The Four Exiles – Tazria
אָדָם כִּי יִהְיֶה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ שְׂאֵת אוֹ סַפַּחַת אוֹ בַהֶרֶת וְהָיָה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ לְנֶגַע צָרָעַת וְהוּבָא אֶל אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן אוֹ אֶל אַחַד מִבָּנָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים (ויקרא יג, ב)
The Midrash (ויקרא רבה פרשה טו, ט) on this passuk says –
"שְׂאֵת" זוֹ בָּבֶל, עַל שׁוּם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְנָשָׂאתָ הַמָּשָׁל הַזֶּה עַל מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל וְאָמָרְתָּ אֵיךְ שָׁבַת נֹגֵשׂ שָׁבְתָה מַדְהֵבָה" (ישעיה יד, ד). רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כָּהֲנָא אָמַר: מַלְכוּת שֶׁהִיא אוֹמֶרֶת מַדַּד וְהֵבִיא מַדַּד וְהֵבִיא. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר: מַלְכוּת שֶׁהִיא מַדְהֵבַת פָּנָיו שֶׁלְּאָדָם בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּא אֶצְלָהּ. רַבִּי טַבְיוֹמִי אָמַר: עַל שׁוּם פֻּמָּא דֵּי דַּהֲבָא. וְרַבָּנִין אִמְרִי: עַל שׁוּם רֹאשָׁהּ דֵּי דַּהֲבָא, "אַנְתְּ[ה] הוּא רֵאשָׁה דִּי דַהֲבָא" (דניאל ב, לח).
"סַפַּחַת", זוֹ מַדַּי, שֶׁהֶעֱמִידָה הַמָּן הָרֶשַׁע שֶׁשַּׁךְ עִמָּהּ כְּנַחַשׁ, עַל שׁוּם "עַל גְּחֹנְךָ תֵלֵךְ" (בראשית ג, יד).
"בַהֶרֶת" זוֹ יָוָן, שֶׁהָיְתָה מְבֻחֶרֶת בִּגְזִירוֹתֶיהָ וְאוֹ' לָהֶן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כָּתְבוּ עַל קֶרֶן הַשּׁוֹר שֶׁאֵין לָהֶן חֵלֶק בֵּא-לֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
"נֶגַע צָרָעַת" זוֹ אֶדֹם, שֶׁבָּאתָ מִן כּוֹחוֹ שֶׁלְּזָקֵן, עַל שׁוּם "וְהָיָה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ לְנֶגַע צָרָעַת" (ויקרא יג, ב).
לְפִי שֶׁבְּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הַכֹּהֵן רוֹאֶה אֶת הַנְּגָעִים, אֲבָל לְעָתִיד לָבוֹא אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֲנִי מְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם, הה"ד "וְזָרַקְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם מַיִם טְהוֹרִים וּטְהַרְתֶּם" (יחזקאל לו, כה).
Whenever the Torah lists four things in the psukkim (specifically the number four), Chazal and the Mefarshim say that these are references to the four exiles – Bavel, Madai, Yavan and Edom.
There are numerous examples of this –
Creation: (Breishit 1,2) - וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם
Gan Eden: (Breishit 2, 10-14) שֵׁם הָאֶחָד פִּישׁוֹן... וְשֵׁם הַנָּהָר הַשֵּׁנִי גִּיחוֹן... וְשֵׁם הַנָּהָר הַשְּׁלִישִׁי חִדֶּקֶל ... וְהַנָּהָר הָרְבִיעִי הוּא פְרָת
The four kings: (Breishit 14, 1) וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אַמְרָפֶל מֶלֶךְ שִׁנְעָר אַרְיוֹךְ מֶלֶךְ אֶלָּסָר כְּדָרְלָעֹמֶר מֶלֶךְ עֵילָם וְתִדְעָל מֶלֶך גוֹיִים
Brit Ben Habetarim: (Breishit 15, 9) וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו קְחָה לִי עֶגְלָה מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת וְעֵז מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת וְאַיִל מְשֻׁלָּשׁ וְתֹר וְגוֹזָל. (The גוֹזָל is Am Yisrael)
Geulat Mitzrayim: (Shmot 6, 6) וְהוֹצֵאתִי, וְהִצַּלְתִּי, וְגָאַלְתִּי וְלָקַחְתִּי
The Mishkan: (Shmot 25, 3-5) וְזֹאת הַתְּרוּמָה אֲשֶׁר תִּקְחוּ מֵאִתָּם זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וּנְחֹשֶׁת ... וְעֹרֹת אֵילִם מְאָדָּמִים
The non-Kosher animals: (Vayikra 11, 4-7) אֶת הַגָּמָל ... וְאֶת הַשָּׁפָן ... וְאֶת הָאַרְנֶבֶת ... וְאֶת הַחֲזִיר
… and of course the four נְגָעִים in our parsha.
