Parshas Metsora outlines the various forms of the affliction of tzaraas. Having completed discussion of the tzaraas on the body, the Torah discusses the tzaraas that can appear on people’s houses and outlines the painful process of purification. This includes removing all the possessions from one’s home to avoid them becoming impure, and cutting out the afflicted stones from the house.
Chazal offer two seemingly contradictory explanations as to why tzaraas will appear on someone’s house. Rashi brings the Medrash that tells us that this was actually very beneficial for the people whose homes had tzaraas: The Emorim who lived in Canaan hid their valuables in the walls of their homes so that the Jewish people would not be able to benefit from them. There would have been no way of the Jews finding these treasures in the normal course of events. Therefore, HaShem placed the tzaraas affliction on the part of the wall where the treasure was concealed, so that the stones hiding it would be removed, thus revealing the fortune. This explanation implies that the tzaraas on the house was not a punishment for any wrong doing, rather it was a means of providing the people with great riches.
On the other hand, the Gemara in Arachin clearly states that tzaraas on the houses was a punishment for the sin of tzaras ayin (stinginess). The Gemara in Yoma gives an example of such behavior of a person who didn’t want to lend his possessions to other people, therefore he would deny owning the items that people asked to borrow. As a punishment his home would be struck with tzaraas and he would have to take everything outside, consequently everyone would see that he really did own those items. These Gemaras clearly indicate that tzaraas on the houses came as a punishment for sins. How do we resolve the contradiction between these Maamarei Chazal (sayings of the Sages): According to the Chazal quoted by Rashi, if they deserved the reward of the treasure, why did that have to be accompanied by the suffering involved in the tzaraas striking their house. And according to the Gemaras, if they deserved to be punished, why should they benefit by finding the hidden treasure behind their walls?!
Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l answers that it must be that the person whose home is struck with tzaraas is deserving of both the punishment and the benefit that arise as a result of the affliction. If he had never sinned, then HaShem would provide him with the money that he deserves in another, more pleasant fashion. And if he was undeserving of finding the Emorim’s hidden treasure then the tzaraas on his house would not enable him to finding it. Therefore, the person whose house would be struck with tzaraas and then found the hidden treasure must look at both aspects of the Hashgacha (Divine Providence). On the one had he can rejoice in HaShem’s kindness in granting him the newfound riches; but at the same time, he must be do teshuva and not allow himself to be distracted by the good tidings.
It is possible to add that the nature of the reward is also connected to the sin that the person committed. He was guilty of being overly miserly, and therefore resorted to dishonest tactics in order to protect his wealth. His mistake was that he approached acquisition of property with a derech hateva attitude. This means that he followed the regular laws of nature and common sense that dictate that giving charity or lending one’s items will cause a person to suffer a decline in his wealth. He believed that being stingy would protech his wealth. Consequently, he is punished by suffering a financial loss with the damage to his home, and with the embarrassment of being exposed as a dishonest person who avoids lending his property. Yet perhaps the reward of finding the hidden treasure also teaches him a lesson with regard to his erroneous attitude. He believed that he had to resort to underhanded tactics to gain wealth, but the Torah tells him that HaShem, with his Infinite power, can provide a person with wealth in any number of ways . Thus, this man finds money in the most improbable of places - inside the walls of his own home! As well as benefitting him it should teach him that he need not exert excessive energy in acquiring wealth, rather he should recognize that HaShem can provide him with everything that he needs.
We learn two very important lessons from the above explanation. Firstly, in a general application, we see that Hashgacha can work in such a way that HaShem in His Infinite Wisdom can reward and ‘punish’ someone at the same time. The Torah sense of punishment does not mean merely causing pain for no reason. Rather, Divine ‘punishments’ are ways in which HaShem communicates with us, alluding to us that we should change our ways in specific areas. Thus, even when good tidings occur it is wise to observe any negative aspects to the outcome of the good news to discern if there are any underlying messages within the reward, as was the case with the tzaraas on the houses.
