A person who contracted the skin disease of tzora’as – leprosy – was not allowed to enter the Sanctuary. Thus, when a person’s skin color indicated that he might have the disease, he was examined by a Kohen. If the Kohen, after examining the spots or scabs on the person’s skin, was unable to make a definitive determination that the affliction was indeed tzora’as, the person was placed in isolation for seven days and then examined again. If the appearance of the skin remained unchanged, the person was isolated for another seven days. Then a final examination was made. If the marks had not spread, the person was declared ritually clean. However, if the blemish had spread, the person was declared to be a metzorah – a person afflicted with tzora’as. He was then sent to live outside the camp of assembly, with his clothes torn off and his hair unkempt. He was told to call out “Unclean, unclean!” as a warning for others not to touch him. When the tzora’as subsided, the person was again examined by a Kohen outside the camp to make sure that the recovery was complete. The cleansing ceremonies, which were quite elaborate, took place over an eight day period. On the first and last days, special rites were observed. Sacrifices were then offered by the priest, and both cedar wood and hyssop were used in the process of purification.
The laws of tzora’as applied to both a house and a garment as well. If a garment showed signs of tzora’as, it might need to be burnt. If a house became marked by green or red streaks, it was boarded up for seven days. If the streaks then spread, the affected stones of the house were removed and replaced with new ones. The house was replastered; the old stones and dust were thrown into a specially designated unclean area outside the camp. If the signs lingered, the building might need to be demolished.
The Kohen had the ultimate responsibility to examine the person afflicted with tzora’as and to declare them pure or impure. The affliction seems to be historically related to leprosy except that in those days, leprosy was incurable and this affliction did seem to “run its course” in a matter of days or weeks. The sages interpreted this disease to be a punishment for loshen hara (evil speech). Miriam came down with the symptoms of tzora’as immediately after speaking out against Moses. In the Talmud, the word metzora is linked to the phrase ‘motzi shem ra’ which means “one who issues evil.” The sages spent an enormous amount of time and space in the Talmud discussing the evils of slander and gossip. In tractate Chullin (89a), the Gemara states: “What is a person’s proper craft in this world? He should make himself as though mute.” The Jerusalem Talmud relates loshen hara to idol worship. When a person worships an idol, they deny the existence of Gud. When a person speaks loshen hara, they may talk about someone “behind their back”, thinking that what the person does not hear, will not hurt them. This is also denying God, since He hears and sees everything.
The prophet Micah (7:5) writes: “Guard the entrances of your mouth.” The sages compare the mouth to the entrance of a house. Just as we guard the front door of our house to prevent evil from entering, so to we must guard our mouths from making sure evil speech (loshen hara) does not leave. The Talmud states that loshen hara “kills” three people: the speaker, the listener, and the target of the slander or gossip. Additionally, the Torah in Sefer Bamidbar (19:15) states: “And every open vessel that has no bound lid on it, is ritually unclean.” The sages interpret this verse to apply to one’s mouth as an open vessel that becomes defiled with evil speech and is unfit to utter praises to God.
~Devorah Abenhaim