The Chatam Sofer asks an interesting question.
In parshat Shmini we read about the death of the two sons of Aharon, Nadav and Avihu. One would expect that following this, the Torah would continue with parshat Acharei Mot - which is the continuation of the same episode. Instead, the Torah seems to take a break in the middle and deal with seemingly unrelated subjects.
The end of Shmini deals with the Kashrut laws. Following that, Tazria and Metzora deal with the various נְגָעִים. Only after this (not so short) intermission, does the Torah resume with Acharei Mot and the question is why?
The Chatam Sofer continues to ask, why these three parshiyot always coincide in close proximity to Pesach?
This is the subject of this week's shiur.
If you examine the origin of exile, it all stems from one specific root – sins of the mouth! - what goes in the mouth (food מַאֲכָלִים אֲסוּרִים) and what comes out of the mouth (speech לָשׁוֹן הָרַע).
The first "exile" in history resulted from לָשׁוֹן הָרַע. The moon spoke לָשׁוֹן הָרַע against the sun and was "exiled", diminished in stature.
The next exile involved both speech and food. First the נָחָשׁ spoke לָשׁוֹן הָרַע against HKB"H, saying "The reason HKB"H does not want you to eat from this tree is because this tree preceded HKB"H, Who ate from it and thereby acquired knowledge to create the world. If you eat from it, you will also acquire the same knowledge and be able to create worlds." Second, Adam and Chava ate forbidden food. They were subsequently exiled from Gan Eden.
The דּוֹר הַפַּלָּגָה spoke לָשׁוֹן הָרַע and defied HKB"H and were subsequently exiled to the four corners of the earth (their speech was also "garbled").
The brothers spoke לָשׁוֹן הָרַע against Yosef and this resulted in us being exiled to Egypt. This same exile was perpetuated because Am Yisrael in Egypt spoke לָשׁוֹן הָרַע against one another (Datan and Aviram against Moshe, ילקוט שמעוני שמות ב, קסז).
The ten spies spoke לָשׁוֹן הָרַע against אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל and resulted in Am Yisrael being exiled in the desert for an extra 38 years and also in the destruction of the two Batei Mikdash and their subsequent exiles.
Why are the sins of the mouth so severe?
Our mouths are what separate us from the animals. When the Torah says בְּצֶלֶם אֱ-לֹקִים בָּרָא אֹתוֹ, it is referring to the mouth. The only species that has the power of speech (not communication – many other species communicate) is humans. This ability of speech is a facet of HKB"H.
When HKB"H created the world, He did so, using speech - בַּעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם. What comes out of our mouths has the ability to create worlds or destroy them, chas vechalila.
BTW, smiling, which is also a mouth related activity, is part of the same צֶלֶם אֱ-לֹקִים that no other species possesses (other species, e.g. chimpanzees, appear to be smiling, but it is not a reflection of joy, it is either mimicking, or a form of aggression – baring teeth). This topic is explored extensively in sefer Meir Panim.
Because this aspect of our human makeup is the most powerful, it is also potentially the most dangerous. With all our other senses, HKB"H gave us one gate. With our eyes, HKB"H gave us eyelids. If we see something that we shouldn't, the remedy is simply to close our eyelids. With our ears, HKB"H gave us our earlobes. If we hear something we shouldn't, we can simply block our ears.
With our mouths, however, HKB"H created two gates – our lips and after that, our gums/teeth. To prevent the wrong things coming out of our mouths (or going in), we have two means to stop it in its tracks. These are reflected in the Beit HaMikdash by two gates, the first, outer gate to the Ulam and the second, inner gate of the Heichal.
If we chas vechalila defile the very part of us that is צֶלֶם אֱ-לֹקִים, that umbilically connects us with HKB"H - our punishment is exile, distance and disconnect from HKB"H.
HKB"H created the world with the intention of His Shechina residing in it, this is the purpose of Creation. When we use our G-d given gift correctly, this creates a bridge, a gateway between our world and the upper world in Heaven, כְּעִיר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָּהּ יַחְדָּו. This is how it was when Adam Harishon was first created, there were no boundaries between us and HKB"H, also known as אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָה מְאִירָה.