A second, more specific message relates to our attitude to acquiring possessions and money. The tzaraas on the houses teach us that too much hishtadlus in the realm of the physical world,is fruitless. This is all the more so the case with dishonest or stingy behavior. A person must realize that there are ‘harbeh sheluchim leMakom’; that HaShem can provide us with whatever we need in the most creative of fashions, including through discovering treasure in the walls of our homes!
Showing posts with label Metsora. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Metsora. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
A NEW START - METSORA
Parshas Metsora outlines the purification process for a person struck by tzoraas. One of the essential stages of this process is tevila in a mikva. The Sefer HaChinuch suggests a reason for the significance of tevila as a key part in the teshuva process which the metsora is undergoing. He explains that the world was full of water before man was created and therefore symbolizes a return to the beginning of creation. Dipping into water is a gesture of leaving behind past aveiros and starting afresh .
When a person sins and then recognizes his failure, there is a natural tendency to feel guilt-ridden and low. This can be directed in a positive way, motivating him to avoid such sin in the future, however, often it has a very undesirable effect, causing the person to fall into a downward spiral of spiritual failing. When a person feels low about what he has done, he may become disconcerted and lose the strength to continue in his Avodas Hashem as before. In this way the ’fall-out’ from a sin can actually be far more damaging than the sin itself. Toivelling in a mikva after a sin symbolizes that the person is saying that he will not be bound by his past errors and will not let them bring him down further.
Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz zt”l notes many examples in Tanach where a person sinned or failed in one area and as a result, suffered a great yerida that destroyed their spiritual standing. A striking case is that of Orpah, the daughter-in-law of Naomi. When Naomi was returning to Eretz Yisroel, both Ruth and Orpah were determined to stay with her and convert to Judaism. At this point, Orpah was on the same lofty level as the great Ruth., equally willing to leave her homeland to join the Jewish people. However, after Naomi’s supplications for them to return, she could not withstand the test and gave in and went back to Moav. It would seem logical that after this single lapse Orpah would still stand on a high spiritual level, just a little lower than that of Ruth. However, Chazal tell us that on the very night when she left Naomi, she sunk to the lowest levels of depravity . How could it be that she fell in such a dramatic way in one night? Rav Shmuelevitz explains that when she saw that she failed in the great nisayon to join the Jewish people, she could not leave her sin behind and start afresh. She was greatly effected by her inability to stand up to challenges, and consequently lost all sense of balance and fell to the powers of the yester hara .
Rav Shmuelevitz cites another maaseh in Tanach in which a great man failed a nisayon and recognized the danger he was in of falling into the trap of being completely ensnared by the yetser hara. Shmuel HaNavi instructed Shaul HaMelech to destroy all of Amalek, however Shaul left some animals and the Amalekite King Agag alive. Shmuel confronted him and told him that he had forfeited his right to the kingdom with this aveiro. After failing to exonerate himself Shaul admitted his guilt but then made a very strange request of Shmuel. “Please now honor me in front of the Sages of my people and the people of Israel... ” What was the purpose of this request, it was surely not merely an attempt by Shaul to feel better about himself. Moreover, Shmuel acceded to the request, indicating its validity. Rav Shmuelevitz explains that Shaul did not merely want honor, rather he knew that he was in danger of suffering a great fall and he realized that he needed to strengthen himself immediately so that he would not be adversely effected by his sin. Therefore, amidst this great fall in madreigo he asked Shmuel to honor him and thereby help him maintain his sense of equilibrium and start afresh . It seems that Shmuel, despite his displeasure with Shaul, consented to his request because he recognized its importance.
We also learn from the actions of Shaul an aitso of how to prevent failure having a disastrous effect. When a person fails, he is likely to feel bad about himself and lose his sense of self-respect. When a person feels that he is a failure he may give up and let himself fall badly. In order to avoid this he must maintain his self-image after failure and recognize that even though he made a mistake he can do teshuva and start again.
