English translation — מצורע ב

A.

In the order in which the Torah sets out the laws of negaim — one finds a wonder:

Earlier,

in parshas Tazria¹,

stand the detailed laws of negai adam,

and also of negai begadim,

but — only the laws that pertain to the negaim themselves: a)

which are tamei and which — tahor; b)

when and how the taharah of the

(tum'as ha)

negaim.

Afterwards,

in a special parshah — Parshas Metzora — the Torah returns to the negaim of a person and says "Toras hametzora beyom taharaso"²

: the laws

(and order)

of a metzora "beyom taharaso" etc. — "Velakach lamitaher gale"; bringing of korbanos etc.³.

And after the parshah of "Toras hametzora beyom taharaso" comes the parshah of negai batim⁴

; and the parshah — includes both the laws of the negaim themselves,

and also the order of taharas habayis

(through shtei tziporim etc.),

in the manner of the order of a "metzora beyom taharaso".

Is seemingly perplexing:

Why does the Torah separate the laws of a metzora into two distinct parshas — about the negaim themselves in Parshas Tazria and the order of "Yom Taharo" etc. in our parsha — and says

They are not in one sequence,

namely:

a)

(a)

not to interrupt in the middle with the laws of plagues of garments,

and

to say both in the same portion⁵.

(b)

b)

Why is the section of plagues of houses placed after "the law of the leper on the day of his cleansing",

and not before it

(in the end of the portion Tazria)

in continuation of the laws of plagues of

(a person and)

garments⁶?

ג)

Why are the plagues of houses different from the plagues of a person,

that by them comes the "order" of the purification of the house

(with "birds" etc.)

immediately in continuation of the laws of impurity and purity of the plagues themselves

(not like by plagues of a person where their detailed laws and "the teaching of...

on the day of his purification" are separated,

as above)⁵?

ב.

Another special matter is found specifically by plagues of houses,

that the Supreme One initially announced: "When you come to the land of Canaan etc., and I will give a plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession"⁷.

There are in this two interpretations and opposites:

a)

In Rashi on the Torah — and also in Midrash⁸

— it stands⁹

: It is good news for them that the plagues come upon them¹⁰

because the Amorites hid treasures of gold in the walls of their houses ..

Through the plague the house is demolished and he finds them.

In the Zohar¹¹

(After he brings the above-mentioned reason — "to reveal the hidden treasures that are hidden in their houses")

— he says,

that just as the Canaanites were idol worshippers,

therefore there was in their houses a "ruach mesava"

(spirit of impurity).

And therefore "and I will give a plague of tzaraat in a house of the land of your possession"¹²,

so that the Jews should demolish the houses and through this remove the "ruach mesava"; and the houses that the Jews will afterwards build must be of "other stones...

and other dust"¹³,

thus the Jews will live "in holiness and in holy fear".

It turns out,

that "and I will give a plague of tzaraat in a house etc." was because of two opposite reasons¹⁴

: a)

Because of the abundance

Good, what was hidden in the houses<sup>15</sup>.

b)

b)

Because of the lowliness — “a spirit of madness” — which was there,

which demanded that the houses be destroyed.

Moreover: it is understood,

that “and I will give a plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession” does not mean that in all the houses of “the land of your possession” did the Almighty place “a plague of leprosy” — such a great wonder would have had to be stated somewhere<sup>16</sup>

— but only in a certain part,

and it is reasonable — a small part.

And even though that most

(or — all)

Canaanites were idolaters,

and in general is indeed "their deeds...

corrupted from all

(the nations)

peoples"¹⁷

— did indeed in their houses dwell a "spirit of impurity"; why were plagues not in all houses?

— is the reason of the matter understood¹⁸

: simply,

is in the "spirit of impurity" itself there are several levels¹⁹.

When the "spirit of impurity" was not so great,

it was removed from the house through the very entry of the Jew

(and his holiness)

into the house and especially when it became his own — his house²⁰,

or at least — through that which he fixed a mezuzah in his house,

and the like; specifically in the houses where there was a very low impurity

(from the side of the most corrupt conduct of the Canaanites of that house)

— came plagues,

because in order to remove such impurity

(severe)

— one needs to demolish the house²¹.

According to this, however, it turns out,

that where were hidden the "treasures of gold" — specifically²²

in the houses in which there was the "spirit of impurity" in the lowest degree!

3.

Regarding the two extremes mentioned above by the plague of houses — that specifically in the most

Hidden were the "golden treasures" — it is also found in the general matter of negaim:

The impurity of negaim is an impurity of the most severe.

And as the law²³

is,

that the metzora is sent out from the three camps,

he must be isolated from other impure ones²⁴

— "so that other impure ones should not sit with him"*²⁴.