However, when mankind began to sin, HKB"H distanced Himself progressively further from us (בראשית רבה יט, ז), from our perspective – a form of exile. There are seven levels in Heaven. The closest to us is called וִילוֹן and the furthest is called עֲרָבוֹת.
When Adam and Chava sinned, it distanced HKB"H to the first level וִילוֹן.
When Kayin sinned, it distanced HKB"H to the second level רָקִיעַ.
When דּוֹר אֱנוֹשׁ sinned, it distanced HKB"H to the third level שְׁחָקִים.
When דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל sinned, it distanced HKB"H to the fourth level זְבוּל.
When דּוֹר הַפַּלָּגָה sinned, it distanced HKB"H to the fifth level מָעוֹן.
When the אַנְשֵׁי סְדוֹם sinned, it distanced HKB"H to the sixth level מָכוֹן.
When מִצְרַיִם in the time of Avraham sinned, it distanced HKB"H to the seventh level עֲרָבוֹת.
The reversal of this process took place beginning with Avraham and ending with Moshe Rabbeinu.
Avraham brought HKB"H one level closer – the sixth מָכוֹן.
Yitzchak brought HKB"H one level closer – the fifth מָעוֹן.
Yaakov brought HKB"H one level closer – the fourth זְבוּל.
Levi brought HKB"H one level closer – the third שְׁחָקִים.
Kehat brought HKB"H one level closer – the second רָקִיעַ.
Amram brought HKB"H one level closer – the first וִילוֹן.
Moshe removed the final boundary and reconnected HKB"H's Shechina to our world, restoring us to the state of Creation before Adam and Chava sinned. At Har Sinai, we were on the level of Adam and Chava before the sin.
Following that, Am Yisrael continued to sin and this resulted in further exile. This time, not distancing us from HKB"H, but rather – distancing us from Eretz Yisrael.
These are the four exiles mentioned at the beginning of the shiur. Each exile progressively increased in intensity, distancing us further and for longer from our land.
This is the vision of סֻלַּם יַעֲקֹב where HKB"H showed Yaakov all four exiles. Yaakov saw the angel of Bavel ascending 70 rungs on the ladder and then descending. Then the angel of Madai ascending 52 rungs and descending.
Followed by the angel of Yavan ascending 100 rungs and descending. Finally, the angel of Edom ascending … ascending … and not descending. Yaakov was in a panic and asked HKB"H "Does this one never descend?" HKB"H replied, "Fear not Yaakov, I will topple him in the end" (ויקרא רבה כט ,ב).
Why is there a break between parshat Shmini and parshat Acharei Mot, with two seemingly "out of place" parshiyot, Tazria and Metzorah in between?
There are more than 15 opinions in the Mefarshim what the sin of Nadav and Avihu was. One of the opinions (Sanhedrin 52a) is that Nadav and Avihu said אֵימָתַי יָמוּתוּ שְׁנֵי זְקֵנִים הַלָּלוּ וַאֲנִי וְאַתָּה נַנְהִיג אֶת הַדּוֹר.
Nadav and Avihu were second in line to Moshe and Aharon and destined to take their place. We see this order of precedence when HKB"H tells Moshe to ascend Har Sinai to receive the Torah וַיַּעַל מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא וְשִׁבְעִים מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (שמות כד, ט). Note that Yehoshua is nowhere on this list.
If they were of such a great stature, that they were directly under Moshe and Aharon, how is it possible that they could say such a thing? "When are these two old guys going to die and me and you will lead this nation?"
Sefer Baruch Yomeiru says that they did not say it in a derogatory way. They saw the boundaryless connection between HKB"H and Moshe and Aharon and they yearned to have the same connection. What they were saying is that they wanted to be closer to HKBH!
Despite that, the Gemara says, this constituted a form of לָשׁוֹן הָרַע against Moshe and Aharon and for that they were punished.
However, it did not end there. A few psukkim later, after Moshe ascended Har Sinai, the Torah says וְאֶל אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱ-לֹקִים וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ (שמות כד, יא). The phrase אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל is referring to Nadav and Avihu and the 70 elders (Rashi, ibid.) Aside from Moshe Rabbeinu, they had achieved the closest proximity to HKB"H and what did this cause them to do? Eat and drink!
The Ramban says they wanted to celebrate Matan Torah and according to the halacha, this is the way to celebrate a chag – by eating and drinking. However, Rashi and R' Bachyei say that the eating and drinking were out of place. Moshe was ascending for 40 days and 40 nights where he did not eat and drink. The fact that Nadav and Avihu ate and drank reflected their diminished stature compared to Moshe.