Shlomo HaMelech makes this very point in Mishlei when he writes: “A tzadik falls seven times but he gets up. ” The Malbim and Metsudos David explain that despite a tzaddik’s setbacks he rises up again. Indeed, a big part of what makes a person a tzaddik is his ability to recover from failure or mistakes. The tevila of the metsora teaches us the same lesson - even though he sinned he need not be doomed to perpetual downfall. If he can put his past behind him he can make a fresh start.
When a person sins and then recognizes his failure, there is a natural tendency to feel guilt-ridden and low. This can be directed in a positive way, motivating him to avoid such sin in the future, however, often it has a very undesirable effect, causing the person to fall into a downward spiral of spiritual failing. When a person feels low about what he has done, he may become disconcerted and lose the strength to continue in his Avodas Hashem as before. In this way the ’fall-out’ from a sin can actually be far more damaging than the sin itself. Toivelling in a mikva after a sin symbolizes that the person is saying that he will not be bound by his past errors and will not let them bring him down further.
Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz zt”l notes many examples in Tanach where a person sinned or failed in one area and as a result, suffered a great yerida that destroyed their spiritual standing. A striking case is that of Orpah, the daughter-in-law of Naomi. When Naomi was returning to Eretz Yisroel, both Ruth and Orpah were determined to stay with her and convert to Judaism. At this point, Orpah was on the same lofty level as the great Ruth., equally willing to leave her homeland to join the Jewish people. However, after Naomi’s supplications for them to return, she could not withstand the test and gave in and went back to Moav. It would seem logical that after this single lapse Orpah would still stand on a high spiritual level, just a little lower than that of Ruth. However, Chazal tell us that on the very night when she left Naomi, she sunk to the lowest levels of depravity . How could it be that she fell in such a dramatic way in one night? Rav Shmuelevitz explains that when she saw that she failed in the great nisayon to join the Jewish people, she could not leave her sin behind and start afresh. She was greatly effected by her inability to stand up to challenges, and consequently lost all sense of balance and fell to the powers of the yester hara .
Rav Shmuelevitz cites another maaseh in Tanach in which a great man failed a nisayon and recognized the danger he was in of falling into the trap of being completely ensnared by the yetser hara. Shmuel HaNavi instructed Shaul HaMelech to destroy all of Amalek, however Shaul left some animals and the Amalekite King Agag alive. Shmuel confronted him and told him that he had forfeited his right to the kingdom with this aveiro. After failing to exonerate himself Shaul admitted his guilt but then made a very strange request of Shmuel. “Please now honor me in front of the Sages of my people and the people of Israel... ” What was the purpose of this request, it was surely not merely an attempt by Shaul to feel better about himself. Moreover, Shmuel acceded to the request, indicating its validity. Rav Shmuelevitz explains that Shaul did not merely want honor, rather he knew that he was in danger of suffering a great fall and he realized that he needed to strengthen himself immediately so that he would not be adversely effected by his sin. Therefore, amidst this great fall in madreigo he asked Shmuel to honor him and thereby help him maintain his sense of equilibrium and start afresh . It seems that Shmuel, despite his displeasure with Shaul, consented to his request because he recognized its importance.
We also learn from the actions of Shaul an aitso of how to prevent failure having a disastrous effect. When a person fails, he is likely to feel bad about himself and lose his sense of self-respect. When a person feels that he is a failure he may give up and let himself fall badly. In order to avoid this he must maintain his self-image after failure and recognize that even though he made a mistake he can do teshuva and start again.
Shlomo HaMelech makes this very point in Mishlei when he writes: “A tzadik falls seven times but he gets up. ” The Malbim and Metsudos David explain that despite a tzaddik’s setbacks he rises up again. Indeed, a big part of what makes a person a tzaddik is his ability to recover from failure or mistakes. The tevila of the metsora teaches us the same lesson - even though he sinned he need not be doomed to perpetual downfall. If he can put his past behind him he can make a fresh start.
Monday, April 12, 2010
A NEW START - METSORA
Parshas Metsora outlines the purification process for a person struck by tzoraas. One of the essential stages of this process is tevila in a mikva. The Sefer HaChinuch suggests a reason for the significance of tevila as a key part in the teshuva process which the metsora is undergoing. He explains that the world was full of water before man was created and therefore symbolizes a return to the beginning of creation. Dipping into water is a gesture of leaving behind past aveiros and starting afresh[1].
