English translation — תזריע ב

Regarding the impurity of "negaim," there are two general laws¹

A.

a)

The <b>seeing</b> of the negah

(to determine whether it is a tamei negah or not)

must be by a <b>chacham,</b>

who "yoreinu²

rabo vihiyeh baki bechol hanega'im uveshmoteihen benig'ei adam kulam uvenig'ei begadim uvenig'ei batim" — and the chacham does not have to specifically be a kohen,

rather "hakol³

kesheirim lirot et hanega'im."

b)

"The impurity and purity depends &lt;b&gt;on the Kohen"&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;4&lt;/sup&gt;

: Even after the sage has determined that it is a leprous mark impure — the leprous person does not become impure until a &lt;b&gt;Kohen says &lt;/b&gt;"Impure

(you)

(or the garment)

is healed from the leprous mark he remains "in his impurity until the Kohen says to him you are pure"&lt;sup&gt;5&lt;/sup&gt;].

And that the statement of a Kohen is an absolute condition

(to create the actualities of impurity and purity)

is in a manner,

that even a "Kohen&lt;sup&gt;6&lt;/sup&gt;

who does not know how to see"

(and "even&lt;sup&gt;7&lt;/sup&gt;

the Kohen was &lt;b&gt;a minor or a fool")&lt;/b&gt;

he "relies on the words of the sage" — "the sage

He sees him and says to him say impure &lt;b&gt;and the priest says &lt;/b&gt;impure say pure etc.'"&lt;sup&gt;6&lt;/sup&gt;.

One must have an explanation:

a)

Since the kohen is, as it were, "relying on the words of the sage" — what is relevant specifically to the saying of the kohen?

b)

What is the special aspect in the impurity of tzaraat that specifically regarding this impurity the Torah states such a novelty,

that "impurity and purity depend on the kohen"?

And even though this is a matter of "a decree of the Scripture"&lt;sup&gt;8&lt;/sup&gt;

— it is however known what the Rambam&lt;sup&gt;9&lt;/sup&gt;

says,

that even regarding "the statutes of the Torah",

which "are decrees",

it is "proper to contemplate them and whatever reason you can give, give a reason",

and especially — a reason that is connected with "the correction of the opinions"

that "most of the laws of the Torah are nothing but counsels ..

to correct the opinions and to straighten all the deeds"],

or in the language of the verse&lt;sup&gt;11&lt;/sup&gt;

— "And Hashem commanded us ..

all these statutes &lt;b&gt;to fear &lt;/b&gt;Hashem",

a lesson in a matter of &lt;b&gt;fear of Heaven.&lt;/b&gt;

B.

The main novelty of the Torah,

that "impurity and purity depend on the priest",

expresses itself simply

(not in the purification of the leper,

but primarily)

in that he &lt;b&gt;declares him impure:&lt;/b&gt;

Because the reality of the purification of the leper can come only after there was previously the impurity of the leper.

Therefore it is plausible to say,

that that which the purification of leprosy is "dependent on the priest" is a result of that which the impurity of the leper is "dependent on the priest"

(i.e.,

that is,

since the impurity is created only through the speech of the priest,

therefore also the purification must

(from the impurity)

be effected specifically through the speech of the priest).

It becomes even harder to understand: Granted, if the main novelty of the Torah would have been in relation to <b>his purification,</b>

one would understand why this is dependent on a priest¹²

— since the matter of the priesthood is connected with the state of <b>purity</b>

(as the law¹³

that a priest may not become impure),

therefore priests are those who are "influencing" purity to Jews;

But why specifically a Kohen should be the one who effects,

that the Jew should be impure?

3.

And it can be explained one of the explanations in this:

By the impurity of a leper one finds a stringency that is not present by other impurities — "He shall dwell alone; outside the camp is his dwelling"&lt;sup&gt;14&lt;/sup&gt;,

He is sent out beyond the three camps&lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;

; and in this itself

&lt;b&gt;— "He shall dwell &lt;/b&gt;alone — that other impure ones should not dwell with him"&lt;sup&gt;16&lt;/sup&gt;,

That is,

that the place of a leper is even outside the camp of &lt;b&gt;other impure ones.&lt;/b&gt;

And this is also the spiritual content of the impurity of tzaraas — an impurity so severe,

through which the contaminated person is entirely outside the camp of holiness,

he becomes as if excluded, may G‑d forbid, from his connection to the holy nation of Israel.

