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A WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHT FROM RABBI MORDY
This week’s Parsha (Metzorah) continues the saga of the “leper” discussed last week. The word “Metzorah” literally means, “one with Tzaraas,” so makes sense to contain these laws—and yet we find something intriguing. The laws relating to actually having Tzaraas were found in last week’s Parsha; this week contains the laws of purification after one has gone through the process of having the malady to begin with. What a strange title for our Parsha! This doesn’t contain the actual laws of the “Metzorah,” it contains the laws of becoming “not a Metzorah!” It’s the exact opposite of what its title represents! Imagine the title “My trip to LA,” speaking all about what it was like to adjust back to work after my travels. That doesn’t sound right.
We have to realize that this malady is certainly a unique, biblical one but contains a lesson for all of us. Because this process of becoming a “Metzorah” happened for a reason. This particular illness took place because someone was speaking ill about someone else (good thing we don’t have that these days!) and was therefore “punished”. But the reasoning for this was so that this person would now move on in a completely new phase as a sincerely better person than he or she was yesterday. This is what we have to understand when we go through any difficulty. We will get through it, and we will hopefully become better because of it. And once we arrive at that point, we will fully realize the purpose of that “Tzaraas.” Sure, until that point we may question, and contemplate how this can be happening, but once we get to its conclusion we will hopefully appreciate what it was meant to accomplish. It is no accident that this serves as a lesson as we prepare to celebrate the holiday of Passover. We reminisce about the tears and bitterness of our story, using various items on the Seder plate to help with this; ultimately, we are redeemed from slavery and can rejoice as a better people because of it. All’s well that ends well.
As for today, the world is teetering with confusion as never before. May we have clarity in all regards and may any difficulties or challenges that we encounter – surely plenty to go around these days – make us better than we can ever imagine. And may we merit the ultimate redemption very soon! Good Shabbos and happy and healthy Passover!