Tazria- Spiritual Wellbeing
For this week’s Parsha Lesson, I will be taking a departure from my regular format of ‘question and answer’. Instead, I would like to share with you a very fundamental essay from the Seforno (written by the great Italian Torah scholar R’ Ovadia ben Yakov Seforno 1475-1550), which lays out many foundational ideas about life.
Background
At the end of this week’s Parsha, the Torah tells us about tzaraas happening on someone’s clothing and home. Generally tzaraas is understood to be an affliction of the skin, often mistakenly referred to as leprosy in order to convey the idea of one who is ‘banished’ and must be separated from other people.
Seforno
The Seforno begins with explaining that obviously such a ‘disease’ happening to someone’s clothing and house is quite extraordinary and unnatural. The reason for Hashem making such a miraculous ‘disease’ on one’s possessions is in order to ‘awaken to the ear of the owner as to the sins that are in their hand.’
And this is because of, the Seforno writes, ‘Hashem’s tremendous mercy and compassion on those who guard the mitzvos. For while each and every Human being is the purpose of all existence.. it is only the one who guards the mitzvos who is capable of becoming like Hashem with regards to both logical reasoning and action.’
As it says in the Torah, Man was created in the ‘image of G-d.’ What does this mean ‘image of G-d’? What it means is- the ability to choose between good and evil. Man alone, in all of creation, has the ability to choose between good and evil.
When a person 'contemplates and understands the existence of Hashem and His greatness and goodness- that He is abundantly gracious and is the epitome of truthfulness… and with these realizations and thoughts the person themselves acts in a righteous and just way- then Man will become like G-d Himself more than any other being. However, when the desirous part of a person goes after lust and want for physical delights and temptations- this will cause one to stumble and err in going in the ways of Hashem.'
‘And when Hashem chose the Jewish nation... to be for him as his special people... this was because the intention that Hashem had (for humanity) was more commonplace and easily found amongst the people of this nation than amongst the people of any other nation.’
Therefore, Hashem ‘wrote as a guide for them, the Torah… to guide them in the proper way of thinking and acting.’ And it is for this reason as well that when this great people errs, Hashem sends them punishments and plagues in order to awaken them to realize the error of their ways and re-attain the greatness for which they are capable.
It is in Hashem’s 'great mercy on the Jewish nation that when most of the people are acting in a way which is in line with Hashem’s will, and it is only individuals who need to have their ear awakened to the errors of their ways, Hashem will send this affliction to their clothing. Therefore, it is only these special people who will have this type of affliction on their clothing, not the other nations of the world.'
Lessons
There are a number of awesome lessons and takeaways from this Seforno. I would like to focus on two of them:
The Jewish nation was chosen from all of the nations of the world.
Because of our illustrious ancestors and the awesome character which they instilled into themselves and their offspring, we are greater and more capable than any other peoples in the world. And that is why Hashem demands so much of us and punishes us accordingly! Much like a warrior with great potential, or a world-class athlete, or a musical prodigy; because of these people’s great potential and abilities it is proper to be stricter and more demanding of them.
This is not out of spite or hatred, but rather stems from a profound respect and esteem in which they are held.
Having tzaraas on one’s house and possessions is kindness.
If losing all of one’s possessions and house is ‘kindness’ that means that what one is in danger of is even worse! Clearly, and we see this in the world around us, spiritual sickness and decay has a much worse impact on people than losing all of their possessions. Physical possessions can be replaced, one’s spirit cannot.
When a person has a healthy spirit, they will quickly be successful and can even amass great physical wealth. When one is spiritually dead or ill, even gifting that person with tremendous physical wealth will not be successful. That person will either not enjoy their newfound wealth or even squander it altogether.
Benefits of this…
When one properly appreciates what it means to be spiritually alive or dead, to have a spiritual sickness or to be spiritually whole, the person will then begin to properly value what is important in life.
When one realizes that the real winners in life, even with that which we can see on this world, are the ones who have a resilient and healthy spirit, one will realize the futility and error of focusing solely on physical accomplishments and having materialistic goals.
When one realizes how Hashem has such lofty expectations of what we, the Jewish people, can accomplish and that is why He challenges us in the way that He does, we will have a more accurate estimation of our own abilities. And the key to greatness is great expectations.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful Shabbos!
