Rabbi Benjamin Yudin Discusses Parshas Tazria-Metzora (5786)

Good morning, good afternoon, shabbat shalom, everybody. Tomorrow we have the privilege of reading parshas tazria and metzora. Woah, two challenging parshas. Firstly, let's note the number of mitzvahs and that is that tazria has seven mitzvahs according to the chinuch, five positive and two restrictions. And metzora, the second parsha, has 11 positive mitzvahs. So, there's a total of 18 mitzvahs. We have 16 positive and two restrictions. I think that's an interesting point just to begin with because most of us, when we hear the names tazria and metzora, we are somewhat taken aback. If they're all this, they're difficult to understand and we know that they're not to be taken literally. The Torah is not a medical journal. The Torah is not a Dr. Spock guide for parents, this is what you do when the baby has this kind of a symptom. No. So, you have to ask yourself why this is here in the first place. And take a look at the many positive mitzvahs that are involved with this. So, I'd like to suggest that there is much to be learned from this parsha and that even though we don't have a beit hamikdash yet, so we don't have the fulfillment of these mitzvahs, and I use the keyword is yet, please God, we will in the future as we did in the past. And let's keep in mind, my friends, that these nigoyim only apply in the land of Israel. And why is that? Because in the land of Israel is a special rapport relationship between God and the Jewish people. And therefore, just as the laws of shmita and yovel prove this point, that when the Torah tells us that you are to work each year, however, after the sixth year, you are not to work in the seventh year, and not to plant until the eighth year, and it doesn't come up until the ninth, oh my goodness, what are we supposed to eat during that time? So, the Torah teaches us in a few weeks in parshas Behar, "V'chi v'chi as birkasi, Hashem says, I will command my blessing, and the land of Israel will produce not necessarily quantitatively, but qualitatively. Unbelievable. No other source in the world could ensure that until the farmers take the year off, and I'll provide the nourishment of the people." Similarly, there's something about the land of Israel and the character of the Jew that avira d'ara, the land of Israel machkim, not only gives us wisdom, but enables Hashem to have a more personal relationship, intimate relationship with each individual. So, we know that the parshas of Tazria Metzora, The first part of Tazria deals with the mitzvahs related to childbirth and the carbonos that accompany it for a boy, for a girl. And the end of Tazria, I'm sorry, the end of Metzora deals with the laws of Taharas Hamishpacha, the laws of family purity, the laws of Niddah, the laws of Zavah, the laws that have maintained the sanctity of the Jewish home for the last over 2,000 years and continues to so do. The bulk of Tazria and Metzora deal with what is known as leprosy, but that's not correct translation cuz leprosy happens to be a contagious disease and this is not contagious. This is rather a manifestation on the body coming forth of a inner flaw of the individual. The individual was guilty of embarrassing somebody. The individual was guilty of being stingy, of speaking lashon hara, speaking negatively, of creating negativity within society. So the Torah says, and we understand between the lines, that what he did, this individual, he or she, this is being done to them by their being quarantined, taken out of society for them to realize what they had done and really it's a blessing that God is chastising them, God is visiting them and not ignoring them. A person could go on sinning all his life. Who's to tell him what's right and what's wrong? So, in Israel, Hashem did the telling. Wow, you {quote} broke out in a rash, and this rash is not poison ivy, this rash is is sapachas, etc., and this is God's way of telling you to get into shape. Now, I'd like to share with you a Mishnah, which happens to be the second the la- second chapter of Nega'im, the last Mishnah. And there, the Mishnah reads, "Kol hanega'im all of the various let's say m- malaise a- a- all of these challenges, physical challenges to the individual, all these what we call might plagues. Adam ro'eh, a kohen has been taught and can see the blotches on another individual, whether that individual is a relative or not, he's trustworthy, that he's not biased. Chutz except for nigei atzmo, except for one's own imperfections. One's own imperfection one cannot look at because there is an innate bias to the individual. He's going to consciously, subconsciously go in a more lenient or more strict attitude towards himself, whichever the case may be, but he cannot be objective. And therefore, a kohen, even if he to be the head of the committee of niga'im, and he knows niga'im very well, but he can't look at his own personal blotch, blemish, because he is biased. Now, our rabbis tell us very interestingly that the Torah says "V'huva el ha'kohen." A person who has this disease called tzara'as is to be brought to the cohen. And what are we saying? That because the person is biased regarding himself, he can't