Because the plague of tzaraat is the most severe impurity,

and in the language of Sefer Yetzirah²⁵

: "There is no evil below negah."

But on the other hand,

the purpose of negaim is — in order to bring about an elevation in the person.

as the Rambam brings in halacha in his book Yad HaChazakah²⁶,

that negaim are not "from the way of the world"

(a natural thing),

but rather "a sign and a wonder was in Israel to warn them against lashon hara": the Almighty makes this change

(of negaim)

in creation,

in order to bring a Jew to teshuvah

(for the sin of lashon hara).

And since a baal teshuvah is higher than a tzaddik,

as Chazal say²⁷

"In the place where baalei teshuvah stand, complete tzaddikim do not stand" — it turns out,

that negaim

(which in themselves are the most severe tumah,

"No ..

Below negah)

come in order to raise a Jew to the highest level,

of a ".

baal teshuvah".

which comes to hint,

that through the purification of the metzora one transforms the "nega",

which is below him — that from this itself should become "oneg",

which is above him].

And this is also the explanation

(in the inner aspect of the matters)

that the "hidden treasures of gold" came to Jews through a matter of plague of leprosy

(and specifically through the most lowly houses as above)

: this is in accordance with the totality of the matter of the plagues,

that specifically through the descent

(plagues)

than which there is no lower, comes thereafter the ascent

(repentance)

than which there is no higher.

And — by plagues of houses this was seen openly — one saw how the intention of the plagues is for the sake of the ascent,

until a good in physicality<sup>29</sup>.

And therefore the verse is precise "And I will give a plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession",

that by plagues of houses it was seen openly how the plagues come from the outset from above

("And I will give")

— because in them one clearly saw the intention of the plagues.

It remains however not explained: what is the special aspect of negaim of houses,

why specifically by them is it revealed?

D.

One will understand this by means of the explanation in the statement of Chazal<sup>30</sup>

that through teshuvah from love "intentional sins become for him as merits":

From the language of Chazal "they become for him like merits" — not "intentional sins become like merits"³¹

— one could seemingly be precise,

that this is only a matter in "the person"³²

Since the intentional sins brought him to the elevation of repentance³³,

they become for him accounted as "merits"

(because — just as through "merits" a Jew becomes closer to the Most High,

so too the "intentional sins" brought him to repentance³⁴)

; but the intentional sins themselves

(the "object")

— remain "intentional sins"

(a forbidden thing³⁵)

— says however the Alter Rebbe in Tanya<sup>36</sup>

(In connection to the forbidden things),

that they remain forbidden forever — "until their day comes and death is swallowed up forever as it is written<sup>37</sup>

And the

spirit of impurity I will remove from the land or until he does such a great repentance that intentional sins become for him like actual merits."

And from this comparison it is understood,

that that which "intentional sins become for him like actual merits" is in the same manner as at the time when "the spirit of impurity I will remove from the land": just as then the existence of evil will be completely nullified,

and consequently the very "object" of the forbidden things will be changed

(that their connection will be nullified<sup>38</sup>

to evil)

— so too through repentance

(out of love)

the object of the intentional sins becomes transformed into merits<sup>39</sup>.

H.

Based on this, however, a puzzling thing will emerge — that every act of transgression has a status similar to "a thing that has permittees": by vows the law is⁴⁰,

that since it is a mitzvah to ask about the vow

(and to permit it through a sage),

it has

(even during the time of its prohibition)

a status of "a thing that has permittees"

(which indicates a diminution and weakness in the severity of the prohibition⁴¹)

And likewise in our matter: although it speaks about an act of transgression,

however, since

Through repentance, as above, the object of the intentional sins becomes transformed into merits — and repentance is indeed a commandment⁴²

— it will accordingly follow that the act of transgression should from the outset be in the category of "a thing that has permitted alternatives"⁴³

And the explanation of this is:

That a forbidden thing can be in the category of "a thing that has permittees" is specifically when at the time of the prohibition it is standing to be permitted⁴⁴.

Not only in vows,

that the sage's revocation uproots the vow from its root⁴⁵

therefore that it comes

Through⁴⁶

"regret and opening",

so that it is in the manner of a vow made in error,

which initially did not take effect⁴⁷

But even regarding a "permitter" that helps only from now onward,

like consecrated property and second tithe which are in the category of "a thing that has permittees" because one can redeem them<sup>48</sup>

— but the thing is designated to be permitted also during the prohibition: the Torah initially gave a place that the prohibition can afterward become nullified.

It is as if the prohibition was made conditionally*<sup>48</sup>

that afterward one can permit it,

and therefore it is called a "thing that has permittees" even during its prohibition.

But regarding repentance,

one cannot say,

that repentance helps because at the time one commits the transgression the possibility for repentance was initially given — because the matter of transgression is that which one does contrary to the will of God,

and consequently also — contrary to the will of the Most High that one should repent<sup>49</sup>.

