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BITACHON LESSON FROM THE PARSHA
פרשת מְצֹרָע תשפ"ד A Hairy Lesson
A Metzora - who was afflicted with Tzara'as - has a very specific purification process involving birds, cedar sticks, crimson colored wool and hyssop herbs. Chazal teach us (Gemara Arachin 15b and Midrash Tanchuma Metzora 3) that Tzara'as was a punishment for specific sins, namely, Lashon Hara (Gossip), Tzoras Ayin (selfishness; negativity) and Gasus HaRuach (A spirit of arrogance). Thus, each aspect of the rehabilitation process includes items which directly address his deficiencies in these critical areas. The chirping birds were a reminder that, unlike birds who chirp incessantly and without any thought, a Yid's mouth is not Hefker, and his every word must be thought out and controlled. The cedar wood, which comes from a tall tree, was a reminder that what got him into trouble in the first place was his "high and mighty" arrogance which inflated his ego. The crimson colored wool and hyssop were reminders of how to keep the dangerous arrogance in check; by lowering yourself from your high perch and adopting a demeanor of humility. All of these prescribed ingredients of a Metzora's purification protocol are very understandable, as they directly address his character flaws and are direct antidotes for his spiritual ailments. However, there was another part of the process which is a bit perplexing, and doesn't seem to fit the theme of addressing the sins that made him a Metzora. The Posuk (Vayikra 14:9) tells us: וְהָיָה֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י יְגַלַּ֣ח אֶת כָּל שְׂעָר֗וֹ אֶת רֹאשׁ֤וֹ וְאֶת זְקָנוֹ֙ וְאֵת֙ גַּבֹּ֣ת עֵינָ֔יו וְאֶת כָּל שְׂעָר֖וֹ יְגַלֵּ֑חַ - on the seventh day he shall shave off all his hair: [that of] his head, his beard, his eyebrows; all his hair, he shall shave off What is the message of this intense full-body haircut? What lesson does it impart to the Metzora? The Chida explains that this hair removal did not only address the perceptible sins of the Metzora, it actually addresses the deeper root of those sins - a lack of Bitachon! Yes, what leads a person down the road to speaking Lashon Hara, having a selfish and negative attitude toward others and exhibiting haughtiness toward others is a fundamental lack of Bitachon! It's his lack of understanding that Hashem is in absolute, total control of the world and everything in it. Let's explain. The Gemara (Yoma 38b) tells us אֵין אָדָם נוֹגֵעַ בַּמּוּכָן לַחֲבֵירוֹ אֲפִילּוּ כִּמְלֹא נִימָא - No individual can touch what is designated for another [by Hashem], even by a hairbreadth. What Hashem allocates for me is mine. What Hashem allocates for you is yours. What's mine can never be yours, and what's yours can never be mine. Nothing we do - or try to do - can change that! (See Mesilas Yesharim Perek 21, where he elaborates on this) If we internalize this truth, we wouldn't be able to exhibit Tzoras Ayin toward another person; we wouldn't feel the need to speak negatively about others; we wouldn't live life filled with evil eye and jealousy toward others who have things we don't. We wouldn't have feelings of arrogance due to what we, or others, have or don't have. Living with Bitachon means trusting that Hashem knows exactly what He is doing, and gives each of us exactly what is meant for us. It means that nothing we say, do, think or scheme can change that...not even by a hairbreadth. The Metzora needs a large heaping dose of this lesson, and indeed the Torah commands him to shave off all his hair - every last noticeable נִימָא (hair) - to ingrain in him the important tenet of Bitachon - אֵין אָדָם נוֹגֵעַ בַּמּוּכָן לַחֲבֵירוֹ אֲפִילּוּ כִּמְלֹא נִימָא - which led him into the web of Lashon Hara, Tzoras Ayin and Ga'ava in the first place.
Good Shabbos!
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