English translation — תזו"מ

1.

The parshiyos Tazria Metzora are, according to the determination of most years

(all years peshutos)

- connected¹.

The connection and relationship between the two sedras is understandable simply - in addition to that in both sedras it speaks about negaim

(in Parshas Tazria - negai adam²

and negai begadim³

and in Parshas Metzora - negai batim⁴),

but even more: Parshas Metzora is the conclusion and seal of Parshas Tazria; the laws of the metzora about which it speaks in Parshas Tazria,

their conclusion - "Toras hametzora beyom taharaso" - is in Parshas Metzora⁵.

One must however understand regarding the names of the sedras: as has been spoken many times⁶,

the names of the sedras are not merely a sign,

a word from the beginning of the sedra is used only in order to distinguish one sedra from the other,

rather each name contains and expresses

(like all "names by which they are called in Lashon Hakodesh"⁷)

the essential point of the content of the sedra.

Now, as this is also emphasized in Parshas Tazria,

that according to Jewish custom it is not called "Ishah"⁸

(although this is the first-

word after the general opening "Vayidaber Hashem etc. Lameir",

but with which begin <b>several</b> parshios in the Torah,

is this not a special name of the parshah),

but its name is "Tazria"⁹].

It requires an explanation in our subject — what is the connection of the word

(name)

"Tazria" to the parshah in its entirety¹⁰,

whose content is,

most of it,

the matter of negaim?

Moreover: not only does the word "Tazria" have no connection to the matter of negaim,

but,

at first glance,

they are opposites: "Tazria" indicates — as it is explained in our parshah: "A woman when she conceives &lt;b&gt;and gives birth &lt;/b&gt;etc." — a matter that brings about a new birth and new life; in contrast, negaim,

is indeed "a metzora is considered &lt;b&gt;like a dead person&lt;/b&gt;"¹¹,

and the simple explanation of this is¹²,

that this is not

(only)

because of the &lt;b&gt;impurity &lt;/b&gt;of the metzora¹³,

but the metzora himself is considered like a dead person¹⁴.

Also it is not understood regarding "Metzora" as the name of the parshah: In Parshas Metzora it does not speak about the metzora as a <b>metzora</b>

(the details of his negaim and — his tumah),

but <b>the opposite</b> — about <b>his taharah</b>,

he becomes <b>ex</b>-metzora,

he can already enter into the camp and bring his korbanos etc.¹⁵

— so why should the parshah be called "Metzora"¹⁶?

And although later in the parshah it speaks about negai batim — it is not smooth: a)

In plain sense, negai <b>batim are not</b> included in the simple meaning of "<b>Metzora</b>"¹⁷.

b)

Even more: by the <b>negai</b> batim the emphasis is not on the negaim themselves

(as an undesirable matter),

but — as Rashi whose intent is the plain meaning of Scripture,

brings immediately down¹⁸

on "And <b>I will give</b> a nega tzaraas" — "<b>Good news</b> it is for them that the negaim come upon them because the Amorites hid etc. and through the nega he demolishes the house and finds them",

But not so "Metzora" is - on the contrary,

according to what is explained in Rashi there and at length in the midrashim of Chazal on the beginning of our parshah¹⁹

about the deficiency and punishment of a metzora - that this is connected with the matter of evil speech &lt;b&gt;evil &lt;/b&gt;and also the spirit].

Also one must understand what one finds two names of the parshah: custom of Israel

(and thus it is called in the Tur and Shulchan Aruch²⁰)

is to call it - "Metzora"; but in the Rmag²¹,

Rashi²²

and Rambam²³

it is called - "Zos Tihyeh".

What is the reason for the difference between the two approaches?

2.

And one must say the explanation in this:

As an introduction: One of the foundations of faith is — the matter of reward and punishment,

And in the language of the Rambam²⁴

: "The eleventh foundation is that He, blessed be He, gives reward to one who performs the commandments of the Torah and punishes one who transgresses His warnings, and that the great reward is the World to Come and the strong punishment is excision etc.",

And as he elaborates on this in his book Yad HaChazakah in the Laws of Repentance²⁶

The Torah is indeed the Torah of kindness.