make that decision regarding himself. Now, watch. The rabbis understand this verse and this teaching in the Mishnah to mean the following. All the shortcomings of a person a person can see except for his own. What does that mean? It means that we are easy and careful to find fault with the next one. Like Melech says in the fourth chapter of Mishlei, "Einecha your eyes l'noachach yabitu." Look towards others. Ah, it's easy to find and it's easy to criticize others, that others have different flaws. But "V'afapecha your own eyelids yashiru l'negdecha." Look to yourself. In other words, before you are quick to point out flaws in the next one, you are to be quick to recognize, "Wait a minute. Maybe I have this flaw." And not only maybe I have this flaw, there are those that learn this line in the Mishna to mean "Kol Hana Adam Ro'eh Chutz", which means all blemishes we can see in the next one. Where's it coming from? "Minig Atzmo", it's coming because you yourself have this deficiency, so it's easy for you to recognize it in the next one as opposed to recognizing it with yourself. So, I'd like to ask a very interesting question. Today, we don't yet have the Kohein, meaning we don't have the individual who is able to guide us and to um tell us what our our character is doing, are we heading in the right direction, or not. I'd like to suggest that we have today a different form of Kohein, "Bechuvo Ela Kohein", and that is that the individual is to take out and study Mussar. He's to study the various well, especially this time of the year that we're studying Pirkei Avot, I'd like to point out historically, there were two Yeshivots in Europe, and each had a different approach to life. The difference between Slabodka Yeshiva and the Volozhin Yeshiva comes down to the following very different approaches within the world of perfection. Both approaches aiming for growth. But through almost opposite psychological lenses. Slabodka focused on Gadlus Adam, the greatness of man. And this was started by Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, zichrono livracha. Slabodka emphasized the inherent greatness and dignity of man. The idea is you're capable of greatness because you are created in the image of God. And growth comes from recognizing your potential and acting accordingly. Wow, look how great you are. And Mussar is therefore about building yourself up and not by breaking yourself down. Okay? Now, Novardok, which was founded by Rav Yosef Yozel Horowitz, took a different approach. They emphasized a person nullifying his ego and worldly attachments. And growth comes from breaking your arrogance and dependence on social norms. Mussar is about total bittul, self-negation, and reliance on Hashem. So, very simply, in one line, the difference between Novardok and Slabodka is Slabodka said, "You are great. Live up to it." And Novardok said, "You are nothing and therefore to lift yourself up, attach yourself to MS and to Hashem." I believe, my friends, that we have to learn a very important lesson. We are to be brought to the Kohen. What is the Kohain today? Yes, those who are privileged to have a personal, confidential relationship with a Rav, as it says in the first chapter of Avos, "Ase l'cha Rav." You should have a teacher who you can discuss your personal observance, your personal character, your growth or lack thereof with someone who can very simply, if necessary, put you in your place or truly compliment you, depending upon where you are at that particular moment. However, too many people don't have that privilege. Too many people don't keep in touch with that rebbe of theirs who was close to them when they were high school age, college age, even when they got married, etc. But afterwards, they take on a life unto themselves. Yes, it's wonderful that we study Talmud. But Talmud is so dispersed all over the Shas. You cannot become an authority on Shabbos just from studying the Talmud of Shabbos, cuz Shabbos is found in many, many other masechtos as well. However, when it comes to Toras Chaim, when it comes to how to live a life and how to practice and live good character as a Jew, this a person needs structure in. And therefore, it's not enough to say, "Yes, I believe in love of God. I believe in fear of God." What do these terms mean? How do you communicate it to others? How do you communicate it to yourself? Ah, this is something that a person has to work on and he has to really understand that he has to imbibe this and take it into himself because if we truly want to grow then we cannot stay the same. We need rough. We need a cohain. We need the books of musar. Be it musar of the caliber of Mesillas Yesharim that guides a person and says you have to figure out what your purpose in life is and it helps you so do or many Hasidic sforim whereby the individual is told through various lessons from our Torah how he is to conduct himself. Please God. This is such a basic point which I believe the Torah is teaching us for who bought in our cohain. We do have the cohain today. Make good use of the many books in Hebrew, English and every other language that teaches us that we have to constantly work on ourselves. Shabbat Shalom to all. >> Mhm.