And about this the Torah says,

that who can rule concerning another Jew that he is as if excluded, heaven forbid, from the camp of holiness — only a <b>kohen:</b>

A kohen is his essence¹⁷

<b>"to bless </b>His people Israel <b>with love"</b>¹⁸,

a kohen is the "man of kindness"¹⁹

who <b>blesses</b> Jews,

and — <b>with love</b>

that this is a condition <b>essential</b> in the Priestly Blessing that it must be with love,

and if this is lacking G‑d forbid by the kohen who blesses,

it is for him a danger]

— and indeed for this reason that the kohen is "man of kindness" the Torah relies only on him to issue upon a Jew such a "verdict" of "outside the camp his dwelling".

: "the kohanim ..

them Hashem your G‑d chose to serve Him <b>and to bless in the name of Hashem </b>and by their mouth shall be every dispute <b>and every plague"</b>

— specifically because of that which "them Hashem chose..

<b>to bless </b>with the name of Hashem

(therefore)

And by their mouth shall be ..

all <b>plague"].</b>

— certainly and certainly must the ruling of the priest be founded solely upon <b>Torah</b>²²,

which therefore,

is first of all must be the seeing of the plague through a sage in the wisdom of the Torah and "expert in all plagues etc."

(and in addition such a sage,

who received it from the mouth of his <b>master)</b>

When it comes, however, to carrying out the <b>actual verdict,</b>

it must be through the priest, the man of kindness.

For specifically he feels the <b>full severity</b> of issuing such a verdict upon another Jew, and therefore he will not spare any effort and will thoroughly investigate and inquire with the sage,

regarding the verdict of the Torah and arouses "and the congregation shall judge — and the congregation shall save"²³.

in the matter of "there is no sage like the one who has experience"²⁵,

that when one studies a topic knowing that from the discussion will emerge a <b>ruling</b> and verdict <b>for practice,</b>

one delves into it with extra effort until one reaches the truth of the matter].

And after his exertion and investigation and inquiry, the Kohen, the man of kindness, decides and says "Tamei",

then one is certain²⁶

that

This is the true verdict of the Torah: and on the other hand, one is confident that the Kohen will invest himself in this with all his ability²⁷

that afterwards there should be the <b>illumination</b> of the metzora²⁸.

י ד.

From this is the clear lesson:

When one sees a thing not good, G-d forbid, by a fellow Jew,

until one sees by him that the other is in such a low state,

until that "he removed himself from the community"²⁹

— he is, G-d forbid, not worthy to be within the camp of Israel —

The Torah says,

that even a great sage and expert in the entire Torah,

all of it,

and according to his judgment in the wisdom of the Torah that one is worthy of the ruling of "outside the camp his dwelling shall be" — before he issues such a ruling upon another Jew,

he must first examine himself well where he stands in the attribute of <b>kindness</b> and <b>love of Israel;</b> and if, heaven forbid, there is a lack in true love of Israel — he has no right to issue such a ruling upon another Jew! It could be that his ruling does not stem from pure judgment of <b>Torah,</b>

but from unrefined character traits, etc.³⁰

The Torah says,

that the "plague" itself does not create the impurity³¹,

but the ruling

&lt;b&gt;And the saying of the priest &lt;/b&gt;

(a man of &lt;b&gt;kindness)&lt;/b&gt;

"You are impure" means that the leper should be impure.

It turns out,

that one who is &lt;b&gt;not &lt;/b&gt;a priest,

a man of kindness — and rules on another Jew "outside the camp his dwelling" — he speaks &lt;b&gt;falsehood,&lt;/b&gt;

and consequently he is a "leper" — &lt;b&gt;one who brings out an evil name &lt;/b&gt;

on the verse&lt;sup&gt;33&lt;/sup&gt;

This shall be the law of the leper — "This shall be the law of one who brings out an evil name"]

: Not only does he speak slander about another Jew

(which slander is "even though he speaks truth"&lt;sup&gt;34&lt;/sup&gt;)

— which also for this the punishment of plagues

(leprosy)&lt;sup&gt;35&lt;/sup&gt;

— but he is "one who brings out an evil name",

"speaks&lt;sup&gt;34&lt;/sup&gt;

&lt;b&gt;falsehood ..&lt;/b&gt;

about his fellow".

And what is his remedy?

— "He shall dwell alone, outside the camp his dwelling": until he will not accustom himself to look upon another Jew with a good eye,

he must separate himself&lt;sup&gt;36&lt;/sup&gt;

from other Jews and not disturb them with his slanderous words and bringing out an evil name!

Specifically when he will be healed from this "negah" — is "veshav verafa lo".

And through a conduct of true Ahavas Yisrael — in a manner of Ahavas &lt;b&gt;Chinam &lt;/b&gt;— it nullifies the cause

(—Sinas Chinam&lt;sup&gt;37&lt;/sup&gt;)

of the exile — which is called "hametzora"&lt;sup&gt;38&lt;/sup&gt;

; comes automatically and immediately the true and complete redemption through Mashiach Tzidkeinu,

And speedily in our days, literally.

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Toldos 5745)