TAZRIAH-METZORAH

"A MAN WHO HAS ON THE SKIN OF HIS FLESH A BLOTCH, DISCOLORATION, OR SPOT..." (VAYIKRA 13:2)"

The Midrash (Midrash Rabbah 15:3 and Midrash Tanchuma Tazria 6) relates a story about a certain Kohen that expertly treated and cured leprosy by administering certain herbs. He became poor, and wished to leave Eretz Yisroel and emigrate to Chutz LaAretz in order to seek a livelihood. He informed his wife of his new plan. He told her "Since many people often come to me to cure their leprosy it is difficult for me to leave and forsake them." The Kohen then taught his wife how to cure these diseases. He explained to her that every single hair has its own fountain that nourishes that particular hair. When this source of nourishment dries up, the hair begins to dry up. He taught her to treat this condition with special herbs that will water the fountain again¹. As he was about to depart, his wife said to him, "I don't understand why it is that you wish to leave. You yourself explained to me that HaKadosh Boruch Hu provides every single hair with its own source of nourishment of which it depends upon as its lifeline. No other hair infringes upon the other's source. If this is true for each and every hair, you, a human being whose children depend upon you for their livelihood, certainly HaKadosh Boruch Hu will provide for you a livelihood!" The Kohen listened to his wife and remained in Eretz Yisroel. HaKadosh Boruch Hu sustained him and provided him with a livelihood with which he could support his entire family.

This Midrash is thus saying that after the Kohen revealed to his wife that Hashem provides a source of support for each and every hair, his wife then applied this very concept to her husband and to the situation now at hand. If Hashem provides for each and every hair a means of support, then how much more so does Hashem provide for a human being a means of support for himself and for the members of his family.

This is mystifying. Surely the Kohen was well aware that just as HaKadosh Boruch Hu provides a means of support for each and every hair, He likewise provides a means of support for each and every human being. It is inconceivable to think otherwise (that the learned Kohen would think that Hashem provides a means of sustenance only for hair, but not for human beings). If so, how is it that the wife, who learned as a student from her husband that HaKadosh Boruch Hu provides a means of sustenance for each and every hair, was the one who revealed to her husband that Hashem would likewise provide a means of support for him too? Didn't he already know this concept? Didn't he teach this concept to her?

It seems that there exists different levels of understanding. The Kohen, with his vast wisdom and understanding, most assuredly knew that just as Hashem provides a unique fountain of nutrition for every hair in the human body, He also provides for the livelihood and welfare of all of His creations. Indeed, if one were to ask this Kohen if Hashem provides for everyone's sustenance, the Kohen would surely respond affirmatively. Yet, the Kohen did not understand this principle to the depths of understanding necessary for him to make the application to himself and to the very problem facing him at that moment. This deeper level of understanding - applying this idea to himself, the Kohen did not fathom. He fully understood the concept - that Hashem provides sustenance to everyone, but he could not understand that he too is part of that "everyone," and that Hashem provides for his sustenance as well. It was this deeper level of understanding that his wife attained and revealed to her husband, the Kohen.

A beautiful illustration of this thought can be seen from the holy words of the Chofetz Chaim. The Chofetz Chaim used to say that when one passes a funeral procession he does not

comprehend that this has any relationship to himself. Although he realizes and understands that nobody - including himself - can possibly live forever, he does not fully grasp its impact. He does not connect and apply to himself the principle, "Remember the Day of Death," that he too will someday die and have to stand in judgement and answer to his Creator. He, rather, thinks that the deceased belongs to a "Society of Those That Die" - which has no relationship to him. He is completely oblivious to the message of the funeral procession which can be a meaningful call to inspiration and repentance.

Thus, we see again that although one understands and comprehends a situation applying to everybody, including himself, he does not fully comprehend that he truly is included.

May we be privileged to be alert and careful to extract from the Torah and mussar we learn a direct application and connection to our daily lives and to the very problems confronting and facing us. It is then that we will be zoche to truly journey through life under the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Torah, whose ways are drocheha darchei noam vechol nesivoseha shalom. AMEN.