Torah Portion: Tazria
“בגדיו יהיו פרומים וראשו יהיה פרוע“ (ויקרא יג מה)
It is a positive commandment that the person afflicted with tzara’as must behave in accord with the guidelines written in this passage, as it is written: And the person with tzara’as in whom there is the affliction — his garments shall be rent, the hair of his head shall be unshorn, and he shall cloak himself up to his lips; he is to call out: “Contaminated, contaminated!” (Vayikra 13:45). The same applies to all other types of tamei individuals [of the severity to] contaminate [other] people — they too must inform others that they are contaminated so that others can avoid contact with them.
Among the roots of the mitzvah is the aim that as a result of his being distanced from people, the contaminated person will learn directly that sin distances a person from all good, so that he may repent from his evil ways. This is the meaning of what our Sages said regarding the metzora:
“Since he caused a parting through malicious talk between a man and his wife, and between and his fellow, therefore he shall dwell alone outside the camp” (Arachin 16b). Therefore it is fitting that he call out to everyone that they should keep their distance from him.
A major principle [of Divine retribution] is that a person is treated “measure for measure” (see Sotah 8b). Many people do not know the true meaning of this rule. They think that Hashem treats people as humans treat each other, where each person gives back to his fellow based on whatever favor was received or harm that was done. But this is not what it means with regard to Hashem. For Hashem bestows only good, kindness and mercy; and at all times His bounty is waiting for anyone who is worthy of it. When our Sages said that “In the measure that a person measures out, he himself is measured,” [i.e., that a person is treated directly in accord with his deeds,] it means that the person sets himself up to receive that treatment. Whatever way a person behaved or thought automatically causes blessing or the opposite. For Hashem does not bring penalty upon a person because He wants penalty — God, Who is good, wishes only good upon the world — rather, it is the person who harmed himself by veering from what is right and by turning his body away from being ready to receive the good. A parable for this is when a person was walking on a straight and clear road, but on either side of the road there is a hedge of thorns. Instead of walking down the middle of the road, he brushed against the hedge and was stung by the thorns. In truth, it cannot be said about such a person the Hashem wanted him to be stung by the thorns, rather, he brought it upon himself because he was not careful to walk in a straight manner. Similarly, when a person sins, the Attribute of Justice inevitably causes the penalty for his sin, yet it is not God Who wishes to penalize the person — it is the sin that withheld the good from the person and therefore, automatically, the evil befalls him.
In short, any evil that befalls a person is a result of the concealment of Hashem’s face from that person. That is, as a result of the person’s sin, Hashem removes His protection from him until he receives the consequence due from the sin, and then Hashem charges His angels to guard the person as at first.
This mitzvah applies at all times that we have kohanim and sages who know which afflictions are contaminating and which are not. One who transgressed this and did not follow the behavior prescribed here, violated this positive commandment.
