English translation — תזריע

Tazria<pg>33</pg>

A.

We learn in the Gemara<sup>1</sup>

: "What is his name

(of Mashiach)..

The rabbis say: Chivvara deBei Rabbi is his name

(The leper of the house of Rabbi.

Rashi)

as it is said<sup>2</sup>

Indeed, he bore our illnesses and carried our pains, yet we considered him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted."

And it requires explanation — why is the matter of "our illnesses he bore and our pains he carried" expressed in the context of "stricken"

(leper)

specifically,

to the extent that its name is "white"

(leper),

and not under the general name of suffering and illness.

Seemingly, this can be explained based on the explanation of our master the Alter Rebbe³

on the verse⁴

"A person when there will be in the skin of his flesh" — that here the term "person" is stated specifically,

which is the name of excellence of Israel,

is because the matter of the plagues that are "in the skin of his flesh" indicates "the aspect of the lowest..

(that)

the evil and waste from it have not been clarified",

that is,

"that in spirituality, in the service of G-d, he corrected through his deeds and clarified the evil from the good in all things,

only the waste at the end of his garments has not yet been clarified",

and it follows that the matter of plagues pertains only to the perfect person who has already completed the work of "clarifying the evil from the inwardness of the body and soul" and only the clarification in his externality is lacking for him

[and as explained there,

that this is the reason that "the commandment of plagues is not practiced in our time after the destruction..

this is not found among us,

for even the righteous and good still have a little evil in the inwardness"].

And based on this, one can say,

that for this reason Mashiach is specifically called by the name "Metzora",

to indicate that he will be a person perfect to the utmost

(and as it is written⁵

"Behold My servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up and very high"),

and therefore he is called "stricken" because the illness and pain that come to clarify is only the clarification of the "end of his garments".

And on a deeper level, perhaps one can say⁶

: The length of this final exile is in order to clarify and refine the Jewish people

(in the manner of "the iron crucible"⁷

of the Egyptian exile),

and the time of the footsteps of Mashiach,

the end of the time of exile,

is the time of the most final clarification,

the clarification of the evil and the external waste that is "at the end of his garments"

(of the collective of Israel),

that this clarification will be done by Mashiach.

And this is that Mashiach is called "leper" because "our illness he bore and our pains he carried, etc.",

that this is from the side of the activity of Mashiach upon the children of Israel,

to clarify this dross that is "at the edge of his garments" of the entirety of Israel

(and not that he is afflicted from his own side, heaven forbid).

2.

But this is not a sufficient explanation.

For the matter of the "name" comes to describe his essence and his matter<pg>34</pg>

the main thing of that which is called by this name⁸,

and in our matter: although Mashiach is "wounded because of our transgressions"⁹,

to the extent that Mashiach himself "he is¹⁰

leprous"¹¹,

nevertheless, seemingly this is not his main matter of Mashiach,

because this is a negative matter

(clarification of the evil and sins of the children of Israel),

whereas the main matter of Mashiach is the redemption of Israel — the building of the Holy Temple and the ingathering of the exiles of Israel etc.¹²,

and why is he called¹³

after his negative activity

("leper"),

and not after the redemption itself?

and it must be said that within the content of the matter of the "negah" there is also a hint to the main matter of Mashiach,

the redemption that will come through him.

And one could say,

that this matter is also hinted at in the precise language of the midrash¹⁴

on the verse¹⁵

"And the leprous person who has the affliction, his garments shall be torn etc." — "And the leprous person, this is the Holy Temple,

who has the affliction, this is idolatry..

his garments shall be torn, these are the priestly garments etc."

And at first glance, the language of the midrash "And the leprous person, this is the Holy Temple" is difficult,

for it should have said "this is the Holy Temple that was destroyed"

(or the like)¹⁶,

and what is "And the leprous person, this is the Holy Temple",

which implies that this is the essential content of the Temple itself.

And one could say,

that with this the midrash hints,

that there is a positive content in the matter of the affliction,

by virtue of which the Temple is called by the name "And the leprous person"

(even before there is in it "the affliction, this is idolatry",

when it then becomes "leprous" for deficiency),

just as Mashiach is called by the name "Chivvara

(leper)

of the house of Rabbi".

3.