It is understood,

that also the punishments of the Torah are not for the sake of punishment, G-d forbid²⁷,

but rather — the correction for the soul of the sinner²⁸,

and as the saying of our Rabbis, of blessed memory²⁹

"Those liable for extirpation who were flogged are absolved from their extirpation."

And similarly comes the punishment of death by the court,

as

our Rabbis, of blessed memory³⁰

say about this: "I will trouble you on this day; on this day you are troubled, and you are not troubled for the World to Come"³¹,

But by most punishments of the Torah one does not see &lt;b&gt;openly &lt;/b&gt;that this is entirely for the benefit of the person,

in his living life in this world in this world.

But not so by plagues of tzaraat one sees this openly

(as follows in the Rambam)

(and from this punishment of the plagues&lt;sup&gt;32&lt;/sup&gt;

it is understood that in this manner it is by all punishments of the Torah).

3.

The Rambam says at the end of Hilchos Tumas Tzaraas³³

: "And this change mentioned in garments and in houses, which the Torah called tzaraas in partnership with the Name, is not according to the natural course of the world, but rather a sign and wonder was in Israel to warn them against lashon hara, that one who speaks lashon hara, the walls of his house change,

if he repents, the house becomes pure; if he persists in his wickedness until the house is demolished, the leather vessels in his house change, etc.; and if he persists in his wickedness until they are burned, the garments on him change,

if he repents, they become pure; and if he persists in his wickedness until they are burned, his skin changes and he becomes a metzora and is isolated and made conspicuous alone, until he does not engage in the conversation of the wicked³⁴

which is mockery and lashon hara"³⁵.

That is,

the Above makes

A special change³⁶

in the creation "in order to warn them against lashon hara".

And therefore the order is,

that the One Above brings it

(the change)

first in the houses and afterwards on the garments etc.,

in order to warn the Jewish people from the light to the heavy to be guarded from lashon hara³⁷.

And also the isolation of the metzora himself,

which is done in a manner that "he shall be separated and publicized alone",

"He shall dwell alone, outside the camp is his dwelling"³⁸,

is with the purpose that this should affect him "that he not engage in the conversation of the wicked, which is mockery and lashon hara".

4.

And based on this, one can say that for this reason the parshah is called "Tazria": Tazria is the beginning of the birth of new life,

as above in section 1

(in the manner that sowing brings grain and fruits — that from this should afterwards come a new growth)

Thus is the content of the matter of the negaim of Parshas Tazria: both the nega itself and the isolation and determination of the metzora that he is "separated and singled out alone" are not

(only?)

as a punishment and absence of good for the metzora as above,

but rather details and means in the correction

(in the healing)

of the metzora,

that he should enter into an order of new life and not have any connection with "the conversation of the wicked which is mockery and lashon hara."

And since the essence of Torah is instruction,

it is understood,

that from the portion of Negaim there is an instruction³⁹

upon all the punishments of the Torah,

that their essence is a special action from the Above to rectify the Jew,

that he should go on the straight path.

Why is this indicated and said specifically by a metzora?

Since he is considered <b>as a dead person</b>

(And in revelation

Is the impurity of a leper from the most severe impurities⁴⁰,

His punishment - he shall dwell alone, outside the camp, his dwelling - is from the most severe punishments⁴¹).

And from this one learns also regarding the other punishments,

that they are a beginning and detail of the rectification of the human,

Just as the matter of the negaim,

with the days of quarantine and determination,

are a matter of "Tazria"

(that the &lt;b&gt;patient &lt;/b&gt;should become a new creation).

E.

And one must say,

that from this also emerges a practical difference in halachah:

This⁴²

law of a leprous person,

that "all the days that the plague is upon him he shall be unclean... he shall dwell alone; outside the camp shall his dwelling be"³⁸,

one can define in two ways - that this is a law in the manner like regarding other impure ones

(zavim and zavot and those impure from the dead)

who may not be within the camp of the Divine Presence or the camp of the Levites,

similarly a leprous person must,

due to the greater severity in his impurity,

be situated outside the three camps,

also outside the camp of Israel

(<b>and consequently</b> "he shall dwell alone etc.")⁴³

; or that the admonition "he shall dwell alone; outside the camp" is a unique law specifically regarding a leprous person,

connected with his impurity,

(also)

with his unique and different essence from the rest of the impure ones.

