Parashat Tazria

Although I have traditionally eschewed the mainstream corporate mentality of suit, briefcase and expense account, I am familiar with the culture, as some friends and family have spent substantial time in that world. There is an expected attitude towards moving up the ladder, and an inherent part of the process is the annual (or quarterly) review where employees are given constructive criticism so that they may concentrate on specific areas that need improvement.

In the education field substantial time and resources are spent on assessment activities. These activities and tools not only gauge the abilities of students to learn, but also that of teachers to teach.

Way back when, in school days of yore, I played woodwinds in the pit for a high school production of “Applause”. As the title tune explains, approval from the audience is a major motivating factor in show business. As I became more artistically driven, the approval I sought was mostly from other musicians, painters, writers, hipsters, and the occasional well connected critic or reviewer, although paying audiences were a good sign that I was on the right track for sustaining a career in the arts. If someone’s work was substandard the audience would dwindle, as would the calls from potential collaborators, and the person would get the message-more practicing required!

The need for feedback from the public spreads into many fields. Ed Koch the mayor of New York City from 1979 to 1989 is renowned for walking around the city and cheerfully asking everyone, “How’m I Doing? “. (He is now feeling groovy, after having Simon and Garfunkle’s 59th St. Bridge named after him…..)

The Torah gives us an annual review, called Rosh Hashanah, and we are given an opportunity to perfect our job performance, as well as make amends for any shortcomings in our spiritual growth. Although most of us do our most intense soul searching during the officially sanctioned ten days of repentance, the opportunity for introspection and t’shuva ( returning to the correct path) is available year round.

Historically, when the the nation of Israel fell short of its mission they were informed by the usual channels- plagues, draughts, floods,wild beasts, etc. These signs were the catalyst for national behavior modification, and the Torah documents many cases of national t’shuva.

In this week’s parasha we get a glimpse into a unique and wondrous methodology- the Torah’s plan for informing individuals that they are falling short of their spiritual responsibilities by actual physical signs on the their bodies!

One of these signs is called tzarat, almost always translated as leprosy, and is perhaps one of the most misunderstood and mistranslated ideas in the Torah.

Firstly, tzarat cannot be the famous and now completely treatable bacterial infection (also called Hansen’s disease) that caused millions around the world to be sequestered ( even today there are reported to be over 1000 leper colonies in India). The symptoms of tzarat were ignored during national celebrations, weddings, and other festive times when the greatest number of people could potentially be threatened by an infectious disease. Clearly, the Torah is not concerned about a public health threat. The symptoms only indicated the potential for diagnosis, and were completely benign to others until the time of “official” declaration by a kohane.

Tzarat, as described in the Torah is a SPIRITUAL malady, which leaves the afflicted in a state of tumah, or spiritual impurity, which can spread by contact. The first signs, or nega’im are found on the walls of a person’s house. The tumah sets in only when declared by the kohane. The Torah mercifully tells the afflicted to move his possessions outside of his house ahead of the visit from the kohane, lest the tzarat (which does not technically exist prior to the kohane’s declaration) affect those articles as well. This is a sign from G-d that the individual is falling short in his relationship with the community by improper use of speech. The house is closed off, and the afflicted is given time for reflection and repentance.

If this opportunity passes with no change, the nega’im appear next on clothing, and finally on one’s skin. The word nega, or mark, also means touch. G-d is touching them to alert them that they are in danger of failing their periodic review, and give them time to work on themselves, in privacy. After a week’s time they can rejoin the community after a fascinating but complicated purification ritual.

Hurtful or improper use of speech, called Lashon Harah in Hebrew, is singled out here, from among all possible human shortcomings, because it directly contradicts the holiness of our Creator.
Our world, and all that are contained within are the products of Divine Speech, (whatever that means!) . Every morning we start our communal prayers with “Blessed be the one who spoke, and the world came into being”. Humans are distinguished from other creatures by their ability to use speech. To use speech to hurt or destroy is the antithesis of holiness, and tzarat was a friendly wake up call to get to work and grow in that area.

One of the many tragedies of the current exile is the loss of prophecy, and with it, the personal, undeniable feedback from G-d.
In today’s challenging spiritual environment it is much more difficult to sense the presence of G-d, and we are not now fortunate enough to receive a divine tap on the shoulder when we err. The voice of G-d now comes mostly from within. By continuously working on refining ourselves, we will be growing spiritually, and when we ask ourselves, “How’m I doing?”, we can become more and more sensitive to the “still, small voice”.
Let’s pray that it does not fall on deaf ears.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Greg