Ten Minutes of Torah

with

Rabbi Chaim Weiner

Tazria - Mezora – 5767

ויקרא פרק יד

(ב) זֹאת תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת הַמְּצֹרָע בְּיוֹם טָהֳרָתוֹ וְהוּבָא אֶל הַכֹּהֵן:

Leviticus 14:2

This shall be the ritual for a leper at the time that he is to be cleansed, when it has been reported to the priest.

Babylonian Talmud Arachin 15:

R. Johanan said in the name of R. Joseph b. Zimra:

Any one who bears evil tales will be visited by the plague of leprosy.

Resh Lakish said: What is the meaning of: This shall be the ritual of the leper? (מצרע – Metzora) It means, ‘This shall be the law for him who brings up an evil name’ מוציא שם רע - Motzie shem Ra

QUESTION

Where do we find in the Torah and in the Prophets a connection between leprosy and Lashon Ha-ra – evil tales?

ANSWER TO LAST WEEK’S QUESTION:

What problem in the verse is Rashi addressing?

This is a problem that we have encountered on these pages before. Moses quotes a statement that should appear earlier in the Torah – but there is no reference to this statement in the Torah at all!

Rashi quotes a Midrash that interprets a verse as saying that which Moses had quoted. Whenever Rashi encounters this kind of problem is does this. Ramban usually says that the command is implied in another commandment of the Torah – he does not feel that it needs to be specifically stated. Other commentators say that not all of Gods words to Moses were written in the Torah. Moses can therefore allude to something that has no roots in the Torah, because it might have been a private conversation.

The commentator Tzeida la Derech corrects Rashi and changes the words “either through me or through you” to “through me and you”. Why does he do this?

As two of Aaron’s sons died, it makes sense that they were equal to two other people – Moses and Aaron. If it was Moses or Aaron, it would be impossible to learn the lesson that the Midrash wants – that the boys were equal to Moses and Aaron. Perhaps as individuals they were not equal!

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Ten Minutes of Torah was prepared by Rabbi Chaim Weiner, based on the methods of Prof. Nechama Leibowitz. Rabbi Weiner studied and corresponded with Prof. Leibowitz for several years.

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Girona - One Day Special

15 July, 2007

The Programme

Nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains, on the border between Spain and France, the beautiful city of Girona was one of the most important centres of Jewish life in the Middle Ages. It has left a lasting mark on Jewish life to this day. Looking at the back of my Talmud, I once discovered that almost all of the commentaries were written in Girona. This was the home of Ramban - Nachmanides - who wrote an important commentary on the Torah, hundreds of Responsa, profound commentaries on the Talmud and was also an important Kabbalist.

Girona was the northern most Jewish community in Spain, and it sat on the cultural border between the Ashkenazi and Sephardic worlds. This is where Spanish and Ashkenazi Jews first met each other, with surprising results.

We will walk the narrows lanes of the old city where the Jewish quarter is preserved, visit the home of Ramban, walk the walls of the city, and open Girona's secrets through its sites and literature. This short trip will whet your appetite and leave you wanting more.

Cost: Only £60.00 pp + flights. This includes all transportation in Spain, one Kosher meal and all entrance fees, sessions and programmes.

CHECK IT OUT AT: www.jewishjourneys.supanet.com