Parshat Tazria  3 Nissan 5763, 5 April 2003

By Shlomo Riskin

Efrat, Israel -

"If there will be for an individual a lesion on the flesh of his skin.... the plague of Tzaraat (usually translated Leprosy)... the Kohen/Priest shall look at the plague on the skin of his flesh..." (Leviticus 13:2,3)

"When you shall come to the land of Canaan which I have given for you as a holding property, I shall give you the plague of Tzaraat (Leprosy) in the house of the land of your holding property." (Leviticus 14:34)

The Ramban explains this peculiar phrase of gift by attributing the phenomenon to the peculiar sensitivity of the Land of Israel. From this perspective, the fact that such a strange occurrence only happens in Israel gives testimony to the unique sensitivity of the Land of Israel, which contains a degree of sanctity which does not allow the walls of a house to suffer words of slander without producing a physical reaction.

The Rambam (Maimonides) sees the discoloration of the walls as a gift of advance warning to the inhabitants of the house; before the people are punished, the walls give off a unique form of alarm (Maimonides, Mishna Torah, Laws of the Impurity of Tzaraat 16,10).

The classical commentary Rashi (Rav Shlomo Yitzhaki) gives what appears to be the most practical explanation for the "gift": "(The Almighty provided) a special message for them by means of the appearance of the disfiguring plague, informing that the Amarites hid treasures of gold in the walls of their home" (Rashi ad loc). I would like to attempt to provide a symbolic interpretation to the words of Rashi as well as to the strange phenomenon described in the Bible. I believe that our holy text is teaching that there are profound messages - sometimes treasured troves and sometimes devastating demons - imbedded in the walls of a house; walls imbibe and walls emit the sounds of the people who live in the house. Every house has its distinctive odor or fragrance, its unique ambience of welcoming warmth or formidable tensions which are often evident as soon as one enters the door. Mrs. Asenath Rosenberg, a path breaking proponent of early childhood education for the New York Board of Jewish Education, insisted that nursery school programs be held in synagogues because she believed "that synagogue walls teach a crucial message". I recently saw an off Broadway play in which an assimilated Jew rented a Lower East Side apartment which had once been inhabited by a well known cantor - and he swore that he heard Yom Kippur liturgy emanating from the walls so often that it eventually entered his own soul.

Unfortunately just as walls can express messages that are positive, they can also express messages that are negative. "And he (the Kohen/Priest) shall look at the plague, and behold the plague in the walls of the house are deeply imprinted with green or red (yerakrrekot, adamdamot). Since we are talking about a malady, I would suggest that red is the color of blood and anger, while green is the color of envy and materialism (yerokim is the Hebrew slang for cash American bills which are green). The walls of a home in which the inhabitants are concerned first and foremost about material success and where words of anger, can lead to violence, may be frequently heard, will reflect the negative colors of negative emotions. The great Ethicist and founder of the Mussar Movement, Rav Yisrael Salanter once explained the tantalizing allure of gossip. He said that most individuals are envious of those who are taller than they are; therefore they can either climb atop a ladder or push the other person down. Since ladders are often hard to come by, most people prefer to diminish their perceived competitors with word of slander. Hence, envy, anger and materialism - red and green - correctly characterize a home in which most conversations are about the shortcomings of others.

It is fascinating to consider that the Palestinian flag is red ,green and white. Red can certainly express anger and murderous blood; however it can also symbolize profound commitment, dedication unto death for a supreme ideal. Such dedication, when one lives for one's commitments rather then dies by them, can produce very special and effective patriots. Green can often express envy and materialism, but it can also reflect the green of the vineyard and the forest, the green of land productivity and the natural resources of the Middle East. It is to be hoped that the white of purity and peace will transform malady into miracle and will enable the children of Isaac and the children of Ishmael to commit themselves to develop together the land which they both love and cherish.

Shabbat Shalom.

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