When a person sins and then recognizes his failure, there is a natural tendency to feel guilt-ridden and low. This can be directed in a positive way, motivating him to avoid such sin in the future, however, often it has a very undesirable effect, causing the person to fall into a downward spiral of spiritual failing. When a person feels low about what he has done, he may become disconcerted and lose the strength to continue in his Avodas Hashem as before. In this way the ’fall-out’ from a sin can actually be far more damaging than the sin itself. Toivelling in a mikva after a sin symbolizes that the person is saying that he will not be bound by his past errors and will not let them bring him down further.
Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz zt”l notes many examples in Tanach where a person sinned or failed in one area and as a result, suffered a great yerida that destroyed their spiritual standing. A striking case is that of Orpah, the daughter-in-law of Naomi. When Naomi was returning to Eretz Yisroel, both Ruth and Orpah were determined to stay with her and convert to Judaism. At this point, Orpah was on the same lofty level as the great Ruth., equally willing to leave her homeland to join the Jewish people. However, after Naomi’s supplications for them to return, she could not withstand the test and gave in and went back to Moav. It would seem logical that after this single lapse Orpah would still stand on a high spiritual level, just a little lower than that of Ruth. However, Chazal tell us that on the very night when she left Naomi, she sunk to the lowest levels of depravity[2]. How could it be that she fell in such a dramatic way in one night? Rav Shmuelevitz explains that when she saw that she failed in the great nisayon to join the Jewish people, she could not leave her sin behind and start afresh. She was greatly effected by her inability to stand up to challenges, and consequently lost all sense of balance and fell to the powers of the yester hara[3].
Rav Shmuelevitz cites another maaseh in Tanach in which a great man failed a nisayon and recognized the danger he was in of falling into the trap of being completely ensnared by the yetser hara. Shmuel HaNavi instructed Shaul HaMelech to destroy all of Amalek, however Shaul left some animals and the Amalekite King Agag alive. Shmuel confronted him and told him that he had forfeited his right to the kingdom with this aveiro. After failing to exonerate himself Shaul admitted his guilt but then made a very strange request of Shmuel. “Please now honor me in front of the Sages of my people and the people of Israel...[4]” What was the purpose of this request, it was surely not merely an attempt by Shaul to feel better about himself. Moreover, Shmuel acceded to the request, indicating its validity. Rav Shmuelevitz explains that Shaul did not merely want honor, rather he knew that he was in danger of suffering a great fall and he realized that he needed to strengthen himself immediately so that he would not be adversely effected by his sin. Therefore, amidst this great fall in madreigo he asked Shmuel to honor him and thereby help him maintain his sense of equilibrium and start afresh[5]. It seems that Shmuel, despite his displeasure with Shaul, consented to his request because he recognized its importance.
We also learn from the actions of Shaul an aitso of how to prevent failure having a disastrous effect. When a person fails, he is likely to feel bad about himself and lose his sense of self-respect. When a person feels that he is a failure he may give up and let himself fall badly. In order to avoid this he must maintain his self-image after failure and recognize that even though he made a mistake he can do teshuva and start again.
Shlomo HaMelech makes this very point in Mishlei when he writes: “A tzadik falls seven times but he gets up.[6]” The Malbim and Metsudos David explain that despite a tzaddik’s setbacks he rises up again. Indeed, a big part of what makes a person a tzaddik is his ability to recover from failure or mistakes. The tevila of the metsora teaches us the same lesson - even though he sinned he need not be doomed to perpetual downfall. If he can put his past behind him he can make a fresh start.
[1] Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvo 173. It seems that the sybmolism of a new start applies to other processes that require tevila such as conversion whereby a person becomes a briah chadasha.
[2] Ruth Rabbah, 2:20.
[3] Sichos Mussar, Maamar 55, p.236.
