Parshas Tazria

This week’s Parsha is called, Parshas Tazria.

When a person would speak Lashon Hara, (words that may diminish the status of another Jew), Hashem punished him with something called Tzra’as. Tzra’as started off as a white skin blemish and could eventually cover one’s entire body depending on the seriousness of the matter.

Lashon Hara is considered one of the worse sins in the Torah. Rabbi Yisroel Meir Kagen HaCohen zt”l (a.k.a. The Chafetz Chaim) says the reason why we lost the second Bais HaMikdash (Holy Temple) was because of two grave mistakes; Lashon Hara and Sinas Chinim (baseless hatred). The Chafetz Chaim once compared a person that speaks Lashon Hara to a person that committed every sin in the Torah.

My Rebbe explained that one who speaks Lashon Hara defiles his mouth the same mouth he will eventually use to petition HaKadosh Borchu (the Holy One Blessed is He) and as a result, his prayers are not heard. Furthermore, all of the mitzvos he did in the past are cancelled. All this because he used a vessel (his mouth) that was designed to be used for Kedusha (holiness) to lessen the value of another Jew.

A person afflicted with this punishment called Tzra’as was told to go to Ahron the Kohain Gadol (High Priest) or one of his sons (the Kohanim) for confirmation that it was indeed Tzra’as. Once confirmed the person with the Tzra’as was quarantined for a seven day period.

Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler zt”l (a.k.a. the Michtav M’Eliyahu) informs us that one of the reasons why he is quarantined is to do T’shuva (repentance) for the Lashon Hara he spoke.

May we all learn from this week’s Parsha how destructive speaking Lashon Hara really is and to commit ourselves to learning the laws of Shmiras HaLashon (proper speech) so our mouths will always be used for bringing holiness to the world! - Amen!

                                        HAVE A GREAT SHABBOS AND WEEKEND!

Stay tuned for next week’s Parsha called, Parshas Metzora!