And it is to be explained this according to what our master, the Alter Rebbe, said there¹⁷

Another matter regarding negaim,

And his language is: "Negaim are lofty matters,

that it is not called impure until the priest calls it impure¹⁸,

And when he has not yet called it by the name impure, the negaim are not in the category of impurity, but on the contrary they are supernal lights,

only that they are harsh judgment of holiness¹⁹..

And it is brought to Aaron the priest⁴,

that they are elevated by the priest, who is supernal kindness..

And he can sweeten<pg>35</pg>

Laws when he says pure etc.'".

That is to say,

that the essence of the object of "negah"

(before the calling of the name impure by the priest)

is not a matter of impurity,

but on the contrary,

a matter of holiness.

And one could say,

that this matter also finds expression in negaim in their simple sense — in the appearances of the negaim that from the outset are pure,

even though they too must be brought to the kohen&lt;sup&gt;20&lt;/sup&gt;

so that he will say "pure": these negaim are from the outset a matter of holiness,

and the action of the kohen regarding them

(the saying of "pure")

is not to purify them from impurity,

but rather to sweeten the gevurot with chasadim,

to transform them from "din kashya" into a matter of chesed.

[But from these "harsh" judgments of holiness,

a matter of evil can later descend&lt;sup&gt;21&lt;/sup&gt;

(and as is known,

that from the multiplicity of tzimtzumim of the attribute of din and gevurah the matter of evil descended)

— these are the appearances of the impure negaim].

4.

Based on this, one may add even more,

that not only is the root of the matter of the "plague" in holiness,

"the harsh judgment of holiness",

but furthermore,

that in its root

(the first)

it is a very lofty level

(in holiness itself).

And along the lines of what is explained²²

regarding the attribute of gevurah above,

that its root and source is not a matter of judgment and contraction

(withholding of influence),

but on the contrary,

gevurah from the term tigbores,

the intensification of vitality

(like the gevuros of rains²³),

influence with excessive intensification beyond the capacity of the recipient

[therefore from this is drawn and descends afterwards the matter of contraction and gevurah

(withholding of influence)

in its simple sense,

and especially when the recipient is unable to contain such abundant influence].

And so in our matter,

that the matter of the "negah" in its first root is the intensification of holiness.

Except that from this are drawn down "harsh judgments" as they are still in the world of holiness; and from these harsh judgments were later drawn down further below the appearances of the impure negaim.

And it can be said,

that this matter is hinted at in the language of the Alter Rebbe cited above that the negaim "when they have not yet been called by the name 'impure'..

they are supernal lights"

(and he did not write "lights of holiness" and the like)

— in this he hints,

that the root of the matter of the negaim is not only harsh judgments of holiness,

but higher than that — "supernal lights",

that is, not only a matter of light and revelation of G‑dliness,

but moreover — "supernal lights",

that are above the lower,

from measurement and limitation.

[And so it is in the service of man,

according to what is explained²⁴

that the matter of the "negah" in spiritual service is "ratzo" without "shov",

namely the service of "klot hanefesh",

which is the yearning to go out from measurements and limitations²⁵

and to cleave to G-dliness in complete nullification,

and this is not according to the supernal intention,

that the service must be specifically "shov",

to draw down G-dliness into the world,

through the service of Torah and mitzvos,

soul in body specifically.

Thus, the root of the matter of the negah in the service of man is a most lofty service,

"ratzo"<pg>36</pg>

And the yearnings of the soul

(which is the love of "with all your might",

above measure and limitation)²⁶,

but that when there is not afterwards also the matter of "return",

this is not according to the intention].

5.

According to the above, will also be understood the reason that Mashiach

(and likewise the Holy Temple)

is called by the name "leper"²⁷,

for the matter of the redemption is — the departure from all boundaries and limitations,

the predominance of holiness²⁸,

which is the revelation of G‑dliness that is above measure and limitation²⁹.

And this itself comes about by means of that "our illnesses he bore, etc.",

that through this is done the clarification and refinement, the most final, of the children of Israel in the footsteps of Mashiach,

and consequently vessels are made for the revelation of "supernal lights",

And they merit the fulfillment of the prophecy³⁰

"And your Teacher will no longer be hidden

[meaning that He will not be covered from you by a wing and garment³¹]

and your eyes will see your Teacher",

in the true and complete redemption through Mashiach our righteousness,

and immediately and at once.

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Metzora 5733)