RAV KOOK ON TAZRIA

(PLEASE LEARN THIS FOR A REFUA SHELAMA FOR THE GEDOLIM Rav Elyashiv -Yosef Sholom ben Chaya Musha, Rav Shteinman - Aaron Yehuda Leib ben Gitel Feiga, Rav Weiss - Yitzchak Tuvia ben Rikal, Rav Belsky - NAME ADDDED Chaim Yisroel ben Chana Tzirtel, Rav Yosef - Yaakov Chai ben Margalit Harav Shlomo Leib Ben Miriam - HaRav Shlomo Brevda Harav Yeshaya Yaakov Ben Raizel - HaRav Yeshaya Yaakov Portugal Harav Meshulem Fish Ben Tziril - The Toshe Rebbe Harav Yitzchok Issac Ben Treina - HaRav Isaav Ausband Rav Yerachmiel Shlomo Hakohen ben Raizel. -Rav Yerachmiel Shlomo Rothenberg, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva of Mountaindale for a refuah shleima b’soch kol cholei am Yisrael.)

Translated and abridged by Rabbi Chanan Morrison Parshat Tazria Why does the Torah only discuss the laws of tahara (ritual purity) in people after teaching the analogous laws concerning animals, differentiating between those which may be eaten and those which are unclean? Should not humanity, the crown of creation, come first? Rabbi Simlai, a third-century scholar, explained: "Just as man's formation took place after all animals ... so too, the laws pertaining to him are set forth after the laws regarding animals." (Vayikra Rabbah 14:1) In short, the order here in Vayikra parallels the account of creation in Bereishit. But what is the significance of this order? The Midrash elaborates the implied moral lesson: "If a person merits, he is told, 'You came before all of creation'. And if not, he is told, 'the mosquito came before you'." What sort of a contest is this, between Man and Mosquito?