Parshat Ki Seitzei 5782
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week’s parsha the mitzvah of guarding one’s mouth. The pasuk says (Chapter 23, Pasuk 24), מוצא שפתיך תשמור ועשית. You should guard that which comes out of your mouth and fulfill it. Rashi teaches that this mitzvah contains both a negative and a positive command. One must fulfill his vows, and there is also a negative command against violating one’s commitments.
The Sfas Emes teaches that there is great symbolism to this notion of this mitzvah having both a positive and a negative command. Speech is the essence of man, as Onkelos teaches on the words (Bereishis, Chapter 2, Pasuk 7), ויהי האדם לנפש חיה, רוח ממללא. As a result, the focus of the mitzvos is to properly develop this essence, this life force, of man. This is why the mitzvah of speech has both a positive and a negative command; it is representative of the entire Torah.
According to this understanding, the positive and negative commands extend beyond specific vows. There is a positive obligation to speak words of truth, of compassion, and words of Torah. Words which express the essence of one’s holy Neshamah. And there is a negative command not to utter inappropriate words; not to allow one’s essence to be sullied by the negative influences in the world.
Chazal teach that there are 248 positive commands corresponding to the 248 limbs of the body, and 365 negative commands, corresponding to the sinews in the body. This expresses the notion that the mitzvos are meant to purify one’s physical being. And the Sfas Emes adds that every limb has its particular mitzvah. The mitzvah of the mouth is Talmud Torah. This is because one is constantly speaking, and to counteract this constancy, there is a mitzvah of (sefer Yehoshua, Chapter 1, Pasuk 8), והגית בו יומם ולילה; one must constantly be involved in the study of Torah. This is the fundamental way to guard what comes out of his mouth, and to insure his speech reflects the true essence of his soul. And when one guards his speech by concentrating on Torah, he will uplift his actions as well, as the pasuk says, מוצא שפתיך תשמור ועשית; when you guard your mouth properly, you will act appropriately as well.
There is another mitzvah in our parsha of guarding. The pasuk says (Chapter 24, Pasuk 8), השמר בנגע הצרעת. We know that the word השמר suggests a negative command, but what is the pasuk prohibiting? Rashi teaches from the Gemara in Shabbos 132B that there is a prohibition against removing the signs of impurity of Negaim. This explains the actual negative command; but what is the notion of guarding by Tzara’as, particularly as emphasized by the pasuk, השמר בנגע הצרעת לשמור מאוד?
The Sfas Emes teaches in parshat Tazria that we see with Clal Yisrael that when they are among themselves and separated from the nations of the world, their Kedushah is more apparent. The atmosphere is more conducive to expressing the holiness of the of the Jewish Neshamos. But when Bnei Yisrael are dispersed among the nations of the world, the holiness is not revealed and is less apparent. It’s an atmosphere in which the holiness remains hidden and can’t be let out.
The same thing is true on a personal level as well. When a person has Negaim, it’s an expression of impure speech. He hasn’t guarded his speech properly and allowed it to be affected by his negative desires. He spoke Lashon Hara and sullied his essence, his soul.
The result is he receives signs of impurity, נגע צרעת. Onkelos explains this condition with the word סגירו; closed up. Once this person is impacted with impure speech, his holiness needs to be guarded. His internal purity can’t reside together with this atmosphere of impurity. It must remain hidden and closed up.
This is the negative command of removing the signs of Tzara’as and guarding them. One must guard his purity when in a negative state or atmosphere. Our souls are so holy that we need to insure they are not expressed outwardly in any negative atmosphere, be it on a national level or on a personal level.
It seems to be there has become a tendency in our community of publicizing spiritual achievements to the outside world and calling it a Kiddush Hashem. I’m not sure this behavior fits this notion of Tzara’as as taught by the Sfas Emes. We must not forget we are spread out among the nations. We have to guard our holiness when in a state of impurity. Rather than photograph ourselves and our accomplishments, perhaps it would be more prudent to be more closed up, סגירו and צנוע.
Good Shabbos
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