Tazria: How to View a Fellow Jew

There are two general laws regarding the ritual impurity of tzaraas blemishes:5

a) The assessment of a blemish in order to establish whether it is impure or not must be performed by a scholar trained in this field of knowledge, one who was “instructed by his master and is thoroughly versed in all the blemishes and their names, including all those that affect a person and those that affect clothes and houses.”6 The scholar need not be a kohen. On the contrary, “every [knowledgeable scholar] is acceptable to assess blemishes.”7

b) The designation of a person, garment, or building as impure or pure is entirely dependent on a kohen.8 Even after the scholar determines that a blemish on a person’s flesh is impure, he does not become impure until the kohen states, “You are impure.” Similarly, regarding his purification, even when he is healed from the tzaraas blemish, he remains “in a state of impurity until the kohen tells him, ‘You are pure.’ ”9

The statement of the kohen is the determining factor bringing about the person’s (or an object’s) state of impurity and purity. Therefore, even when a “kohen does not know how to assess blemishes”10 – and “even if the kohen is a minor or mentally deficient”11 – “he relies on the words of the scholar”; “the scholar assesses the afflicted person and tells the kohen, ‘Say impure,’ and the kohen says, ‘Impure,’ or he tells him, ‘Say pure….’ ”

Clarification is necessary:

a) Since the kohen ultimately relies on the words of the scholar, why is the statement of the kohen the determining factor?

b) What is the unique aspect of the impurity of tzaraas blemishes that specifically regarding them the Torah introduces this novel concept – that impurity and purity are dependent on a kohen?

True, this is a Scriptural decree12 – a chok, a Divine fiat that transcends human logic – nevertheless, as Rambam taught,13 even though the Torah’s chukim are decrees, “it is befitting to contemplate them, and whenever it is possible to provide a reason, such a reason should be provided.” In particular, this applies to a reason which enables us to improve our character traits, as Rambam states,14 “most of the Torah’s laws are nothing other than counsels… to improve [our] character and make all [aspects of our] conduct upright.” Or to refer to the Torah’s wording,15 “G‑d commanded us… all of these statutes so that we fear G‑d”; i.e., every law in the Torah is an instruction, teaching the fear of G‑d.

The fundamental novel dimension of the Torah’s decree that the ritual purity and impurity of a person or object afflicted with tzaraas is dependent on a kohen is expressed primarily by the fact that he determines the person or object to be impure, and less so by the fact that it is he who determines his or its state of purity. The purification from tzaraas is only possible when there had been a state of impurity brought about by that affliction beforehand. Therefore, it is logical to say that the fact that the purification of an afflicted person is dependent upon a kohen is an outgrowth of the fact that his impurity was originally dependent upon the kohen. Since the impurity is brought about by a kohen’s statement, purification from that state of impurity is also brought about specifically by a kohen’s statement.

This is difficult to understand. Were the fundamental novel dimension of the Torah’s decree to be that the purification of one affected by tzaraas is dependent upon a kohen, that would be understood.16 Since the function of a kohen is associated with a state of ritual purity – as reflected by the law17 that a kohen may not intentionally contract ritual impurity – kohanim are the ones who draw down ritual purity to the Jewish people. However, why is it that a kohen is the one who determines and causes a Jew to become ritually impure?

It is possible to offer the following explanation for the above: There is a dimension of severity to the impurity associated with tzaraas blemishes that does not exist regarding other states of ritual impurity. A person afflicted with tzaraas must “dwell alone, outside the camp where he lives.”18 Indeed, he is sent outside the three camps that defined the Jewish community.19 Moreover, he must be totally isolated; “other impure people should not dwell with him.”20 The place where a person afflicted by tzaraas must dwell is apart even from the place where other impure people dwell.

This is also the spiritual implication of tzaraas impurity. It is such a serious state of impurity that it causes the afflicted person to be completely distanced from the camp of holiness. He is, as it were, isolated from any connection to the Jewish people, G‑d’s holy nation.

Given the seriousness of such a state, the Torah asks, who is the one who can determine whether another Jew should be banished, Heaven forbid, from the camp of holiness? Only a kohen.

A kohen’s fundamental function21 is to “bless His nation Israel with love.”22 He is “a man of kindness,”23 who blesses the Jewish people and does so lovingly. As is well-known,24 it is an essential requirement that the Priestly Blessings be recited with love and there can be dangerous consequences for a kohen who recites the blessings without those feelings. For this reason – because a kohen is “a man of kindness” – the Torah relies only on him to deliver the ruling that a Jew mustbe banished “outside the camp where he lives.”