At first glance, by a leper there are two special types of law: a)

The general law of impure persons which is stated in parshas Nasso:

"And they shall send out of the camp every leper and every zav and everyone impure for a soul."

And the reason is "And they shall not defile their camps"

Which is connected with the impurity of a leper; and b)

The command "He shall dwell alone, outside the camp is his dwelling" a special law by a leper,

Which pertains to him,

For his purification

(Not

not

(Only)

(only)

but

As distancing from the camps because of his impurity).

And one can say,

That between these two laws there are several practical differences,

And among them:

a)

By the general law "and they shall send out of the camp" pertains to the negation,

that he should not be in the camp

("and they shall not defile their camps"

(and consequently — when camps were abolished, he is also then not in the camp))

; in contrast, in this law "he shall dwell alone, outside the camp is his dwelling" pertains to the positive obligation — that he should be <b>alone </b>outside the camp — and consequently if it has

(for whatever reason)

not been carried out regarding him the matter of "he shall dwell alone, outside the camp is his dwelling"

(- when there is no reality of camps as above and the like),

that he cannot then come for his purification.

And as explained elsewhere⁴⁶.

b)

From the aspect of this law,

that he must be <b>outside the 3 </b>camps,

it must follow,

it must follow,

that the warning "he shall dwell alone, he shall dwell alone that no other impure persons shall dwell with him"⁴⁷

is only negating another type of impure persons

(impure

dead,

zavim and zavot)

but not metzoraim&lt;sup&gt;48&lt;/sup&gt;

; on the other hand, from the side of the obligation of "badad yashev",

must be "badad" also from other metzoraim&lt;sup&gt;49&lt;/sup&gt;

: specifically then is fulfilled regarding him "veyihi muvdal umefursam levado"&lt;sup&gt;50&lt;/sup&gt;,

and only thus is safeguarded "she'lo yitashek besichat haresha'im"

(but not when he is with metzoraim and especially — only with them — this causes the opposite!).

6.

just as this is in the simple meaning of the matters and according to the halachah — that nega'im is a sign and a warning to protect a Jew from lashon hara,

and that if he has become further drawn into this until that "his skin changes and he becomes a metzora",

actions are done "badad yashev etc." to heal him and separate him from conversation of the wicked etc. —

And on this

(and even more)

it is emphasized in the inwardness of the matters:

It is explained in Likkutei Torah⁵¹,

that that which by negaim it says⁵²

"<b>Adam</b> ki yihyeh ve'or besaro etc." - the term Adam that

Is the name of the elevation of Jews - is because the matter of the negaim pertains specifically to one who is on the level of Adam,

which is a great level,

"the completeness of all".

And the reason for this is,

because the matter of the negaim "in the skin of his flesh" shows that the evil which causes the negah is not within &lt;b&gt;in &lt;/b&gt;

(the &lt;b&gt;innermost &lt;/b&gt;of)

the person,

rather it is "waste" and evil which has remained only in his externality - "at the end of his garments",

and therefore from this also in the surrounding

(similar to its cause)

a negah which is

(only)

"&lt;b&gt;in the skin &lt;/b&gt;of his flesh",

in the externality of the body.

With this the Alter Rebbe also explains why "the mitzvah of negaim is not practiced in our time after the destruction because they are not found at all&lt;sup&gt;53 &lt;/sup&gt;

etc. but they are miracles"&lt;sup&gt;54&lt;/sup&gt;

Since "it is not found in our time" such a person who has completely no evil in his innerness,

"even the righteous and good still has a little evil in his innerness",

therefore the evil in our time does not cause negaim.

According to this, the above reason is even more explained,

that the matter of the negaim explained in Parshas Tazria is its content a matter of "Tazria" — because of a new and elevated birth:

This miracle the Almighty performs in order that also the externality and waste of evil should be clarified among Jews.

7.

Based on this, the name of

The second sedra,

"Metzora",

Although there it does not speak of how the metzora is in a state of tumah,

Rather how he is "on the day of his purification":

With this it is brought out,

that the purification

(and healing)

of the leper

(explained in parshas Metzora)

is not a separate innovation,

which is newly introduced

from the actions and offerings which are explained in &lt;b&gt;the &lt;/b&gt;parshah,

but all this comes as a continuation and as a result of the matters explained in parshas Tazria.