We therefore see that Nadav and Avihu sinned with sins of the mouth – lashon harah and eating "forbidden" food (or at least "inappropriate" food) and for this they were punished. HKB"H did not want to punish them on the spot and spoil the celebration that was Matan Torah, so He delayed it until the inauguration of the Mishkan.
Now, says the Chatam Sofer, we understand why the episode of Nadav and Avihu has to be "interrupted" by the perek of forbidden foods (Shmini) and the parshiyot of Tazria and Metzorah which deal in their entirety with the sin of לָשׁוֹן הָרַע and its consequences.
The Torah is teaching us a fundamental lesson of the power of the mouth and the dangers that it poses if used incorrectly. Once the lesson is learned, the Torah resumes with the continuation of Nadav and Avihu in Acharei Mot.
Why, asks the Chatam Sofer, do these parshiyot always coincide with Pesach? The answer lies in the word Pesach itself, פֶּה סָח. The reason we celebrate Pesach in the first place is because of sins of the mouth.
The לָשׁוֹן הָרַע of the brothers against Yosef is what landed us in Egypt in the first place. And .. what did they do after they threw Yosef into the pit? They sat down and ate bread (בראשית לז, כה), a highly inappropriate feast.
The purpose of Pesach is to repair the sins of the mouth.
There is no time of the year that Am Yisrael are more meticulous about what they put in their mouths, than Pesach. It is one of only four eating-related sins that has the punishment of כָּרֵת (דָּם/חֵלֶב, אֲכִילַת קֳדָשִׁים, אֲכִילָה בְּיוה"כ, אֲכִילַת חָמֵץ בְּפֶסַח). There are more chumrot related to eating on Pesach than any other chag, or any other time, for that matter.
Pesach is also the רֶגֶל with the lengthiest preset text.
During Sukkot we are required to sit seven days in the Sukkah, but no stipulation is given what we must say while we are in the Sukkah. Yes, we should say the Ushpizin (very short) and study Torah (which Torah? any Torah!).
During Shavuot we are up the whole night studying Torah. Again, which Torah? any Torah!
Pesach is the only chag we are up the whole night reciting a preset text. Chazal did not leave it up to us to decide what to talk about on Pesach, they gave us a preset text that we have to follow verbatim (and also embellish), but it is a syllabus that is set and not left up to us to deviate from. All this to eliminate the possibility of anything inappropriate coming out of our mouths.
We are currently reaching the final stages of the exile of Edom, the longest of the four exiles. We are very much like Yaakov at the dream of ladder, wondering "When is this all going to end?" HKB"H comforts us and says "Don't worry, there is an end and I will take care of it personally".
When the exile of Edom ends, it will not be a natural event in history like the waxing and waning of the various nations. The end of the fourth exile will be a cataclysm of such proportions that nobody will be able to attribute it to anything else aside from the direct intervention of G-d!
HKB"H will end it regardless, whether we are worthy we are or not, just like He did in Egypt הקב"ה חִשֵּׁב אֶת הַקֵּץ. However, we have the ability to speed things up and that is by working specifically on the two things that caused the exile in the first place – מַאֲכָלִים אֲסוּרִים and more importantly לָשׁוֹן הָרַע.
It is frightening that as we approach Pesach, the level of לָשׁוֹן הָרַע in Am Yisrael is unprecedented and worsening with every passing day. The prospects seem bleak and nobody really has any idea how to rectify the problem.
Davka as the darkness envelops and all hope seems lost - this is a sign we are closest to redemption. The בעל התניא (ליקוטי אמרים, א, לא) introduces a concept called פְּשִׁיטַת צוּרָה/לְבִישַׁת צוּרָה, which simply means that in order to shed a bleak reality, the reality has to descend to the lowest point possible.
Only when something hits rock bottom and can descend no further, is reversal possible. Using a mashal, in order for a seed to germinate and grow, you need to plant it in the soil and it needs to decay and rot until it can decay no further. At this point, the seed sheds its decayed shell and bursts forth with new life, a rebirth.
Similarly in our situation. In order to enable rebirth, we first have to accomplish complete decay. Only when we have hit rock bottom can we begin to climb out of the pit. We are almost there ר"ל.
The reason we do not say Tachanun the entire month of Nisan, is because Nisan, by its very name, is a month of miracles. Nisan is the month of rebirth and the month of our Geulah. Let us all derive comfort and hope from this and fervently plead with HKB"H that it should be this Nisan, b"H when we will experience our rebirth and the Geulah.
Shabbat Shalom
Eliezer Meir Saidel
Machon Lechem Hapanim
No comments:
Post a Comment