Rabbi’s Message

Rabbi Natan Halevy

Parashat Metzora 5784, BSD

Shalom Uvracha.

We learn about the purification process of the Metzorah, the person with skin lesions in this week’s Parashah. 

Metzora is connected to Lashon Hara, malicious speech. The hebrew word Metzorah is related to Motzi Shem Ra, the one who besmirches someone else, giving them a bad name.  This is the main reason for our exile. The Zohar says that when someone uses their tongue in negative speech it is compared  to a sword which kills and destroys. Evil is found in a stronger manner in the Land of Israel, corresponding to the great level of holiness found there. Therefore the evil forces try to make people stumble in this sin even more so in Israel. 

The Torah tells us that we should run away from evil speech like running away from fire. One of the main problems with this sin is that engaging in it gives power to the evil angels to prosecute negatively to Hashem, against the one who is being spoken about, the speaker, and the one who is hearing the words. This was one of the sins that the Israelites in Egypt were engaged in and led to their great suffering. Even a great woman such as Miriam, Moses’ sister was punished for speaking against Moshe, even though she had good intentions in mind. To purify from this plague, “the person to be cleansed shall take two live, clean birds, a cedar stick, a strip of crimson wool, and hyssop”.

The Torah specifies that the person must bring two ‘living birds’. They must have no injuries and must be kosher. As this affliction comes as a result of negative chattering, so too does the person afflicted bring birds which twitter and chirp as part of the atonement. Cedar wood is used to symbolize that this person had behaved haughtily, so too the cedar tree stands tall.  The remedy for this affliction is seen through the crimson wool and the hyssop. A certain worm is used to create crimson dye and the hyssop plant doesn’t grow tall. So too, the person must humble themself.’

Negative gossip is considered impure speech. The purity of the birds is hinting that the person must work on purifying their speech.  Gossiping is usually done in an energetic and enthusiastic manner. The birds must be healthy and full of vitality. They chirp like the person who was gossiping. 

King Solomon states ‘With the fruit of his mouth does a man’s stomach become sated; with the produce of his lips he is sated’. He emphasizes the power of our speech for both positive and negative. By speaking words of Torah and influencing others on the good path, we are rewarded. The rectification and protection from this sin of negative speech is through engaging in the learning of Torah. The holy speech of Torah lifts our tongue up.

Bad speech has its result. This is accentuated in the continuation of the verse, ‘Death and life are in the hand of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its produce’. By accustoming ourselves to speak in positive matters we benefit ourselves and elevate our lives.

May we merit to elevate our speech at all times, and experience the salvation of Israel and the entire world.

Shabbat Shalom Umevorach!