In another style: The actions in parshas Metzora that effect the purification

(in actuality),

are

(only)

(only)

continuing and revealing that which has already been effected in the person through the &lt;b&gt;tzaraas itself&lt;/b&gt;,

and as above that the healing of the person in spirituality

(which is the cause of the tzaraas)

is through the tzaraas and isolation

("He shall dwell alone, etc.").

And therefore the parshah is not called "biyom taharaso"

(and the like⁵⁵)

which would have indicated that specifically <b>here </b>his purification takes place,

but specifically "Metzora" which brings out that this is the result of the matter of the "Metzora" itself.

Ch.

Just as this is regarding an individual metzora,

so too it is understood regarding the entirety of the Jewish people,

who, finding themselves in exile, are in a state and condition of "badad yeishev <b>michutz </b>lamachaneh moshavo"⁵⁶

The<b>*</b>⁵⁶

service of Jews in the time of the exile is a matter of "Tazria" - a sowing⁵⁷

and necessity

for growth and the beginning of growth in the time of the redemption.

As the Alter Rebbe says in Tanya⁵⁸,

that the future revelations are "<b>dependent</b> on our deeds and our service throughout the duration of the exile,

for the cause of the reward of the mitzvah is the mitzvah itself."

D.

E.

That what will happen in the days of Mashiach and the resurrection of the dead is not a separate matter from the subject of the exile,

but that is the "growth",

that "grows out" from the service of the "sowing" in the time of the exile.

And this is the lesson from the names of the portions "Tazria-Metzora" in the service of each one:

A Jew must learn Torah and fulfill commandments with acceptance of the yoke,

because thus has the Almighty commanded.

He can think that there is no difference at all what the avodah does also&lt;sup&gt;59&lt;/sup&gt;,

- is upon this the instruction,

that

(together with the aforementioned)

is in "our deeds and our service" of the time of exile it must be heard that this is a matter of "Tazria" which brings the "growth",

the revelation of Moshiach Tzidkeinu; and consequently,

that the revelations of the future are not a separate matter,

but a continuation and result of the service of exile

(in the manner of "Tazria-Metzora",

as above)

-the growth which comes from the service in exile.

9.

In the connection of the service in the time of exile

(Tazria)

with the coming of Moshiach

(Metzora)

There are, however, several manners: although every Jew believes in the coming of Moshiach and is "awaiting his coming,"

and

This is a foundation of the foundations of faith in which all Jews are equal — but there can be a difference in how much this is connected with the study of Torah and fulfillment of the commandments,

with our deeds and service of a Jew:

He can learn Torah and fulfill commandments knowing that this is "Tazria",

that this brings Moshiach,

But to "Him"

(to his service)

this does not have,

because - a)

Not <b>because of this </b>does <b>he </b>learn Torah and fulfill commandments.

b)

It does not matter to him that the redemption will be at a later time,

at a time later

(reading of the metzora in the week on its own)

- until another generation G-d forbid.

"He" is satisfied and is content with that which he learns Torah,

fulfills commandments and makes the <b>sowing </b>for the redemption.

Upon this is the instruction,

that in most years the two portions are joined,

and a great principle of the Torah is - that it speaks of the majority⁶⁰

and a fundamental law in practical halacha <b>in practice </b>is - we follow the majority⁶¹

D.

E.

One must be the connection of Tazria and Metzora,

and thus in completeness,

that - as the custom of Israel <b>everywhere</b> - when one asks on the first day of the week

(or on the other days)

of which week,

the answer is <b>simply</b>: of Parshat Tazria-Metzora,

His service in exile must be carried through with the constant expectation⁶²

and striving for the redemption,

<b>I will wait</b> for Him

<b>Every day </b>that will come⁶³.

And since I was created to serve my Creator⁶⁴,

That is the service of the Jew <b>all the day</b>,

He perceives in his fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos,

That this brings and hastens the redemption<b>*</b>⁶⁴.

Jew.