Based on this, it is possible to understand the sequence in the verse,25 “The kohanim… whom G‑d your L‑rd chose to serve Him and to bless [the people] in G‑d’s name, all quarrels and all tzaraas blemishes will be [determined] by their word.” Specifically because G‑d “chose [them] … to bless [the people] in G‑d’s name,” it is “by their word… all tzaraas blemishes will be [determined].”

Most certainly, the ruling uttered by the kohen must be based solely on the Torah’s laws.26 For this reason, first and foremost, the blemish must be viewed by a scholar, steeped in the Torah’s wisdom and “thoroughly versed in all the blemishes.” Furthermore, this scholar must have received training from his master. However, when it comes to the actual application of the ruling, that stage must be carried out by a kohen, a man of kindness. It is specifically he who has the sensitivity to appreciate the true severity of delivering such a harsh ruling to another Jew. Therefore, he will not forgo any effort and will thoroughly investigate and question the scholar regarding his assessment, following the motif implied by the verse,27 “the collective will judge… and the collective will save.”

To cite a related matter: As is well known, Chassidus28 interprets the popular adage,29 “There is none as wise as a man of experience”30 to mean that studying a subject with the knowledge that the process of analysis will result in a directive or a ruling to be applied in actual experience motivates a person to dig deeper and labor to reach the fundamental and true understanding of the matter.

Moreover, when a kohen, a man of kindness – after laboring in the investigation and analysis of the matter in all its depth – rules that the person is impure, we can be certain31 that this is the true ruling the Torah mandates. At the same time, we can also be certain that the kohen will invest all of his energies32 to see to it that, afterwards, the afflicted person will be able to be purified.33

There is a clear directive from the above, applicable in every era and place: When one sees that a fellow Jew has an undesirable quality, Heaven forbid, to the extent that he is in such a deplorable state that “he has taken himself outside of the collective”34 and thus, is unworthy of being together with the Jewish people, a hasty decision may not be made.

The Torah dictates that even a great scholar, learned in the entire Torah, whose analysis stemming from the wisdom of the Torah leads to the assessment that such a person must be distanced from others and sent “outside the camp where he lives,” may not immediately deliver such a judgment regarding another Jew. Before doing so, he must carefully examine himself regarding his own level of kindness and ahavas Yisrael, the love for one’s fellow Jew. If a person does not have the characteristic qualities of a kohen – i.e., he is lacking in genuine ahavas Yisrael – he does not have the right to issue such a ruling regarding another Jew. It is possible that his inclination to deliver such a ruling does not stem solely from analysis based on the Torah’s wisdom, but rather results from his own unrefined character traits.35

The Torah rules that the blemish alone does not generate the state of impurity,36 but rather it is the ruling conveyed by the statement of the kohen, the man of kindness, “You are impure,” that causes the afflicted person to become impure. Thus, it follows that anyone who is not a kohen, a man of kindness, who issues a ruling that another Jew must be banished “outside the camp where he lives” is uttering a falsehood. As such, he himself can be considered an afflicted person, a metzora, one who is motzi shem ra, “one who slanders” his fellow, as our Sages interpret37 the verse,38 “These are the laws of the metzora,” as “These are the laws pertaining to one who maliciously gossips about [his fellow].” Firstly, the person issuing such a ruling is spreading lashon hara regarding a fellow Jew – for our Sages explain that malicious gossip can be termed lashon hara even when the person is telling the truth39 – an act for which one is liable to be punished with tzaraas blemishes.40 Moreover, in this instance, who can say he is telling the truth? Does he really know that person’s inner state? Quite possibly, a person who makes such a statement is motzi shem ra, “spreading slander,” i.e., “spreading falsehood… regarding his fellow.”

How should such a Torah scholar correct this fault? “He should dwell alone outside the camp where he lives,” remaining in such a state until he has habituated himself to look at another Jew with a favorable eye. Until then, he should remain apart41 from other Jews and not create strife with his malicious speech and slander. Only when he is healed from this blemish can he return and be restored to health.42

It is by conducting ourselves with true ahavas Yisrael – showing unrestrained and gratuitous love – that we can nullify the exile, described as tzaraas,43 that was caused by unrestrained and baseless hatred.44 Then, as a natural consequence, the true and Ultimate Redemption led by Mashiach will come immediately; may it happen speedily in our days.

Likkutei Sichos, Volume 27, p. 88ff.
Adapted from a sichah delivered on Shabbos Parshas Toldos, 5745 [1984]