Acharei Mos Kedoshim 5778

Acharei Mos, Kedoshim

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IT BELONGS IN THE KNAPSACK

This week’s Parsha, Acharei Mos – Kedoshim, instructs us not to insult the convert to Judaism by pointing out how he served idols in the past. The Torah reminds us that we, too, have a history of idolators when we lived in Egypt. Our Sages explain that a blemish that you have do not point it out in someone else.

The implication seems to be that if you have a blemish don’t insult someone else with that blemish because the insulted person can turn around and throw it back to you. But is this what the Torah means? This reason seems self-serving. Perhaps there is a deeper message.

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Metzora 5782

Metzora

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OBEYING IS GREATER THAN VOLUNTEERING

The Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim siman 430 contains only one halacha “The Shabbos before Pesach is called Shabbos Hagadol because of the miracle that occurred.”

The miracle refers to the fact that on the tenth day of Nissan which was a Shabbos, our ancestors took sheep and brought them into their homes for the sake of sacrificing them five days later. The miracle was that in spite of the fact that the Egyptians worshiped the sheep none of the neighbors stopped us from collecting these sheep.

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Metzora 5779

Metzora

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IT’S ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW

The Shulchan Aruch, the Jewish code of law, teaches us that this Shabbos, the Shabbos preceding Pesach, has a special name; Shabbos Hagadol, The Great Shabbos.

The reason for this name is because the Shabbos before our Exodus all the Jews tied sheep to their bedposts for the sake of slaughtering them four days later. This should have caused an uproar from the Egyptians as they viewed sheep as their deity. However, miraculously not one Egyptian raised a hand against a Jew. Because of this event the Shabbos is referred to as The Great Shabbos.

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Tazria Metzora 5783

Metzora, Tazria

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BARLEY IS FOR ANIMALS AND WHEAT IS FOR MAN

Nations identify their greatness and success in terms of their economic success. A strong economy spells a strong nation. Naturally, national pride runs parallel to this strength. For a nation whose economy is based on their agricultural output we could well imagine that the period of their harvest would be a period where national pride reaches a climax. And yet, as we see from the mitzvah of the Omer and the prohibition to harvest the new crop before the
second day of Pesach, our people have a different perspective.

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Tazria 5782

Tazria

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ALWAYS FRESH, ALWAYS NEW

As this Shabbos is Rosh Chodesh Nissan, we will read Parshas Hachodesh which is the very first mitzvah that HaShem gave us as a people. It is curious that this seminal mitzvah should relate to our constructing a calendar. Would it have not been more appropriate to have the first mitzvah be something like the mitzvah to love HaShem or to fear HaShem.

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Tazria Metzora 5781

Metzora, Tazria

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THE COST OF THE BRIDAL GOWN

In this week’s Parsha the Torah teaches us the concept of tzoras which is discoloration of the skin, of the walls of the house and on the clothing. When this discoloration occurs on the person, house or clothing it renders the person, house or clothing tamei, spiritually impure, and the laws of tuma apply to it. Our Sages teach us that tzoras is not a natural phenomenon, rather a supernatural phenomenon which is sent from HaShem as an indication to the recipient that he should correct his behavior. The Talmud teaches for which sins tzaraas occurs so that the afflicted person will understand the message he is being sent.

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