But this itself can be in two ways:

a)

He hears how his avodah,

"Tazria,"

is a sowing that will bring the growth,

the redemption,

but this is in a manner of "zos <b>tihyeh</b>" bihovyso tihyeh⁶⁵

— everything is a separate thing,

that will be separate; he indeed holds by "Achakeh lo <b>bechol yom</b> sheyavo" and the avodah is because of this "sheyavo" — but to him this sounds like <b>without</b> a connection,

that <b>through</b> our deeds and our service one brings down and one hastens

(a separate matter)

the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu,

and especially "zachu — achishenah"⁶⁶.

b)

A higher manner is,

that to him "Tazria u<b>Metzora</b>" are connected — the "Achakeh" and "kivinu kol hayom" for the redemption that is felt each day in his avodah of "Tazria,"

is not only that each his avodah will immediately cause "sheyavo,"

but that the future redemption is <b>one</b> thing with the content of his avodah

("Tazria-Metzora" become one parshah)

— because the coming of Moshiach is the growth and consequently the <b>completion</b> of his sowing:

And one must connect this with that which the concept of Moshiach is that which then will be the perfection in Torah and the perfection in

commandments,

Tishbi will resolve difficulties and problems⁶⁷

Moshiach will reveal the reasons of Torah⁶⁸

etc. will teach Torah⁶⁹,

etc.

Including - in the language of the Rambam⁷⁰

: The king Mashiach is destined to stand and restore the kingdom of David to its former state, to the first government, and he builds the Temple and gathers the dispersed of Israel, and all the laws return in his days as they were previously,

they offer sacrifices and observe the Sabbatical and Jubilee years <b>according to all </b>its commandment as stated in the Torah."

As explained elsewhere⁷¹

that thereby the Rambam puts forth a <b>halachah</b>,

that the <b>definition </b>of Mashiach is,

that he brings back the completeness of the laws and commandments of the Torah.

And this the Rambam says: all these matters that were lacking in the completeness of the fulfillment of Torah and commandments

(due to that which was lacking in the completeness of all Israel and the Holy Temple - which is the entirety of the matter of the exile)

- are completed through Mashiach.

And also in this consists that Mashiach <b>restores </b>"the kingdom of the house of David to its former state etc. <b>and returns </b>all the laws—

Tim"

- he brings back the completeness of the laws and commandments of the Torah.

And since the object

(Torah and commandments)

is then in completeness,

then will also the fulfillment on the part of the person be in completeness, because "they will rest from the kingdoms that do not allow them to engage in Torah and commandments <b>properly</b>"⁷²

and "they will be free in Torah and its wisdom"⁷³.

Furthermore: "And at that time there will be neither famine nor war nor envy nor rivalry etc., and the entire world's occupation will be solely to know G‑d etc."⁷⁴.

And in this consists the faith in the coming of Moshiach and the "awaiting his coming" that the Rambam says in continuation to the above⁷⁵

: The study of Torah and the fulfillment of the commandments is permeated with the faith that this brings him and the entire world to the perfection of study and knowledge of the Torah,

of commandments and their fulfillment and to the perfection of knowledge of the Creator - in this consists the "awaiting his coming" as above.

Yes.

Based on this it can be said that this is one of the reasons that in the early generations the parshah was called "Zos Tihyeh" and specifically in the later generations it is called "Metzora"

(as above end of section 1)⁷⁶

In the early generations,

which were further from the time of the redemption,

the redemption

was heard in a manner of "this shall be" — a matter that will be in the future,

separately; and consequently,

the service was not permeated so much with the feeling,

that the fulfillment of the Torah and commandments itself comes directly to its perfection also in the world,

But in the later generations,

which are called "Ikveta d'Meshicha",

the matter of Moshiach is heard much more among Jews,

and therefore in these generations the parshah is called by the name "Metzora" — Jews hear and feel,

and it is obvious that their fortune sees — in their service that soon Moshiach comes,

and consequently — the main thing is the deed — one must add even more in Torah and mitzvos,

that the world should come to its perfection as quickly as possible and fulfill the mitzvah "as the mitzvah of Your will"⁷⁷

with the coming of Moshiach our righteousness in the third Beis HaMikdash.

12.

