Healing Thyself

This is to be the law concerning the person afflicted with tzara'at on the day of his purification. He is to be brought to the Kohain.                                                             Leviticus 14:2

            Alshikh, in his exposition of the verse, stresses that tzara’at is a spiritual disease, not a physical one. One of the major differences between the two types of disease is that a properly trained physician will be able, with God’s help, to cure physical diseases, while spiritual diseases, which result from sins, can be cured only by the sinner himself. Since the sinner brought (the spiritual) disease upon himself, he is the only one who can effect a cure. Neither the physician nor the Kohain has the ability to cure spiritual disease. Even He Who cures all man’s maladies does not cure spiritual disease. The sole means for curing spiritual disease is repentance.

            The Kohain’s function in matters of tzara’at is not curative, but educational, to teach the metzora God’s ways and guide him in the process of repentance. “The Kohain merely prepares the metzora, who must heal himself.”

            Based upon Alshikh’s elucidation, we can note parallels between the laws of the metzora and the laws of repentance as codified by Maimonides.

            The concept underlying the process of quarantining a metzora is to isolate him and spur him on towards repentance, by reflecting on the reasons for his (spiritual) disease. This is certainly true of the metzora’s removal from the camp of Israel. Quarantine and even more so, removal of the meztora from the camp of Israel, are parallel to exile, of which Maimonides writes [Laws of Repentance 2:4]:

                        It is appropriate for the penitent to exile himself from his place.

                              In chapter 14, the Torah refers a dozen times to “the person undergoing purification” (hamitaher), as Alshikh notes, employing the present tense. Indeed, the repentance process must be ongoing and always in the present tense.

      Further, Alshikh comments that the wording of the verse “this is to be (tihyeh – future tense) the law” seems unusual and the word “tihyeh” apparently is unnecessary.  The addition of “tihyeh,” Alshikh explains, is to teach the truth that “all atonement is dependent upon repentance. A sinner’s atonement depends upon his offering sacrifices, but if he does not repent, no number of sacrifices will bring him atonement, for repentance is essential and brings atonement.”

      Similarly, Maimonides writes [Laws of Repentance 1:1]:

Those who bring sin offerings or guilt offerings must also (confess their sins) when they bring their sacrifices for their inadvertent or willful transgressions. Their sacrifices will not atone for their sins until they make a verbal confession and repent as [Leviticus 5:5] states: "He shall confess the sin he has committed upon it."

            Alshikh explains the seemingly superfluous heading “This is the law” by noting that it is considered a great merit for one to have a Torah portion inspired by him (as our Sages taught concerning Jethro, see [Shemot Rabba 27:8]). Based upon this axiom, our parasha praises the metzora “undergoing purification” as one who was able to overcome his sins, repent and cure himself of tzara’at. Therefore, this parasha, as it were, is particularly close to God’s heart, and He wishes that it constantly be before Him. That is, the metzora “undergoing purification” is a ba’al teshuva (a penitent), and penitents stand in closeness to God, as Maimonides writes [Laws of Repentance 7:7]:

How exalted is the level of repentance! Previously, the (transgressor) was separate from God, the Lord of Israel, as (the verse [Isaiah 59:2] states: "Your sins separate between you and your God." He would call out (to God) without being answered as the verse [Isaiah 1:15]] states: "Even if you pray many times, I will not hear." He would fulfill mitzvot, only to have them crushed before him as is stated [Isaiah 1:12]: "Who asked this from you, to trample in My courts," and [Malachi 1:10] "Oh, were there one among you who would shut the doors that you might not kindle fire on My altar for no reason! I have no pleasure in you,' says the God of Hosts, `nor will I accept an offering from your hand.'”

Now, he is clinging to the Shechina as is stated [Deuteronomy 4:4]: "And you who cling to God, your Lord." He calls out (to God) and is immediately answered as the verse states [Isaiah 65:24]: "Before, you will call out, I will answer." He fulfills mitzvot and they are accepted with pleasure and joy as is stated [Ecclesiastes 9:7] "God has already accepted your works," and [Malachi 3:4]: "Then, shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasing to God as in days of old and as in the former years."

            In verse three, the Torah still refers to the person undergoing purification as a metzora. Alshikh notes that this appellation is a reminder of the person’s sin, and might, therefore, be considered inappropriate. Rather, Alshikh posits, the Torah teaches that we not look “with a bad eye” at the plague and suffering brought about by the metzora’s sins, since it was tzara’at which brought him to repent. “Thus, referring to the tzara’at is positive when the metzora repents his evil ways and his purity is revealed.” That is, mentioning the healed metzora’s sins constitutes praise, since he has repented. This point is stated by Maimonides [Laws of Repentance 7:8] thus:

Penitents know that it is meritorious of them … that as long as they are embarrassed by their (former) acts and shamed by them    their merit is great and their level is raised.

            Though the true secrets of the laws of tzara’at are beyond our comprehension, based upon Alshikh’s enlightening approach, the laws of the metzora “undergoing purification” provide significant lessons concerning repentance.