Moreover: "He who says ..

I will sin and I will repent, they do not grant him the ability to repent"<sup>50</sup>

— at the time of the act of the sin is

(From the aspect of the will of the Torah)

There is no place for repentance.

And therefore a deed of transgression is not in the category of "a thing that has permittees" — because at the time of its prohibition there is no place for its "permission"; and that which repentance does that intentional sins become for him as merits is entirely in the way of a novelty: the later repentance changes the earlier intentional sins into merits.

6.

Based on this it emerges,

that in that teshuvah has the power to change the past

(that the previous "intentional sins" should become "merits"⁵¹),

there is a novelty regarding other matters of Torah which operate "retroactively":

By other matters of Torah that operate retroactively,

it is not a matter of changing the past

(literally⁵²),

rather —

Because the matter was from the outset done in a manner that gives a place for its nullification from the start,

as above

which when the condition is fulfilled the matter is retroactively effected — this is the reason why the condition can affect retroactively because the act was from the outset made on that condition<sup>53</sup>].

But not so repentance must entirely remake the past<sup>54</sup>

: from the perspective of the past it is an absolutely forbidden thing,

without any "place" for permission; and now,

through repentance,

it is remade for merits.

And this is also the explanation for— what the concept of "intentional sins became for him"

as merits is brought about through teshuvah from love specifically<sup>30</sup>,

and as the Alter Rebbe is in Tanya<sup>36</sup>

adds,

that this means

(in teshuvah from love itself—)

a "teshuvah from love from the depth of the heart with abundant love etc."

(with which the Alter Rebbe means the "teshuvah of the outcry of the heart ..

that this is essentially the soul etc."<sup>55</sup>)

— because how can a Jew change the past<sup>56</sup>?

It is therefore<sup>57</sup>

that the essential soul of a Jew is connected with the Most High, with Whom past, present, and future are as one.

And therefore,

through repentance out of love

(from the essential soul)

a Jew stands above the limitations of time and can also change the past<sup>58</sup>.

7.

Based on all the above, one will also understand the order of the portion of negaim:

Since negaim are a matter of the ultimate evil — "there is no evil below negaim" — so at the time of tumah there is no "place" for his taharah; he is completely excluded from any connection with

(place of)

taharah.

And the taharah of the metzora is in a miraculous way: it is a new thing that comes from the kohen who opens⁵⁹

taharah⁶⁰.

And the Torah hints with this in that it separates the laws of nigei adam and "Torat hametzora beyom taharato" etc. — into two separate parshiyot,

because the tumah of the metzora and his taharah are two opposites that do not come "together".

This is however only as it is from the side of man; but from the side of Above⁶¹,

is indeed the entire intention⁶²

of negaim — from the outset for the sake of the taharah

(and the elevation through this),

as above

(section 3).

And this is the reason that specifically by negai batim it says "And I will give a plague etc."

(and that

(only)

by them it was evident openly that they from the outset came for the sake of

the good of Bnei Yisrael)

— because the house of a person which is not limited according to height etc. of its splendor,

distant encompassing [light],

is connected with the aspect of yechidah of the soul<sup>63</sup>

hidden treasures of the soul,

and as our Sages, of blessed memory, [said]: any person who does not have land to build a house upon it is not a person<sup>64</sup>,

which is entirely higher than the measurements and limitations of the body

or the aspect which is connected with the garments of

(garments of)

the person which is at least a close encompassing [light],

are connected with the measurements and limitations of the body; but not so the house,

which is a distant encompassing [light],

is connected with .

the aspect of yechidah which is above measurements and limitations of the body],

And from the aspect of yechidah in the soul — yechidah l'yachdecha — it sounds as if the matters come from above<sup>65</sup>.

And for this reason, regarding plagues of houses: a)

There is no interruption between the laws of impurity of plagues of the house and the order of purification of the house; b)

The entire section of plagues of houses stands

(Not in continuation of the laws of impurity of plagues of a person and garments

(in the section of Tazria),

but)

In continuation of "the law of the leper on the day of his purification"

— because by negai batim it stands revealed,

as the entire matter of the negaim is only for the sake of the elevation that comes through their purification.

And just as this is regarding negai batim in their simple sense,

so too in their matter in spirituality — exile and destruction of the Temple etc.⁶⁶

— that the intention is from the outset⁶⁷

that it should become the

"Purity",

and revelation of hidden treasures of the building of the Holy Temple⁶⁸

the third, which specifically the Lord's hands established⁶⁹,

above the limitations of time and consequently — speedily in our days, literally.

(From talks of Shabbos Parshas Metzora 5741,

Motzaei Shabbos Parshas Vayeilech

(6 Tishrei)

5739)