congregation, of all the followers. From all the Chabad leaders, only the Rebbe Maharash conducted himself in such a manner. And he had a goyishe wagon driver. And one time the Chassidim got him a bit drunk to to he should disclose some of the secrets of the conduct of the Rebbe Maharash. Anyways, they gave him to drink. And he told them, I think in his mind he was trying to say, "You know what? He's just never happy. The Rebbe Maharash is never happy. Look, he's the leader. He has a lavish lifestyle, so to speak. And he looks like everything is grand and glorious and royal. But you know what? I can tell you sometimes he asked me to go far out to the woods deep deep and we stop at a certain place. He gets out of the wagon. He sits down next to a tree or tree stump on the ground and he lets murashkis. If I remember correctly, that's what it says. Ants. He allows ants to crawl over his entire body. He's completely covered with these ants and he's sobbing away and he's crying. The wagon driver was a He doesn't understand anything. So I can't understand him. He's still not happy? He has so much things that have so well in his life and he's still not happy? Cuz he's a and he's a simpleton, a regular Russian peasant. He had no understanding of what it means to feel the pain of Kali Yuga's sorrow. What does it mean tikkun hatzoys? What does it mean shinta begalusa? So the Reb Maharash, who externally seemed to have royal furnishings and everything else, he's going to the forest willingly and deliberately to allow ants to crawl over his entire body and to be covered with them and to be sobbing and crying to feel on a physical level even though we have no real understanding of these sort of things, but this is a story black and white printed. But it's obviously connected to this idea that Mashiach is called the metzora and the possuk says Mashiach bears our pain. The story with the Mitteler Rebbe is crying that his skin is emaciated and this is the same similar story. The Reb Maharash has to cry to feel the pain and the suffering of Kali Israel. Because by him feeling the pain, it allows him to relate more to whatever's going on. And when you when you experiencing it, like it's a whole different thing. So, they should should help. We should have no more feeling of pain. The Rebbe said we should cry out at Masai. But the lesson we could take is that the more we will act like the Rebbe should have been living. Who no matter who he was dealing with, even the lowest element of society, so to speak. He still never separated himself from another person, no matter what. And not only that, he went out of himself, even though it was dangerous, to spread terror, to bring spiritual spirituality and healing to every single person. So, this is the lesson that we have to take. And they should should help that if we go in the ways of the Rebbe should have been living, and also the ways of Messiah, and also in the ways of the Rebbe should have been living, we should always be number one grateful to Hashem for whatever he gave us. But also to feel humbled, to be able to relate to every single person, to appreciate their pain, to feel their suffering. The more we'll connect with everyone else equally, treat everyone equally, the rich person to the poor person, the the the very high academic, scholarly to the simple person. If we act in such a way, this will definitely bring about the Gullah Mitzvah Shleima. Take it from me Yad Mamesh. Posting from my home, may Hashem bless us all, young man in Melbourne.