[4] Shmuel 1, 15:28-30.
[5] Ibid. p.237-8.
[6] Mishlei, 24:16.
When a person sins and then recognizes his failure, there is a natural tendency to feel guilt-ridden and low. This can be directed in a positive way, motivating him to avoid such sin in the future, however, often it has a very undesirable effect, causing the person to fall into a downward spiral of spiritual failing. When a person feels low about what he has done, he may become disconcerted and lose the strength to continue in his Avodas Hashem as before. In this way the ’fall-out’ from a sin can actually be far more damaging than the sin itself. Toivelling in a mikva after a sin symbolizes that the person is saying that he will not be bound by his past errors and will not let them bring him down further.
Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz zt”l notes many examples in Tanach where a person sinned or failed in one area and as a result, suffered a great yerida that destroyed their spiritual standing. A striking case is that of Orpah, the daughter-in-law of Naomi. When Naomi was returning to Eretz Yisroel, both Ruth and Orpah were determined to stay with her and convert to Judaism. At this point, Orpah was on the same lofty level as the great Ruth., equally willing to leave her homeland to join the Jewish people. However, after Naomi’s supplications for them to return, she could not withstand the test and gave in and went back to Moav. It would seem logical that after this single lapse Orpah would still stand on a high spiritual level, just a little lower than that of Ruth. However, Chazal tell us that on the very night when she left Naomi, she sunk to the lowest levels of depravity[2]. How could it be that she fell in such a dramatic way in one night? Rav Shmuelevitz explains that when she saw that she failed in the great nisayon to join the Jewish people, she could not leave her sin behind and start afresh. She was greatly effected by her inability to stand up to challenges, and consequently lost all sense of balance and fell to the powers of the yester hara[3].
Rav Shmuelevitz cites another maaseh in Tanach in which a great man failed a nisayon and recognized the danger he was in of falling into the trap of being completely ensnared by the yetser hara. Shmuel HaNavi instructed Shaul HaMelech to destroy all of Amalek, however Shaul left some animals and the Amalekite King Agag alive. Shmuel confronted him and told him that he had forfeited his right to the kingdom with this aveiro. After failing to exonerate himself Shaul admitted his guilt but then made a very strange request of Shmuel. “Please now honor me in front of the Sages of my people and the people of Israel...[4]” What was the purpose of this request, it was surely not merely an attempt by Shaul to feel better about himself. Moreover, Shmuel acceded to the request, indicating its validity. Rav Shmuelevitz explains that Shaul did not merely want honor, rather he knew that he was in danger of suffering a great fall and he realized that he needed to strengthen himself immediately so that he would not be adversely effected by his sin. Therefore, amidst this great fall in madreigo he asked Shmuel to honor him and thereby help him maintain his sense of equilibrium and start afresh[5]. It seems that Shmuel, despite his displeasure with Shaul, consented to his request because he recognized its importance.
We also learn from the actions of Shaul an aitso of how to prevent failure having a disastrous effect. When a person fails, he is likely to feel bad about himself and lose his sense of self-respect. When a person feels that he is a failure he may give up and let himself fall badly. In order to avoid this he must maintain his self-image after failure and recognize that even though he made a mistake he can do teshuva and start again.
Shlomo HaMelech makes this very point in Mishlei when he writes: “A tzadik falls seven times but he gets up.[6]” The Malbim and Metsudos David explain that despite a tzaddik’s setbacks he rises up again. Indeed, a big part of what makes a person a tzaddik is his ability to recover from failure or mistakes. The tevila of the metsora teaches us the same lesson - even though he sinned he need not be doomed to perpetual downfall. If he can put his past behind him he can make a fresh start.
[1] Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvo 173. It seems that the sybmolism of a new start applies to other processes that require tevila such as conversion whereby a person becomes a briah chadasha.
[2] Ruth Rabbah, 2:20.
[3] Sichos Mussar, Maamar 55, p.236.
[4] Shmuel 1, 15:28-30.
[5] Ibid. p.237-8.
[6] Mishlei, 24:16.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
