Parshat Metzora 5779
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week's parsha the laws of different Nega'im, signs of impurity found on a person or his clothing. The Torah teaches that these laws apply even to one's home. The Torah states (Chapter 14, Pasuk 36), V'Tzivah HaKohen U'Finu es HaBayis B'Terem Yavo HaKohen Liros es HaNega V'Lo Yitma Kol Asher Babayis. The Torah tells us that the Kohen first instructs the owners to remove all the vessels in the home before he comes in to check the status of the home. This is done in order to prevent the vessels from becoming ritually impure. As Rashi explains, the tumah only exists once the Kohen declares the house to be impure, but until that point, everything is assumed to be ritually pure.
The Meshech Chachmah points out that this is different from other situations of impurity. The laws of Tumas Ohel dictate that everything under the same roof as a corpse becomes tameh. Yet with the impurity of Nega'im of a house, even if it is eventually determined that the house was impure, the contents of the house do not become impure retroactively if they were removed before the Kohen entered and examined the home. This is because the source of the tumah in each case differs. By Tumas Ohel, it is the presence of the corpse that establishes the impurity; an actual p'sak is not necessary. But in our case of Nega'im, the ritual impurity is established by the declaration of the Kohen. Until that declaration is made, the house is ritually pure even if the Nega is already present.
Why is it that the Kohen is given so much power with respect to Tumas Nega'im? Without the declaration of the Kohen, it is considered as if no impurity exists. Why doesn't the same principle apply by Tumas Ohel of a Meis?
Rav Tzadok points out that the Torah continuously uses the term HaKohen when referring to the determination of Nega'im and also regarding the purification from the impurity. Only in last week's parsha at the beginning of the discussion does the Torah mention (Chapter 13, Pasuk 2), V'Huva el Aharon HaKohen oh el Achad MeBanav HaKohanim. Any Kohen can determine the Nega, yet the Torah continuously refers to HaKohen, seemingly referring to a specific Kohen.
The Zohar Hakadosh teaches that the term HaKohen is referring to Hashem; Da Kudsha Barich Hu. The determination is made by the Kohen, but he is merely representing Hashem in this world as an agent in determining the tumah. The Kohen is the one who actually says tameh or tahor, but it is the wisdom from Hashem that puts the words in his mouth to make the determination.
This point of the Zohar is particularly illustrated in the beginning of our parsha. The pasuk says (Chapter 14, Pasuk 2), Zos Tihyeh Toras HaMetzora Bayom Taharaso V'Huva el HaKohen. When the Metzora is purified he comes before the Kohen. The Gemara in Erchin 16A teaches that the different forms of Tzara'as come about as a result of seven different sins. And just as the sin causes the appearance of the Nega'im, the disappearance of the Nega'im result from the Teshuvah done for these aveiros. And the only way to do Teshuvah is to come before the Kohen, Da Kudsha Barich Hu. This is the meaning of the pasuk Bayom Taharaso V'Huva el HaKohen. A person must bring himself before Hashem when doing Teshuvah. As the Rambam teaches in Hilchos Teshuvah (Chapter 2, Pasuk 2), Ve'Yaid Alav Yode'a Ta'alumos; Hashem must testify to one's resolve to leave the sin behind. Similarly, the Metozra needs to come to the Kohen, i.e. Hashem, on the day of his purification.
Now we can understand the fundamental difference between Tumas Ohel and Batim Menu'gaim. The Tumah of a corpse doesn't necessarily result from an aveirah. There isn't even a prohibition on a non-Kohen from becoming tameh except before one of the Regalim. Therefore, the status of tumah is determined by the reality of its existence.
But the tumah of a Metzora results from sin. And only when that sin is removed can there be purification from the Nega. Hence the determination is made specifically by the Kohen, and his determination is the word of Hashem. He is declaring the insufficiency in the individual and the presence of tumah. And the purification as well only occurs when the Metzora is willing to do Teshuvah. And proper Teshuvah only comes about when the Metzora is willing to repent and bring himself before the Kohen, Da Kudsha Barich Hu.
Good Shabbos
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