Rabbi Frand on Parshas Tazria
These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi
Yissocher Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tapes on the weekly Torah
portion: 1102 - Tazria / Metzorah - Series III. Good Shabbos!
Guarding Against Feeling Too Good About Oneself
The end of parshas Tazria deals with Tza'ra'as [the spiritual blemish
often (mis)translated as leprosy] that appears on clothing. The
pasuk [verse] says, "The kohen will see the garment after it was
washed, [vhenay lo hofach hanega es ayno] and he sees that the nega
[blemish] has not changed, the garment is unclean, you should burn
it in fire."
The pasuk uses interesting language: "vhenay lo hofach hanega es
ayno," which means that the appearance of the nega has not changed.
This is actually an idiomatic expression. The word "ayno" literally
means "eye," and the expression literally means "the blemish has not
changed its eye."
I saw a beautiful insight, quoted in the name of the Chidushai HaRim.
The Gemara in Meseches Ayrachin tells us that there are a number of
avayros [sins] which can cause tza'aras. The most commonly known
avayrah is loshon horah [evil tongue; slander]. However, the Talmud
in Meseches Ayrachin also says that the punishment of tza'aras comes
"al tzoras ho'ayin." Tzoras ho'ayin [literally - narrowness of eye]
does not only mean a person who is tight-fisted or cheap. A tzar
ayin is a person who never sees the good side of anything and always
sees evil. It is the opposite of a generosity of spirit. It is a
stinginess, not only regarding money, but regarding viewing life, in
general. A tzar ayin is a person who does not like to see other
people's success. The only success that he is interested in is his
own success.
If that is the sin that causes tza'ra'as, then the tikun [correction]
that causes the tza'ra'as to go away, is the person doing teshuva
[repenting] and switching from being a tzar ayin to a tov ayin.
That means that one who is like a student of Bilom HaRoshoh, who
Chazal tell us had this trait of tzoras ho'ayin, of stinginess of
spirit, must change to become from the students of Avrohom Avinu -
to become a tov ayin [one with a good eye]. If the tza'ra'as stays
the same and does not get better, the garment is unclean and the
person does not have a tikun for his avayrah.
The Chidushai HaRim says that when the pasuk says, "vhenay lo
hofach hanega es ayno" - "and behold, the tza'ra'as did not change
its appearance," there is a double meaning. "Lo hofach hanega es
ayno" - His ayin [eye] did not change. In order to do teshuva,
this person's ayin must change. He must change from being a tzar
ayin to being a tov ayin. The pasuk is hinting to us, "Vhenay lo
hofach hanega es ayno." His ayin did not change. He has the same
stinginess, the same unwillingness to share and be generous.
"Ayno," here, does not merely mean that the appearance did not
change, but the ayin did not change. The tzoras ayin, the avayrah
that brought on this terrible punishment is still in place.
The Chidushai HaRim continues with a classic chasidishe vort: The
word "nega" is really the same word as the word "oneg." What is
the entire difference between the word "oneg" - pleasure and the
word nega [in the Hebrew lettering]?
The only difference is the placement of the [letter] "ayin." The
"nun" and the "gimel" are in the same place. The only difference
is whether the "ayin" is at the beginning or at the end. What is
the difference between "nega" and "oneg?" What is the difference
between a person having tza'ra'as and a person having pleasure?
It all depends on the placement of the "ayin." That is this
person's problem. The problem is with the "ayin." His problem is
with his perspective and his approach to life. His problem is with
his ayin, so his tikun must be "hofach hanega es ayno." He must
change his "ayin." He must take the "ayin" from the word "nega"
and make it into "oneg."
However, if someone is so stingy of spirit that he can not be
gracious, he can not see the good side of life, then he remains a
metzorah and "henay lo hofach hanega es ayno" - the nega remains
and he must burn the garment because he is incapable of changing
his "ayin." He is incapable of changing his perspective.
Glossary
Tzaraas / Nega(im) -- spiritual plague(s) causing various types of
discoloration of skin, clothing, or house
walls; associated with various sins of speech.
Lashon HaRa -- evil tongue; slander
Teshuva -- repentance
Personalities & Sources:
Chidushai HaRim --founder of the Gerre chasidishe dynasty (1800s)
.
This week's write-up is adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi
Yissochar Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tapes on the weekly Torah
portion {1102}. The halachic topics for Parshas
Tazria / Metzora from the Commuter Chavrusah Series are:
Also Available: Mesorah / Artscroll has published a collection
of Rabbi Frand's essays. The book is entitled:
and is available through Project Genesis On-Line Bookstore:
http://books.torah.org/
