Parshat Tazria-Metzora: Jewish Demolition Crew Discovers Treasure

We all possess hidden treasures. People in crisis mode often discover their hidden potential. The goal is for people in non-crisis mode to discover the same. METZORA METZORA

JEWISH DEMOLITION CREW DISCOVERS

TREASURE

The Miracle of Tzara’as

When was the last time your home was diagnosed with advanced leprosy? In Biblical times, not only were people afflicted with tzara’as (usually translated as leprosy, but really a skin disorder that has no known modern counterpart), but also their garments and even their homes!

When a house exhibited signs of discoloration, it was declared Tamei (ritually unclean) by the Kohain and, in the most extreme of cases, the entire building had to be demolished.

According to Maimonides, these forms of “leprosy” were miraculous. They occurred only in the Biblical era. Furthermore, each of these abnormal changes of color and texture METZORA was intended to send a message to the person who developed these symptoms on his/her body, clothing or house. The message was to change ones behavior.

Cause for Celebration

There is a difference, however, between “leprosy” of the body and garments and “leprosy” of the homes. When “leprosy” struck a Jewish home and it was demolished, it was not a punishment or tragedy for the homeowner. On the contrary, it was a cause for celebration.

According to the Midrash, when the Cana’anite tribes heard of Israel’s impending arrival, they hid their treasures in the cavities of their walls. When the Jewish homeowner would subsequently demolish his house he would discover the hidden treasure.

Removing the Idolatrous Impurity

The Zohar, however, provides yet another insight as to why G-d would miraculously cause the discoloration of the home that METZORA brought about its destruction. The Canaanite tribes were idolaters and a residual measure of impurity – generated by idol worship in these homes – remained.

Thus, when a Jew discovered the discoloration of his home (“leprosy”) he knew that it was a Divine sign that his house retained the impurity of its former owners. He would then demolish the house and rebuild a home free of all spiritual “contaminants.”

The Ba’al Teshuvah Paradox

It is remarkable that precisely those homes which retained the impurity and had to be demolished were the very homes which provided its owner with a treasure!

There are times when our behavior is good and routine. There are no major changes in our lives as we progress slowly up the ladder of spiritual perfection. There are no hidden skeletons and there are no major spiritual discoveries and surprises. In short, the person whose house, i.e., spiritual framework, is in METZORA order – the tzadik – does not have the potential to find the most sublime treasure.

Only the Ba’al Teshuvah, the one who served masters other than G-d, who then demolishes that idolatrous structure, will discover the hidden treasures. Only the Ba’al Teshuvah who takes radical steps to change, unleashes untapped divine energy from within the very walls that housed his former idolatrous existence.

This is what our sages had in mind when they declared: “The place where the Ba’al Teshuvah stands, even the completely righteous cannot stand.”

Messianic Teshuvah

And this pre-eminent quality of the Ba’al Teshuvah is what the Messianic Age will provide even for the tzadik.

In the words of our mystical sages:

“Moshiach will lead even the righteous to Teshuvah.”

Obviously, the concept of Teshuvah for the tzadik is not the same as it is for one who METZORA had actually sinned. It does however mean that the tzadik will enjoy the non-incremental growth that a Baal teshuvah experiences when he or she jumps over all the hurdles and negative forces. Imagine running away form a wild beast chasing or a deadly fire. In these situations we can jump higher, rn faster and overcome other obstacles we could never have fathomed we could do. This is the way a Baal Teshuvah runs away from the threatening forces of impurity with which he had contact in the past.

The Tzadik does not have that same feeling because he is never in a position where he feels his spiritual life is in peril.

However, in the Messianic Age, even the tzadilk will be sable to perform all the spiritually athletic feats in the process of growing higher and higher.

Then, everyone will be able to uncover the most sublime treasures embedded within all parts of creation.

METZORA

From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Tazria-Metzora by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.