According to the above

(section 6),

one may sweeten even more,

that specifically in the later generations the parshah is called "Metzora":

Just as this is with a private individual,

that specifically the matter of negaim

("Metzora")

indicates a complete person "whose deeds are refined and he has rectified all things and the aspects above"⁷⁸,

it is only that in the aspect "the lower part of him, the evil and waste from it were not clarified"⁷⁸,

and therefore physical signs are born only on his skin,

as a hint,

that only "at the end of his garments" waste remained that had not yet been clarified -

Similarly, regarding the entirety of the Jewish people: since in the latter generations of

The heels of Mashiach one holds very close to the coming of Mashiach,

therefore one feels now the content of the level of the aspect of "Metzora",

as above,

that the innerness of all of Israel has already been clarified

(through the service of Jews during all the generations),

and it has remained to clarify only the waste and externality of "&lt;b&gt;end of his garments&lt;/b&gt;".

13.

According to the above it is also understood what one finds in Sanhedrin&lt;sup&gt;79&lt;/sup&gt;,

that Elijah said to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi that Mashiach "sits among the poor bearers of illnesses",

and Rashi explains: "afflicted with leprosy and he too is afflicted with leprosy"; also - the discussion in the Gemara&lt;sup&gt;80&lt;/sup&gt;

about the name of Mashiach and according to the Rabbis "Chivra deBei Rabbi is his name

(Metzora of the house of Rabbi - Rashi)

as it is said&lt;sup&gt;81&lt;/sup&gt;

Indeed..

we considered him afflicted with leprosy etc.".

It is seemingly perplexing: how does it come,

that Mashiach should be called "afflicted" and "leprous"?

Granted that Mashiach suffers afflictions in general

("among ..

the burdens of diseases")

one can understand,

as Rashi above in the Gemara brings the verse⁸²

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, and it is written⁸¹

our illness he bore",

and in this manner the Rabbis in the Gemara bring the proof for the name from the aforementioned verse — what is, however, the precision and the content of the matter of <b>the plagues</b> of Mashiach?

And according to the above, one can explain the interpretation in the&lt;b&gt;*&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;82&lt;/sup&gt;

: Negaim bring out the state of Jews in the time of Ikveta d’Meshicha,

that there is the "clarification of evil" in the face

of the body and soul

(of the collective of Israel)

and there remained evil only in externality,

so that one already holds at the state of "Zachu".

- And based on this it is also understood the answer of Moshiach to Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi&lt;sup&gt;66 &lt;/sup&gt;

(On his question "When will the Master come?")

"He said to him, 'Today,'"

and the explanation of Eliyahu "Did he thus say to you 'Today'?&lt;sup&gt;83&lt;/sup&gt;

If you will listen to His voice":

A principle in Torah — a verse does not depart from its plain meaning&lt;sup&gt;84&lt;/sup&gt;,

One does not intend to negate the simple interpretation of "today" that Moshiach said,

that "today" is a state of "they merit" and one is worthy that he should come "today",

rather one explains,

that that which "he did not come" is because it lacked the completeness of "you will listen to His voice",

the completion of the clarification of the externalities of evil —

And in particular in these generations of ours,

when Jews hear and feel that Moshiach is "Behold&lt;sup&gt;85&lt;/sup&gt;

He stands behind our wall"&lt;sup&gt;86&lt;/sup&gt;

; and moreover: the wall already has "windows" and "openings",

and moreover: Moshiach is "looking out&lt;sup&gt;85&lt;/sup&gt;

from the windows, peering from the openings" - He is "looking out" and watches,

when we will already finish the "small jugs",

"to polish the buttons"&lt;sup&gt;87&lt;/sup&gt;

and finish the clarification of "the hem of his garments" -

then immediately Moshiach comes forthwith and immediately,

"with&lt;sup&gt;88&lt;/sup&gt;

the clouds of heaven like a son of man

"You",

He comes in a manner of haste,

because it is a state of "all are righteous, as it is written⁸⁹

and Your people are all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever"⁶⁶,

From the "And I will sow her for Me in the land"⁹⁰

"The coming⁹¹

shall take root Jacob" - becomes the "blossom⁹¹

and flower of Israel and fill the face of the world with fruit",

very soon.

5741,

parshas Tazria-Metzora 5742)